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Tom McGhee visits one of Florida's lesser-known attractions.

This aviation collection is located in the North Eastern corner of Titusville Municipal Airport, near the Kennedy Space Center, and houses a good collection of aircraft types including some surprisingly modern ex-US Navy warplanes.

Some of the aircraft here are regular flyers like C-47A 42-100591 "Tico Belle" which still takes to the air most weekends, and flew wartime missions on both D-Day (glider towing) and D-Day minus 1 (paratroop pre-positioning).

Restoration work is also carried out here with current projects including a NA F-86F Sabre "Nancy J", a Polish Air Force MiG-17 521, and a Grumman FM-1 14994 coded F-7.

Former US Navy types in the main hangar include Grumman F-14A Tomcat 161134 coded 114, Grumman A-6E Intruder 162182, and LTV A-7A Corsair II 153135 coded RTC-01. Outside a further ex US Navy aircraft is worthy of special mention, especially in an article on this site. McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II, 155563 coded 92 in the marks of PMTC (Pacific Missile Test Center) is looking a bit weathered despite the temperate weather conditions in which it is stored.

Back to the main hangar and a couple of unusual foreign types are here: - former Yugoslavian Air Force Utva-66 51146 is currently being worked on, whilst ex-Spanish Air Force Hispano Saeta HA-200A E.14A-11 is painted in a distinctly non-military scheme as N611HA "Whistlin' Dixie".

Amongst the other aircraft in the collection are a Bell UH-1V Iroquois "Huey" helicopter, a couple of T-28 Trojans, a McDonnell Douglas F-101 Voodoo, and a Grumman Mohawk.

Aside from the Grumman and other aircraft, the museum houses a selection of aviation artifacts and memorabilia, and also has a very good gift shop with some unusual items.

Further details can be obtained at www.vacwarbirds.org

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