Lone Star Flight Museum reopens

[NcongruNt]

I did an audio-visual project for the Lone Star Flight Museum in 1998. I don't recall that they had that big a bomber, or maybe they got it later.

It looks like the web site is more up-to-date now than when I posted the original message in this thread.

- Jim

I'm not sure how long the B-58 has been there, but it's been a few years since I was told about it. I believe my dad went and saw it several years back. It is listed as a visiting aircraft, though I don't know long it's been there. I've found references to it being there going as far back as 1995:

New information from Donald White on 2/8/95 -- 55-668 is on display at the Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston, TX. (402) 740-7722. Another internet user who emailed and pointed this move out was Michael Colangelo. My thanks to both of them.

(found at http://claysco.com/hustlers%20last%20flt.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )

Dunno if it left and came back, but it's definitely been there a while.

(edited to make the link work)

[seamusTX]

The USS Cavalla should be open to the public in the fall of this year.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... 4c91975e0a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hurricane Ike floated the submarine and moved it eight feet. The vessel was not damaged, but as it weighs 1,600 tons, moving it is a project.

- Jim

[GKings1]

The B-58 is still there, unless the storm damaged it to much. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-58_Hustler Scroll down to the Survivors section.
I was on a guide tour with a school group one time a few years back and was told that it is on "loan" from the Air Force. However, the gentleman also said that some Air Force personnel cut the wing spars so that could not fly or be readily moved. So, from what I gather, its there to stay.

It is an awesome aircraft to see.

GKings1

[that1otherdude]

The Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston will reopen tomorrow, January 31, at 9 a.m.

Their collection of airplanes contains some that are unique in the world. If you haven't seen it, it is well worth the trip.

The museum is between Moody Gardens and the airport. The address is 2002 Terminal Drive, Galveston. Just follow the signs from 61st Street to Moody Gardens. You'll find it.

The web site is not up to date: http://lsfm.org/aircraftgallery.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

yep, y'all need to come down and visit... the post-Ike economy down in Galveston needs a shot in the arm.. so, please come and bring lots of friends!

[NcongruNt]

I'm posting an update, as I visited the museum a couple of weeks ago as I had planned.

I was visited the museum on a Sunday with my girlfriend's brother-in-law. There were open, but people were quite sparse. There was only one other group of people there during our visit.

Hangar 1 is open, and all of its displays are viewable. It appears that several of the planes in there are operational and in beautiful condition. I think my favorite would have to be the Continental Airlines Douglas DC-3A. Beautiful plane in great shape. It's amazing to see the kinds of planes used in commercial aviation some 70 years ago. Flying used to be quite a different experience than it is today.

Unfortunately, hangar 2 was closed, and appeared to be housing about 2/3 of the aircraft and motor vehicles in the museum. This included the B-58 that I wanted to see so badly. Apparently the area is being used to restore planes that sustained damage during Ike, although all the larger planes like the B-58 appeared to survive without damage. I talked to the lady at the front to ask her if there was any way that someone could go with me so I could take a look at it , and she told me all I could do was lean over the barricade and peer in. That's what I did, though I couldn't get much of a look.

It was a good time, though I didn't get to go see the plane my dad used to fly in. Hopefully they'll be able to open the rest of the museum soon. I'd really like to see the rest of the planes.

This was the first time I'd been to Galveston since well before Ike hit. I'm not sure how to describe the way it felt being there again. It was somewhat of a ghost town. Just across from the museum, there is a school bus that looks like it was carried across its parking lot, with the engine compartment all torn up. It was sitting cock-eyed off the edge of the lot, with the back door open and swinging in the wind. Several boats were sitting in yards and parking lots. It's an eerie feeling being back there with so many people gone and so much damage still evident. I hope things improve soon.

[seamusTX]

The area around the airport was hit hard, and except for the airport itself and Moody Gardens, recovery is not a high priority there.

The Seawall is almost 100% back to normal. The Strand, not so much. The situation in the neighborhoods is very mixed. You no longer see much obvious damage, except for the houses that are abandoned -- and there aren't many of them. Two-thirds of the pre-Ike population has recovered or is headed in that direction.

- Jim

[that1otherdude]

Man, I just went down there yesterday for the first time... I still can't believe the current state of affairs in Galveston... some good, some horrible...

[Liberty]

Man, I just went down there yesterday for the first time... I still can't believe the current state of affairs in Galveston... some good, some horrible...

For those of us trying to get back its looking better every day.

[seamusTX]

The USS Stewart at Seawolf Park in Galveston is open to visitors again. Stewart is a WW II destroyer escort, one of two or three (depending upon sources) remaining intact.

For information, see http://www.galveston.com/seawolfpark/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Restoration of Cavalla is still underway.

- Jim

[WarHawk-AVG]

I went two weeks early..

The Stewart was still closed..Cavalla was open but the conning tower was still closed

I will post up some pics for you guys shortly!

Gonna have to make another trip out...its amazing how much higher the boats sit, you can see the original bury line on both of them...they had to re-bury them and they both are sitting about 3-4 feet higher than before Ike!!

P.S. The Cavalla rocked!