Welcome to this New England Air Museum review. If you’ve visited a fair few aviation museums, as I have, then you’ll know it’s fair to say they vary in quality. I’m glad to say that New England Air Museum (NEAM) is one of the good ones. It is an excellent museum.
Situated adjacent to Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut the museum is easily accessible from the airport or the I-91 freeway. There is plentiful parking. The admission charge is a modest US$15 with the usual discounts for children, seniors and veterans.
Refurbished in 2017, in a US$2 million project, the museum is well laid out with plentiful exhibits. Exhibits are comprehensively labelled and there are many informative displays throughout. There is a gift shop and vending machines for snacks and drinks. Staff are knowledgeable, and very friendly and helpful. Most importantly, the interior exhibits are maintained to a very high standard. Some of the exterior exhibits have seen better days, but the patina of their working lives can be interesting in its own right.
These are some of the key exhibits. In my view, the first two alone would justify the entrance fee:
BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
‘Jack’s Hack’, the museum’s Superfortress is one of nearly 4,000 built during the Second World War, this one having been put together at Boeing’s main plant in Renton, Washington. It was built just too late to see service during the war but was flown by training unit and saw overseas deployments in the United Kingdom and Libya. After finding itself on a shooting range in Maryland, the B-29 was rescued and transported to the museum. Following a few years of external storage – and surviving a hurricane which ruined many of the museum’s then exhibits – ‘Jack’s Hack’ began to be restored in 1998. NEAM says it is “only 98% complete” but most visitors will see what the museum claims to be one of the best restored B-29s in the world. It’s difficult to argue with that claim.
SIKORSKY VS-44A
Only three Sikorsky VS-44’s were built and ‘Excambian’ is the sole survivor. Built by Sikorsky in 1942, it saw service the US Navy before entering civilian operation. There are few surviving four-engine flying boats in the world and ‘Excambian’ is the only American built one. The exhibit is on loan from the US National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida.
GOODYEAR ZNPK Blimp Control Car
Another recent and excellently restored part of the museum’s collection is this control car from a Second World War airship. One of only 134 K-class airships built, NEAM has spent 14,000 hours restoring the car since 1993. The standard of the work and attention to detail is truly outstanding.
LOCKHEED 10A ELECTRA and DOUGLAS DC-3
One of the last 10A-model Electras built, before Lockheed switched production to the 10E variant, this beautiful aircraft has been restored into the colours of Northwest Airlines, a former civil operator of the type. The exhibit itself was delivered to the US Navy in 1936 for use as personal transport for the Secretary of the Navy, Claude Swanson.
The Douglas DC-3 needs no introduction as an aircraft type. This exhibit started its working life with the US Army Air Force, despite having originally been ordered by American Airlines. It subsequently went on to Eastern Airlines, among other operators, and it is in those colours its is displayed at NEAM.
DE HAVILLAND CANADA DHC-4 CARIBOU (C-7A)
This C-7A saw active service in Vietnam with the US Army. It was eventually retired and flown to Bradley International airport in 1991, the last official flight of a C-7 in US military service.
A full list of the exhibits on display is available on the museum’s website – click here.
17 Responses
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Hello,
one place I’ll love to visit one of these days is the New England Air Museum. I know there will be a lot of interesting things to see and the Knowledge to be gained will be beyond expected. Your review on this Museum is really helpful and highly interesting. More of the details on the BOEING B-29 Superfortress. And I hope to touch it one day.
Thanks, Have a nice day
Thanks, Salim. it’s well worth a visit.
Wow! It does have some beautiful things to see. I love the simplicity at which you write, short, precise and straight to point. I’ve not being to an Air museum in times past, perhaps I can make this firstI was actually searching for something about museum, and I found myself here, I’m glad I landed here. Good write up.
This new England air museums review is nothing short of spectacular I must say, it is just amazing because before now I had only heard a little about Air museums probably owing to the fact that they are not really commonplace where I come from, the BOEING B-29 Superfortress is the artefact that really tickled my fancy here, and no doubt I would really love to see it someday when I visit Connecticut. Cheers.
Thank you. The B-29 really is something to see.
Nice article on New England Air Museum.it so interesting, I find it informative and educative on what are the things to look out for when visiting england air museum. I have never been to any air museum before or have any idea about it.
but with all you said about it, it make me want to see for myself how all this air machines look like. Thanks for the post.
thank you for sharingthis post I like from the beginning to the end even though I have not been in this museum ever but according to your description of beautiful values you are telling me I like it very much and I believe that maybe once will visit this museum and will enjoy the beauties of this fantastic country thank you once again for the valid posting
New England Air Museum is a popular destination. Most of the point you mentioned in this review are true. I have not been to the place but my uncle has visited it many times. He had beautiful pictures of it. Thank you for the great review I see clearly that it is now better and improved.
Thanks, Paschal. Glad your uncle likes the museum.
The opening paragraph definitely gave the reader a full understanding as to what to expect in the article, it drew me in to want to read more. The visuals of the aircraft were great because it allows the reader to see what they will be experiencing with super detailed descriptions for each pic. I also like that there is a “CLICK HERE FOR MUSEUM INFO” so the reader can see for themselves what the museum is like, which backs up what you state in the article. Your “SHOPPING CART” tab confused me a bit because I’m not sure what people can shop for? I loved the “CATEGORIES” section that had an extensive breakdown of different aircraft. The information you proved in the article was very detailed, along with the way each paragraph was constructed. You are clearly well-versed in this area:)
Hi Rob. I’ve never visited any aviation museum, in fact I’ve never even left my island St.Lucia.
However, this post is very interesting. SIKORSKY VS-44A looks really good. I like how they all have their history attached, makes it a lot more interesting.
I notice that visiting the museums are a knack for you, and that really is amazing. I can see why you like it. This was worth the read even tho I was clueless about it. I just might grow an interest for these.
Thanks, Angella
Hey I realy like this New England Air Museum Review I found this very interestging and the cost is not to high to learn a great deal more about ariplanes and the history behind each one as you see them.This is helpful information as I will be traveling to different places in the near future
Hi,
Thank you for sharing this great informational article about New England Air Museum Review.Here you have a thorough discussion a variety of New England Air Museum.You have written lots of helpful article which encouraged lots of people about Air Museum. I will definitely be back to your website for some more of your helpful information on a lot of topics. I will share this article with my friends.
Great post and good info.
Thanks for sharing this really, I love planes, and certainly the history behind it.
To see they have planes that served in the war and other ones, and I mean, old ones, it is a big wow.
When we will go to the area, I’m certainly going to visit this with my wife, the price is cheap as well.
Thank you so much. Really!
Thanks, Emmanuel