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South Dakota Air & Space museum Ellsworth
Located just east of
Rapid City, north of Interstate 90, and outside
the main gate at Ellsworth Air Force Base, the South Dakota Air and
Space Museum tells the stories of not only past aviation but the future
of aerospace.
With a strong emphasis on the role of the U.S. Air Force and Ellsworth
AFB in South Dakota.
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B-1B
Lancer, S/N 83-0067, of the U.S. Air Force, South Dakota Air &
Space Museum, at the gate of Ellsworth AFB.
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The
South Dakota Air & Space Museum boasts an extensive collection of
artifacts and documents that capture the distinguished history of
Ellsworth Air Force Base, the 44th Strategic Missile Wing, and the 28th
Bomb Wing throughout the Cold War.
Ellsworth AFB played a
crucial role in
national defense during this time period with an arsenal that included
bombers such as the B-29 Superfortress, B-36 Peacemaker, B-52
Stratofortress,and B-1 Lancer along with Intercontinental Ballistic
Missiles including the Titan I and the Minuteman.
| A F-101 Voodoo , in the colours of 136th FIS, 107th FIG, New York ANG, Niagara Falls, NY. |
The museum also has four
large inside galleries of artifacts covering
the history and heritage of military and civilian aerospace
achievements covering the past century.
Housed in four aircraft alert hangers in which Air Defense Command
fighters sat on alert waiting to engage penetrating Soviet bombers
during the height of the Cold War. On the grounds of the museum
more than 30 vintage military aircrafts are displayed, some dating back
to World War II
A total of 3,970 B-29
Superfortress aircraft were built during
production at four assembly plants during World War II. Yet only about
22 complete B-29 airframes have survived and are on display in the
United States,
including the B-29 "Legal Eagle II" on display here.
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The museum is open year round (although
the indoor galleries are closed until further notice) and the tours of
Ellsworth AFB and the Missile Silo are permanently closed. Admission to
the museum is free.
On the grounds of the museum 25 vintage military aircrafts are displayed, some dating back to World War II.
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