Visiting the Udvar-Hazey National Air and Space Museum annex

[rufrdr]

For the zoomie types on this forum...visited the Udvar-Hazey annex to the National Air and Space museum which is located at Dulles IAP in Virginia close to Washington D.C. None of the crowds that you find at the big museum and some fascinating aircraft and artifacts on display. I like the less known aircraft and those were to be found on display here. also, many of the warplanes had seen action in their career unlike many displayed in other museums. My photos are only part of the aircraft on display. Some of the displays rotate out so what is seen one year may be gone and replaced by something else from the collection in another year. Worth the time if you happen to be in the area!


P-40, one of my favorites


Lysander


SR-71 and the shuttle Discovery


F4U Corsair "whistling death"


F105 Thunderstreak, also known as Thud from the sound of the aircraft crashing when shot down over Vietnam. So many were lost in combat that the type was eventually withdrawn from service.


Navy Helldiver aka the Beast.


P26 Peashooter, the Army's first monoplane fighter. Still in service in limited numbers at the beginning of WW2.


That's me!

[rufrdr]

Some more:


Hurricane Hurribomber


F-86 Sabre


Some of the aircraft guns on display


Dornier Arrow twin engine fighter. I was surprised how large it is


Autogyro aircraft adopted by the USAAF during WW2 but then abandoned when helicopters showed better potential


Concorde along with others!


The tilt rotor testbed that lead to the Osprey


Discovery - it is enormous!


Another view


One more


A view of the aircraft restoration workshop


I saw this fuselage section on display at the big museum when I visited there as a much younger person. Looks like it is getting some work done on it.

As I said, this place is worth a visit. Plan on spending 4 hours if you like to linger and read everything. The Enola Gay B29 bomber is there too.

http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/

[mag41uk]

Plus one on this place.
I was there 2011 and they had some WW2 German aircraft I had never even heard of before.
The space shuttle is amazing.
Tony

[Jenks]

rufrdr

Wow! what a fantastic place. Thanks for the great photos


Jenks

[Blu]

Wife and I were there a couple of years back, really amazing place.

Blu

[20series]

Hi Rufrdr

As per normal great photos sign92

If I ever get back stateside I think this is the kind of place I'd like

I'm taking my lad and possibly a couple of his mates to Duxford air museum next weekend, I'll try and reciprocate :cheers:

Alan

[Chuck]

brilliant photos, rufrdr. Awesome place by the looks of it.

[nickb834]

Awesome place, when I went they had the Enola Gay in there (2011 I think) - Discovery hadn't been moved in either yet so it was still the Enterprise (Used for in atmosphere testing).

The other half of the museum in Washington proper is well worth a look, the Spirit of St Louis and the Wright Flyer are both in there.

My favourite without a doubt was the SR71 Blackbird as you walk in - did a project on that when I were a wee lad at school - and seeing one in the metal for the first time, sniff, brought a tear to me eye ;-)

[ovenpaa]

Wow, that is an impressive site and it seems so well laid out and spacious compared to some of our aviation museums. Are any/many of the aircraft in flying order?