Fantasy of Flight

Last updated • 15 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Fantasy of Flight
New Standard D-25 1931 9 Waldo Wright Fantasy of Flight Splash ramp SNFSI FOF 15April2010 (14630315535).jpg
Aerial view of the site
USA Florida location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Florida
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Fantasy of Flight (the United States)
EstablishedNovember 11, 1995;28 years ago (1995-11-11)
Location Polk City, Florida
Coordinates 28°10′16″N81°48′32″W / 28.171192°N 81.808787°W / 28.171192; -81.808787
TypeAviation attraction
Collection sizeover 150 aircraft
Founder Kermit Weeks
Website fantasyofflight.com

Fantasy of Flight is an aviation museum in Polk City, Florida.

Contents

It opened in November 1995, to house Kermit Weeks' collection of aircraft that, until Hurricane Andrew damaged many in 1992, were housed at the Weeks Air Museum in Tamiami, Florida, On April 6, 2014, it closed to the public, aside from private events and on January 30, 2015, it opened a scaled-down museum displaying a small selection of aircraft while the facility is upgraded for a future reopening. [1]

Many of the aircraft displayed are airworthy and some are flown from the facility's grass runways or its seaplane runway. [2]

Facility

General Layout of Fantasy of Flight Map of Fantasy of Flight.png
General Layout of Fantasy of Flight

The facility's main buildings consist of the two large "North" and "South" hangars where aircraft are displayed, the restoration shops, an immersion environment, the gift shop, and the Compass Rose, an Art Deco diner. Across from the entrance are a ropes course and zip line amusements. [3]

Adjoining the hangars there is a tarmac and two grass runways. On the north side of the runways are a maintenance hangar and conference facility. A "back lot" to the south of the main complex contains warehouses and storage and additional restoration facilities. Storage facilities located across Broadway Blvd are accessible to the public via a guided tour. [4] The adjacent Lake Agnes permits seaplane operations, with a designated landing/takeoff area on 18/36 and a ramp to the taxiway.

Aircraft operations

Boeing PT-17 Stearman A321, Boeing Stearman PT-17 biplane, Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida, USA, 2010.JPG
Boeing PT-17 Stearman

The airfield is officially known as the "Orlampa Inc. Airport" and uses the airport identifier "FA08." The field sits at an estimated elevation of 129 feet (39 meters). It is designated as private use only and special permission is needed to land there. The field is generally closed to all non-company traffic. The airfield consists of two turf runways: runway 4/22 (5,090 ft × 125 ft / 1,551 m × 38 m) and runway 14/32 (2,500 ft × 100 ft / 762 m × 30 m). The airfield appears as "Orlampa" on the Jacksonville sectional chart. [5] The name "Orlampa" was originated by Kermit Weeks based on the airfield being approximately midway between the cities of Orlando and Tampa.

Waldo Wright's Flying Service offers airplane rides for sale from the Fantasy of Flight field during parts of the year and operates a Boeing PT-17 Stearman and a New Standard D-25. The Stearman is used for 30 minute long 'hands-on experience' flights, in which the customer takes control of the aircraft at some point during the flight. The D-25 is used for 15 minute barnstorming flights, in which up to four customers sit in the forward open cockpit of the aircraft as a qualified pilot flies the aircraft.

Collection

The Fantasy of Flight collection contains the following aircraft, although not all are present at any given time as they may be rented out to other facilities, or flown to events, or undergoing additional maintenance or restoration. Most of the collection is in the north and south hangars which are now closed to the public, while a small number are displayed at the interim museum in the old maintenance hangar. In 2012, the "Golden Hill" storage facility opened across the road from the main facility. A number of aircraft have been re-located into this new building, notably the Douglas B-23 Dragon and the Boeing B-29 Superfortress nose. [6]

