“Keep The Antiques Flying!
Blakesburg, Iowa
Air Power Museum
I made the short drive towards Ottumwa to visit the Air Power Museum earlier this week. Located off Bluegrass Road, 4 miles outside Blakesburg, the APM is a working museum, where the vast majority of their aircraft still fly. Considering it’s the middle of winter, the traffic on Hwy 34 wasn’t exactly daunting, and the museum staff was kind enough to open the building just for my visit.
Great people down there at APM, and it was much appreciated.
A Curtiss OX-5 engine from 1919
The best time to visit APM would no doubt be during their annual Invitational Fly-In, which occurs over Labor Day Weekends. This year the dates are: August 31 – September 5, 2016. Held for over 40 years, the Fly-In at the Antique Airfield is part convention and part reunion.
1929 Monoprep
Max speed: 99mph; ceiling: 9000 ft; range: 290 miles (@4gph); original cost: $2675
1972 Pietenpol Scout
Originally named the Sky Scout in 1931, the Bernard Pietenpol built plane was powered by a Model T engine, and updated to a Model A engine the following year. A frame identical to the original Scout, with a Chevrolet Vega engine, became the first replica of the Scout. This is the APM aircraft.
1938 Porterfield CP-40
Bounsall Prospector: A homebuilt aircraft
Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp
The Wasp was Pratt & Whitney’s first engine, designed in the 1920’s. Displacing 1344 cubic inches, the single row, 9 cylinder, air-cooled radial engine appeared in numerous aircraft. It appears here because I just love a big, old radial.
January 29th, 2016 at 1:26 PM
Very cool planes!
January 29th, 2016 at 4:02 PM
They have a good collection. Thanks for stopping by!