There is a lot of stuff to see in that museum, at least a full day if you desire to absorb each aircraft/spacecraft/rocket/missile, etc… Don’t forget the mighty Tweet’s Continental J69 (giggity) turbojet!
Max, wish I knew you were in town. I'd have bought you a beer. The Bell X1 may be there for storage or restoration work. The DC museum has been going through a big renovation.
Oh, I know you're not ready to retire, BTW I grew up in Delaware and took a school trip to DC when i was about 13. That was before the Air and Space Museum existed but the Smithsonian was my favorite stop. It wasn't until I moved to Texas that I actually visited both locations of the collection. Twice. Next time I visit relatives up there I have to make the Pilgrimage to the Smithsonian 😊 And that hobby shop....
When I was at the Paul Garber Facility in DC about 30 years ago, all that was left of both Flak Bait and Yamamoto's Betty were the nose of each plane, that appeared to have been cut off with a chainsaw. The Shinden was, as I recall complete. Flak Bait was the first B-26 Marauder to complete 50 missions. Did you know that they gave away the nose glass of the B-17C, the Swoose to someone. That nose glass was irreplaceable. The guide told us of many of those misdeeds over the years. It makes you wonder who makes those decisions. It is amazing that they got the Do-335 back from Germany. The U.S. taxpayers pay for all of these restorations and then the museum gives the finished aircraft away. The guide didn't think that the Do-335 would ever come back to the museum.
Max - I also wish I had known you were in town. The Bell X-1 has just been wrapped up in order to go back down to the main museum. It was moved out to Hazy to have it on display (after a little cleanup) while the main gallery it was in was renovated. It was displayed across from the Me 163 at the entrance to the Space Hangar. The M2-F3 lifting body will go there after it is attended to in the restoration shop. But the X-1 will go back downtown, it is an icon like the Wright Flyer, the Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis and the Apollo 11 command module Columbia.
Thank you. I plan to visit this museum next month. Specially travelling from Paris, France on that purpose. I'll be also visiting the original Air & Space museum on the Mall, then moving on to Houston (Johnson Space Center) and to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Hoping to find nice museum shops in those places. Kind regards.
Thank you for your kind correction. It has been a long time since I visited the museum or the old Paul Garber Facility. I apologize for any inaccuracies.
00:06 Speaking of the Monogram rockets and missiles kit, I saw them for a deep discount yesterday at Hobby Lobby. $8 something. I would imagine it is a chain-wide closeout, so if'n ya want one, now's the time.
The main Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (if you want to call it that anymore) has gone through major changes that are heavily leaning PC. Many of the classic aircraft that were there for decades, at least from what I've gleaned, have been moved to indefinite storage. Museums have administrators who are not so much enthusiasts as they are funding experts. When the USAF Museum in Dayton Ohio moves out, or otherwise prevents, extremely historical aircraft from being displayed to accommodate a Star Wars extravaganza (that's science fiction for those out there who don't live in reality), there is something wrong. I was in Sacramento, CA many years ago when the museum at former McClellan AFB had just finished a pristine F-106 restoration that was inside the main hangar for all to see its splendor. When I went back a few years later, that same F-106 had been moved outside to rot, and it looked horrible, to accommodate the next STEM exhibit, a Leonardo Davinci exhibit that was barely relatable to aviation. I'm nearly shocked that the Udvar Hazy branch of the Smithsonian still resembles a real aviation museum. This is an extremely sore topic for me, but I look forward to the extended video. I have visited many times.
It's a shame that they have butchered the Shinden because they had the whole aircraft, but they butchered "Flak Bait" and Yamamoto's Betty, as well. Not to mention giving England a pristine Spitfire in trade for a basketcase Hurricane. So much mismanagement.
Thanks for the comment. You motivated me. I don't know about the Shinden or the Betty but I thought that Flak-Bait was being restored. I just watched a video from several years ago explaining how the aircraft was going to be preserved and reassembled. It was very interesting. I don't know if that was completed bur if it's on display Max will probably show it.
Looks like a great visit. Back in January, my UK friends Barry and Janice, from Salisbury Plains came to visit me in Tucson. He's retired from British Airways . [Logistics. A Q type, not a Double O] We toured the Pima Air Museum. It was grand yet overwhelming. Great times.
There is a lot of stuff to see in that museum, at least a full day if you desire to absorb each aircraft/spacecraft/rocket/missile, etc… Don’t forget the mighty Tweet’s Continental J69 (giggity) turbojet!
Nice tease! Can't wait for the longer videos! 😎👍
Wow, what an amazing place. Someone had a good day.
Wonderful video. Thank you, Max.
Right On 🏆🏆 Thanks For Sharing Max , Safe Travelling Home To You BOTH & a Blessed Wknd 🙏🤗 Gary.
Max, wish I knew you were in town. I'd have bought you a beer. The Bell X1 may be there for storage or restoration work. The DC museum has been going through a big renovation.
