Sunday, August 16, 2015

Seattle Museum of Flight photos

Every time I fly over or drive by the museum, I think to myself-- I should go there. Last Monday, I finally got a chance.

It's a beautiful and well curated collection. The main room is this huge greenhouse.


This "thing" is the SR-71's starter. It's two Buick V8s working in tandem.



An actual flying car!



In a separate room, World War II planes. Upstairs from that is a room full of WWI planes. Here is a Flying Tigers plane. It is supposedly the least used combat plane from the entire war, logging just 60 hours.




Across the street is the Charles Simonyi space exhibit. Simonyi, as you may recall, was a wealthy Microsoft executive and space tourist. This mock-up of a space shuttle was imposing. I was able to walk in the cargo bay, but the cockpit was closed when I was there.



I believe this was the Soyuz lander Simonyi used.





This was the highlight, a real Concorde.





We had to wait in line to get in because the fire department considered the plane a building. So only a handful of people were allowed in at a time.



The lavatory is actually larger than what I'm used to in Southwest 737s.


The cabin in general, however, is cramped.


The windows are tiny, but there is a surprising amount of legroom.


Some photos of the Concorde's cockpit and galley area.





This is the first Air Force One, a Boeing 707. It was used by Eisenhower and Kennedy from 1959 to 1962.


This is the lavatory for everyone but the president.


Press area.






The president's throne.


Safes for nuclear codes.





No comments: