Well, I guess the best place to start is by saying I've just got back off my belated honeymoon, which was travelling Route 66 (more of which will appear in General Photography in due time) but along the way, my very understanding wife, allowed some aviation based excursions and detours . The first of these was the Texas Air & Space Museum at Rick Husband International in Amarillo.
It's a lovely little museum with some fascinating exhibits and some of them are on the active airfield, which means you need an escort but it gave access to some mil movements which I shall post in the Modern Mil section soon.
First up is a display of NASA memorabilia and some which belonged to Capt Cecil B Hawkins, who had quite an illustrious career in the USN. They also had an unused Space Shuttle heat shield tile, which I got to hold.
1)
IMG_1984 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
2)
IMG_1985 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
3)
IMG_1986 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
4)
IMG_2030 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
5) This Gulfstream II was used to train Shuttle pilots in the techniques used to get the Shuttle back to earth safely and as you can see in the next photo, the cockpit was half Gulfstream, half Shuttle
IMG_1938 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
6)
IMG_1932 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
7) This mongrel is Mr Awesome, a former Reno racer with a bit of a reputation. Based on a Yak 11 it was heavily modified including clipping the wings, bigger engine, prop from a Skyraider and a tail from a T-33. The fuselage was also lengthened rearwards of the wings. It's still under restoration but it looks scary enough to justify the previous owner's warning that it should never fly again!
IMG_1942 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
8)
IMG_1946 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
9)
IMG_1978 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
10) A Cobra with a split personality
IMG_1971 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
11)
IMG_1973 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
12) Finally DC-3 N34, which is "one of two movable items on the National Register of Historic Places"
IMG_2029 by Wes Howes, on Flickr
Thanks for looking, any comments or criticism welcomed. Keep an eye out for some more interesting visits
Cheers
Wes
Texas Air & Space Museum
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Re: Texas Air & Space Museum
Thanks for posting these and for giving some of the background. That does look a bit of a beast, that hybrid!
That is an interesting Gulfstream indeed. Haven't seen the cockpit before. NASA left little to chance.
That is an interesting Gulfstream indeed. Haven't seen the cockpit before. NASA left little to chance.