Besos donates 200 million to the NASM

[Pat Carry]

The money is to be used for the ongoing renovation work at the building on the Natl Mall and for an education facility. Thats great! Too bad some of it cant be used to restore aircraft.

[JohnB]

At the risk of being cynical...

Next week he'll ask them if they want to feature he and his Blue Origin in a display.

"Sure Mister Bezos, we'll just put some of this old Apollo stuff in storage.
After all, our research shows that today's kids can't relate to anything that happened back in 1969".

Last edited by JohnB on Thu Aug 05, 2021 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Lon Moer]

At the risk of being cynical...

Next week he'll ask them if they want to feature he and his Blue Origin in a display.

This is exactly what is happening......

[Snake45]

At the risk of being cynical...

Next week he'll ask them if they want to feature he and his Blue Origin in a display.

This is exactly what is happening......

From what I've seen, the NASM is taking a hard turn towards PC. I find this very sad.

[JohnB]

At the risk of being cynical...

Next week he'll ask them if they want to feature he and his Blue Origin in a display.

This is exactly what is happening......

From what I've seen, the NASM is taking a hard turn towards PC. I find this very sad.

A lot of people who remember the Enola Gay controversy will say they have been PC for 25 years.

[p51]

Next week he'll ask them if they want to feature he and his Blue Origin in a display.

In all fairness, I'm sure they'd accept whatever he could donate, because it is historical. But you're of course right. Just like Red Bull made darned sure their logos were on Felix Baumgartner's suit and capsule when he made his famous leap (which oddly the record was beat soon after by Robert Eustace, and hardly anyone remembers that, but at least his suit is in the same museum today), so that brand is on display as long as the Smithsonian still exists...

"Sure Mister Bezos, we'll just put some of this old Apollo stuff in storage.
After all, our research shows that today's kids can't relate to anything that happened back in 1969".

The sad part is I have met young people who think nothing that happened before they were born has any relevance.

[marine air]

Maybe this will lead to the NASM adding another wing to Udvar-Hazy. They certainly could use additional space to display more items.

[old iron]

Maybe this will lead to the NASM adding another wing to Udvar-Hazy. They certainly could use additional space to display more items.

Wouldn't that be nice! But where, so many options:

1) the Modern Aviation wing could be expanded by two or three bays (the arched support units) to include the addition of a C5 Galaxie;
2) the Civil Aviation wing could be expanded to include a 747 and other larger aircraft and helicopters;
3) a new wing could be added for the WWII collection, with the existing displays [not counting Enola Gay] moved there, with the current WWII area built up into a Milestones display to include the NC-4, Fokker T-2 in company with Enola Gay;
4) there could be a new space wing for popular culture, to include the Star Wars X-wing.

[RyanShort1]

Too bad some of it cant be used to restore aircraft.

Perhaps, though, it frees up other money to restore aircraft???