Kermit Weeks boards his Albatros D.Va in preparation for its first flight at Fantasy of Flight Kermit Week's Albatros D.Va.jpg
Kermit Weeks boards his Albatros D.Va in preparation for its first flight at Fantasy of Flight
Fantasy of Flight's Bell 47G displayed in foreground, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.16 behind, and Cierva C.30A autogyro in the upper right. The B-26 stands in the background. Fantasy of Flight Aircraft.jpg
Fantasy of Flight's Bell 47G displayed in foreground, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.16 behind, and Cierva C.30A autogyro in the upper right. The B-26 stands in the background.
This Standard J-1 appeared in the films The Spirit of St. Louis and The Great Waldo Pepper. Standard J-1 BelowL FOF 14Dec09 (14590672655).jpg
This Standard J-1 appeared in the films The Spirit of St. Louis and The Great Waldo Pepper.
One of two remaining Stinson Tri-Motors. Stinson SM-6000B Trimotor NC11170 RSideFront FOF 24Aug09 (14587029191).jpg
One of two remaining Stinson Tri-Motors.
The last remaining airworthy B-26 Marauder. Martin B-26 Marauder 40-1464 N4297J LSideFront FOF 11Feb2012 (14403956398).jpg
The last remaining airworthy B-26 Marauder.
One of three remaining airworthy P-51C Mustangs North American P-51C-10-NT Mustang Ina the Macon Belle BelowLFront Outside FOF 19Feb2010 (14403932750).jpg
One of three remaining airworthy P-51C Mustangs
The last remaining airworthy Sunderland. Ffsunderland.jpg
The last remaining airworthy Sunderland.
The PBY Catalina with the main building and North Hangar in the background. Fantasy of Flight's PBY Catalina.jpg
The PBY Catalina with the main building and North Hangar in the background.
The Lockheed Vega painted in the scheme of Wiley Post's Winnie Mae. Fantasy of Flight's Lockheed Vega.jpg
The Lockheed Vega painted in the scheme of Wiley Post's Winnie Mae.

Immersion environments

WWI Immersion Experience Fantasy of Flight WWI Immersion Experience.JPG
WWI Immersion Experience

The immersion environments are part of the main facility now closed to the public, but are available as part of the facilities which can be rented for events. Visitors walk through several immersion environments as they enter the attraction. From the lobby, guests walk into the interior of a World War II-era Douglas C-47 Skytrain complete with lighting and sound effects as if the aircraft were conducting paratrooper operations. Guests pass a seated paratrooper in full kit and move forward toward the Jumpmaster figure standing at the open side hatch. Over the hatch blinks a red "Ready" light which switches to a green "Jump" light as the guest approaches the hatch. Through the hatch is the entry to the attraction.

Other immersion environments include a "sensation of flight" simulator, followed by a celebration of the early days of flight. Then, a passage covered by heavy shrapnel-resistant curtains leads visitors into a full-scale representation of the trench warfare of World War I, complete with aircraft overhead. It was, in part, due to the development of aerial warfare that trench fighting became obsolete.

The final immersion display includes the collection's Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress housed in a large darkened room staged to appear as a winter evening at RAF Horham, home of the 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy) during World War II. The full-scale diorama, complete with ground vehicles, outbuildings, and landscaping, represents a maintenance area and one of the B-17's engine cowlings and propellers are removed to maintenance stands in front of the aircraft. Guests can enter the plane via the aft side hatch in the tail, walk through the bomb bay, visit the cockpit, and exit near the nose of the aircraft.

Golden Hill Storage Facility

General view of Golden Hill Building 1 opened to the public in the summer of 2012 General View of Golden Hill Building 1.jpg
General view of Golden Hill Building 1 opened to the public in the summer of 2012

For years Fantasy of Flight has maintained a storage building opposite the main property on the north side of Broadway Boulevard where aircraft awaiting restoration were stored. In late 2011, work began on a second building to double the storage space with the intention of spreading out the stored items a bit and opening the buildings to the public on a limited basis. Finally, in June 2011 preparations were sufficient to open one building for a special preview over the Father's Day holiday. The response to the limited, self-guided experience was overwhelmingly positive, and the building joined the attraction's public programming in the summer of 2012, with the second building scheduled to open shortly thereafter.

