There are two things I remember clearly about my visit to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum: the first being the two aircraft you see here hanging from the ceiling like 2 model airplanes in a little boy’s room.
Of course, the airplane in the foreground is the famous Spirit of St. Louis…the very first plane that flew non-stop from New York to Paris in 1927. Flown by Charles Lindbergh, he and his airplane were instant celebrities, not only in America, but around the world. The plane cost $10,580 to construct, but Lindbergh won $25,000 for being the first to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. So the investment paid off!
By the way, the gold-colored nose panels you see here are not the way it looked on the historic flight. Not long after the museum took possession of the Spirit, conservators applied a clear layer of varnish or shellac to the forward panels in an attempt to preserve the flags and other artwork painted on the engine cowling. This protective coating has yellowed with age, resulting in the golden hue seen today.
The aircraft hanging in the background is the Bell-X1, the very first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound, AKA Mach-1. It did this on October 14, 1947…piloted by Chuck Yeager. For me, it was quite special to see these two historic aircraft hanging side-by-side.
Oh, and the other thing I remember about this day…it was the first time ever I was asked if I wanted to buy a senior citizen discount pass. That’s a milestone moment in a person’s life when they are viewed by others as a senior citizen. The previous milestone was when they stop asking to see your ID when you purchased an alcoholic beverage. Time marches on.
(To see a larger version of this photo, just click on the image)
To see more of my work, both in photography and digital painting, please visit my website, www.corkrum.com
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