The Museum of Flight

This is a very comprehensive and fascinating aerospace museum. I had almost declined to go with my brother Wayne and John. It sounded so boring but the Boeing tour turned out to be better than I expected, just maybe this museum would be equally interesting. The above picture was taken in The Great Gallery.This area of the museum is a 6-story glass and steel structure with a display of 43 historic aircraft. Below is a picture of the Taylor Aerocar 111. Its manufacturer had hoped that one of these cars would be in everyone's garage. It was made in 1949, and it took until 1956 to receive the Civil Aeronautic Administration's approval. Unfortunately it never got mass produced. It took only 15 minutes to put on its wings, but storing that extra equipment proved to be a problem, I am sure most garages did not have that extra space!

The museum has a total of 85 air and spacecraft, some of that number is located outside on the perimeters of the building. It is possible for the public to enter the Air Force One and the Concorde. Below is a picture of the Concorde.

Touring those two planes was the highlight for me, especially Air Force One. It was thrilling to think that I was walking in the footsteps of four presidents; Johnson,Nixon, Kennedy and Eisenhower.Other fascinating sections of the museum were; The Personal Courage Wing, displaying aircraft from World Wars I and II, and the Amelia Earhart Exhibit. Of interest to me in the latter exhibit was that there were other women, besides Earhart, who were successful pilots. Earhart was concerned that all women were recognized for their accomplishments in aviation. Also in the museum was a section of the Red Barn, part of the original Boeing airplane factory from 1916 to 1958. At that time wood and fabric were the materials of choice for making airplanes. The industry of aerospace has traveled far since that time!