With being an Air Force fan for most of my life, I was quite thrilled to have the opportunity to visit the USAF Museum at Eglin AFB today. Even Deb got more from the visit than she was expecting and it was not just the opportunity to see the aircraft from up close, but there was much to be seen and absorbed from the indoor displays. there's nothing quite like seeing the real thing, in full size and with descriptions, development information, etc. For instance, the "Bunker Buster" bomb was taken from idea to first test in only six weeks and consider that there were several manufacturers involved with the USAF in the development.
Deb did a nice job of taking most of the photos (link below) and you'll see that I appear in shots of two of the aircraft, the one being my favorite of all planes past or present (and several were staged from Kadena AFB in the time that I spent in Okinawa), the SR-71 "Blackbird" and the other being one that has another special link to my assignment at Kadena. Since most of the indoor displays were behind glass, there were few photo opportunities inside, but Deb did have a chance to sit in the type of web seats that I sat in when being transported in KC-135's on Tyhoon evacuations to the Phillipines.
Also, while at the museum we (completely by chance) had an opportunity to observe a good portion of a ceremony that was being conducted for a retiring Chief Master Sergeant (hence, the limo) - a woman who was leaving after 30 years of service and among other family members, had two sons present - a 1st Lt. and a Capt. in the USAF and her husband who is a retired CMSgt. Pretty amazing.
Todays challenge, there is a photo of what is referred to as the "Mother of All Bombs" but what is the 'official' designation for this device and where was it first tested?