Big Plans for the San Diego Air & Space Museum with "Slug" (ep. 166)

Retired #usnavy fighter #pilot, James "Slug" Kidrick, makes a case for aviation museums and how to keep patrons, besides just children, walking in the door. Slug had a hand in making the necessary arrangements for a San Diego Air & Space Museum (sandiegoairandspace.org/) #f14tomcat to appear on an #aircraftcarrier flight deck for the first time in more than a dozen years for the filming of #topgunmaverick.
00:00 The Hook
00:32 Guest Intro & Flight Career
10:08 From fighter pilot to museums
16:15 Int'l Hall of Fame Event
23:35 History of the Museum
25:45 Special Aircraft Exhibits
33:25 During COVID
39:55 MiG-17 vs F-4
46:30 F-4U Restoration
53:49 The F-14 in 'Top Gun: Maverick'
1:00:00 Future for the Adventure Center
1:06:13 Future for SLUG
1:08:25 Fighter Jet Comparisons
1:13:13 Callsign story
1:16:20 A7 vs A4
1:19:00 Museum Guest Experience
1:21:30 Credits
#fighterpilot Podcast
Website: www.fighterpilotpodcast.com/
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Twitter: / ftrpltpdcst
Original music by Jaime Lopez.

[@glennhalila8279]

This is a good interview with a Real Hero. He's the Real Top Gun! I'm going to share this with my Dad. My Dad retired from General Electric in Cincinnati Ohio. He took me and my brothers to a Dayton Ohio Air Show at Wright Paterson Airforce Base. I met the Curator Rick, one time, because he was friends and/or belonged to my friends Congregation in his Baptist Church near Goshen Ohio in that vicinity. I really enjoyed the Air show when I was a Youngster. I remember the F-4 phantom. My dad helped design the Compressor for the A-10 TF-34 He also was involved with the F-14 Engines (GE) F- 101 for the F-16 the C5-A transport.

[@DamplyDoo]

Going to the Ohio air museum with my son (13 months old), is on my bucket list. I'm going to an air show with him Sunday. I hope he learns to love aircraft like I do

[@kentgregory3299]

As a Canadian I’ve been to this museum every time I’m in SD. This guy gets it. Totally. I like the part about a kid touching a military aircraft. Hell yes! He gets it. Change that name and get that 14 on that stick baby!!

[@ryanchurch5864]

Awesome chat with an awesome guy- can’t wait to visit the museum, it looks awesome!!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks. Be sure to tell them we sent you!

[@sharoncassell9358]

I can't wait to see the adventure center. I have family in San Diego. We should go.

[@josephconleith9606]

Hey Jello a big THANKS from Switzerland for this great podcast. I listen when running and driving.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Glad to hear it, Joseph--thanks!

[@spookbok]

Amazing, I visited the museum and the El Cajon annex a few days ago. The annex has some real gems, the F-14, Ryan Vertijet and the icing on the cake was a partly built Wright Flyer wing midway through its construction with drawings taken from the original at the Smithsonian and no crowds! Really worth the visit.

[@markfitzpatrick9598]

Great podcast and I really enjoy the video of the interview in your new studio. It goes to show how successful your podcast has become. I also appreciate your explanations of the lingo spelled out at the bottom of the screen. Keep up the good work and please continue to video your podcasts from the studio.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, Mark. Will do!

[@azcop2]

I love the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Live near the Pima Space and Air Museum, world renowned air museum.

[@grenadespoon]

I’m glad that Jerry Coleman was mentioned. As a lifelong Padres fan, I believe that more people should know his story. As mentioned here, the only player in baseball to fly in combat in two wars. 57 Aerial combat missions in the Dauntless and Corsair combined. The sports facility at MCRD San Diego is named after him and the only statue in baseball of a person in a military uniform is of him at Petco Park. He’s buried at MCAS Miramar. LtCol Gerald Coleman USMC Ret.

[@bobp3738]

He was a true hero and gentleman, along with a very good baseball player and broadcaster.

[@1marvelfan707]

love it all, i look forward to the cherry point airshow and new river air staion airshow every year, hard to understand how kids dont love this stuff

[@BethanyAitch]

This episode is a great example of the benefits of the new video format - loved seeing the museum as it was being discussed! It sounds like they have a great team there.

[@ShamuXEagleDriver]

Jello, You do such a great job, but in naming this episode you struck out big time! Great guest with a compelling background, wealth of aviation stories, and a keen delivery. Slug’s idea of inspiring the “Next Greatest Generation”, really resonated. A super attitude and idea. Now I need to fly across the continent and visit the SD Aviation Adventure Museum!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

It’s not too late to rename the episode, what do you propose?

