History of aviation on display
ROAMING THE GRID
The Museum of Flight in Washington State displays the history of aviation. Photos by Tom Victoria
Soaring through the clouds has been folks’ flight of fancy long before the Wright Brothers got off the ground.
The Museum of Flight in Tukwila, Washington, commemorates the history of aviation with authentic and replica aircraft from the Wrights’ time, through two world wars and the modern era.
More than 175 aircraft and spacecraft are on display along with artifacts and rare photographs.
Among the early aircraft is a replica of the Chanute (Octave) 1896 Biplane Glider. Octave Chanute, a French immigrant who came to America as a child, was part of a small group that tested glider designs. The Pratt Truss as it was named then set the standard for aircraft structure, including the the Wright Brothers’ gliders.
Replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1903 Machine that became the first piloted airplane to achieve flight.
Boeing’s Model 80 was the first commercial aircraft designed to carry passengers and not just freight in the late 1920s. The museum displays a restored Model 80A-1, which was the last 80 in service with the airline United before becoming a flying billboard and cargo aircraft.
Boeing’s Model 80.
The museum boasts an extensive display of wartime planes, including a restored Curtis P-40 named O’Riley’s Daughter (named after O’Reilly’s Daughter, an Air Force drinking song). Although the model was a dated design by World War II, it was still employed for diving passes followed by a hasty exit to avoid dogfights with more maneuverable planes. The famed Flying Tigers comprised a P-40 unit.
The Curtis P-40.
Also on display is an M-21 Blackbird. The Blackbirds were employed in clandestine operations throughout the 1960s due to their speed and being able to reach the highest altitude for manned aircraft. The displayed model is on loan from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
The Lockheed M-21 Blackbird.
Spacecraft can also be found at the museum.
The Apollo Command Module with its Service Module were utilized in lunar missions from the late 1960s through early 1970s. The restored module on display, known as CM 007 and CM 007A, is the first model manufactured for NASA.
The Apollo Command Module 007A.
According to the museum’s vision, its purpose is: “To inspire all through the limitless possibilities of flight, sparked by a singular experience or a lifetime connection.”
The first line of the museum’s values carries that inspiration: “Everyone has purpose; anyone can fly.”
