Today we ventured to the Pima Air and Space Museum here in Tucson. Arrived at 9:45, took a tram tour from 10:00 to 11:00 then spent until 4:00 just walking through the massive airplane display outside and in several hangers. It is the third largest air museum in the country and it was pretty awesome. Mark is a big WWII buff and this awesome display of fighter planes and bombers and hundreds of other types of planes was a dream come true for him! I am the peace loving type of "make love, not war" so some of the fire power these things produced left me a bit speechless. :-) We met a WWII fighter pilot in one hanger who was signing autographs for his book. I guess the old guy was quite the pilot in his younger days. Very colorful fellow who flew many successful missions AND survived 5 marriages....all his wives are dead! I also learned he is from Newton, Iowa! Small world.
I was very interested in the Air Force One plane on display which was used from '61-'64 for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. It was nice inside, but I thought it would be more "plush" for a President but then remembered that was over 40+ years ago. Makes me feel old. One can only imagine how nice Air Force One is today for "the decider." :-)
The pictures:
1. This "little" plane was called the Super Guppy, a NASA plane that hauled the Saturn boosters and other space craft parts. Look closely and you can see Mark standing below it.
2. SR-71 Blackbird, a VERY impressive Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft that could fly from LA to DC in one hour and 4 minutes, back in the early 70's!
3. Air Force One used by Kennedy and Johnson.
4. Mark and I descending that plane.
5. Designates this AF One
6. A B17 G Flying Fortress. Quite huge and a real war breaker, I guess
7. Mics. planes
