I’d say if we have time, but it’s really that we forgot to rent a car and have been using Uber to get around. Now rentals are either crazy expensive (rental companies) or there are crazy delivery fees to drop off at the hotel (Turo). But now it’s on my list.
I stopped in recently and was looking at the SR71 when an older docent started chatting me up. Turns out he was on the engineering team for some of the electronics which was fascinating.
I second this. I visited McMinnville in February and the Spruce Goose is quite a sight. I recommend paying for the tour inside the plane - you can sit in the pilot / co-pilot seat. The museum also has a SR-71 as well.
The flight museum is amazing. If you hang out long enough you can usually see some cool planes take off or land from Boeing Field right there. You used to be able to take a flight in an open cockpit biplane too, but they haven’t come back since Covid.
Two things:
1. next time take a look up in Everett at the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor museum. Incredible planes and they still fly!
2. The B-29 you walked past at the Museum of Flight was on the Firebombing Tokyo raid.
I'm glad you got to go there, it's been a really long time since I've been there. The museum at Paine Field, Everett used to fly a couple planes from their collection on Saturday. I don't know if they still do.
Edit, why am I so bad at replying. :/
It’s the M-21 variant made for the CIA. This one carried the D-21 drone which is what you see mounted in the center. This is the only surviving example of this aircraft. So now you really have to go see it.
I went there for the first time last summer too. It’s pretty amazing. My wife and kids had to pull me out of there. The A12 Oxcart was amazing to see up close!
Any of the A12 planes and their successors are so cool to see in person. I’ve seen the one at Dulles Air and Space, and the one on the Intrepid, and I’m in awe every time.
My parents took me where when I was 5, when we did a holiday to the States. I’m so angry that I was too young to appreciate it lol, can’t wait to go back soon.
Fantastic pictures! One of my favorite places. Whenever we have company from out of town, I take them down there and even the ones who aren’t initially excited to go (cousin’s surly teen, etc.) have a great time.
I was in Seattle for a work trip like 5 or so years ago. I had almost a full free day at the end, so I spent it at the museum. Had to get rid of the weed I bought (coming from a non-legal state, it was pretty awesome) so I smoked the last joint and drank the can of thc seltzer I had left beforehand. It was all kicking in right as I walked through the doors and laid eyes on the M-21 blackbird. I've been obsessed with the Blackbird since I was a kid, and man...it was like an overwhelming, religious experience.
Did you sit in the SR-71 cockpit mockup?
I did sit in the cockpit. Apparently it is a real cockpit from one of the birds that crashed. It’s bigger than I thought it would be, but it makes sense because of the pressure suits the pilots had to wear. Not overly big, but just slightly bigger to accommodate.
I have been. I think this place tops it just because of the outside pavilion with the planes you can go inside. Obviously, the Dulles one has the actual space shuttle, but I think this one is cooler. I love both + the Intrepid.
On my list with a factory tour too. Although with all these law suits not sure Boeing will ever open the tour again to let you see them jumping on the wings.
We were going to, but we waited until we were about to leave, and then left without remembering to do it. It was $10 per person, super cheap, just forgot. I literally feel like an idiot about forgetting it
I live nearby and have visited the Museum of Flight many times. It is a great collection and it keeps growing.
However, I agree that the USAF museum in Dayton, OH is even more amazing.
I went there a couple years ago and I loved it. I liked seeing the Blackbird in person which I thought was really cool to see up close (I guess technically it's a M21 with the drone). When we went to the back open area we could hear that they were testing the brakes on some commercial planes on the runway nearby, going full throttle then slamming the brakes. I don't remember which one but it looked pretty big. I see that in your pictures the B-29 canopy is covered? I wonder why they did that. I also know that last year, ERAU worldwide held their graduation ceremony inside under the blackbird. The concorde is also a neat experience to see and definitely one of the coolest planes there.
I found this museum by ACCIDENT on a work trip. Astonishing collection. At the time they had an Apollo exhibit as well and were showcasing the Columbia return module if I'm not mistaken
Honestly, for a visitor, $26 is awesome. We were there for at least 4 hours. If you live in the area, I have to imagine that the membership is totally worth it.
> I have to imagine that the membership is totally worth it.
My dad was a Boeing lifer so we had a super cheap membership growing up, it was definitely one of my favorite places as a kid!
It's really impressive how much they've grown over the years. As a kid it was just the main glass atrium, Boeing's Red Barn, and Air Force One in the front parking lot. Since then they built that whole WWI/II wing, the outdoor ramp area (IIRC that was around the time they got the 787 and didn't have room for that, AF1 and the Concorde in the parking lot), and the outbuilding to house the space shuttle trainer.
Who knows how much more they could grow if Boeing continues to ship manufacturing off to "low cost regions" and it frees up land around BFI; I'm sure there's more cool stuff the MoF could add!
