Boston, NY, Dayton, Cincinatti, Orlando, Naples

[Sansburye]

Great update! I have been slow in posting as I’ve been dealing with the child having a sickness bug! 🤮🤮

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Sansburye

Great update! I have been slow in posting as I’ve been dealing with the child having a sickness bug! 🤮🤮

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Sorry to hear. Hoping she gets well soon!

[cornishfrogboy]

Day 8.. long and dull.. Sorry!

Day 8 dawned as a ‘fill in day’ our flight was not due until 1800 from LaGuardia, so we had time to kill in NY.

It was a packing session with our belongings carefully distributed to ensure sub 10kg and that none of our hand luggage was stuffed to oversized dimensions for our forthcoming flight. After an identical breakfast to the previous 2 days (but fortunately without the nearly naked man), it was a check out before leaving our baggage with the Concierge- The Hotel scores a very high 8.5 out of 10 and a high recommend for anyone considering it. Whilst moderately priced, it was right on Broadway, exactly mid town and had complimentary breakfast. The room had been remarkably large (but twin Queen beds) and the whole place very clean. The staff were exceptionally friendly, tactile and helpful! Now, off into the city.

Hard to miss as we passed it.

It was up Broadway and a walk around the already horrendously crowded (Think Galaxys Edge on opening day), Times Square area. We even had to queue for our turn to cross the roads. We walked the Square whilst avoiding the grubby costume wearers, but with detours into Macy’s and American Eagle (I like their boxer shorts). It was then across to 4th and back down Southwards, taking in the Skyscrapers and general hubbub. Being country dwellers, It was rather unpleasant and tempers appeared frayed (not ours).

Times Sq was not very pleasant today.

Subway for lunch and then it was back to the Hotel and pick up by a Concierge arranged hire car (A huge black GMC) that took us under the water, into Queens and then on to LaGuardia. A very entertaining and friendly driver who was well worth his $20 tip on top of the $55 fixed rate fare.

LaGuardia is easy, small (ish) relatively uncrowded and easy to negotiate with plenty of staff. We were soon at our gate awaiting our American Airlines flight to... Dayton Ohio!

A pleasant 2hr gate to gate flight in a small (50 seat with only 25 occupied)., Bombardier CRJ7000. Our bags were taken from us on entry and were waiting for us on the air bridge as we stepped off .

Dayton airport proved to be small and absolutely simple to negotiate. In Mandie’s words, “2nd best airport in the USA after Daytona Beach”. We were in our budget hire car within 1/2 an hour of getting off the plane.

A very small CRJ700 awaits.

From Daytona airport pick up to our Hotel, Springhill Suites on Fairfield’s, Beavercreek was very simple to navigate with our GPS (we have our own and it was preloaded with all destinations before we left the UK). We were soon checked in and ready for bed (too late and too tired for an evening meal).

The entrance/exit hall of Dayton International. The Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville lived in Dayton! (A clue as to why we are in Dayton).

Betcha wonder why we are in Beavercreek Ohio? All will be revealed in the next thrilling installment!

12682 steps today.

[scottishnellie]

Thanks for such an interesting read so far. Can’t wait to follow the rest of your trip.

[Sansburye]

Another great update. Looks like you are having an amazing time! 😊

[jemett]

Really enjoying reading about your trip! Can’t wait for the next instalment.

[cornishfrogboy]

Day 9. USAF Museum, Dayton Ohio. For the plane lovers amongst you. (If there are any)... or.. ‘the wright, wright wright stuff’, (I am a lifelong Arsenal fan).

This location has been no1 on my bucket list for travel, Worldwide and since I was a child. The Worlds ultimate aircraft museum.

We were up early and carrying out our first of 2 clothing washes that day in order to return clothes stocks to those on day 1. (remember that we are hand luggage only) $1.25 for the wash $1.25 for the dry. An hour spent over breakfast and it was done. The hotel is typical clean, nice Marriott Standard (Springhill Suites) and the Breakfast the same as in any similar hotel.. absolutely fine.

