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A.G. Arao / noyphoto | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum -- Udvar-Hazy Center tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum -- Udvar-Hazy Center

I shot these pictures at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum during two whirlwind visits -- on Sept. 4, 2005, and April 22, 2007. This museum annex is right next to Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The leading attractions here are the B-29 "Enola Gay" bomber, an SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, a supersonic Air France Concorde jetliner and the space shuttle Enterprise. Many of the details used in the captions were drawn from the museum's Web site: http://www.nasm.si.edu .

I handheld a Canon PowerShot S2 IS to shoot these photos.

>>> CLICK ON A THUMBNAIL PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT, AFTER WHICH YOU CAN GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD, OR RETURN TO THE THUMBNAILS. ... THE PHOTOS CAN ALSO BE VIEWED AS A SLIDESHOW. SEE THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THIS WINDOW. <<<
Monocoupe 110 Special Little Butch, late 1940s.
Monocoupe 110 Special "Little Butch," late 1940s.		 Grumman G-22 Gulfhawk II, left, and Bücker Bü-133 Jungmeister, 1930s and 1940s.
Grumman G-22 Gulfhawk II, left, and Bücker Bü-133 Jungmeister, 1930s and 1940s.		 Early aircraft.
Early aircraft.		 World War I and other early aircraft.
World War I and other early aircraft.
The Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc played a key role during the Battle of Britain, 1940, World War II.
The Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIc played a key role during the Battle of Britain, 1940, World War II.		 Lockheed P-38J Lightning, World War II.
Lockheed P-38J Lightning, World War II.		 Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, World War II.
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, World War II.		 North American P-51C Mustang, World War II. This Mustang set many records after the war.
North American P-51C Mustang, World War II. This Mustang set many records after the war.
World War II.
World War II.		 Toward the end of World War II, a B-29 Superfortress ...
Toward the end of World War II, a B-29 Superfortress ...		 ... the Enola Gay ...
... the Enola Gay ...		 ... delivered the first nuclear weapon used in combat.
... delivered the first nuclear weapon used in combat.
It dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.
It dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945.		 Three days later, another B-29 named Bockscar ...
Three days later, another B-29 named "Bockscar" ...		 ... dropped a second atomic bomb, on Nagasaki, Japan.
... dropped a second atomic bomb, on Nagasaki, Japan.		 By Aug. 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the Allied powers.
By Aug. 14, 1945, the Japanese surrendered to the Allied powers.
The two atomic bombs killed about 200,000 Japanese.
The two atomic bombs killed about 200,000 Japanese.		 But by shortening the war and averting land battles in Japan ...
But by shortening the war and averting land battles in Japan ...		 ... the bombs may have saved more than a million Japanese and American lives, historians say.
... the bombs may have "saved" more than a million Japanese and American lives, historians say.		 German aircraft from World War II.
German aircraft from World War II.
Curtiss P-40, World War II.
Curtiss P-40, World War II.		 Vietnam War aircraft.
Vietnam War aircraft.		 McDonnell F-4S-44 Phantom II.
McDonnell F-4S-44 Phantom II.		 Russian MiG-21.
Russian MiG-21.
Russian MiG-21.
Russian MiG-21.		 Vietnam War aircraft.
Vietnam War aircraft.		 21st century Lockheed Martin X-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
21st century Lockheed Martin X-35B Joint Strike Fighter.		 Cruise missiles.
Cruise missiles.
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird ...
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird ...		 ... continues to hold the distinction of being the world's fastest jet aircraft.
... continues to hold the distinction of being the world's fastest jet aircraft.		 No reconnaissance aircraft has operated ...
No reconnaissance aircraft has operated ...		 ... in more hostile airspace or with such impunity.
... in more hostile airspace or with such impunity.
The Blackbird was at the pinnacle of aviation technology during the Cold War.
The Blackbird was at the pinnacle of aviation technology during the Cold War.		 It was designed to fly deep into hostile territory ...
It was designed to fly deep into hostile territory ...		 ... and to avoid interception with its speed and high altitude.
... and to avoid interception with its speed and high altitude.		 This ultimate spy plane could fly at Mach 3.3 more than 85,000 feet above Earth.
This ultimate spy plane could fly at Mach 3.3 more than 85,000 feet above Earth.
On March 6, 1990, the career of this SR-71A Blackbird ended with a record-setting flight.
On March 6, 1990, the career of this SR-71A Blackbird ended with a record-setting flight.		 It flew from L.A. to Washington in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds, averaging 2,124 mph.
It flew from L.A. to Washington in 1 hour, 4 minutes, and 20 seconds, averaging 2,124 mph.		 At the flight's conclusion, the plane landed at Dulles International Airport ...
At the flight's conclusion, the plane landed at Dulles International Airport ...		 ... and taxied into the custody of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
... and taxied into the custody of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
Here's another look at this once super-secret plane.
Here's another look at this once super-secret plane.		 And here's the plane's tail.
And here's the plane's tail.		 The Boeing 307 was the first airliner with a pressurized fuselage.
The Boeing 307 was the first airliner with a pressurized fuselage.		 Also known as the Stratoliner, the Boeing 307 was first flown in 1938.
Also known as the Stratoliner, the Boeing 307 was first flown in 1938.
The Dash 80, bottom, was the prototype of the Boeing 707, America's first jet airliner.
The Dash 80, bottom, was the prototype of the Boeing 707, America's first jet airliner.		 The Concorde was the only supersonic jetliner ...
The Concorde was the only supersonic jetliner ...		 ... that ever went into commercial service.
... that ever went into commercial service.		 Air France donated this particular plane ...
Air France donated this particular plane ...
... which was the first of its five Concordes.
... which was the first of its five Concordes.		 British Airways owned a similar number.
British Airways owned a similar number.		 The Concorde cruised at about 1,350 mph, more than twice the speed of sound.
The Concorde cruised at about 1,350 mph, more than twice the speed of sound.		 Traveling at more than double the speed of a 747 ...
Traveling at more than double the speed of a 747 ...
... it crossed the Atlantic in about three and a half hours.
... it crossed the Atlantic in about three and a half hours.		 Air France began its supersonic service in January 1976 ...
Air France began its supersonic service in January 1976 ...		 ... and ended it on June 12, 2003, with the delivery of this plane to the Smithsonian.
... and ended it on June 12, 2003, with the delivery of this plane to the Smithsonian.		 Enterprise, the first space shuttle.
Enterprise, the first space shuttle.

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