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[JimH]

We were in Washington, DC this week and had time to visit the Air and Space Museum in Dulles.  It's part of the Smithsonian.  It was a fantastic experience and humbling to see such a high level of engineering.

They have a real Space Shuttle, several space capsules, the SR71 Blackbird (world's fastest plane), a Concorde and many more planes.

Pictures are here:
http://www.jriver.com/~jriver/2005/airandspace

[Alex B]

Amazing!

One more reason to visit Washington DC sometime.

[pank2002]

yeah, it's awesome! I like the one at Dulles better than the one in D.C. I also though it was cool to see the concord and Enola Gay. Not to forget that funky Boeing 707! It's so 70's!  Certainly a nice place to go if your in the area.

I also got a bunch of pictures from there.

[KingSparta]

707 Family

America entered the age of the jet transport on July 15, 1954, when the Boeing 707 prototype, the model 367-80, made its maiden flight from Renton Field, south of Seattle. Forerunner of the more than 14,000 Boeing jetliners built since, the prototype, nicknamed the "Dash 80," served 18 years as a flying test laboratory before it was turned over to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in May 1972.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/707family/

They tested the first Boeing 747 In the Late 60's (68-69) in back of my house in Moses lake washington, at the now closed and Formerly called Larson Air Force Base they used the air field there for take off and landings.

[edbro]

If you ever visit Tuscon, AZ, go to the "boneyard" at Davis Montham AFB. That is where the military has miles and miles of retired aircraft that are preserved out in the desert. They give tours daily.

I have mixed emotions there as there are hundreds of beautiful aircraft that I would have loved to have flown but are now mothballed. There are also aircraft there that I have actually flown.

[JimH]

.... There are also aircraft there that I have actually flown.

You're a pilot? 

Thanks for the boneyard tip.  I knew about it, but didn't know they give tours.

[jgreen]

Renton Field--
I worked my way through college courtesy of Boeing, and Renton was my favorite plant.  This was all prior to the turn of the century, of course.

It's a little-known fact that Boeing had a great demand for English Majors.  I started right at the top--I was a roofer.  Sweating in the humid August heat on tin buildings that broiled you like brisket, I swore I'd go back one day and tarpaper an airplane.

Thank you to Beoing for the paychecks that got me started in the world.  I only wished they'd offered college guidance counselling.  English Major?  Sheeesh!

[edbro]

You're a pilot? 

Thanks for the boneyard tip.  I knew about it, but didn't know they give tours.

Yes, still active duty Air Force with 26 years in now. I haven't flown for 2 years though, those days are over as by fighter pilot standards, I'm "over the hill". I used to fly the A-10 "Warthog" and I've got a lot of time instructing in T-37s and T-38s.

[JimH]

You're a fair way ahead of me.  I'm up to complex -- Piper Arrow.  But there is nothing better.