4 Apr 2023 - Kansas Aviation Museum and Dinner with John Kimball

 

Today we visited the Kansas Aviation Museum which is just on the opposite side of McConnell Air Force than we are camping. We learned that Wichita is considered the "Air Capital of the World"! This museum is located in what was the old Wichita Municipal Airport terminal building.  The history here is incredible.  Construction started in 1930 as a Works Progress Administration project.  It opened in 1935 and was a huge success as Wichita was one of the major stops for transcontinental flights.  It was also in close proximity to the Boeing Wichita facility.  In 1954 the military bought the entire airport from the city and created an air base here, McConnell Air Force Base, which is also home for the Kansas Air National Guard, an Army and a Navy Reserve facility.  In 1991 the building was reacquired by the City of Wichita and leased to the Kansas Aviation Museum.    

The building has been masterfully preserved and is the home of many displays and restored aircraft.  Cessna, Beechcraft, Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers are a huge part of Wichita.  Some pictures:

The main atrium of the old terminal.  The artwork on the ceiling is incredible!

Beechcraft disply

Cessna display

Equipment in the old air traffic control tower

Aircraft static displays on the ramp, including a B-52 and a KC-135

B-52 tail gunner's optical sight mfg'd by Kodak 1956

One of many trainers here.  This one is located in the STEM area for students

A unique 1944 Beechcraft D17S Staggerwing

Various wooden propellers

A cutaway of a Laird biplane manufactured here

A Stearman model 4D operated by Texaco Oil until 1936

A Link AN-T-18 trainer.  Over 10,000 of these were built and used during WWII

The outside of the old terminal building today

On our way back to the campground we passed the Kansas Air National Guard base, bringing back memories of my long career in the Guard.  

Later in the afternoon we met John Kimball and his friend Jane at the Prost Restaurant, a German place here in Wichita.  As I mentioned before, John's military career and mine were very similar.  He served on active duty and then with the Air National Guard.  He is a retired Kansas State Command Chief and worked in the Communications Flight at the Kansas Air National Guard.   

The Prost Restaurant offers German food and beverages, but the building is really unique.  It is constructed out of Conex (shipping) containers!

As you walk inside, there is an entire wall of ammunition cans that house individual beer mugs under lock and key.  Apparently you can purchase your own personalized beer mug and then lock it up when you leave!

So we had a great meal.  John had the bierock, Doreen had the schnitzel "wiener art" and both Jane and I had the Jager schnitzel.  We enjoyed some German beers and wine to go with it.  John showed us his summer RV plans that includes a New England trip. It is always great to reconnect with our friends, relatives and military comrades as we travel across this great nation!

Tomorrow we will connect up with John again and then fuel the truck and prepare to head south to Oklahoma City the following day.