Warbird Flights & Museum, Kissimmee, Florida

by Stephen Morrill

I paid a visit in late February to this really cool (especially if you are a kid—of any age) museum. Located in a hangar on the back side of Kissimmee Gateway Airport, it’s reached off of US 192 at Hoagland Boulevard. (Don’t try to get there through the main airport entrance, which is some distance away.)

The museum has three missions: they display a small number of early-model aircraft, such as A German WWII Focke-Wulf 190, a 1950s-era MiG 17, a Bell 47 helicopter (the ones you see on old M.A.S.H. episodes), and classic Ryan PT-2 and Stearman aircraft.

You may fly in one of three WWII-era T-6 “Texan” propellor trainers for 15, 30 and 60-minute flights, opt for the “acrobatic” option, and come away with a video and photos of your adventure. If you’re already a pilot there are courses available for a checkout flight.

Last, the museum has ongoing restoration projects, so some of the aircraft on display may be partially dismantled while museum staff works on building new parts for old airplanes. When we were there they were rebuilding a T-6 and also the FW-190. They were making a new wing for one of them, though I could not tell you which.

Is this cool or what? this is the 1956 Taylor Aerocar. Cruise the highway at 60 MPH or unfold the wings and fly over those traffic jams at 100 MPH. Only six were built, five remain, and this is the only one still flyable. The Taylor Aerocar remains the only aircraft certified for highway driving. This one was also owned by actor Bob Cummings, who featured it on his television show.

Warbird Flights & Museum
233 N. Hoagland Avenue
Kissimmee, Florida
800-386-1593
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days in season and Tuesday-Saturday other times (call to confirm if in doubt).
Admission $6. See http://www.kissimmeeairmuseum.com for details.

Flights on the T-6s are priced from $220-$670 with some added options. See http://www.warbirdadventures.com for details.