This particular map comes from Google Earth, with modifications made to show the different spots around Dover AFB.

About the Spots/What You'll See

To the best of my knowledge, and this will have to be checked with a few friends that I know who frequent Dover on a semi-regular basis, there are only two spots you can watch traffic from at Dover.

Spot A is located at the Air Mobility Command Museum.  The museum has a unique collection of transport and tanker aircraft, with several fighters and a helicopter or two mixed in with the outdoor displays.  A short list of aircraft on display include a C-9, C-54, C-121, C-123, C-130, C-133, C-141A, C-141B, KC-97, F-106, and UH-1, to name a few.  The museum can be accessed off Delaware Route 9, and as of this writing, cannot be accessed directly from Delaware Route 1 southbound without having to take a short detour and go northbound.  Admission to the AMC Museum is free and it is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm while closed every Monday and all Federal holidays.  The main downside with the museum is that there is no restaurant inside.  I highly recommend that while you visit the museum and the spot that you also give some sort of donation to the museum, whether it be buying something from the gift shop or just a traditional cash donation.  Within Spot A are several spots where you can view activity arriving and departing off Runway 1 as well as Runway 32.  Know that for the most part, you will have a chain-link security fence in most, if not, all of your shots and video.  You can get creative and shoot between the links and hope you get a decent shot of someone arriving or departing from any of the runways.  To get aircraft departing off 19 and 14 should be no problem as they will be well above the height of the fencing.  Aircraft parked on the ramp adjacent to the museum can be photographed and in some cases, through the links of the fence.  DO NOT CLIMB on any of the display aircraft!  I'd recommend at least 300 mm for all photos.  Remember that SPOT A IS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN THE MUSEUM IS CLOSED, so take that into consideration before you go out.

Photos From Spot A

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Spot B is off of Delaware Route 9 and is good for arrivals onto Runway 32 as well as departures off of 14.  I have yet to spot here but have been told that for 32 arrivals it is very good.

Photos From Spot B

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Spot C is not being listed here for safety, but is located off of Delaware Route 1.  I have not seen any cars parked off Route 1 for spotting, but I know someone would try it at some point.  You would be able to get arrivals going into Runway 1, which would fly over at a rather low altitude, since you'd be about 1/4 mile from the threshold to Runway 1.  Departures off of 19 could also be viewed from here, but they may already be much higher up than you'd hope.  I highly recommend against pulling off of Route 1 for anything, since there is usually extra heavy traffic on the southbound side and traffic going northbound at a high rate of speed.  I don't know if there's any No Parking signs on either side but either way, don't recommend this spot to anyone.

From what I can gather, Dover can either be dead or very active.  There are two active duty squadrons within the 436th Airlift Wing and two reserve squadrons within the 512th Airlift Wing - the reserves flying the same planes the active duty crews fly.  One squadron is host to thirteen C-17 Globemaster IIIs and one squadron is host to approximately eighteen C-5B Galaxy and C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft.  You may get to see these aircraft flying around the area, doing missed approaches and touch and goes - in fact, one time I saw one C-5B spend at least two to three hours in the pattern doing touch and goes as well as a single C-17 doing tactical maneuvering in the area because of that C-5.  Now, in addition to the based C-17s and C-5s, you will often see other C-5s and C-17s from other bases, usually on missions that may require a hop over the ocean.  KC-10s from McGuire have been known to use the pattern at Dover from time to time, and KC-135s from other bases are regulars as well.  You may also see fighters - the one time I was there I caught a T-38 from the Navy Test Pilot's School working the pattern.

The United States Air Force also contracts out civilian chartered transport aircraft from time to time.  This means you will see Boeing 747s from Evergreen International, Atlas Airlines, and Kallita Air.  Douglas DC-8s could also be seen among that mix.

Corporate jets can also be seen at Dover.  Kallita Charters has several jets based on the ramp adjacent to the ramp and there is a small Dover flying club that flies Cessna 172s out of there - those Cessnas are kept on the "Christmas Tree."  I recommend anyone going after corporate jets to visit Dover AFB between one week prior to race weekend to one week after race weekend (either in May or June and in September), since most of the NASCAR corporate jets can be found parked at Dover AFB.

You may also see foreign transports at Dover.  For instance, my first visit featured a Saudi Air Force C-130 on the ramp adjacent to the museum.

Security

I have only spotted at Dover once, and that was while I was waiting for a special visitor for the museum.  I couldn't tell you if there are any troubles with security forces or with local law enforcement, but I have reason to believe that unless there is something classified or top secret, you shouldn't be hassled if you are at Spot A.  After all, the museum is open to the public and I'm sure there will be people out there taking pictures of incoming and departing traffic.  As always, carry your ID.

You have a much higher chance of getting questioned at either Spot B or C and may even be asked to leave.

© 2009-2010 Steven Holzinger