After the Space Shuttle kicks you out of your house...

[GrummanFan]

If last week's events have taught us anything, it's that at any given time, a space shuttle can just waltz into your house, and if you're not "cool" enough, you can get booted to the curb. Looking back through the window, you see the shuttle settling into your favorite chair, drinking your beer; and you can never go back. I'm not upset that I didn't get a chance to shoot the JFK landing. Actually, I'm glad - who would want to photograph a bully like that anyway? I decided to give a bit of love to the Intrepid's most recently departed exhibits.

After being removed from the Intrepid, the Scimitar, MiG, and Skyknight were tugged up the Hudson in a dumpster barge to the Port of Albany, en route to the Empire State Aerosciences Museum in Schenectady. The Skyknight was then transferred to a different barge so it could be seen better by those on shore. On Saturday morning at 6am, the barges left Albany for the first lock of the Erie Canal, where a ceremony was to be held to commemorate the arrival of the aircraft, as well as the first day of operation of the canal for the season.

Little Plane, Big Adventure.
http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-bmRDFtk/0/XL/river1-XL.jpg

Welcome to the Capitol District.
http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-NPsbsDP/0/XL/barge1-XL.jpg

http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-p9wdZmW/0/XL/barge3-XL.jpg

Turning into the canal. While at Lock #1 a little further south, they added a red, white, and blue touch.
http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-JXRTqVq/0/XL/barge6-XL.jpg

Passing beneath the North bridge to Peeble's Island.
http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-gMC7nSR/0/XL/barge7-XL.jpg

The MiG and the Scimitar, close behind.
http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-b23ZtG5/0/XL/bigbarge3-XL.jpg

http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-X93MqTr/0/XL/bigbarge4-XL.jpg

Surrounded on all four sides of the lock, as local dignitaries say some words. Probably the most attention this aircraft has gotten in a long time.
http://dfalk.smugmug.com/Photography/Summer-2012/i-M49jxgh/0/XL/bargeHDR2-XL.jpg

Had I more free time, I would have chased these birds on their entire journey along the canal. The rest of their journey wasn't easy; the Erie isn't exactly very big. As you can see above, clearances were rather tight, and in some cases the aircraft passed under bridges with just inches to spare. Hats off to the crew for safely maneuvering these guys to their new home.

[moose135]

Very cool, Dan! Thanks for posting these, very interesting to see.

[Chris S]

Great coverage and photos, Dan !! See you next month at FRG for the Air Show :cool:

[jerslice]

Great photo essay with a strong variety of angles. Awesome work.

[megatop412]

I'm very glad I was able to catch these aircraft in Sept

[Speedbird1]

How sad that these historic aircraft are gone from the Museum's collection.

[lijk604]

Nice coverage Dan, glad to see there was a nice turnout at the locks to see it. What's more sad is that those aircraft were transported in GARBAGE barges.

[Matt Molnar]

Awesome shots!

When they craned them off the Intrepid the plan was to fit all three planes in that big garbage barge. I guess they didn't all fit when they actually tried it.

[GrummanFan]

They were all transported in the same garbage barge for the Manhattan/Albany leg of the trip (see photos from the Times Union (http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Canal-moves-Cold-War-aircraft-3515550.php#photo-2849850)). Once in Albany, they moved the Skyknight to its own barge so there would be a nice backdrop for the publicity event at the Lock.

Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone!