Pima Air & Space Museum
February 19, 2021
Today we explored the Pima Air & Space Museum.
"The Bumble Bee was designed and built for the sole purpose of taking the record for the world's smallest aircraft. Robert Starr had been involved as pilot and designer in two previous record holding smallest aircraft dating back to 1949. Feeling that he had not received the amount of credit he was due for his participation in those efforts he decided to take the record for himself. In 1979, he began work on the Bumble Bee and after five years of design and construction the tiny aircraft was ready for flight. The first flights of the Bumble Bee were on January 28, 1984 at Marana, Arizona and the aircraft was credited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest aircraft ever flown. The record stood until August of that year when one of Starr's former partners built and flew an even smaller aircraft. The records were modified slightly to give Starr the record for the smallest biplane while the other contestant took the record for the smallest monoplane. Starr broke his own biplane record in 1988 with the Bumble Bee II. Unfortunately, that aircraft was destroyed in a crash not long after setting the record."
"174th Assault Helicopter Company, Vietnam, 1966
The Bell UH-1 is perhaps the best-known helicopter in the world. Made famous by its use in Vietnam, versions of the "Huey" remain in both military and civil service today. Designated HU-1 by the Army and H-40 by the Air Force the first Hueys flew in 1958. The nickname "Huey" was derived from the letters HU in the Army designation."
"Nose compartment door panel from a Bell UH-1 Huey of the "Vi-kings" of the 121st Assault Helicopter Company."
"Nose compartment door panel from a Bell UH-1 Huey of the "Soc-Trang Tigers" of the 121st Assault Helicopter Company."
Flight attendant attire over the years, that center one is groovy.
"The Hoppicopter is a part of the long quest for a truly low-cost personal flying machine. It was designed by Horace Pentecost of Seattle, Washington during World War II. He marketed it to the U.S. military as a replacement for the parachutes used by paratroops. The design consists of a small 20 horsepower motor powering two counter-rotating sets of rotor blades, strapped to the back of the pilot. The greatest weakness of the design was its use of the pilot's legs as landing gear. If he stumbled during landing or take-off the blades would quickly turn into thousands of potentially lethal splinters as they pounded themselves to bits on the ground. This was, quite correctly, seen as ridiculously hazardous and the idea was quickly abandoned."
"FAIRCHILD A-10A THUNDERBOLT II
Called the Warthog by its pilots for the plane's un-streamlined aggressive appearance, the Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II is the first fixed wing aircraft in the U.S. Air Force designed specifically for close air support of ground troops. The plane was designed around the massive GAU 8 30mm cannon. Mounted in the nose of the plane firing more than 4000 rounds a minute the Warthog's gun can shred even the heaviest armor. The Warthog's design also includes a titanium arm cockpit section to protect the pilot from ground fire. The A-10 was introduced into service in March 1976."
"GRUMMAN F-14A TOMCAT
Made famous by the movie "Top Gun," the F-14 Tomcat is the last of Grumman's "Cat" series of Naval fighters which began with the F4F Wildcat in the 1930s. The F-14 grew out of the failed attempt to turn the F-111 into a carrier-based interceptor. Design work on the Tomcat began in 1967, a full year before the F-111B was canceled. It adopted the best elements of that design, including the AN/AWG-9 radar and Phoenix missile, twin engines, and a variable geometry "swing" wing and combined them into a large, twin-tailed form that be came the symbol of American naval aviation from the 1970s through the first years of the Twenty-first Century. Tomcats entered service on the USS Enterprise in 1974, and flew some of the last American combat missions over Vietnam while providing air cover over Saigon during the American evacuation in April 1975. The F-14 participated in every major American military engagement of the twenty years since then, but finally left Navy service in 2006."
"The Bell OH-58D Kiowa was developed from the earlier OH-58A as a part of the U.S. Army's Helicopter Improvement Program in the early 1980s. The helicopter incorporated a more powerful engine and transmission as well as a four-bladed rotor which decreased the aircraft's noise level while improving low level performance. The distinctive Mast Mounted Sight above the main rotor allowed the helicopter to scout for targets without rising above trees or hills. In the late 1980s improvements to the helicopter's armament systems allowed the Kiowa to carry hellfire anti-tank missiles, unguided rockets and .50 caliber machine guns. This armed version was called the Kiowa Warrior. The Army deployed Kiowa Warriors extensively in both Iraq and Afghanistan. At least 35 were lost in combat. The last OH-58Ds were retired from Army service in 2016."
"The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporation. It was operated by both the United States Air Force (USAF) and NASA.
First flight: 22 December 1964 Retired: 1998 (USAF), 1999 (NASA)"
Quiz question # 1 Okay, what could this be?
"The SR-71's large 40-foot ribbon type drag chute is deployed immediately upon landing to shorten the landing roll of the aircraft and to reduce the need to use the aircraft's brakes. The large parachute is pulled by two small pilot parachutes from a small bay located on top of the aft portion of the aircraft's fuselage. It remains attached to the plane until the speed drops below 80 knots. It is then released so that the shroud lines will not strike the SR-71's twin rudders."
No explanation on this one, you'll have to use your imagination
She rides on a Lockheed S-3B Viking
What's up Doc?
Quiz question #2, what is this for?
Why the wheel fits into it quite nicely.
"MARTIN.PBM5A MARINER
the first production Mariners were delivered in 1940 after test flights in 1939. Early model flying boats had retractable wing floats and Wright Cyclone radials, while later (-5A) amphibians had tricycle landing gear, fixed wing floats, and Pratt & Whitney radials."
It's time to go outside because there are more planes outside, the climate here makes this a great place to store planes. The mountains in the background are a plus.
Somebody help me with this one, no idea what it means.
Still going from plane to plane with enthusiasm.
"In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live."
This one is for my neighbor Kristie. Had to include it after spending so much time in Texas.
"BOEING VERTOL CH-46E SEA KNIGHT TRANSPORT
1962 - 2015"
Okay quiz question # 3 what is this used for?
Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe (Skycrane) Heavy Lift Transport
so as you can see from the name it is a crane, it lifts large things.
"C-121A "Columbine 1" Assigned Gen. Eisenhower December 1950 to 1952"
Seriously different than all the other plans here this one is from NASA.
"Boasting an immense cargo area that is 25 feet in diameter and 111 feet long, the Super Guppy can carry items that are virtually impossible to fit inside other cargo aircraft. The Super Guppy has a unique hinged nose that opens 110 degrees, permitting full frontal cargo loading."
"Royal Air Force Bungay or more simply RAF Bungay (known locally as Flixton) with nose art "Bungay Buckaroo" related to the 446th Bomb Group stationed at Bungay in 1944."
When in Arizona . . . hoping not to see any rattlesnakes other than this one.
And here is our crazy 3.5 mile walk outside to see acres of planes.
Jim loved all the planes, I loved all the sunshine.
If you love planes and are in Tucson this is a place for you.
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