Great video. Safe travels.
You had me at model rocket.
Max, if i had your talents and knowledge I would look at becoming a docent there. Talk about a dream job for a retired aviation geek!
Oh, I know you're not ready to retire,
BTW I grew up in Delaware and took a school trip to DC when i was about 13. That was before the Air and Space Museum existed but the Smithsonian was my favorite stop.
It wasn't until I moved to Texas that I actually visited both locations of the collection. Twice.
Next time I visit relatives up there I have to make the Pilgrimage to the Smithsonian 😊
And that hobby shop....
Seems like a museum really worthy of a visit sometime, thanks for sharing Max.
When I was at the Paul Garber Facility in DC about 30 years ago, all that was left of both Flak Bait and Yamamoto's Betty were the nose of each plane, that appeared to have been cut off with a chainsaw. The Shinden was, as I recall complete. Flak Bait was the first B-26 Marauder to complete 50 missions. Did you know that they gave away the nose glass of the B-17C, the Swoose to someone. That nose glass was irreplaceable. The guide told us of many of those misdeeds over the years. It makes you wonder who makes those decisions. It is amazing that they got the Do-335 back from Germany. The U.S. taxpayers pay for all of these restorations and then the museum gives the finished aircraft away. The guide didn't think that the Do-335 would ever come back to the museum.
Thank you! Nerding out!
Max - I also wish I had known you were in town. The Bell X-1 has just been wrapped up in order to go back down to the main museum. It was moved out to Hazy to have it on display (after a little cleanup) while the main gallery it was in was renovated. It was displayed across from the Me 163 at the entrance to the Space Hangar. The M2-F3 lifting body will go there after it is attended to in the restoration shop. But the X-1 will go back downtown, it is an icon like the Wright Flyer, the Ryan NYP Spirit of St Louis and the Apollo 11 command module Columbia.
Great video! That Do335 is so big!
Great video
Thank you. I plan to visit this museum next month. Specially travelling from Paris, France on that purpose. I'll be also visiting the original Air & Space museum on the Mall, then moving on to Houston (Johnson Space Center) and to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Hoping to find nice museum shops in those places. Kind regards.
Wow have fun down there I am d c
It would be a bad idea for me to visit a hobby store after visiting an aircraft museum.
Thank you for your kind correction. It has been a long time since I visited the museum or the old Paul Garber Facility. I apologize for any inaccuracies.
00:06
Speaking of the Monogram rockets and missiles kit, I saw them for a deep discount yesterday at Hobby Lobby. $8 something. I would imagine it is a chain-wide closeout, so if'n ya want one, now's the time.
Did you notice the HO 229 under the wing of the B-29?
The main Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (if you want to call it that anymore) has gone through major changes that are heavily leaning PC. Many of the classic aircraft that were there for decades, at least from what I've gleaned, have been moved to indefinite storage. Museums have administrators who are not so much enthusiasts as they are funding experts. When the USAF Museum in Dayton Ohio moves out, or otherwise prevents, extremely historical aircraft from being displayed to accommodate a Star Wars extravaganza (that's science fiction for those out there who don't live in reality), there is something wrong. I was in Sacramento, CA many years ago when the museum at former McClellan AFB had just finished a pristine F-106 restoration that was inside the main hangar for all to see its splendor. When I went back a few years later, that same F-106 had been moved outside to rot, and it looked horrible, to accommodate the next STEM exhibit, a Leonardo Davinci exhibit that was barely relatable to aviation. I'm nearly shocked that the Udvar Hazy branch of the Smithsonian still resembles a real aviation museum. This is an extremely sore topic for me, but I look forward to the extended video. I have visited many times.
YOU FORGOT TO TELL US OF ALL THE SOUVENIRS YOU PICK-UP BE SAFE AND TRAVEL ON.
Shot glass
I have a picture of your niece standing on the upper deck with that P-40 right behind her.
It's a shame that they have butchered the Shinden because they had the whole aircraft, but they butchered "Flak Bait" and Yamamoto's Betty, as well. Not to mention giving England a pristine Spitfire in trade for a basketcase Hurricane. So much mismanagement.
Thanks for the comment. You motivated me. I don't know about the Shinden or the Betty but I thought that Flak-Bait was being restored. I just watched a video from several years ago explaining how the aircraft was going to be preserved and reassembled. It was very interesting. I don't know if that was completed bur if it's on display Max will probably show it.
Flak Bait is under conservation now
Flak Bait is in the restoration shop - it is all at Hazy. And that is only the Shiden nose on display, the rest is in storage.
Looks like a great visit. Back in January, my UK friends Barry and Janice, from Salisbury Plains came to visit me in Tucson. He's retired from British Airways . [Logistics. A Q type, not a Double O]
We toured the Pima Air Museum. It was grand yet overwhelming.
Great times.