Roosevelt's Chair

Ohio History

The Lift

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's plane also had the distinction of being the first airplane specifically built for Presidential use. I was still in the aircraft when I took this picture, looking down into a hatch opening in the floor of the plane. Since he was a victim of polio and unable to walk, President Roosevelt could not board the plane easily. This elevator allowed him to remain in his wheelchair and be lifted comfortably into the plane, rather than being carried up the stairs. You can see the chair ready and loaded into the lift. Roosevelt traveled to the Soviet Union in this airplane to meet with Allied leaders in 1945. It must have made headlines all across the country!

Roosevelt Plane

Ohio History

Presidential Gallery

Of course there were a number of planes used during World War II on display at the museum. This new form of high speed travel allowed this war to affect more civilians than perhaps any war in history through bombing. But the plane from the WWII era that interested me most was one used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was located in the Presidential Gallery, which we accessed by riding the shuttle bus across the base. This gallery boasted the world's largest collection of planes used by U.S. Presidents, including four that we could actually get inside. President Roosevelt was the first President to fly while in office in 1943 (imagine that - it took forty years after the first flight to get a President in the air!). His plane is the silver one in the background of this picture; it was nicknamed The Sacred Cow.

Cockpit

We got to walk all the way up and down through the narrow passages of the plane. Here is a view of the instrument control panels surrounding the pilot's and copilot's seats.

Bell Helicopter

Ohio History

Tilt-Rotor Aircraft

Next, we got to see the world's first 'helicopter plane'! Yes, this aircraft combined all the good points of a helicopter and an airplane. It could take off vertically and hover like a helicopter, while traveling at the high speeds of a plane (up to 184 mph!). It used propellers for vertical lift to take off, then turned the propellers forward once in the air to provide thrust. I think that this is why it's called a tilt-rotor aircraft. The first-ever tilt-rotor flight took place in 1958. However, after this, the plane was put on display in a museum, and the project was dropped. We never found out why . . . I guess they just missed the runway too much.

Civilian Planes

Ohio History

Curtiss Jenny

The purpose of this plane, the Curtiss Jenny, was mainly pilot training during World War I. The aircraft was used both for basic flight training and for bomber training. More than 6,000 of these planes were manufactured before the end of the war. Many of the surplus aircraft were sold to civilians after the war and used throughout the 1920s and 1930s. This was the first time airplanes were widely available to the public, and began widespread civil aviation. In fact, stunt pilots used them to perform tricks in the sky, either solo or in groups, known as the 'airplane circus.' The planes were also used to sell airplane rides to civilians. They would traverse the country, spending a couple days in a farmer's field before moving on.

Bigger Planes

Ohio History

WWI Plane

 We moved on to the Caproni Ca. 36 used during World War I. Already, planes were changing the landscape of war and the destruction it could cause. The WWI planes were designed by an Italian named Caproni and used in the U.S., Great Britain, and France. As you can see, this one has a larger engine area, carries more bulk overall, and also has a water-cooling engine system. Maximum speed had now reached 87 mph, and altitude up to nearly 15,000 feet. This plane was used as a bomber, and soon was laying waste to Austrian cities in a faster and more deadly manner than yet seen in history.

New Planes

Ohio History

1911 Flyer

Although I'm not for certain, I believe this is the second plane which the U.S. Army purchased, a Curtiss Model D. It was one of the five planes ordered by the military in 1911. Several of its highlights were easy disassembly for transportation, speed up to 50 mph, and flying time up to 2 1/2 hours. The propellers were mounted in the back rather than the front, a deviation from the Wright design, and the control system was also different. The museum built the replica above in 1987, based on early photographs of the actual plane, which was scrapped.

Piece from a Wreck

This broken airplane piece reminded us of the many dangers involved with early air travel. It came from the first fatal airplane crash, in the Wrights' 1908 Flyer. One of the propellers malfunctioned, and the plane crashed hard to the ground. Orville Wright, the pilot, was hurt seriously, while his passenger was fatally injured in the wreck.

Wright Plane

Ohio History

Wright 1909 Flyer

This life-size reproduction was the next plane we found on display in the Early Years Gallery. It was built in 1909, already improved-upon from the original Kitty Hawk planes. This craft could stay airborne for up to an hour, and reach speeds of 42 mph--amazing for that time I'm sure. Sadly, it was also the first plane used by the U.S. Army, which purchased it for $30,000 in 1909. Thus began the development of military aircraft. Wilbur Wright actually used the plane to give flying lessons to several new pilots. It remained the only army plane in use for almost two years, when it was retired after several crashes and repairs.

Air Force Museum

Ohio History

Planes

Ready for another sight-seeing jaunt? Guess what . . . we are still in Dayton! I know what you're thinking: how can there be more to see besides the Wright Bicycle shop, Dunbar House, Booneshoft Museum, Patterson House, Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, Carriage Hill, and even Possum Creek Metropark? I know, I've dragged you all over Dayton, but I promise, this is our last stop for now! Besides, this is a place you won't want to miss: the National Museum of the US Air Force. This museum boasts almost 750,000 square feet of display area filled with all kinds of once-airborne machines (or replicas of them). Displays span the entire history of aviation, from the first flight to modern satellites. On top of that, the museum is said to be the largest and oldest military aviation museum in the world; it first opened in 1923. It has continually expanded from its the 8100-foot area then to more than 17 acres of indoor displays now. The plane above hung in the Early Years Gallery, which was our first stop at the museum.