1) This well-produced 8th Air Force in WWII greets incoming visitors near the sign in desk. People are asked for their zip codes and a $7 adult admission fee. All are given a nicely produced map of the museum and a route plan, a good idea, nicely executed.
2) This model of a Chanute hang glider developed well before Kittyhawk and flown by Agustus Herring at the sand dunes in Indiana off Lake Michigan.
3) Another view of the model in a hall full of displays of early history of the community of Rantoul, and Chanute.
4) This Mong Sport homebuilt is one of several lightplanes displayed in a large room devoted to civil aircraft.
5) Another view of the Mong.
6) The nose of the Mong close-up.
7) Another view of the Mong. In the background is a nicely produced depiction of a homebuilt under construction in a hangar.
8) An Aeronca Chief, 40s era four-seat lightplane.
9) The Piper Tri-Pacer 135 is a late version of the design, apparently still in factory colors.
10) One of the most interesting aircraft is this North American P-51H Mustang, displayed in the main hangar, now being restored.
11) Another view of the 'Tang.
12) Republic F-105 in Thhunderbirds colors.
13) The McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle shows what outdoor storage can do to an airplane.
14) Another view of the Eagle.
15) A curious, fictional, lamentable treatment here.
16) Look for additional pictures of this remarkable airplane before it reached this condition.
17) Douglas C-133 Cargomaster, another rare airplane.
18) Tail number of the Cargomaster.
19) The big bird, with one or two exceptions, is in surprisingly good shape.
20) If at first glance when apprpaching the 133, the airplane appears closer to the ground than it shuld be, closer examination reveals why this is so.
21) Probably the most recent arrival at the Chanute Aerospace Museum is this Lockheed C-130. Close examination of the paint scheme revealed it was applied in 1983.
22) Douglas C-47.
23) Though being restored as a Lockheed WV-2, if memory serves, this airplane came to Chanute as a
RC-121, the USAF equivalent. I will add a page of "before" pictures to AeroKnow to share what she looked like in the 80s.
24) The area around the "Willie Victor" appears very busy, and the results so far, are impressive. It's being restored by a group dedicated to that purpose, and it looks great so far.
25) It appeared the bird had received some attention earlier in the day. The open cowl panels reveal a complex engine.
26) Number one, close. This was one of several military versions of the classic Constellation airliner.
27) Note the original ADC grey fabric control surfaces have not yet been repainted. Fabric requires a different paint formulation,
28) When I return to the museum, I'll record who the restoring group is and tell you more about them later. If a member wants to send me that info, I will be happy to share it here.
29) Another F-105 in SEA (Southeast Asia) colors.
30) Another view of the 105.
31) This F-101B is the two-seat all-weather interceptor version of the Voodoo. As a single-seat recon aircraft, it gave great service in the Viet War; also served well as an interceptor with ADC.
32) Voodoo's tail.
33) This Grumman SA-16B Albatross was one of just a few amphibians flown by the USAF.
34) The Albatross has also held up fairly well outside.
35) The nose of this Douglas RB-66 Destroyer was reconfigured for radar training at the Chanute AFB training center. I do not believe it ever flew in this configuration.
36) Destroyer's tail.
37) This appears to be a Wright turbo-compound engine, the type used on the Constellation. If I am wrong, I hope a visitor to this page will set me right, aye?
38) The Convair B-58 was world's first supersonic bomber. This example used to sit in the grass away from the hangars; has been nicely restored.
39) This North American GAM-77 Hound Dog jet propelled guided missile was carried by B-52. Initially, this unmanned machine was designated B-77.