CorsairArm's trip to San Fran and Seattle

[corsairarm]

Well this has taken a little while to start but here goes. Last September my wife and I went to Seattle as her sister lives there. The idea was they go shopping near where the museums are and I got dropped off. It work pretty well although I could have stayed longer in a couple of places.
The first group of photos are of the USS Hornet as we had a stopover in San Fransisco. To get there you catch the Oakland ferry from the Fisherman's wharf area and get off at Alameda. From there it is a 20-30min walk.







Don't know who he was BUT he had a kiwi t/shirt on ;D

Museum pieces in some Air forces but current in other countries

I wonder if they had to get state department approval before getting this





It is a long way back to the engine.







The space craft are on there as the Hornet was used to recover them in the Pacific. I would hate to be in the Gemini as you can see there wasn't alot of room.

[aeromedia]

Enjoyed those pics. Thanks !

[Dave Homewood]

What a superb collection and such a neat display. It seems surreal to have a picnic table under a Phantom, haha.

[corsairarm]

The next museum I visited was the Seattle Museum of Flight. Words can't really describe it except its BIG, O for awesome and I want to go back. These are just a selection of photos and one area I haven't posted as the photos are not up to standard. They are in a very dark display hall. They still need to build some very large display buildings as there are some big aircraft outside. The have just completed a display building for the space shuttle when it arrives. The first couple of photos are part of Boeing's testing area for military aircraft.



Front or road entrance to the museum. The red building is Boeing's original factory.

The entrance where most people enter from and overlooks the runway.

Where you can watch these taxi along and takeoff.


Outside display just across the road from the Boeing aircraft as above.

And these beauties were just outside facing the runway. I would say that two of these were there only there temporarily as they are housed in another building elsewhere on the airfield.



and on the inside

[Dave Homewood]

Cool. That last shot is the replica of the Boeings that came to NZ, isn't it?

That Boeing with the antlers or horns is unusual. Are they classed as canard wings?

[corsairarm]

Don't know the answer to that Dave but from memory it looks very similar to drawings/photos I've seen.
Yeah it looks very military like and with the nose covered it might even qualify for area 51 ;D

[Dave Homewood]

Third shot down in your last post, with it's snout in the feedbag.

[corsairarm]

Yeah saw it on my third look and modified my post.
I didn't even see it when I took the photo.

[corsair67]

Looks almost like one of Boeing's designs for future UAVs that's been attached to a flying testbed?

Great photos, and nice to see the F-8 Crusader preserved on USS Hornet.

Good to see one of Turkey's new surfboad carriers at Boeing too. ;D

[Dave Homewood]

Maybe it's the private jet of the Grand High Moose of the Buffalo club? ;D

[corsairarm]

Glad you guys are enjoying the photos. Now for the rest of the museum.


Most museums have their cockpits like this SR71

and you have those who want to sit in them and dream

The original cruise missile, unguided

to a modern day copy, guided

My favorite with a more grunty engine



A few general views before I move outside to the biggies.



On the way to the airliners you go over a memorial bridge and in the photo you see the building that was just about completed to house the space shuttle. Just past that you see the Concorde. Apparently if an organization wanted a shuttle they had to build a building to before they were allowed to get one. Me thinks the money would have been better spent on housing the airliners.

The prototype 737

The prototype 747 which need some TLC

Air Force one with some inside views




B727.

They have the prototype at their restoration facility.
The Concorde.

And finally the Constellation.

Two different periods of traveling by air.

I am at the end of a tiring day. The shop had so much stuff in I couldn't decide but in the end I had to make a quick decision as the wifey arrived to pick my up. If you are planning on going there allow a whole day. I had about 3-4 hours.


Tomorrow night I will load photos of their restoration facility at Paine Field

[nuuumannn]

Wow! Fantastic photos! Looking forward to the rest!

Me thinks the money would have been better spent on housing the airliners.

Funny you should say that; British Airways originally stipulated that one of the conditions of receivers of their fleet of Concordes (the one at Brooklands never flew in service as an airliner) was that they had to park them under shelter!

Would have to be a big building for all those big planes. Don't they have a de Havilland Comet as well?

[Dave Homewood]

Good point Grant about the Concorde. I think having a Space Shuttle will be a much bigger attraction for visitors than some dime-a-dozen airliners. But it's a surprise that Concorde and Air Force One are not under cover.

I like that FG2 Super Corsair. Now that is rare too.

[vs]

See the old Air Force 1 had a sextant in its flight deck! I was there a few years ago and hoping to go back this weekend on a Vancouver duty.

You can also visit the restoration facility and Everett. It is well worth a visit. I have posted pictures from there a few years ago.

I would love to see the 747 put under cover, looking a little tired. I believe the 787 is going there soon as well!

[nuuumannn]

I think having a Space Shuttle will be a much bigger attraction for visitors than some dime-a-dozen airliners.

True. The shuttle at the Udvar Hazy Centre, or "Center", gets all the attention! The thing about the dime a dozen airliners is that they are becoming museum pieces at any rate, certainly as the likes of the 787 and new generation Airbusses enter service. See that Singapore Airlines is retiring all its 747s? Good to see Boeing has the foresight to preserve these big aircraft for the future. Gotta say that Connie looks beautiful; that should be under cover.

[Naki]

Apr 9, 2012 15:02:45 GMT 12 corsair67 said:

Looks almost like one of Boeing's designs for future UAVs that's been attached to a flying testbed?

www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/f22/f22ftb.html

www.air-and-space.com/757%20F-22%20Testbed%20N757A.htm

[corsairarm]

Apr 10, 2012 5:27:53 GMT 12 nuuumannn said:

Wow! Fantastic photos! Looking forward to the rest!

Me thinks the money would have been better spent on housing the airliners.

Funny you should say that; British Airways originally stipulated that one of the conditions of receivers of their fleet of Concordes (the one at Brooklands never flew in service as an airliner) was that they had to park them under shelter!

Would have to be a big building for all those big planes. Don't they have a de Havilland Comet as well?

Comet photos on the way

[corsairarm]

Thanks for clearing up the B757 mystery.
Since reading your post I was thinking it could be a starter for an RNZAF purchase as a MRCA as it has the nose of an F22 with some of the special features. You could then add the avionics of a P3 into a newer airframe and then still use it as a VIP transport. ;D
It does have the nose of an F22 so very modern combat aircraft which could do dogfights with VIP's aboard before diving down to sink a sub or tub of illegal fishermen ;D ;D

Now on with up and downloading of the restoration facility.

[corsairarm]

Can anyone tell me why some words are underlined when I didn't select it.

[Dave Homewood]

I am not seeing any underlining. Maybe your PC has one of those annoying viruses that turns keywords into links?