Interesting article

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BlackSheep

BlackSheep

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May 31, 2018
I was in the thread "Worst Aircraft of WW2", reading about the Defiant being flown against a Hurricane in a sort of proof of concept dogfight, which got me thinking of a similar story of a P-61 being flown against multiple Skyraiders for the same reason. Having forgotten the pilot's name, I did a quick search and found a good article, posted yesterday, from the National Air and Space Museum mentioning the Defiant as a sort of forerunner for the P-61. This is part 1 of 2, hope you enjoy as much as I did:

Northrop P-61 Black Widow: First American Airplane Designed and Built to Fight at Night, Part I

Also, when the museum reopens, they'll have their P-61C on exhibit!!!
 
-Slightly off topic but since you linked to NASM, is the Paul E. Garber Facility in Maryland still in operation? When I was TDY to the Washington area I would try to get out there during weekends when they ran tours. Fascinating place.
 
-Slightly off topic but since you linked to NASM, is the Paul E. Garber Facility in Maryland still in operation? When I was TDY to the Washington area I would try to get out there during weekends when they ran tours. Fascinating

Last I heard, it was closed with no plans to reopen but all of the exhibits etc were being moved to a modern facility
 
Common mis-perception: the P-61 wasn't the first American aircraft designed as a night fighter - that honor goes to the Curtiss PN-1 biplane. However, the P-61 was the first radar-equipped American aircraft designed as a night fighter.

Cheers,



Dana
 
NVSMITH:

The Paul Garber facility closed for good years ago. Just as yourself, I was fortunate to see it before they closed the doors. At that time, they were working on Enola Gay. The wings were on the floor being polished.

Cheers,
 
Skyediamonds said:
NVSMITH:

The Paul Garber facility closed for good years ago. Just as yourself, I was fortunate to see it before they closed the doors. At that time, they were working on Enola Gay. The wings were on the floor being polished.

Cheers,
Click to expand...
-Hah!
-I can go one better: when the docent wasn't looking I stepped inside the Enola Gay fuselage.
-The docent was not amused...
 
I saw some restorers working on a WWI biplane (maybe a Nieuport) and they had all the fabric off the fuselage and if you looked real close they had an appropriately sized rubber band running through the fuselage, from tail to cockpit, a la a balsa wood model.
 
Capt. Vick said:
I saw some restorers working on a WWI biplane (maybe a Nieuport) and they had all the fabric off the fuselage and if you looked real close they had an appropriately sized rubber band running through the fuselage, from tail to cockpit, a la a balsa wood model.
Click to expand...
Really ? What was it for ?
 
Capt. Vick said:
It was a joke for visitors
Click to expand...
That is hilarious. Having seen many of those old bi-planes and replicas at the Champlain Fighter Museum in Mesa, Arizona, if you ran a bungee down the middle they'd look exactly like one of the balsa and tissue models.

What always caught my eye were the canoe seat/lawn chair arrangement for the intrepid pilot. Only the best for boys sporting silk neckerchiefs and leather accessories will do.
 
NVSMITH:

LoL…. Loved that response on doing one better.

Here's a good true story.

My son & I made special arrangements ahead of time prior to entering the Nat'l Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio that they would allow us access to several of their displays.

I knew from past experience, what they agree, is one thing but what they will actually allow is something else. Four previous ( & frustrating ) trips bore that out.

Sooo, long story made short. We were granted close access beyond the stanchions but the interiors were off limits. The ever watchful docent was escorting us throughout the day as we photographed many of the aircraft on display.

But when it came to taking photos of the interiors our plan of action kicked in. My son & I would split up. I would engage in simple conversations with the docent while my son continued taking photos.

I purposely stood in such a way that the docent would have to turn & face me & thereby have his back to my son & the intended display.

It was really a test of self discipline not to laugh & keep a straight face while behind his back, the interiors of the display aircraft would "mysteriously" light up as a flash from the camera went off.

Cheers,
 
Using Google

Today, the no-frills assemblage of about 32 metal buildings still belongs to the National Air and Space Museum and other Smithsonian organizations, but the majority of the collection is being moved to a more modern, well-equipped location. The main preservation and restoration workshop has moved to the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. While some airplanes, spacecraft, engines, and various parts are still stored at the Garber Facility, most have been, or soon will be, relocated to the Udvar-Hazy Center.
 
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