The United States Air Force Museum and its 350 aircraft was just 10 minutes drive away, entry was free and crowds were minimal. The Museum had numerous volunteers, all seemingly veterans and free guided tours of the various halls taking place throughout the day. The aircraft were immaculate. Many of the transports and the Presidential Aircraft were open to visitors and there were several jet fighter cockpit sections for visitors to climb in. With few exceptions, if the USAF has ever flown it, then it was there. There were also many former ‘enemy aircraft’ and also RAF ones. It really is the finest Aircraft Museum that I have ever seen. Mandie, Dan and Matt were good for a day, but I feel that I will be returning alone tomorrow as there is a monstrous shopping mall next to the hotel.

Spad XIII

Boeing P26A

B17 Memphis Belle (the real one).

B29 Silverplate ‘Bocks Car’ from which Major Charles Sweeney dropped the second nuclear bomb on Nagasaki. Major Frederick Bock had to ‘lend’ his Aircraft to Sweeney and observed from ‘The Great Artiste’.. The only aircraft to fly on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki missions.

Convair B58 Hustler

The XF84 ‘Thunderscreetch’ an Aircraft so noisy, nasty and useless that 11 of its 12 flights were terminated due to the sickness and on a couple of occasions, incapacitation induced in the pilot by its blades that were travelling at supersonic speed.

Dan tries the WSO seat of an F4 Phantom for size.

Martin X24a and B70 Valkyrie Mach 3 bomber.

Apollo 15 Command module that took Scott, Worden and Irwin to the moon..and back.


On return, it was a favourite of ours, Golden Coral for dinner. It had a very different vibe to the Orlando ones as the custom was very local and it was clear that most of the diners and waitresses all knew each other, but there were very few children running around. The food was identical to any other GC .

13836 Steps today.

[cornishfrogboy]

Day 10 and.. it’s more planes!

This was to be my 2nd day at the museum and alone whilst my long suffering family went shopping in the very nearby mall. Please bear with my enthusiasm as I appreciate Aircraft are not for everybody.

I was there for the first lecture of the day, WW1 & WW2, the 2nd, Korean and Vietnam wars and the 3rd, Cold War guided tours. These tours are free and really well presented by former Air Force personnel volunteers, of which there are around 600. They, like the museum, are free.
After the tours (1.5 hrs each), it was a photo catch up and a walk through 4 of the Presidential jets.
I would like to thank the great tolerance of Mandie my wife who allows me to follow my interest across the world. At the end of the day, there are few reasons to visit Dayton Ohio, other than to see this fabulous museum.

The Bell X15, fastest aircraft ever at 4520 mph at 102,000 feet in 1968.

The B70 Valkyrie bomber it flew at 2056 mph at 70,000 feet. .. in 1964.

A bicycle built by the Wright brothers. It did 7mph in 1901.. at ground level.

An Italian Caproni CA38 from WW1.. because I think it looks fabulous.

Following my return, we adjourned to the Longhorn Steakhouse across the road, identical prices, theming and quality to the Orlando ones and a great time had by all. I love the Longhorn Steakhouse and my 12oz NY strip was simply lush with Baked jacket (sour cream and onions) plus a Caesar salad.

Finally an evening walk with my Army Cadet son who wanted to go to ‘Dicks’ sports outlet to weigh up the firearms. This store does not sell the exotica that he sought (AR15) and co, but he was in heaven when the sales guy handed me a .308 Ruger.. to hand to him!

Matt tries out a .308 Ruger.. a little heavy for him at 9 pounds.

Tomorrow we fly again!.. to more mainstream, DIBBER territory.

14446 Steps today.

[OB1LukeLucas]

Having a late catch up, the photos from the museum look fab. I would really enjoy looking round, I bet there are lots of interesting stories. Its great you can sit in the planes, I would be happy to have a go in the phantom 😊

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by OB1LukeLucas

Having a late catch up, the photos from the museum look fab. I would really enjoy looking round, I bet there are lots of interesting stories. Its great you can sit in the planes, I would be happy to have a go in the phantom 😊

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It’s free, it’s really well supported by helpful volunteers and it was simply the best military or other Aviation Museum that I have ever visited and that includes the Smithsonian in Washington. I could have stayed for many days, but am grateful that my family gave me the two. It was also very full of human stories and , such as the Doolittle raiders goblets in their cabinet. Absolutely worth the visit!