Places We Have Called Home In 2020
Home Is Where We Park It: NOMADS Project, New Hope United Methodist Church
January 31, 2020
Temperature 61 Degrees
Pima Air and Space Museum
Ah, decisions, decisions. Do I fix the leaky toilet? Or go sightseeing? Toilet, can’t do without it. Sightseeing, been too long since we’ve done any. What to do. Of course sightseeing won out. But in the end the toilet also got fixed. I would call that a win, win.
So we were up and out even before the sun was up. First stop was for breakfast. You can’t beat Denny’s Super Slam Breakfast. For six bucks it’s more than enough food to get you going.
This was our destination, The Pima Air and Space Museum. This had been on our bucket list since our first visit to Tucson. It’s only about ten minutes from where we are right now.
There it is, at least one of the many buildings on this vast campus.
This is a map of the grounds. We have five hangers to visit and hundred’s of exhibits to see outside.
We’re inside and ready to go. Now, I know what you are probably thinking not more planes. Didn’t he get enough when he was at Pensacola? Yes, we have more planes. And no I never can see enough. I promise, though, that I’ll just bring you some of the more unusual that are on display here.
This was the LearJet of the 1930’s. It had a crew of one and could seat an additional four passengers.
It’s amazing to me what some people will get in and fly.
Built but never flown. I wonder why. According to the information these small planes were a handful even for a skilled pilot.
A one man helicopter developed for the US Navy and Marine Corp that never went pass the development stage. It was designed as a vehicle that could be used for observation, a one man assault vehicle, and also something that could be dropped to pilots trapped behind enemy lines.
How about this? It was presented to the military as a replacement for the parachute. However, it didn’t fly. The design consisted of a 20 HP motor strapped to a person’s back powering two counter rotating blades. The greatest weakness of the design was that the landing gear was the person’s legs. If they stumbled or fell during take off or landing the blades would turn into millions of lethal splinters as they pounded themselves to bits on the ground.
This was supposed to be the everyman’s airplane but though easy to fly it never quite caught on with the public.
Yet another use for the popular Volkswagen engine.
The SR-71 but not the usual type. This one is a bit different.
This one was originally designed to carry and launch a drone. Three successful test flights were made, but on the fourth flight the drone crashed into the launch plane. The drone was then redesigned so that it could be launched by a B-52.
Now how did they start these massive engines? Glad you asked!
The ever popular and useful Chevy V-8.
Something else I learned about the SR-71 was
they had interchangeable nose cones.
Moving on.
A plane that could not deliver due to repeated structural failures.
Then there was this. Technically, not an airplane but built from the parts of one.
The driver climbed in, got down on his knees with his face forward and his feet to the back.
Day one of our visit to the Museum is in the books. We’re going back on Saturday to try and finish up. There is so much more to see and do.
That was our day on The Road of Retirement. We had an awesome day at Pima and later in the day the toilet also got fixed. Well, time to catch some shut eye since we have a busy day ahead of us on Saturday. Catch you later in the day.
Once again thanks for joining us. We always enjoy your company and your comments. Till tomorrow.
These are the voyages of Graybeard and it’s two intrepid travelers. Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have never been before
See you on down the road!
"On The Road of Retirement" 
Very interesting the way some of these took off or landed. Many different makes. Thanks for sharing your day. Enjoy the museum tomorrow.
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