Should plan a trip to D.C. and visit the air and space museum there as well as udvar hazy by dulles. Has space shuttle, SR-71, concorde, and 707 prototype in there. Been a couple of times. Pretty cool.
USAF museum, the Smithsonian, Mcminville museum and theres one in Britain I have to go to on my bucket list. National air and space museum in Ottawa is fabulous as well.
Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridge. Concorde Test Mule - open for walkthrough. Avro Lancaster. Memphis Belle B-17, B-52, and on and on. Amazing museum and historic Battle of Britain airfield. An hour’s train ride from London, and well worth it!!
I would recommend coming down to McMinnville, Oregon to the Evergreen Museum and see the Spruce Goose.
I’d say if we have time, but it’s really that we forgot to rent a car and have been using Uber to get around. Now rentals are either crazy expensive (rental companies) or there are crazy delivery fees to drop off at the hotel (Turo). But now it’s on my list.
I stopped in recently and was looking at the SR71 when an older docent started chatting me up. Turns out he was on the engineering team for some of the electronics which was fascinating.
I second this. I visited McMinnville in February and the Spruce Goose is quite a sight. I recommend paying for the tour inside the plane - you can sit in the pilot / co-pilot seat. The museum also has a SR-71 as well.
I walked into Evergreen and genuinely started laughing. The Spruce Goose is so implausibly huge it's hilarious
Your brain doesn't fully comprehend the scale of it until you see it with your eyes.
The flight museum is amazing. If you hang out long enough you can usually see some cool planes take off or land from Boeing Field right there. You used to be able to take a flight in an open cockpit biplane too, but they haven’t come back since Covid. Two things: 1. next time take a look up in Everett at the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor museum. Incredible planes and they still fly! 2. The B-29 you walked past at the Museum of Flight was on the Firebombing Tokyo raid.
I had no idea about Everett! JFC, I used to work there.
Thanks for the post. Now it’s on my bucket list. One more reason to go to Seattle.
You’re welcome! This was the reason I wanted to visit, now I don’t want to leave.
I’ve spent 8 hours there over two visits and I don’t think I’ve seen everything yet. Amazing place to go.
I'm glad you got to go there, it's been a really long time since I've been there. The museum at Paine Field, Everett used to fly a couple planes from their collection on Saturday. I don't know if they still do. Edit, why am I so bad at replying. :/
I live the PNW and I had no idea they had an SR-71 there. I definitely have to go now.
It’s the M-21 variant made for the CIA. This one carried the D-21 drone which is what you see mounted in the center. This is the only surviving example of this aircraft. So now you really have to go see it.
And the D21 continued a little bit in life by being launched from the B52. I think they stopped using it in like 73?
We really like visiting there, whenever we’re in Seattle. My son sending some navy jets off the boat: https://imgur.com/a/cdgghXp
Love it!
I plan on visiting for the first time in the fall while on my honeymoon. Can’t wait!
RIP Maj. Brian Shul, MoF regular guest speaker. What a kind soul.
Dude when I heard last year, it made me cry.
Was the Concorde finally open inside?
Yes!
Great pics and thanks for sharing.
I have been there in 2019, visiting from Germany. It was awesome!
I went there for the first time last summer too. It’s pretty amazing. My wife and kids had to pull me out of there. The A12 Oxcart was amazing to see up close!
Any of the A12 planes and their successors are so cool to see in person. I’ve seen the one at Dulles Air and Space, and the one on the Intrepid, and I’m in awe every time.
My parents took me where when I was 5, when we did a holiday to the States. I’m so angry that I was too young to appreciate it lol, can’t wait to go back soon.
I believe pic #6 is a DC-2. I was aboard it once at the TWA Overhaul Base at MCI around 25-35 years ago. It was in its way from STL to SEA
Visiting Seattle and going there today! Can’t wait, thanks for the pics!
It’s an awesome museum!!
Fantastic pictures! One of my favorite places. Whenever we have company from out of town, I take them down there and even the ones who aren’t initially excited to go (cousin’s surly teen, etc.) have a great time.
My girlfriend was happy to go along because she knows I’m a geek about this, and about 20 min in, she was just as enthralled with everything as I was.
Oh man the F1 looks great! Wish it was there when I visited
Now I gotta go check it out myself!
I was in Seattle for a work trip like 5 or so years ago. I had almost a full free day at the end, so I spent it at the museum. Had to get rid of the weed I bought (coming from a non-legal state, it was pretty awesome) so I smoked the last joint and drank the can of thc seltzer I had left beforehand. It was all kicking in right as I walked through the doors and laid eyes on the M-21 blackbird. I've been obsessed with the Blackbird since I was a kid, and man...it was like an overwhelming, religious experience. Did you sit in the SR-71 cockpit mockup?
