A visit to the famous aviation museum in Dayton, Ohio.
After a wonderful week on vacation in Georgia and South Carolina, I’m back at work, exploring another new state: Ohio. Outside the city of Dayton, the town of Centerville is a great place to be. It’s quiet, has plenty of good shopping, and I’m enjoying a fantastic gym membership at LA Fitness. Surprisingly, I’ve attended some great health clubs but never actually had an LA Fitness membership before. I’ve settled in quickly to my “castle” here.
This is not the most temperate time of year to visit Ohio. Those with the misfortune to be in state for the season all seem a tad bitter and drive like maniacs all over the road, pushy in their trucks and SUVs. Everyone who could afford to go south for the winter already did so. I imagine them in Atlanta and Charleston, still cold but less unhappy and, much to the dismay of everyone in those cities, driving exactly the same way as they do at home.
One of the first things I wanted to do in Dayton was visit the Air Force Museum. My dad is a pilot, and has been my whole life. He usually flies small planes with 2 to 4 seats, but has flown a bit larger in the past. He owns his own small aircraft. I grew up surrounded by pilots with AOPA magazine in the bathroom. Recently in an airport security line, I saw a man with an AOPA duffel bag. I said, “Oh, it’s an AOPA bag!” out loud before I realized other people probably don’t pronounce it “Ay-Oh-Pah” like we accustomed ourselves to doing as kids. The point is, flight has been a part of my life for a long time, and especially with an Air Force boyfriend, I felt excited to see more of its history.
Sunday was a gloriously free day. Ohio decided to be sunny and warm-ish for the first time since I arrived! The skies were clear and blue until late afternoon. I stopped by Ghostlight Coffee for a quick bite and a cappuccino, staying longer than intended. Such an amazing eclectic interior!
Parking at the museum turned out to be FREE… and admission turned out to be FREE as well! The size of the place was immense, and there was plenty I didn’t get to see, but below are a few pictures of amazing aircraft from history. Many of them were foreign: planes from France and Argentina. There was also a moving Holocaust exhibit with video interviews from pilots.
What a great museum! Plenty to see, a theater, and a fantastic gift shop as well! However, I couldn’t help but wish someone else more familiar with planes could have been along with me. Who knows… there’s always someday.
~ The Dauntless Princess ~