Day trip to Fantasy of Flight

[ew1usnr]

There is a private aviation museum called "Fantasy of Flight" in Polk City (east of Tampa) that will close at the end of April. See: http://www.fantasyofflight.com/ (http://www.fantasyofflight.com/) It had been on my list of things to see, so yesterday we hopped in the Falcon and drove over there. We added another 110 miles to the odometer and the car performed magnificently. It just seems to keep running better and better.

The facility is really nice. It is on an airstrip and all the aircraft on display are flyable or are being restored to make them so.
3606

This is a 1958 airliner. It would be cool to get this one back in the sky.
3607

A flying boat. This is the very image of the spirit of travel.
3608

The owner of the museum gave a flight demonstration with his restored P-51 Mustang. The sound that the engine made when he wound it up for take off was really something. An employee told me that the owner insists on authenticity on all his restorations. He will actually have an early engine re-made from old blueprints rather than substitute a newer engine. (He has a lot of money from oil royalties. His grandfather was a geologist who asked for a percentage on the oil wells that he located rather than a fixed payment.)
3609

This is a shopping plaza in Lakeland. I like the big space-age looking sign. I would guess that it is from the early 60's.
3610

[doghows]

Very cool Dennis, I can't wait to get my car out but alas all we have here is rain, rain, and more rain.. You give us hope that the sunny yellow ball in the sky will show up here one day. Keep up the great reports and having fun.. You are doing exactly what these cars are meant to do!! :3g::shift:

[SmithKid]

I agree with Steve, Dennis. It must be wonderful to be able to take day trips with the Wonder Falcon year-around. I, like Steve (and I'm sure many others here) are very envious of your wonderful weather! We mostly say our cars are "fair weather drivers".

[ew1usnr]

I, like Steve (and I'm sure many others here) are very envious of your wonderful weather!

Well, ...... from June through September it gets pretty darned hot (95 degrees) down here and my Falcon does not have air conditioning.

This is the nicest time of the year because the temperature is perfect and I want to enjoy it as much as I can while it lasts. During the middle of the day I will roll the windows down, but in the morning and evening it is comfortable to drive with the windows up and while getting air flow from the vents.

3612

[Luva65wagon]

Makes me think that taking the cars to our local Museum of Flight (Boeing Field) and snap some pictures. Though Boeing is slowly moving bits and pieces of the plane building to other (cheaper labor) parts of the country or world, I hope they leave the MofF when/if they leave for good.

Looks like you have lots of fun and it's nice to see your wife comes along for the rides too.