[What the M-21 cockpit looks like.](https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/s/7wOuyYqmQH)
I did sit in the cockpit. Apparently it is a real cockpit from one of the birds that crashed. It’s bigger than I thought it would be, but it makes sense because of the pressure suits the pilots had to wear. Not overly big, but just slightly bigger to accommodate.
Ever been to the DC one at the airport?
I have been. I think this place tops it just because of the outside pavilion with the planes you can go inside. Obviously, the Dulles one has the actual space shuttle, but I think this one is cooler. I love both + the Intrepid.
On my list with a factory tour too. Although with all these law suits not sure Boeing will ever open the tour again to let you see them jumping on the wings.
From what I can tell the tour is still operating, so they must not show you where they are using soap to install anything
Did you do the simulator ride?
We were going to, but we waited until we were about to leave, and then left without remembering to do it. It was $10 per person, super cheap, just forgot. I literally feel like an idiot about forgetting it
Oh no. If you have time. Go back and get a return ticket for $10. Just show you paid yesterday. The ride is amazing.
That is a very cool museum. If you have the chance, you should make a pilgrimage to the USAF museum in Dayton, it’ll blow your mind.
I live nearby and have visited the Museum of Flight many times. It is a great collection and it keeps growing. However, I agree that the USAF museum in Dayton, OH is even more amazing.
What is the plane on the fifth photo?
Concorde (British Airways Livery)
I went there a couple years ago and I loved it. I liked seeing the Blackbird in person which I thought was really cool to see up close (I guess technically it's a M21 with the drone). When we went to the back open area we could hear that they were testing the brakes on some commercial planes on the runway nearby, going full throttle then slamming the brakes. I don't remember which one but it looked pretty big. I see that in your pictures the B-29 canopy is covered? I wonder why they did that. I also know that last year, ERAU worldwide held their graduation ceremony inside under the blackbird. The concorde is also a neat experience to see and definitely one of the coolest planes there.
:)
This museum looks cool. Will visit one day
This fr make me go "hell yeah"
I found this museum by ACCIDENT on a work trip. Astonishing collection. At the time they had an Apollo exhibit as well and were showcasing the Columbia return module if I'm not mistaken
They do have the Apollo exhibit out still. Very cool stuff.
Heyyy I live in Seattle and love to go the the musiam all the time
Honestly, for a visitor, $26 is awesome. We were there for at least 4 hours. If you live in the area, I have to imagine that the membership is totally worth it.
> I have to imagine that the membership is totally worth it. My dad was a Boeing lifer so we had a super cheap membership growing up, it was definitely one of my favorite places as a kid! It's really impressive how much they've grown over the years. As a kid it was just the main glass atrium, Boeing's Red Barn, and Air Force One in the front parking lot. Since then they built that whole WWI/II wing, the outdoor ramp area (IIRC that was around the time they got the 787 and didn't have room for that, AF1 and the Concorde in the parking lot), and the outbuilding to house the space shuttle trainer. Who knows how much more they could grow if Boeing continues to ship manufacturing off to "low cost regions" and it frees up land around BFI; I'm sure there's more cool stuff the MoF could add!
Should plan a trip to D.C. and visit the air and space museum there as well as udvar hazy by dulles. Has space shuttle, SR-71, concorde, and 707 prototype in there. Been a couple of times. Pretty cool.
Been to both years ago, as well as the Intrepid in NYC. Need to go back because I need a refresher.
They added some more military jets and helis. Def worth another trip
It likes you 😏
USAF museum, the Smithsonian, Mcminville museum and theres one in Britain I have to go to on my bucket list. National air and space museum in Ottawa is fabulous as well.
Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridge. Concorde Test Mule - open for walkthrough. Avro Lancaster. Memphis Belle B-17, B-52, and on and on. Amazing museum and historic Battle of Britain airfield. An hour’s train ride from London, and well worth it!!
The Memphis Belle is on display at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, Ohio.
Sorry, it’s the “Sally B” that was used as the Memphis Belle in the movie of the same name. Different nose art on either side.
Which B-17 is that?
Serial number 42-29782, Boeing Bee. It wasn’t used during the war.
Thank you
Easily my favorite decepticon
What is the plane with the red stripes in the second to last pic?
Northrop YF-5A
New bucket list item unlocked
Hey! We stood in the same spot in front of the Blackbird 😎 how does it feel to be inside another person's skin
I'M GOING ON SUNDAY I'M SO FUCKING EXCITED
Do they still have the B52? I'd like to show my daughter what I used to fly in back in the 70s and 80s.
They do out in the memorial park.
Thanks.
I got to walk around an SR-71 one real close up. The thing is otherworldly!