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Air & Space, Museum, San Diego

A The Plaza's End
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The San Diego Air & Space Museum lay a the very end of Pan American Plaza. It was a short walk from the Bandstand and El Prado Street. Open seven days a week, it cost US $24.00 per adult with an extra charge for special presentations, such as the "Aliens Among Us" exhibit.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:16:01 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0422
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Open Daily
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The front entry greeted the visitor with a friendly sign:

Welcome to the San Diego Air & Space Museum

Open Daily 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Doors close at 4:00 p.n.

NO
Food or Beverages
Smoking
Pets
(Service companion dogs only)
Bags
(Includes handbags and diaper bags limited to 12 by 12 by 12)
Shoes with Wheels

Thank you for your cooperation


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:22:00 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0429
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Spirit Of St. Louis
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A flyable replica of the original Spirit Of St. Louis external link was on display just inside the entrance. Their original replica was destroyed by arson in 1978. The museum built a replacement named Spirit 3 which first flew on April 28, 1979; it made seven flights before being placed on display.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:23:06 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0431
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
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An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) external link flew over the entry door. This one was an medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) MQ-1 Predator, a hunter-killer UAV.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:25:01 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0434
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Space Suits
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Examples of space suits external link were on display just inside the entrance. Here was a display case with an example of the space suit worn on the original moon landings.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:26:34 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0435
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Curved Wall Of Art
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A temporary curved wall had been built to separate the special exhibit of Aliens On Earth from the regular exhibits. The special exhibit cost more and was on the other side of the temporary wall. On the non-paying side were portraits of famous flight personalities and cases displaying flight memorabilia.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:30:07 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0438
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Skeleton Of A Plane
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A World War I biplane external link was on exhibit with its fabric skin removed. Wood was used for its light weight. The construction was externally braced, having struts and/or bracing wires. These elements gave added strength without excess weight, but they did add unwanted aerodynamic drag.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:32:09 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0441
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SPAD VII.c.1
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Société Anoyme pour l'Aviation et ses Dérives (SPAD). external link At the height of the first world war in 1916, swiss engineer Marc Birkigt introduced a water-cooled 150-horsepower V-8 engine for use in aircraft. It was fitted into the SPADD VII and by 1917 that plane came to rule the skies above France.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:32:09 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0447
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Identifying Documents
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One case displayed the documents of a World War I pilot. The was the record for the pilot named G. E. Hewson.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:35:36 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0452
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Commercial Aviation
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One whole section of the museum was dedicated to commercial aviation. Here was an exhibit of the planes, attire, and customs of that early era.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:38:55 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0456
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Ryan ST-3KR (PT-22) Recruit
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The Ryan ST-3KR, US Army Air Corps PT-22 external link evolved from the popular Ryan STA "Sport Trainer" and incorporated refinements to the design that resulted in a rugged and easily maintained military trainer.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:39:43 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0458
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The Rotunda
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The center of the museum was a huge covered rotunda. Inside it were several large aircraft and spacecraft hung from the ceiling. In the center was a fountain, the design of which was echoed in the standing floor lamps.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:40:14 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0460
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Helicopter
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A man stood by the entry/exit to the rotunda and took a photograph. That man, when used to gauge scale, demonstrated how huge the rotunda was.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:41:49 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0467
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Quality Of Displays
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This wide angle shot illustrated the quality of the exhibits. Here was a exquisitely restored biplane on a tile floor surrounded by a glass fence and labeled with quality signs. Note the blue bucket.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:47:33 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0474
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Bomber Cockpit
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In one section of the museum it was possible to walk up short flights of stairs to view the cut-away internals of aircraft. Here was the cut away interior of a bomber's cockpit.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 15:57:58 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0479
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Old Versus New Aircraft Carrier
(16 of 18) (9306 views)

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Another exhibit illustrated the size difference between the first aircraft carrier such as the HMS Argus (I49) external link and a modern, vastly larger aircraft carrier. Aircraft carriers are generally the largest ships operated by navies.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 16:00:45 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0482
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Last Was The Space Age
(17 of 18) (9264 views)

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The museum ended with an exhibit of the space age and its passive and active space craft.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 16:06:00 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0488
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The Apollo Spacecraft
(18 of 18) (9315 views)

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An example of one of the Apollo external link spacecraft that was sent to the moon. Odd to consider that the US space effort peaked in ambition in 1972 with its Apollo program.


The San Diego Air & Space Museum (SDASM) external link external link   •  Balboa Park   •  2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego California   •  (Photo posted Sunday 20 March 2011)   •  (Photo taken 16:08:11 Thursday 14 October 1010)   •  © 2011 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #BCY_0492
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