The Desert Odyssey in Photos – All Good Things...

[mrhenniger]

This day was mostly driving with a few opportunities to take pictures. This was to be the last day of the road trip before attending the Reno Air Races. So the goal was to get myself to Reno. If you would like to view my route go to...
Aerial Visuals – Trip Tool – Desert Odyssey, Flagstaff to Reno

If you would just like to kick back and relax you can watch a slideshow of the pictures I took on Day 8 go here...
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Gallery Slide Show - Desert Odyssey, Flagstaff to Reno

[mrhenniger]

This day was to be a long day with a late arrival in Reno. Despite this my first stop was to be the Planes of Fame in Valle, but they did not open until 9 AM so there was no point in getting up early. After grabbing breakfast I hit the road. I got to the airport in Valle…
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Valle Airport, Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States - UH-1
…well before opening time so I had a few minutes to look around and I spotted this Huey sitting on the ramp.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - EH-1H Iroquois [205], s/n 69-15340 USAF, c/n 11628, c/r N502AW



At this point I tried tuning into some kind of memorial service for the 10th anniversary of the 911 attacks. It was then I realized I had forgotten to account for the time zone. I was on Pacific time, and the memorial services had taken place three hours earlier since New York is in the eastern time zone. I had not quite been out of bed at the time I would have caught the broadcasts. Oh well. I took a few minutes to think about the events of ten years before then I moved on.

[mrhenniger]

I walked around taking pictures before the museum…
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Planes of Fame - Grand Canyon - 40 airframes
…opened. You can see a number of the airframes from the outside. I won’t post all of my pictures from my visit here, but I will just hit the highlights.

First, the aircraft inside…

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - F.2B (replica) Fighter, c/r N34HC



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - 165 Airmaster, c/n 568, c/r N25463


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - JN-4 Jenny
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ID INFO FOR THIS ONE? IF SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - RB-26C Invader, s/n 44-35323 USAAF, c/n 28602, c/r N8026E



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - AD-4NA Skyraider, s/n 78 ALA, c/n 7797, c/r N409Z



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - PT-26 Cornell
I AM NOT SURE, BUT I THINK THIS IS A PT-26. CAN ANYONE CONFIRM? DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ID INFO FOR THIS AIRFRAME?


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - F3F-2, c/n 447, c/r N100TF



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Bf-109G-10/U4 Gustav, s/n T2-122 USAF, c/n 611943



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - T-28B Trojan [NA-200], s/n 138310 USN, c/n 200-381, c/r N393W


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - T-28C Trojan [NA-226], s/n 140539 USN, c/n 226-116, c/r NX166ER


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - D.IV (replica), c/n S10, c/r N1094G


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - L-5G Sentinel, s/n 45-34950 USAAF, c/r N6055C


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - V-77 Reliant, c/n 77-0131, c/r N79496




Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - BT-15 Valiant, c/n 1151, c/r N67629

[mrhenniger]

As soon as the place opened I was able to photograph the airplanes inside the hangar quickly (the pressure was on to get back on the road).

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Valiant
HELP!!! Does anyone have an ID for this airframe?




Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - MiG-15 Fagot (NATO), s/n 1301 PLAN, c/n 1B01301



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Vampire F.3 [DH-100], s/n 17018 RCAF, c/n EEP42310, c/r N6881D


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - L-29A Akrobat, s/n 30 VVS, c/n 993219, c/r N495D



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star, s/n 53-5541 USAF, c/n 580-8880


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - P-84B-11-RE Thunderjet, s/n 45-59556 USAAF


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - CV-240-1, c/n 047, c/r N240HH


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - F11F-1 Tiger, s/n 141868 USN, c/n 185

Last edited by mrhenniger on Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:47 am, edited 2 times in total.

[mrhenniger]

My Desert Odyssey tour had taken me to see a number of Lockheed Constellations including two of the three Columbines. A visit to the Planes of Fame showed me yet another Connie, this time it was Baatan, McAurther’s VIP transport!

Normally I only ask for uploads of the outside of aircraft to show markings and condition. However in this case I took a tour of the inside of the plane and I have included those photos in the airframe dossier as well. I won’t post all of those pictures here, but if you would like to see them I suggest to go to the dossier itself…
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - VC-121A Super Constellation, s/n 422 NASA, c/n 749-2605, c/r NX422NA
…or perhaps view the photos in a slideshow…
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Gallery

[mrhenniger]

Whenever I have a chance I like to check out the storage facilities of a museum. It wasn’t too hard to find the storage compound here as it is just behind the hangar. I snapp what photos I could.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - WB-50D Superfortress, s/n 46-0010 USAAF, c/n 15730



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - KC-97G Stratotanker, c/r N971HP



Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - F-89J Scorpion, s/n 52-1953 USAF


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - M-416, s/n MM53223 Italian AF, c/r I-AEMC

Last edited by mrhenniger on Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mrhenniger]