The buildings are known by Fantasy of Flight as the "Golden Hill" facility as a tongue in cheek reference to the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility of the National Air and Space Museum which is nicknamed "Silver Hill" by the NASM staff. Fantasy of Flight guest access to the Golden Hill facility is via over-the-road trolley operated from the main parking lot in the mornings. Guests are allowed to explore the facility on their own with docents present to answer questions. The facility closes at midday due to the lack of comfortable air handling equipment in the steel buildings which can get hot in the Florida sun. [6]

N1944A

Crews work to solve an oil leak on N1944A prior to departure from England N1944A Oil Leak.jpg
Crews work to solve an oil leak on N1944A prior to departure from England

In the summer of 2011, Kermit Weeks and a crew from Fantasy of Flight flew to Cotswold Airport in the United Kingdom to evaluate a Douglas C-47 Skytrain for possible purchase. The aircraft has a distinguished war record including sorties during the D-Day invasion and Operation Market Garden.

At the end of July, Weeks went forward with the purchase. His crew conducted minor repairs and the plane, registration number N1944A, was flown back to the United States by Weeks and his crew. Due to weather delays on some legs of the trip, the journey took a total of 11 days and covered approximately 4500 miles from Kemble, UK to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Fans of the aircraft, Kermit Weeks, or Fantasy of Flight were able to watch the trip documented daily on Fantasy of Flight's Facebook page as the crew sent back pictures and observations along the way.

The aircraft arrived without incident on August 4, 2011, at Oshkosh. It was on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum for several months before being moved permanently to the campus of Fantasy of Flight in Polk City. On May 1, 2012, the C-47 was finally flown south to Fantasy of Flight, arriving on May 2 after an overnight stop in Douglas, Georgia. The aircraft is now on display at the attraction and open to guest walk-throughs. [6]

Douglas DC-3 attraction sign

DC-3 attraction sign Douglas DC-3 FOF Below LFront FOF 14Dec09 (14403942537).jpg
DC-3 attraction sign

Standing along the side of Interstate 4 near the exit for Fantasy of Flight is a Douglas DC-3 painted with the attraction's name to get the attention of passers by. The aircraft itself is not part of the collection and was, in fact, specifically purchased for its intended purpose as an attraction sign. The airframe is far too corroded to make restoration of the DC-3 feasible. The aircraft was displayed for a period of time in a 'crashed' position, nose down in the ground with a mannequin hanging from the tail wheel, apparently a 'man' evacuating the aircraft with a parachute. The mannequin was dressed up for certain occasions around the year, including Santa Claus for Christmas; Uncle Sam for Independence Day; and a Pilgrim for Thanksgiving.

The aircraft in this crashed position received a mixture of criticism and compliments. Some people claimed that the display made the aircraft look bad and set a bad example to airline passengers without an aviation background, while others found the position of the aircraft comical and many enjoyed guessing what the mannequin would be dressed as next. The aircraft was in an upright position with the mannequin seated in the opened cockpit hatch on the left hand side until 2018, when the mannequin was stolen. [29] In 2024, the plane was removed. [30]

The Compass Rose Diner

Patrons at the Compass Rose Compass Rose Diner.jpg
Patrons at the Compass Rose

Adjacent to the attraction's lobby is an Art Deco themed restaurant called "The Compass Rose Diner" which features the characteristics of diners associated with airports during the 1930s and early 1940s. The restaurant features tall windows, multi-hued terrazzo floors, and the curved architectural lines associated with the Art Deco period. The diner was open to the public and served a short-order menu similar to that of lunch counters popularized during the pre-World War II era. When the main facility was closed to the public in 2014, the diner was closed and much of its equipment sold off, though the space itself is still available as part of the venue's rental offerings.

