Steven Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, VA

[sksvlad]

A large federally funded aviation museum with some unique extremely rare exhibits https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center. Warning to future visitors. The museum is restoring its roof, it is done in parts, section by section. You will see many planes covered with wraps in my photos. It is done so they don't get damaged by falling things (off the roof). Luckily for me, now they are doing civilian aircraft section, of least interest to me. Check with the museum BEFORE you go.

 

[US-Subs]

[View attachment 172680

I was sent out to the Dulles area in late August and had to spend some time working not far from there. I was able to break away one morning for a quick visit and took many similar photos from similar viewpoints. One of interest, I note in your picture DSCF1466 above the orange colored fuselage at the top right. I am informed that this aircraft is a formerly highly secret test item and my source was not sure how the Smithsonian got their hands on it. Here is nearly the same view of the area and aircraft from a few weeks earlier, before it was dismantled.

 

[sksvlad]

Thanks. I did not even notice it next to B-26 Marauder, hope to see it intact back on display in several years. By the way, don't miss a pre-recorded story of this particular Marauder, it plays on TV continuously, very cool story of Flak Bait.

 

[HAZORD]

Maybe if you look really close, you could find a Photon Torpedo case too!

 

[sksvlad]

Hazord, you beat me to it!!! That orange plane Jeff's posted looks like a Star Wars' intergalactic fighter.....

 

[kahu1]

The orange must be the lead primer, to protect against intergalactic radiation...

 

[HAZORD]

X-wing Fighter

 

[sksvlad]

Since you guys knows so much about Star Wars machinery, try to find R2D2 in this missile section.

 

[sksvlad]

The museum replaced the shuttle. The previous shuttle never flew out of Earth's atmosphere, this one, Discovery, has the Earth re-entry burn marks on it. I had to spend 5 hours in the museum, and I had great time. Usually I am in the rush to drive somewhere, but this time I joint 3 different guided tours, info overflow, I learnt a lot about SR-71 from the actual pilot of the very plane inside the museum, it has a crying skunk on the tail, it is because this plane flew the very last mission of all SR-71's.
Atoll missile in front of Fishbed was removed from display, nobody knows why. Here is a new addition (I think), a battery powered plane called Wisk, it is a self flying air taxi.