Temp was down in the low 30's last night. High today was in mid 50's. There is a hard freeze warning for tonight, but both of my weather apps show overnight lows only down in the mid 30's.
We are parked "out back", in a row of RV's. The vehicles you see on the other side of the parking lot are also RV's. This is the RV overflow area. The main RV area is not full but they are getting ready for several upcoming events so they are trying to get non event campers out of the main lot. There is certainly nothing wrong with being back here. In fact, it is a joy to not have to listen to the screaming rice burners racing up and down the street a block away, the regular sound of sirens from fire trucks and ambulances, and the regular sound of yapping dogs. The quiet and nighttime dark is great.
Sunrise was pretty this morning.
We can see the snow capped mountains from many locations.
After lunch I went to the Air & Space Museum. It has grown since I was there 11 years ago, and it was great then. I spent over 4 hours walking around looking at all types of flying machines. To give you an idea of scale, one of the aircraft on the right side of the photo below is a 747, I think the other is a 777. The buildings are full of aircraft on the floor and suspended from the ceiling.
One of the reasons I went back was to see their SR-71 Blackbird again. It is an amazing airplane. Below is an engine cart, two are required, to start the huge Pratt & Whitney J-58 turbojets, one for each engine. Each cart contains two 465hp, 454 cu in Chevy V8's (originally 401 cu in Buick engines were used). The V8's are mechanically linked to the turbojets and have to spin them up to 3,200 rpm for ignition. They have a audio tape of the V8's roaring as they spin up the jets. The starting procedure is detailed at the following site, but its to deep for me.
https://www.thesr71blackbird.com/Aircraft/Engines/starting-the-sr-71-blackbirds-j58-engines-ag330-start-cart
The Super Guppy was quite a site. It was developed to haul large, relatively light freight for NASA. The "bumps" on the side, near the front, are hinges.
I found a photo of them loading a command module into the Super Guppy.
The Convair B-36 Peacemaker, with its 230' wingspan and 6 - 28 cylinder radial engines, was another interesting site. Hung under the end of the wings were 2 General Electric jet engines, for a total of 10 engines. The jets were used to improve take off performance and then shut down to conserve fuel. It was in service as a Strategic Bomber form 1947-59.
The Convair was replaced by the B52. Note the wheel at the ends of the wings.
The bottom of this wheel was at the level of my waist. I wonder if the wing, under a full load, flexed enough so that this wheel was actually on the ground. Maybe a full load compressed the main landing gear enough to put these wheels on the ground.
And perhaps the most interesting unit there was the Refueling Station.
God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment