Udvar-Hazy Aircaft Museum - Part 1

Off on another work trip this week, this time to DC- and I got a chance to visit the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport. Think of it as the Smithsonian's overspill storage spot!

https://www.si.edu/museums/air-and-space-museum-udvar-hazy-center

Starting with the Queen of the collection: OV-103 Space Shuttle Discovery, the third operational and most flown of the Shuttle orbiters whose key achievements include deploying the Hubble telescope, 2 missions to MIR and 13 to the ISS. Retired in 2012 after 39 missions.

I have now seen all but one of the surviving shuttle orbiters :-)

My most artistic shot of the day!

Two other gems in the collection were striking.  This first ever nuclear strike bomber needs no introduction. And as you can see, she dominates her Wing of the Museum

And the inimitable SR-71 Blackbird needs no introduction either!

An F4U Corsair hangs from the ceiling like my old Tamiya models (without the glue splodges). Famous in the Pacific War and piloted by legends like Major "Pappy" Boyington, USMC of the "Black Sheep" Squadron

A B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby": undergoing preservation.

For Korean War MiG Alley affectionados is the duelling duo of a USAF F- 86A Sabre and the MiG-15bis FAGOT-B.  

Similar but not quite the same as those I saw seen recently at Ford Island Aviation Museum in Hawaii. This MiG-15 is a Chinese Ji-2 modification but its history prior to being bought by an American collector in the 1980s in not known.

The elevated walkway through the main halls allows you to get some unusual aspects from above

This Sabre is one of the aircraft that was assigned to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group at Kimpo in December 1950.

Thats probably enough pics for this post - standby for a Part 2 followup!