Notes of Interest

I apologize for the lack of recent activity on the blog; changes in the Air Force network have left me with very limited access to the WordPress site and therefore hindered my ability to post here. It has also turned into a very busy time of year. In that spirit here are a few things that have been going on lately at the Museum of Aviation.

Mannequins

When was the last time you dressed a mannequin? Not a question most people answer, and if they do they would probably say it’s been a while, if ever. If you work in the museum world however, chances are you have been up close and friendly with a mannequin recently. Mannequins are a bit more complex than some may think. The correct type of mannequin must be selected. This depends on many variables, from whether the clothing items on the mannequin will be artifacts to how much weight the mannequin must hold and whether it needs to be poseable. In the past two weeks we have changed out several of the mannequins on display here at the Museum. The changes won’t be noticeable to the average visitor, but are essential for us as a museum staff as we continue to work towards completing the Shadow War exhibit. With that in mind, here is a picture and video to show that we love our job here at the Museum and all the oddities it includes.

FxCam_1287150316654 — Our Thunderbird pilot gets a lift from Mike Rowland.

F-15C Move

On Friday October 29^th an F-15C Eagle was moved from Robins Air Force Base, down Highway 247 and arrived here at the Museum. Aircraft are often moved in this manner, but this particular F-15 is quite unique. Captain Thomas Dietz shot down two Russian-built Iraqi MIG-21s during Operation Desert Storm while flying this particular F-15 (Serial #79-078). This is the second aircraft here with MIG shoot downs to its credit (the other is our F-4D). The F-15C will, in the short-term, be used as a ground trainer by the 402^nd Maintenance Wing and, in the long-term, will be turned over completely to the Museum for preservation.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — This is probably the only time in its life this F-15C was the slowest vehicle around.

Upcoming Event

One of the upcoming events I am most excited about is the Annual Museum of Aviation Foundation Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk that will be held January 15, 2011. Being a runner, it’s always good to have such a great event close to home. Last year’s event brought a record registration of 1,032 runners and walkers. Despite the rainy weather there was a great turn out. One thing I have always enjoyed about running events is the support and camaraderie among runners. So if you are interested in getting fit, setting a new best time or just having fun, come on out and enjoy the friendship of some fellow runners!

Social Media

And finally, if you aren’t following us on Twitter and Facebook then you should be! Both are great places to find out about what’s going on here. Twitter is a great way to hear about events in the future and as they happen. Whenever possible we try to tweet during events and from behind the scenes. For instance, during the above mentioned F-15C move, we were able to tweet real-time pictures of the aircraft arriving here. Facebook is a great place to go for more in-depth information. We update our wall there with photos, stories and upcoming events. Both Facebook and Twitter are great places to learn more about the Museum and our collections, as well as provide some behind the scenes glimpses into restoration, artifact care and a lot of other interesting information.