[@ShamuXEagleDriver]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Good question. Either remove the “Aviation Museum’s are Dying” portion (the talk did not follow that path & it’s depressive connotation may inhibit views). Or change to read: “Future of Aviation Museums, SD Aviation & Space’s flight plan”.

[@Pics2FlicksDennis]

I worked for VADM Martin as the ACOS Logistics on his COMSIXTHFLT staff onboard the USS Puget Sound (AD38), homeported in Gaeta, Italy. He was one of the finest men, leaders, and officers, I’ve had the honor to work with in a career spanning more than 4 decades of USN and industry experience.

[@sharoncassell9358]

I woul like f lke tlee it. My family live in San iego. I nevert knew it ecxistef

[@dutchbrotherfan1284]

I agree with a lot that was said.. I volunteered as a docent at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater central California for a couple years and a majority of visitors were middle aged couples and your different clubs. Money is the biggest obstacle next to weather. Look them up when traveling thru the Central Valley. Vulcan bomber, B-36 even an RA- 5C Vigilante. Would make a great gondola ride location.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Gondola? That's an interesting thought...

[@bertg.6056]

A San Diegan since 1959, I recall vividly the Electric Building arson fire which destroyed the original museum and most of its contents. The move to the Ford buidling, a circular building was iffy, but the development of the central courtyard has been fantastic, and the musuem is certainly successful. My pet peeve is the outdoor display of the Sea Dart, which is an extremely rare aircraft. Maybe the new F-14 (on a stick) will replace the XF2Y-1 and allow it to be placed indoors, where it iwill not be subject to weather, pigeons and vandalism. At the Gillespie Field facility, the Douglas A2D Skyshark is languishing outdoors, and is also a fairly rare aircraft. It needs to be sheltered. That said, the Kidrick interview was excellent, thanks for shedding light on the SDAM.

[@mikeomeara1910]

I hope the YF2Y-1 Sea Dart will still be on display somewhere inside the museum when the F-14 goes on the pole at the entrance to the museum.

[@kenicardi]

Great podcast! Keep up the good work. I was listing to this episode and was happy to hear Ben Cloud’s name. A good man that is missed. Looking forward to more episodes. 16:50

[@dtsh4451]

SD Aviation Museum is such a fascinating place and I stop by it every time I visit balboa park😍

[@TheGreekbull]

Great episode...correction the S-3B "Navy One" that flew President Bush is at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola

[@arielalvarez5553]

Great podcast!!! Thanks a lot!!!

[@bobp3738]

The SD Aerospace Museum is a local treasure. It’s fantastic! Also, don’t miss the USS Midway at the pier - great static aircraft displays and the Midway herself played quite a role in several conflicts all over the world.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Indeed, as mentioned extensively on episode 27. 😉

[@timgeist1450]

Used to love taking our boys to the museum when stationed in Pensacola!

[@sunhawk61]

The air museum in Topeka KS at Forbes Field is doing great.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Good to know 👍

[@terryboyer1342]

I remember flying into San Diego years ago on Southwest with another couple and our kids to go to Sea World. On short final I saw what I knew was an aviation museum. I proposed cancelling Sea World and looking at airplanes instead. We went to Sea World. 🙁

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Hah!

[@jagsdomain203]

I grew up going to SD. My grandfather help build the SR71 that is out front

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Hah, you mean the A-12? (just wait until you get to that part of the interview 😉)

[@jagsdomain203]

@@FighterPilotPodcast yes I just finished it lol

[@MartyBecker]

When the Yanks Air Museum in Chino and the Air Zoo Museum in Kalamazoo have to add amusement rides to attract visitors, then yes, aviation museums are dying. So sad.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You'll hear more about that on this episode...

[@MartyBecker]

@@FighterPilotPodcast As always, looking forward to a great discussion, no matter what the topic.

[@Joseph-nk8se]

Sir you’re referring to Bruce Crandall, MOA awardee.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Aha!

[@Joseph-nk8se]

Really enjoy your channel!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@Joseph-nk8se thanks 🙏

[@terryboyer1342]

The name Bob Crandall also resonates very badly with a lot of people.

[@JameBlack]

файна у нього стрічка

[@EricaCalman]

I was disappointed to see they inducted Brian Keating, from my experiences at UCSD he is a huge jerk who treats his graduate students like garbage. I still love the museum though, it has some amazing displays.