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| A trip to the National Museum of the USAF (Page 1/4) |
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WonderBoy
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FEB 25, 12:26 AM
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National Museum of the USAF
Great place to go for those whom haven't had the pleasure yet. I could've spent days/weeks there, but my father and I had a schedule to keep to in Ohio. Was there when I was 4yo. Definitely gonna go back as soon as I'm able. Any who, since I know they're veterans on here with fieros, along with those who appreciate old classic aircraft, so I thought I'd share my experience.
So much history there from the beginnings of American aviation. All the first flights of Orville and Wilbur Wright. The modifications they made, the hurdles they had to over come. All the documents. All the newspaper articles. All genuine. Step-by-step through ALL the days months years. Pieces of the red Barron destroyed fighter. All sorts of engine designs. Etc. You go through the well kept/documented periods in order.
Down side of the museum was I couldn't physically touch the planes on display (putting my hand on it to touch a part of history have weird connection with, a phycological thing I guess) nor could you go inside any of the big girls or sit in the cockpits. But I know, them ladies are old...but so beautiful to me {sigh}
One thing I wish I would've recorded in the WWII bomber group section was a time lapse video of the bomber squadron missions by the allies from England/Italy/other. Day after day after day with total tons dropped. Also showed the German occupied area shrinkage as the bombs dropped (also credited to the men/hardware on the ground ).
The Doolittle raiders
One of my faves, the P38 Lightning
Who can forget this gem
The mechanics of a engine behind the seat nose cone cannon that was never really put in production.
The mighty P51 Mustang
Messerschmitt ME-262 jet fighter with cut open engine displayed (yeah, German but innovative none the less)
B29 Super Fortress Bockscar (made the 2way trip to Nagasaki) with replica of Fatman
This one I took as a reminder of a company that assisted in WWII, but with the Sandy Hook lawsuit, don't know how much longer they'll be around
But the real amazing thing was when I got back home, my first day back to work to pull a route (caaaabbblllee guuyy) I had a trouble-call for no audio for a customer. I could tell it was an older gentleman on my call-ahead. I get there and audio was the way it should be, but he needed it louder. For he then explained he lost most his hearing when he was A TAILGUNNER IN WWII 
If I wasn't wearing an N95 3M fish-style mask he would've seen my mouth drop wide-open for 3 seconds and dead silence by me. He was a tailgunner on a B24 Liberator, B17 Flying Fortress, B25 Mitchell and even flew as part of a crew on a B29 after he completed 24 missions in Europe but never went to the Pacific theater. He was able to identify all the planes I showed him from the pics I took.
Even though I found this display amusing, I didn't want him to see and read.
Saw he had a TCL sound bar sitting under his Samsung flat screen which he said was never able to get working since he got it 2years ago when he was trying to get it working with a very early Panasonic plasma with no optical out nor hdmi-arc port. Normally us techs don't touch accessories (we contractors don't get paid for that) but I went to work and got it working. He had the original box still with an optical cable. Unfortunately due to the 2 different brands I couldn't remote to sync it's volume control with that of the TV's internal speakers. But got it working for him loud and clear and he was pleased and great full.
I plan to stop by his place on my free time to see if he'd be willing to discuss more with me about what he did and experienced, but don't want to pry too much. He's a frail 95yo widower it seems, in a 2 story house with a few rooms totally empty now. Don't want to bring up bad and repressed memories. Those men went through a lot as did all during that war.
I may also buy him a Samsung sound bar for simple remote volume usability. And I fear that TLC is gonna blow.
God bless him.
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maryjane
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FEB 25, 01:01 AM
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What is that on the left side of the 9th pic down? (In front of the Messie?)
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WonderBoy
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FEB 25, 01:11 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
What is that on the left side of the 9th pic down? (In front of the Messie?)
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Side cut away of the jet engine. Here's a better pic. Ive always been interested in the tech developed during those times. Like the superchargers for the Wright rotary cyclone engines.
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WonderBoy
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FEB 25, 01:15 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
What is that on the left side of the 9th pic down? (In front of the Messie?)
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Or are you referring to the German experimental cannon gun that was never put in? I forget what it said on the display.
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WonderBoy
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FEB 25, 01:18 AM
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maryjane
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FEB 25, 01:47 AM
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maryjane
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FEB 25, 01:50 AM
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45 rounds per minute is not a very high rate of fire at all...and it only carried 22 rounds in the magazine?
(I can understand why there weren't many installed and so few actually used. Slow rate of fire and according to Jane's and Wiki, the gun weighed 1100 lbs without ammo)[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 02-25-2022).]
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WonderBoy
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FEB 25, 01:54 AM
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olejoedad
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FEB 25, 07:53 AM
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What a wonderful post, thank you.
The Air Force Museum at Wright-Pat is one of my favorite places. I need to go back and visit.
Thank you for going the extra mile to help out one of America's heroes.
You were raised right, your parents must be very proud of you!
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TheDigitalAlchemist
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FEB 25, 08:03 AM
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SO much history would be lost of not for places such as that. Thanks for sharing your pics and words with us.
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