Virginia Aviation Museum is located at:

5701 Huntsman Road
Richmond, VA 23250
Voice: 804-236-3622
Web Site: www.vam.smv.org

The first thing you will see when you pull up to the Virginia Aviation Museum is the impressive Blackbird. This is the SR-71 Blackbird that set the endurance record on April 26, 1971. The speed record from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. is 1 hour 4 minutes and 2 seconds. Just a mere 2,144.8 miles per hour! These aircraft have flown high speed, high altitude strategic reconnaissance all over the world.

Inside the museum are several antique planes. There are planes from the World War I era like the 1917 Spad VII "Prized Fighter" and the 1918 Curtiss JN-4D Jenny. There is a mail carrier, the 1927 Pitcairn Mailwing PA5. Check out the 1936 Vultee V-1AD Special considered "Luxury in the Sky". Then there is the plane used for Byrd's first Antarctic expedition, the 1928 Fairchild FC-2W2.

Practice flying in one of the simulators. Do the experiments to learn about how the design of the wing is affected by air currents. Fly and land a model plane in the wind. There are many activities to do that are fun and teach you about aviation. For the little pilots there is a play area with lots of toy airplanes. Everyone will have a good time.

KAT'S VIEW