AZ Trip #29 - Pima County Air and Space Museum - Part 1: Blackbird and Blue Angels

Dan at the controls of a training craft

In today's blog you'll explore the Pima County Air and Space Museum. Our friend Dan is a
HUGE airplane enthusiast and seemed to know something about every plane in this museum. It was so great to see Dan walk through the museum. He was like a kid in a candy store. He told me so much about many aircraft. 
   So, in part 1 of the blog about the museum, show you the Blackbird and Blue Angels aircraft and tell you about the museum. Read on!

Dan exiting the training craft

WHAT IS THE MUSEUM? - It's located at 6000 E Valencia Rd, Tucson, AZ 85756 and is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres on a campus occupying 127 acres. It opened in 1976! It has also been the home to the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame since 1991. 

Dan in front of The Lockheed BR-71A Blackbird

WHAT IS THE LOCKHEED SR-71 BLACKBIRD AIRCRAFT? - Dan was so excited to see this one. In fact there were only 32 of these aircraft ever made. The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force. It was developed as a black project from the Lockheed A-12 reconnaissance aircraft in the 1960s by Lockheed and its Skunk Works division

Blue Angels Aircraft

BLUE ANGELS AIRCRAFT - The Blue Angels are the United States Navy flight demonstration squadron. They started in 1946 and have flown a variety of planes, from the Grumman F-6F Hellcat to the current F/A-18 Hornet. The Blues typically fly whatever aircraft is the mainstay of the American aircraft carrier fleet at the time.

FAST FACT - Blue Angels Are Switching to “New” Jets in 2021

I THINK this is a Mig fighter, but Dan could tell you...

HOW MANY AIRCRAFT ARE ON DISPLAY? The Pima Air & Space Museum is one of the largest non-government funded aviation and space museums in the world! It features over 350 historical aircraft, from a Wright Flyer to a 787 Dreamliner. It has 6 indoor exhibit hangars (three dedicated to WWII), and fortunately they are air conditioned!! 
- When we visited there was a n EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING in effect, so we quickly walked from Air conditioned hangar to hangar. :)

WALKING TOURS AVAILABLE - When there's not an EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING!
Docent-led walking tours and museum ground Tram Tours are offered daily. The museum is the exclusive operator of bus tours of the 2,600-acre “Aircraft Boneyard”/U.S. military and government aircraft storage facility. 

NEXT: THE PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT COLLECTION