Kyle (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} kilo_foxtrot) wrote,@ 2007-08-15 23:37:00 |
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| Current location: | living room |
| Current mood: |  geeky |
| Entry tags: | photos |
Photologue: Udvar-Hazy Center
A little over a week ago, I took advantage of my interview schedule and made a brief visit to the Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the National Air & Space Museum. Though I only had about 45 minutes to look around and enjoy my surroundings, I managed to take some pictures. I'll be drooling over these until I can make my return, at which point I'll be able to drool over the actual planes themselves.
The Holy Grail of my mission, the Enterprise. I so very badly wish that I'd been able to sit inside it... but the same can be said for all the rest of the craft there, too.
In the remote sensing community, Corona is more than a cheap alcoholic beverage. Depicted here are the inner workings of the film recovery capsule of the United States' first spy satellite, meant to be plucked out of the skies in the terminal stage of reentry. The first iteration of the system went from drawing board to orbit in about one year. I saw a presentation a year or two ago by one of the old timers who actually worked on the project; basically, the whole damn thing is hella cool.
Right in front of the Shuttle (designed and built by Boeing) is Lockheed's go-fast machine, the SR-71 Blackbird. In all the rush to see as much as possible, I spent less time worrying about my camera's settings than I probably should have; consequently, most of my pictures are dark. In this particular case, however... I think it lends a bit of menace and mood to the image. With nobody around--a benefit to showing up just before closing time--the SR-71 looks like a tiger in the shadows of the deep jungle. This bird wants to be free.
All space is utilized as efficiently as possible to get as many planes in as the Museum can... and I do mean all space.
Nose-to-nose with the fastest aircraft in the world... specifically, the record-holder for fastest US coast-to-coast flight: just over 68 minutes.
Symmetry and speed: an aesthetically pleasing combination.
Hovering next to the Blackbird, a P-51 Mustang appears to wait hungrily for anyone (or anything) willing to linger close enough.
I said at the beginning of the entry I had a mission... this is the accomplishment.
I really wish I'd had more time to wander around and gawk. To
nimoloth and anyone else who has a strong affinity for flight and aircraft: there is so much more to see there. If you ever get the chance to go here, take it. Admission is free, though parking is about $12... but it is still worth it. This place is simply that amazing.
