Sorry to friends that wanted to know about our worst meal…..we didn’t have one. Apparently, the cooking gene runs in the Billings family because Ken really rocked the kitchen while we were there!
During our stay, we visited the Pima Air Museum. Tucson historically has a strong flight orientation...Davis Monthan AFB is here along with many defense contractors. As my flying friends can appreciate, this is Mecca for me! I didn’t get on my knees and pray (the tram was moving at the time) but I was certainly tempted. Tucson (and most of the Southwest) has terrific flying conditions. I don’t know if you even have to check weather before taking off! The climate is also friendly to aircraft. It’s no surprise that the Airplane graveyard ( aka “AMARG” which stands for “Airspace Maintenance and Regeneration Group”) is located here. A familiar site for moviemakers, the Graveyard stores aircraft that are either being restored or stored for spare parts. Visitors are not allowed to carry backpacks or other bags since the facility still uses these parts and is considered a secure area. I am not sure what you could steal that you get into a back pack but those are the rules!
North of the Grave yard is the Pima Air Museum which has a terrific collection of all types of fixed wing airplanes and rotor craft. Several unique aircraft are displayed here…some in converted hangars and others out on the desert floor. As promised (with pictures) here are a few highlights of our visit to the museum. Pictures below include Pat and Barb on their first flying lesson and Ken "holding up" the chopper he was crew on in Vietnam. As with most posts on my blog, I can’t help throwing in a little history…….my non-flying friends can take a break now if you wish:
B-24 Liberator - The Workhorse bomber of WWII. Over 18,000 were made and performed throughout the entire war and in most theaters. This aircraft with the interesting nose art was an abandoned bomber that the Republic of India put back into service after it gained independence from Great Britain. The British abandoned over 100 B-24s after WWII This one served until 1968…..the last American B-24 was retired in 1951
F-4 N Phantom – Powerful fighter used during Vietnam and into the 80’s. The Phantom was a very tough aircraft…a real hotrod (and gas guzzler). Well armed and superior to most aircraft of the day. The N model were rebuilt with new avionics and flight control systems and stayed active until the early 80s……not bad for a fighter designed in the late 50’s! My father, George Glenn, worked on the stability control and test team.…..way to go dad!
B-36 Peacemaker – You want to talk about a big aircraft…..this was the largest Bomber every made and is just staggering in it’s complexity. Built as a post WWII bomber, this beast had 6 – 3,800 horsepower piston engines and 4 jet engines (“6 turning and 4 burning!”) Apparently, the engine start and run up procedure took almost an hour. Shut down takes about as long. This one never dropped a bomb in anger (read…..”Wartime”). This craft was retired in favor of the B-47 and B-52 Jet Bombers.
Hawker Hurricane – One of my personal favorites used by the British during WWII. This fighter was the primary defense fighter during the battle of Britain and did a pretty good job until the Spitfire came along. The German Messerschmitt Me109 was just too fast for the Hurricane. Beautiful aircraft and a great example well restored.
SR-71 Blackbird – Everyone has seen one of these. Design began in 1958 and first flight in 1962 and it still looks space age. The capabilities of this aircraft are still not fully published. It still holds several speed records including absolute speed of 2,193 MPH. I think it’s a bit faster than that. Pat and I woke to a sonic boom in Burbank, CA in 1990 when a Black bird made the run from Los Angeles to Washington DC in 1 hour 4 minutes…..might have been going a bit faster than 2,193 MPH!
F-15 Eagle – One of the best Jet fighters ever built. Designed in 1969 but could hit Mach 2.5 (Mach 1 equals the speed of sound…..depending on altitude, somewhere around 700 MPH). This was the first “positive thrust” fighter. The engines generate more thrust in pounds than the aircraft weighs meaning the F-15 can fly completely vertical!
P-51D Mustang – Last one….I promise! Might be the best fighter (and the “D” might be the best version of the Mustang…later Mustangs had a lot of extra equipment hung on the airframe resulting in loss of performance) of WWII. Lots of power, great handling and armament and stacked up well against the Japanese Zero. Many Mustangs still exist in private hands…if you want one, the beginning price is 2 Mil for one of these babies!
That’s it for the history lesson today. If you ever get to Tucson, the museum is worth the trip. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. You can find them on the web at: http://www.pimaair.org/index.php
Our next stop will be Sydney, Australia on January 13th.
Pat and Chris Glenn
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