I had heard about the Liberty Aviation Museum from friends and have wanted to see its collection for some time, so we decided to make it part of a weekend getaway.
If this was our only destination in the area, flying would be an easy choice. We will certainly do it again, likely in Sis, our vintge Beechcraft Bonanza.
The restorer figured it would take a couple of hours to tour the museum, and after an easy drive from Dayton, I looked forward to lunch in the vintage diner.
Located at Erie-Ottawa International Airport (KPCW), the airport has intersecting paved runways, fuel, and tie-downs.
Liberty Aviation Museum and the Tin Goose Diner, referring to the Ford Tri-motor, are on the southeast corner of the airport with many windows of the diner and the neighboring patio overlooking the nearby runways.
Flying up for a quick visit is no problem with tie-downs on the ramp outside the museum. Any overnight tie-downs are across the runway from the museum. Their website gives specific information for tie-downs and visits.
The museum stretches across two hangars with Tin Goose Diner adjacent to the main hangar and visible from both the road and airport.
Hours of operation for both the diner and museum vary depending on the season, confirm prior to visiting. A museum employee mentioned pilots waiting on the patio for the doors to only to find out the diner is closed.
The Tin Goose Diner serves breakfast and lunch featuring comfort food favorites in a restored diner originally built in 1951 and operated as a diner before being moved to Port Clinton and undergoing restoration.
We arrived after 11am, so lunch was being served. Our booth overlooked the active airport, making both of us very happy to plane spot while enjoying our meal.
The restorer was served a strawberry shake accompanied by a metal tumbler encouraging me to share the yumminess.
The onion rings were home made beer battered and fried when ordered, certainly some of the best I’ve had in some time.
After we satisfied our taste buds, we checked out the museum
Exhibits throughout the museum touch on local and state tie-ins to history.
The gallery off the lobby houses models and memorabilia from the golden age of aviation focused on aircraft associated with the Cleveland air races even showcasing a model of a small air race circuit, the TV show Hogan’s Heroes, and aviation history around the Port Clinton area including the Ford Tri-Motor airline which even flew kids from the nearby islands to school along with supplies to the islands.
Next to the gallery is the hangar housing one of their Ford tri-motors. The flyable tri-motor has been used by EAA to give rides before returning to the museum. This aircraft was originally flown by TAT airways as part of coast to coast air and railroad service in 1929. Some times of the year rides are available in the Tri-motor and other aircraft, check their website for more information.
Following cones across the ramp leads to the second hangar housing most of the aircraft in their collection, supporting military equipment and their project PT boat. There is another gallery within the second hangar showcasing artifacts affiliated with the B-25 including the Dolittle Raiders and PT boats during World War II.
The second Ford Tri-motor is currently undergoing restoration, once flew for Island Airlines, billed as the world’s shortest airline between the islands from the 1930s to the 1980s.
The PBY-Catalina was previously flown and operated by the museum associated with our restoration shop in Texas and still has a TX watercraft registration on its keel. At the time of our visit, the aircraft was undergoing inspection and had various fairings and pylons removed to expose its inner workings.
The museum also operates a B-25 and has a robust staff composed of employees and volunteers.
As we left the museum, the restorer and I agreed we would fly in another time.
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