aviation and space museum

I had a colleague visiting us in November of 2009 from our office in England. He is a German working and living in England. We worked together in a project. In the weekend I play host and took him to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. I didn't know he love aviation until we are inside.


outside the museum - the best collection is inside

Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose - there are a number of very good documentary films on the history of Spruce Goose, as well as the life of the eccentric man that brought us Nova science program with the HHMI funding support

inside the mother goose

it is so huge that no lens is wide enough to capture it inside the museum - mother goose may be the best way to put it with it's Goliath size

impeccably restored b17 flying fortress bomber

the much feared Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10

it must be a later version as it has retractable landing gears

 machine guns synchronized to the propeller of this bi-plane

not sure what this yellow one is

 I think this is a V2 rocket that struck fear in London in the final days of WWII

the awesome SR71 black bird is definitely the star exhibit

it is mind blowing that this was developed in the 60s by the Lockheed and Skunk Works

the camera and lens system; it is much more than what meet the eyes; very high resolution image requires long exposure. the lens optics is servo'ed to tilt/rotate and maintain a stable image to compensate the supersonic velocity of the aircraft

the 1500 feet of 9 x 9 inch film captures ultra high resolution images make the so call high definition video today looks pale in comparison

 the engine housing with the engine removed

 and you think you've got plumbing problem

I learnt an interesting fact - rocket engines use the fuel for cooling; remember the gas law from thermodynamic 101

wiring and fuel harnesses of a space rocket - note the countless number of mil-spec connectors protected in colored plastic dust caps

 the moon walker

a rocket silo

 a few racks of equipment from the mission control center; a real control has a lot more...

We spent all day there and it was getting dark by the time we left. I took pictures of may be 1/10 of the museum collection. I am thinking of going there again soon.

the iconic Bell Huey forever the symbol of the Vietnam War