As soon as I finished getting my pictures at the Planes of Fame I was back on the road. I took route 64 south to Willams, then west on I-40. I really can’t tell you how fantastic the scenery during this trip was, and this let of the trip was no different. Eventually I found my way to the airport at Kingman…
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Aero Flite - C-123, C-54, H-58, SNB
…and took a few photos.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - SNB-2C Navigator, s/n 29618 USMC, c/n 7677


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - OH-58A Kiowa [206], s/n 71-20576 US Army, c/n 41437


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - C-123K Provider, s/n CP0045 MASDC, c/n 20064, c/r N546S


URL=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=6936]Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - C-54G Skymaster, s/n 45-0481 USAAF, c/n 35934, c/r N90203[/URL]

[mrhenniger]

When I left Kingman, I turned off I-40 to head north on route 93. It was a LONG drive this day, with much more driving than photo taking. I had a great audio book going with my MP3 player plugged into the audio system. There was more fantastic scenery to take in and I was enjoying all of it. I eventually found my way to Las Vegas. This was my first visit to this famous town… I did not even stop. I had considered driving down the strip, but I knew I had to keep going if I wanted to get to all the places I wanted before I lost the light at the end of the day, so I just kept on motoring. I kept heading north and eventually arrived at Indian Springs…
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Indian Springs Community Park - F-84


It looks like they don’t want this one going anywhere!

[mrhenniger]

OK, before you figure out where I next stopped was I want to stress that I was only there to get pictures of the C-45 wreck. I swear! Besides, I did not have the time to spare for any… distractions. You should believe me as you have already read from my posts that I was racing against the light. So don’t be giving me a hard time!
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Angels Ranch - C-45

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - C-45G Expeditor [D18S], s/n 51-11649 USAF, c/n AF-206, c/r N6065V

Last edited by mrhenniger on Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:50 am, edited 2 times in total.

[mrhenniger]

At this point it was a long haul north to Hawthorne. It was a race against the sun. Could I get to Hawthorne before losing the last of the light? It was a fantastic scenic 3+ hour drive north along route 95. I had switch over to a new audio book and time was flying. Unfortunately the sun won the race and dipped below the western horizon before I could get to Hawthorne. However, I didn’t give up and I found my way there…
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Hawthorne Ordinance Museum - H-25
…before the last few photons left for the day as the last of the sunset glow faded from the sky. I set my camera on a few posts and benches, etc., and by using a few long exposures I managed to get a few pictures.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - UH-25B Retriever, s/n 128561 USN, c/r N3SA








At this point I still had another 2 ½ to 3 hours left to go to get to Reno. So it was back on the road. As I passed by Walker Lake on my right the lake was streaked with a bright moon beam, the mountain on my left was silhouetted by a starry sky and in front of me in the distance a lightning storm put on one heck of a light show! The audio book continued to play as I found my way to Reno via Fallon and onto my hotel with a bad case of road buzz.

It was a nice change of pace to check into a hotel for more than one night. Actually I had an eight night reservation which was to take me right through the duration of the races. I was very much looking forward to my second visit to Reno. I already have most of the pictures uploaded. I just have some more processing work to do. I should have those pics posted in a few days. Stay tuned!

[skip spafford]

Mike,

The KC-97 parts at Valle came from 53-0317, N971HP, stored at Stockton, CA for a number of years before being broken up and scrapped with many major parts going to Planes of Fame.

[mrhenniger]

The KC-97 parts at Valle came from 53-0317, N971HP, stored at Stockton, CA for a number of years before being broken up and scrapped with many major parts going to Planes of Fame.

Thanks Skip!

Mike

[The Inspector]

Now I know where all the ugly 'yellow birds' went to die after 'Documents Hopelessly Lost' rolled over. Maybe they can keep other Renton money makers flying by donating parts like 'K' flaps and #4/#5 flap tracks.

[Marauderman26]

The next stop was the airport at Rialto...
Aerial Visuals - Location Dossier - Rialto Municipal Airport / Miro Field, Rialto, California, United States - C-45, DC-3
...I was hoping to spot the Harpoon on the ramp, but it was not to be. I did find the C-45.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - C-45G Expeditor [D18S], s/n 51-11863 USAF, c/r N11863


Not far away was the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department of Aviation. I was hoping to spot a few UH-1s on the ramp. No luck but I did see the tail boom of one in storage and another in use for jump training.

Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - UH-1H Iroquois [205], s/n 65-9831 US Army, c/n 4875


Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - UH-1 Iroquois



IF ANYONE KNOWS THE ID OF THE HUEY ON THE TOWER PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!

Look's like somebody was filming a evacuation of the US Embassy in Saigon scene.

[mrhenniger]

Now I know where all the ugly 'yellow birds' went to die after 'Documents Hopelessly Lost' rolled over. Maybe they can keep other Renton money makers flying by donating parts like 'K' flaps and #4/#5 flap tracks.

It took me a little while to figure out what the heck you were talking about. "Documents Hopelessly Lost"... good one!

Look's like somebody was filming a evacuation of the US Embassy in Saigon scene.

I believe it is a training rig for firefighting, repeling to be more specific. There was another one in L.A. and one out at Hemet.

Mike