hi,
back in the dark ages, June 1967 i visited the Smithsonian museum on the Mall in Washington, where i saw the Ryan “Spirit of St.Louis”,the Wright flyer,”Winnea Mae”,the Douglas world cruiser “Chicago”,also there was a cockpit of what if i remember was either a DC.3,or 4, or Connie.Anyone out there that can help with any info, as its bugging me as to what it was?.
regards
jack…
By: jack windsor - 27th February 2012 at 18:58
hi,
yes the Ryan,and the Wright flyer were suspended in i think the main hall,with the shop underneth them,the Douglas world cruiser and Winnie Mae,in seperate partitioned off area,s as also Friendship 7.Thanks for the id of the cockpit…
regards
jack…
By: Mike J - 27th February 2012 at 18:54
Warning, Minor rant ahead: It would be nice if the nation’s formost aviation museum had an example of the pinnacle of piston airliner development (a DC-7C or Lockheed Starliner).
Well, they have a Super Connie (albeit a military one) which probably provides appropriate recognition of the post-war piston-engined airliner genre.
By: J Boyle - 27th February 2012 at 17:05
Your visit in 1967 was long before the new all-aviation building (a few doors down from the original “castle” you were in) was opened in 1976.
I’ve never seen how the aircraft were displayed in the old building other than the mention of The Spirit of St. Louis being suspended.
I agree, the cockpit you saw was probably the AA DC-7.
Pity they didn’t save the rest.
Warning, Minor rant ahead: It would be nice if the nation’s formost aviation museum had an example of the pinnacle of piston airliner development (a DC-7C or Lockheed Starliner).
By: l.garey - 27th February 2012 at 16:57
My first visit was in 1986, a bit after you: at that time there was the nose and cockpit of an American Airlines DC-7 named “Flagship Vermont” (N334AA). Could that be the one you recall?
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February 27, 2012 at 1:01 pm