Sky Watch - Up, Up and away

Last October, the Collins Foundation visited Frederick with three of its World War II vintage planes: B-24 Liberator, B-17 Flying Fortress and P-51 Mustang. This year they toured the west coast, then headed east and are now in Indiana. For a few bucks you can look through the planes. For a few hundred bucks you an go for a short flight. I posted some shots of these planes at the airport and took some more as the B-17 and P-51 departed. As the planes departed, they turned west and circled back over the airport heading east to their next destination. Recently I pulled up a P-51 shot, cropped it, and made it my header. I imagine that there are a lot of Brits who saw the last image in 1943 - 1945.

The previous posts are War Birds, Sky Watch - In to the sky, and Window Views - World War II windows. (Some of the images on this post also appeared in the older posts.)

Sky Watch - Airship

Last Friday as I was cutting the grass, I spotted the Goodyear blimp near the Federick airport. The blimp seemed to be doing touch and go landings as it dipped below the trees and reappeared to circle around again. Later Friday evening I took the below shot of the moored blimp and then got a couple more shots Saturday moring. I think it was here to provide television coverage of the Preakness horse race in Baltimore.

Sky Watch - Into the sky

Starting engines

Last Friday I returned to the Frederick airport as the Collins Foundation Wings of Freedom tour departed for its next stop in Westminster, MD (about 30 miles east). Here are some shots as the B-17 took to the skies.

Taxiing

Airborne

Climbing

Wheels up

And into the wild blue yonder

Window Views - WW II windows

B-17 Pilot's window

Last Wednesday I saw a B-17 Super Fortress heading for the Frederick airport, and I soon followed (by ground transportation). The Collins Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour had stopped here for a 48-hour visit. The tour also includes a B-24 Liberator and a P-51 Mustang. For a small donation, one could get close to the planes and inside the bombers. For a larger donation, one could take a short flight. (I opted for the small fee tour.) Of course I took lots of pictures, including the windows that are a little different my previous Window Views posts. I posted more shots of the planes on Lew's Pics and Lew's Favorite Pics.

B-17 nose window

B-17 Top turret window

Looking out B-24 side gunner's window

B-24 Nose gunner's, bombadier's and pilot's windows

B-24 tail gunner's window

Sky Watch - South Carolina skies

During our visit to South Carolina, we had mostly hot skies with record setting highs for April. A few clouds drifted by on Friday yielding a muted sunset. Occasionally a plane flew by as we were near the Columbia airport.

My World Tuesday - Noisy skies

We live a couple of miles from the Frederick airport; in the flight paths for both BWI and Washington Dulles airports; and Camp David is up towards the Pennsylvania border. So hearing planes and helicopters is not unusual. On a warm day with plenty of blue sky and gentle winds, the gliders are active. This was the first of a half-dozen gliders that were towed aloft and released today. But what got our attention was a low flying, noisy helicopter that I spotted heading north. Usually they keep on going and the noise abates. But not today! It sounded like it was circling just beyond the trees, but we could not spot it. After a couple of hours, I went to see what was happening.

At the other side of our neighborhood, this was circling over a cornfield of the farm across the road. It appeared to be spreading fertilizer (see below).

Dropping the bucket for a refill.

This one is cropped for a better look.

My World Tuesday - Air and Space Museum

Some World War I vintage planes

The National Air Museum was established as part of the Smithsonian in 1946 with artifacts displayed in the Arts and Sciences Building on the Mall. In the 1960's rockets were put on display outsde the Building and "and space" was added to the museum's name. In 1976 a new Air and Space Building was opened on the Mall near the Capitol, greatly expanding the space. My kids were small when we first visited it in the late 70's. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located adjacent to the Dulles International Airport, opened in December 2003. A year later the Space Hanager opened with the Space Shuttle Enterprise as its main attraction. The museum also has a preservation, restoration and storage facility in Suitland, Maryland. With the opening of the Udvar-Hazy center, 80% of the museums artifacts are now on display. The museum is planning an addition to handle the preservation and restoration that will allow the public to watch this work. Both this museum and the one in Washington have IMAX theaters and gift shops.

Both museums have been a favorite place to visit with our grandsons. The pictures shown here are from our visits in 2005 and 2006 to the new facility. This is just a small sample of all there is to see.

World War II fighters

The bomber Enola gay

Commercial and private aircraft, including the Concorde

Space Shuttle Enterprise

Space Shuttle Enterprise (grandsons standing below the tail)

Space Shuttle Enterprise from the rear

NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite

PhotoHunt - I spy aircraft

One of these aircraft has a major feature not shared by the others. Can you spot it?