Texas Air Museum - Stinson Field

Thorlifter · 03-18-2008, 08:27 PM

San Antonio Texas has several military bases in and around it so I did a search for air museums. Sure enough I found one at Stinson Field.

I've been so lucky lately when it involves airplanes. Let me explain how it worked out today. So I did the search and found this one. The only reason I went to it was because of some of the pics I'll share below. I'll also explain further on how I was super lucky today.

The one drawback of the museum is it's really old. The display cases were dirty and ugly. They had models of planes everywhere but most of them were either poorly done or broke. Some of the planes on static display outdoors were in super poor condition and were more of an eye sore than something amazing to look at. Here are some of the pics I took today.

Thorlifter · 03-18-2008, 08:33 PM

So.........the whole reason I went was for this plane......

Thorlifter · 03-18-2008, 08:34 PM

Then..........I was blown away to see this one sitting next to the FW-190
.
.

Thorlifter · 03-18-2008, 08:39 PM

Now, here is where I got so lucky.......

Driving out there, the scenery sorta looked familiar. I drove past a funeral home and it looked familiar. I went ahead and toured the air museum then came back by. I pulled in and walked into the office. It was then I realized this is where my maternal grandparents are buried. I got the location and went to visit the gravesite. I really felt moved, shedded a few tears, smiled, and new this day couldn't get any better.

So I share this image with you..........

evangilder · 03-18-2008, 09:08 PM

Great stuff, Thorlifter. My wife jumped when I saw the FW-190 shot. I let out a fairly loud "WOW!". Very cool.

Thorlifter · 03-18-2008, 09:14 PM

ha ha. That's funny! It's just amazing the stuff you find tucked away in a little do nothing hanger. I mean, the A-8's are rare enough, but to just happen across one is outstanding.

evangilder · 03-18-2008, 09:30 PM

Yep, you never know what gems are tucked away in those hangars.

Snautzer · 03-19-2008, 07:05 AM

hope the take better care with the 190 then the poor thing standing outside

wilbur1 · 03-19-2008, 09:09 AM

Great find thor

Njaco · 03-19-2008, 09:32 AM

Once again, another reason to move to Texas!

Did the Fw have any info about it? I seem to remember a few years ago that someone restored a Fw of JG 5 from I believe Norway and when completed actually found a pilot from the same Jabo unit that was flying another machine when the restored FW went down that day. Pilots name was Oskar or Orhly or something. Might this be that plane (not Weiss 7 with NASM)?

Thorlifter · 03-19-2008, 09:52 AM

Other than a poorly typed poster board about JG5, no. No history of the plane at all. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd rate this place a 6. If the FW-190 and the V1 weren't there, I'd give it a 4.

A4K · 03-19-2008, 10:07 AM

Great shots Thor! My amazement at an Fw 190 beingthere was only surpassed by seeing the Fiesler Fi 103R sitting next to it!!!!!

I'd visit the place just for those two exhibits!!! Thanks for posting!

Njaco · 03-19-2008, 10:43 AM

I thought it was a FZG-76 Reichenberg. Is that another name for it?

Njaco · 03-19-2008, 10:50 AM

Sorry to double post but this is what I was remembering...

from
Military Photos . net

"On the 9th February 1945 a force of over thirty Beaughfighters of 144 Sqn RAF, 455 Sqn RAAF and 404 Sqn RCAF, took off from Dallachy, Scotland and were joined by an escort of 10 Mustangs of 65 Sqn RAF. Their mission was to carry out a strike against a German Destroyer, (the Z33) and accompanying vessels in the narrow Førdefjorden on the west coast of Norway.

Just after launching the attack, the strike force was bounced by 12 Focke Wulf 190s of JG5 that had been scrambled from their base at Herdla, near Bergen. In the ensuing combat , one of the most intence ever seen in Norwegian skies , nine Beaufighters and one Mustang were shot down, fourteen aircrew were killed or posted missing, five became POWs The Germans also suffered considerable losses, five FW190s were shot down, two pilots being killed and two others wounded.
Depicted here is Focke Wulf 190 ”Weiss 1” of 9/JG5, flown by Uffz. Heinz Orlowski, in combat with a Mustang of 65 Sqn. After a long and desperate struggle, Orlowski managed to shoot down the Mustang seconds before he himself was forced to bale out, at very low altitude, after his aircraft burst into flames. Although he was badly injured on landing, Heinz Orlowski survived the war and ironically, so did his aircraft. The wreck of ”Weiss 1” was recovered after the war, restored to static condition, and is now on display in the USA."

now as for Blau 4 there is this....
Luftwaffe in Norway

9-2-1945. FW190A-8 732183 LINZ, Ltn. Rudi 12. JG 5 blau 4 + o KIA on 9.2.45 after downing a Beaufighter & a P-51. Meistad 1 F

So I believe its a restore of Rudi Linz's machine. Cool!

DBII · 03-19-2008, 01:20 PM

Thorlifter, nice find. I was in SA about 18 months ago and read about the
190. I have not been able to drive back up there to find it. I was looking through a book last Dec about the 190. In the back was a listing of what groups and museums had saved them from the scrapyards. There are at lease 5 hinden away in Texas. Three are owned by the same person. I will see if I can find the notes I made or the book.

nice shots,
DBII