USAF Museum, postwar to present (1 Viewer)

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Geedee

Senior Master Sergeant
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Dec 5, 2008
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Great pictures Gary!!!

I have been there three times since I got back from Iraq in 2004. I live about 300 miles north and west of Dayton. The last time I was there was April 2006. My girl friend and I went there to be part of the Doolittle Raider Reunion. That was special.

With the "Blessing" of a docent, I managed to get picture of the gear bays and bomb bay of the F-105 and F-111. When we were at the banquet for the Raiders, that starting some interesting conversation at our table. A gentleman that was working on "Patches" saw me slide under the barrier to take the pictures. He saw a docent right there watching. He asked how the heck I got the General's permission to do that. I said I didn't. I just asked and the docent said to be quick about it!

It is a fun place. And how did you like the Museum's book store? I always spend too much money there!

We have a local Air Museum here called the Kalamazoo Aviation Museum or just the Air Zoo to us locals. (www.airzoo.org). It is much smaller than the Air Force Museum. But is still nice. Their best aircraft is the ONLY XP-55 left. They restored it for the Smithsonian Air Space Museum.

If you ever plan to come this way, I hope to meet you. My gut tells me you wouldn't be boring to talk with!

Bill G.
 
Love that Sabre ................ can see that coming out in 1/32 scale.
 
Gary:

Someday will do just fine! Too many unknowns right now for both of us.

Two of my favorites in that section are the A-1 and the F-106. The pilot of the A-1 earned the Medal of Honor for a rescue landing and takeoff in the middle of a fire fight in Vietnam. The F-106 was assigned to the 49th FIS at Griffiss AFB, NY while I was stationed there. The real story is that this very plane has a most unique history. While assigned to a FIS in Montana, the pilot got it into a flat spin and ejected. Yes, ejected! Well, the force of the ejection forced the F-106 out of the flat spin. It settled into a shallow glide with the engine in idle thrust. It landed on a snow covered field and slid to a stop against a fence. The pilot once he got down, ran to his plane and shut off the still running jet engine. This is the ONLY time I have ever heard of where a pilot properly ejected from a single seat A/C and BOTH the pilot and A/C were recovered and both flew again!

Bill G.
 
Wow....another museum to put on my list!!!! Excellent pics, Gary! And I have to say, I love how they turned out without the use of flash! Tripod was the way to go in this case!!! :occasion5:
 

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