Partial closing

On March 4, 2014, Fantasy of Flight announced that they would close to the public after April 6, 2014, but continue to stage private events. They further announced that they would reopen to the public in late 2014 as a scaled-down museum, with reduced admission prices, while they simultaneously begin to design and build the main facility into more of a destination attraction that would appeal to a wider audience rather than just aviation aficionados. [31] Ironically, the announcement that the facility would soon be closing its doors to the public has caused a significant upswell in visitors. Crowds have been so large that the facility has had to make use of its overflow parking area on multiple occasions since the announcement. [1] As of 2017 the museum is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and most Sundays.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "General aviation in the marketplace". General Aviation News/. Retrieved 2013-03-14.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-17. Retrieved 2012-04-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Fantasy of Flight – Florida Air Museums – Orlando – Kermit Weeks – Best Vacation Guide". Totalorlando.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  4. Kermit (2012-02-16). "New Storage Facility and Tour! | Kermit's Blog". Blog.kermitweeks.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  5. "FA08 – Orlampa Inc Airport". AirNav. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  6. 1 2 3 "Fantasy of Flight – Polk City, FL – Public Places & Attractions, Museum". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  7. Surviving Avro Cadets
  8. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "1911 Barber Valkyrie replica". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  9. "Kermit Weeks' Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
  10. "Kermit Weeks' Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
  11. Kermit (2012-01-23). "Tico Airshow in the TP-40N! | Kermit's Blog". Blog.kermitweeks.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2013-02-02.
  12. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Douglas B-23 Dragon". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  13. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Focke-Wulf Fw 44". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  14. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Grumman F3F". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  15. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Hiller Hornet". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  16. "Lockheed Constellation Survivors". conniesurvivors.com. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  17. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Lockheed Vega". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  18. Marauder survivors
  19. Morane AI survivors
  20. Morane/Brock Monoplane description – a variant of the Morane-Saulnier H)
  21. "P-51 Mustang Survivors - MustangsMustangs.com". www.mustangsmustangs.com. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  22. "P-51 Mustang Survivors - MustangsMustangs.com". www.mustangsmustangs.com. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  23. "1944 Short Sunderland". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  24. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Standard E-1". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  25. Clark/Nikdel/Powell (9 September 2013). "Stinson Airliner". Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  26. "Spitfire." Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved: 6 March 2011.
  27. Thomas-Morse Scout survivors
  28. "Kermit Weeks' Facebook Page". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
  29. Kelly, Kumari. "Thieves make off with I-4 icon G. Willie". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  30. DaSilva, Staci. "Documentary to detail removal of 'Fantasy of Flight' plane seen for decades on I-4". Yahoo. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  31. Jackovics, Ted (4 March 2014). "Fantasy of Flight closing as daily attraction". The Tampa Tribune . Archived from the original on 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2020-01-31.

28°10′16″N81°48′32″W / 28.171192°N 81.808787°W / 28.171192; -81.808787

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Museum of the United States Air Force</span> Military and aviation museum in Dayton, Ohio, US

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, six miles (9.7 km) northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world, with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display. The museum draws about a million visitors each year, making it one of the most frequently visited tourist attractions in Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warbird</span> Vintage military aircraft operated by non military forces

A warbird is any vintage military aircraft now operated by civilian organizations and individuals, or in some instances, by historic arms of military forces, such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the RAAF Museum Historic Flight, or the South African Air Force Museum Historic Flight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center</span> Aviation museum in Virginia, United States

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, also called the Udvar-Hazy Center, is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM)'s annex at Dulles International Airport in the Chantilly area of Fairfax County, Virginia. It holds numerous exhibits, including the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Enola Gay, and the Boeing 367-80, the main prototype for the popular Boeing 707 airliner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planes of Fame Air Museum</span> Aviation museum in Arizona and California

Planes of Fame Air Museum is an aviation museum in Chino, California, The museum has many flying and static aircraft, along with several rare examples under restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Air & Space Museum</span> Aerospace museum in California, US

San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) is an aviation and space exploration museum in San Diego, California. The museum is located in Balboa Park and is housed in the former Ford Building, which is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. SDASM was established by articles of incorporation on October 12, 1961, and opened to the public on February 15, 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England Air Museum</span> Aviation museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut

The New England Air Museum (NEAM) is an American aerospace museum located adjacent to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The museum consists of three display hangars with additional storage and restoration hangars. Its collections include aircraft ranging from early flying machines to supersonic jets, as well as engines, and other pieces of flight-related equipment. Significant aircraft include

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palm Springs Air Museum</span> Aviation museum in Palm Springs, California

Palm Springs Air Museum is an aviation museum in Palm Springs, California. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit leases from the city 17 acres abutting Palm Springs International Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sullenberger Aviation Museum</span> Aviation museum in North Carolina, United States

