April 7, 2023
Nancy gets a much needed vacation today. I am going to take a trip to Tucson to the Pima County Air and Space Museum. It is very large and they sell a two-day ticket. At one time you could tour the “Boneyard” also. Due to Air Force security changes, those tours are no longer available. The Boneyard is where you will find hundreds of older aircraft that can be used for parts, displays, etc. From the roads it looks awesome.
I arrived at the museum around 10:30 AM. As I entered and saw more of what was there I decided to go with a two-day ticket. I also opted for the 1:00PM Tram Tour. After I made my purchases you enter directly into Hangar One. You get a two-sided map/guide. You need it! There are acres of aircraft. There are four hangars, a 309th AMARG (Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Group) museum, a space gallery, and over 150 aircraft outside sitting on the 80 acre site. Generally there are aircraft from all of the US armed forces and from many other countries and from enemies from previous wars with the US. It is truly an amazing and awesome collection. It is second to only the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
In the photos I have included the map that I was given. Between my phone and my Nikon I took over 200 photos. The museum is not all airplanes and helicopters either. There were ship models and displays regarding uniforms, historical battles. They provided multiple items for children also or the child at heart. There were videos playing in various areas and the aircraft were just not on the floor of the hangars but many were suspended from the ceilings. A very overwhelming place. I have been to several air museums and hopefully see many more!
I planned out my day in my head. I had about an 1 1/2 hours before my tram tour so I decided to roam through Hangar 1 and then see about time. When I had wandered through Hangar 1 I still had some time so I walked over to Hangar 3. Hangars 3, 4, & 5 are smaller than 1. I made my circuit through Hangar 3 and decided it was time for some water and a snack. The Flight Grill is in the same area where you board the tram so it worked out.
The Tram Tour takes about 45 minutes and winds 1.5 miles through the outdoor exhibits. It stops briefly to explain certain aircraft, their significance, etc. The grounds are organized into sections. They are US Air Force fighters and others, commercial and civil aircraft, transport and utility aircraft, tankers, electronic aircraft, NASA aircraft, Presidential and VIP aircraft, bombers, trainers, helicopters, early US and foreign fighters, US Navy fighters, fire fighters, and miscellaneous.
After the tour I decided I needed some nourishment. After I ate my lunch I continued my tour to Hangars 4 and 5. The museum closes at 5:00PM. It was now about 3:45PM and I was about done for the day. I definitely got my steps in for the day. So I decided to head home and come back next weeks to finish up my tour.
So what was Nancy doing all this time? Glad you asked. For Christmas Santa Claus brought her a travel size quilting/sewing machine. She missed sewing and wanted to do some projects for Victory Junction. Victory Junction is a special needs camp about a mile from our house. It was started by the Petty Family in honor of Adam Petty, who lost his life in a New Hampshire accident. NASCAR is a huge sponsor. Adam was Kyle’s son and Richard’s grandson. Each camper receives a stuffed teddy bear and a blanket. She got the pattern from Victory Junction and a lot of fabric from Joanne’s. For a while now she has been cutting out the patterns and today she did a lot of sewing. She enjoys doing this and we both have been involved with Victory Junction in some capacity since we moved in. Great cause.
