Richmond Area: 01-02/2016

Hey Guys,

Just a quick set from me spanning the past month or so. First up is a trio of images from KRIC. I had been wanting a shot of Southwest's Lone Star One 733 for some time now, but had never managed to make it happen. Having heard its retirement is more imminent than not, I made tracking it a bit more of a priority (made easier due to WN jets showing on Flightaware nowadays). Despite the weather being poor, I decided to give it a shot when I saw her due into Richmond, as we get 2 daytime WN flights a day, only one of which ever seems to be a -300, so her appearance here is a rare event. While there, I also got treated to 2 hours of pattern work from a V-22 Osprey from down south, and one of the FBI's 2 757-200s.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1691/...b6c2d279_b.jpgSouthwest "Lone Star One" 737 by Nicholas Peterman, on Flickr


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1704/...bdaaab21_b.jpgUSMC V-22 Osprey by Nicholas Peterman, on Flickr


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1570/...17984c35_b.jpgDOJ 757 by Nicholas Peterman, on Flickr

While leaving the airport, I stopped to see the final step of the dis-assembly of our resident SR-71 Blackbird. A longtime resident of the Virginia Aviation Museum, where she sat alongside an F-14D Tomcat, I always enjoyed seeing her as I drove to or from my many flights out of KRIC. However it has been decided to display her now at the Science Museum of Virginia, but I was on hand to watch the final piece loaded onto the trailer.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1682/...40cd3080_b.jpgSR-71 Nacelle by Nicholas Peterman, on Flickr


A few short weeks later, I had business at the Science Museum, and I was able to get a peak at the Blackbird in her new home. She is in the process of being suspended from the ceiling, the only Blackbird in the world to be so-displayed. This museum is the former Broad Street Train Station, dating back to 1917, and they had to do some impressive gymnastics to get her in. All in all, the exhibit is scheduled to open this spring, and by the looks of it, will be quite impressive!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1624/...3f7ba269_b.jpgSR-71 Exhibit Construction by Nicholas Peterman, on Flickr



Cheers!

Nick

Very nice stuff, Nick! How is KRIC for spotting? I get through there a few times a year heading to or from Long Island, and it might make for something different. I stopped by the airport once, and wanted to check out the museum there, but it was Sunday, they didn't open until Noon, and I was meeting a friend for lunch. Somewhere, I have photos of the F-14 and SR-71 outside - I'll probably have to stop in to the Science Museum once the SR display is completed.