Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy gets an F-15C

[Bottom_Feeder]

I wish I had known this was happening! I'm nearby and would have been there in a heartbeat.


https://northernvirginiamag.com/new...-jet-joins-the-udvar-hazy-centers-collection/

 

[Dave Hess]

I love the Eagle, such an amazing aircraft for the past 50+ years.

 

[Astro14]

That Eagle has a great story, as well.

It’s not just that the Eagle is one of the greatest fighters ever built (it is) but that it was flown in combat, and “Rico” got two kills while flying it and they put his name on the side before turning it over to the Smithsonian.

Very nice touch.

 

[55hambone]

I love that museum and I liked that there is a taxiway from Udvar-Hazy to Dulles. They have some massive exhibits from the space shuttle Discovery to the Enola Gay that probably wouldn't be able to be transported there otherwise. I could spend a week in that place.

 

[cpayne5]

Not to get too far off topic...the museum also hosts private events. My (small) company had dinner there a couple years ago. We had the place to ourselves, which was a different experience.

 

[RoadDukie]

I love the Eagle, such an amazing aircraft for the past 50+ years.


View attachment 295199

Pima Air Museum, Tucson?

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Not to get too far off topic...the museum also hosts private events. My (small) company had dinner there a couple years ago. We had the place to ourselves, which was a different experience.

Yes, we had our holiday party there about 20 years ago. It was fun to be there after hours. Everything was lit very differently making for an interesting setting.

 

[shortyb]

My former agency's training center for emergency vehicle operations and firearms is right next door to Udvar-Hazy. I was assigned as an instructor for driver training at the center for a few years which included the time Udvar-Hazy was being built. Made friends with all the security folks and we had several private tours of the facility. Got to sit in the cockpits of both the Space Shuttle Discovery and an SR-71 Blackbird when they came in and prepared them for display. Pretty cool place.

 

[ka9mnx]

Formerly an F-16 Crew Chief, I'm kinda partial.

 

[loneryder]

I wish I had known this was happening! I'm nearby and would have been there in a heartbeat.


https://northernvirginiamag.com/new...-jet-joins-the-udvar-hazy-centers-collection/

So yesterday my girlfriend who lives across Rt. 28 from the museum told me there were fighters taking off and landing at Dulles which hasn't happened since 9-11. They sound so different from other planes even she noticed it. She said one even rattled her windows.
This plane must have had an escort. We couldn't figure it out. Now we know.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Formerly an F-16 Crew Chief, I'm kinda partial.

The Smithsonian needs an F-16 for their collection for sure. Considering how many of them have been built and retired I'm surprised they don't have one yet.

They have an F-14 that was involved in the second Gulf of Sidra incident with a MiG-23 kill, a legacy F-18 Hornet in Blue Angels colors, the F-35 STOVL prototype, and now this F-15. Cool stuff.

 

[ka9mnx]

Finally got to watch the video. It was the 114th F-16 built in 1985. AF tail number are so telling!