Hi Kids, Here we are back again in the modern-ish section of the Udvar-Hazy Air And Space Smithsonian Museum. Let's start off the pix with an old fav of mine, the MiG-15. They have stolen technology British engines. These things were a rude awakening for the West during the Korean War. In fact, they were surprising folks all the time: When a captured example was being evaluated by the Air Force the foreign pilot told the US not to turn on the auxiliary fuel pump, because the plane will explode. And even 40 years later, when the first examples for the US collectors came ashore, they still had their cannons fitted complete with full loads of ammo! Bet the FAA got a kick outta that one.
The MiG-15's primary opponent, the F-86 Sabre! While a good looking jet, not as cool as the MiG.
A Cold War helicopter, the UH-34. I took a picture of the info panel since the chopper had those eyes painted on it. You can always make a plane look better by giving it eyes.
Back when the Huey's had single engines. That thwop thwop sound was the rotor blade tips breaking the sound barrier.
A Vietnam era FAC/spotter plane, the L-19 Bird Dog. Those tubes are the marker rockets.
Damn in I know...
A Korean era helicopter, intended for casualty evacuation. Although it looks tiny, it could carry two stretcher cases, a medic, and the pilot, all inside! No more of that "tie 'em to the skid" stuff.
A rack of aircraft weapons. It's amazing how many look like copies of the M2 machine gun.
Another old fav just cause it looks so cool, the P-26 Peashooter. A few of these things actually saw combat in the early days of WW2, in the Philippines.
Much later in the war, a German Me 263 rocket plane. Or is that 163? The ole brain ain't what it used to be! Ok, I looked it up, its a 163.
The Dornier 335, two engines, crazy fast. This is the last one still to exist. Hey, that's my bro!
Well, its Japanese....
And an experimental flying wing...
Another Japanese....
An Arado 234 jet. This one was fitted with those funky liquid fuel rocket booster engines, one under each wing. Not in the picture, of course!
Another old fav of those people who still don't know Germany lost the war, the Focke-Wulf 190. This might be a late war Jabo, with the bombs.
Hey, a Japanese plane I actually recognize: the George! Aka Kawanishi N1K1-J. Or maybe a N1K2-J. Yep, looked this one up too! Or we could just look at the info panel right there in front...
A Navy Kingfisher, just the thing for a battleship quarterdeck!
One of the bubble top P-47 Thunderbolts. Nicknamed the "Jug" no doubt due to its tiny size and razor-thin shape.
A German backpack helicopter. Take it for a spin? No thanks, I just ate.
One of the bigger German helicopters. Nope, still not big enough.
Still under construction 60 years later, an He-219 Uhu nightfighter.
2 comments:
I wasn't able to get out to the airport to see this during my trip to DC, sad face...
Lovely set!
I wonder when they'll get around to finishing that 219.
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