The Sullenberger Aviation Museum, formerly the Carolinas Aviation Museum, is an aviation museum on the grounds of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas XB-43 Jetmaster</span> American bomber prototype

The Douglas XB-43 Jetmaster is an American 1940s jet-powered prototype bomber. The XB-43 was a development of the XB-42, replacing the piston engines of the XB-42 with two General Electric J35 engines of 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN) thrust each. Despite being the first American jet bomber to fly, it suffered stability issues and the design did not enter production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yanks Air Museum</span> Aviation museum in Chino, California

The Yanks Air Museum is an aviation museum dedicated to exhibiting, preserving and restoring American aircraft and artifacts in order to show the evolution of American aviation, located at Chino Airport in Chino, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kermit Weeks</span> American pilot and aircraft collector

Kermit Weeks is an American aviation enthusiast, pilot, and aircraft collector. He has competed in aerobatics, designed aircraft, and promoted aviation and vintage aircraft restoration.

The Air Zoo, founded as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, is an aviation museum and indoor amusement park next to the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Portage, Michigan. The Air Zoo holds many historical and rare aircraft, including the world's fastest air-breathing aircraft, the SR-71B Blackbird. Many of its antique planes are airworthy. Among its other attractions are a 180-degree theater that projects a 2-D film simulation of a B-17 bombing mission during World War II; and various amusement rides, including flight simulators of a rocket trip to Mars, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet, a stunt biplane, a hot air balloon, a veteran U.S. Navy F-14A Tomcat that served aboard USS America, and more. Air Zoo is a Smithsonian Affiliate.

The Florence Air & Missile Museum was an aviation museum previously located at the entrance to the Florence Regional Airport, in Florence, South Carolina. The museum closed at the end of 1997.

The Dakota Territory Air Museum is an aviation museum on North Hill in Minot, North Dakota near Minot International Airport. The mission of the Dakota Territory Air Museum is to be a historical aviation resource honoring the men, women and machines that have impacted the rich history of aviation through displays and events that educate, inspire and entertain people of all ages. The museum consists of a main information room, outdoor displays, a restoration hangar, the Scott Nelson Gallery, the Texas Flying Legends hangar, Wright Flyer Hangar and the Oswin H. Elker Hangar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Aviation Museum</span> Museum in Oakland, California, US

Oakland Aviation Museum, formerly called Western Aerospace Museum, was founded in 1981 as a non-profit organization operating an aviation museum located at North Field of Oakland International Airport in Oakland, California. It has over 30 vintage and modern airplanes, both civilian and military, and other displays that highlight noted aviators and innovators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Airpower Museum</span> Airplane museum in East Farmingdale, NY, US

The American Airpower Museum is an aviation museum located on the former site of Republic Aviation at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, New York. It maintains a collection of aviation artifacts and an array of aircraft spanning the many years of the aircraft factory's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Air Museum</span> American aircraft museum

The Florida Air Museum, formerly known as the International Sport Aviation Museum and the SUN 'n FUN Air Museum, is designated as Florida's "Official Aviation Museum and Education Center." It features a display of aircraft including one-of-a-kind designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques and warbirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historic Flight Foundation</span> Aviation museum in Spokane, Washington

The Historic Flight Foundation (HFF) was an aviation museum located at Felts Field in Spokane, Washington. The museum collected, restored, and flew historic aircraft from the period between Charles Lindbergh's solo Atlantic crossing in 1927 and the first commercial flight of the Boeing 707 in 1957, a 30-year period when airplanes evolved from relatively simple wood and fabric biplanes to commercial jets. The museum was previously located at Paine Field in Mukilteo, Washington, but relocated to Spokane during the spring of 2020 due to the presence of commercial air service at Paine Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fagen Fighters WWII Museum</span> Military aviation museum in Granite Falls, Minnesota

The Fagen Fighters WWII Museum is an aviation museum located in Granite Falls, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erickson Aircraft Collection</span> Aviation museum in Madras, Oregon

The Erickson Aircraft Collection is an aviation museum located at the Madras Municipal Airport in Madras, Oregon.