Hands on History in an Avaiation Museum

We went to the local Aviation/Car Museum in Las Cruses, New Mexico. They have a fabulous museum. The volunteers are eager to tell you the stories of all the planes and cars in their hangers. Such neat history. 

This is Beloved's favorite plane! He has liked it since he was little.  Growing up he always wanted to a pilot. They say it is what he has talked about since he was 3 years old.  He did not have the ability to accumulate the wealth of knowledge that children have to do with the Internet on all the helicopters and planes that he wanted to know about! Instead, he spent hours writing to airplane industries for any pamphlet he could get on planes. Some times it worked and they would send him something and he was always so happy when they did.

 I don't think my children really grasp the fact that they have traveled across the U.S. several times and have seen and done many things most people have only dreamed to do.  To them our traveling and way of life is normal.  I hope they look on their childhood and realize that the adventures we are having are special.   And, I hope they fondly remember all the times we have dragged them to all sorts of Historical Museums.  Maybe they will remember hands-on history being exciting. 

This plane had a story to tell. 

The older WW2 pilots were up set after the war with what was being done to the airplanes. They were being scrapped. Most of them started and joined pilot clubs to help preserve the history.  This plane was bought before it was scrapped for $50.00!  The owner then restored it and raced it against other pilots in racing shows.  It was finally retired and loaned to the museum.

In airplane hangers it is popular to have propeller fans! 

I guess I just take this for granted that every one knows this! 

 The museum had a lot of old restored cars mixed in with the restored airplanes.  

Many of the planes and airplanes had drip pans underneath them. 

If you see a drip pan underneath them in a museum that means they still fly and drive! 

The boys have their favorite color.  The Little Man likes red.  The little Gentleman likes green.  They determined their favorite car only due to the color!  I am sure it will change when they are older but right now I get a chuckle out of it.

A picture to remember the movie "Herbie". 

"Herbie the love bug". 

 They like that old movie. 

They thought this motor bicycle was funny!

 Afterwards, we went out side and looked at some of the planes on the flight line. 

This is a Russian Plane. 

It reminded me of several historical and opinion articles recently that I have read. 

The Russians build their airplanes for function.

So, they have the most interesting designs to me as they are not pretty. 

And, I find their logic different than ours in the U.S. when it comes to using their planes, tanks, etc. in war.

The Russians will build 1000s of tanks and for ever 10 tanks they will put a radio in one of them. 

The U.S. will build 100 tanks and put a radio in everyone of them.   So, what do you do in war? Well you look for the Russian tank that has the radio antennas in it and take it out.  Then, it stops them from getting orders and it basically paralyzes them as their military rank structure is one where the next in line does not  automatically become in charge.  They actually have to wait for the next person to be put in charge.  

                                     

Now, the U.S. military does it different.  And the articles that I have read talk about it from the position of those allies forces who work with us.  (British, Kiwi, Aussies, etc.)  They talk about the fact that when our "radios" go out or when our commanders die, etc. The U.S. doesn't  get paralyzed but instead become more gorilla warfare. (This comes from our Indian History on fighting in the U.S.)  If the mission goes bad the U.S. still fights on.  If we are in a position where we can't get orders (the radios go out) the  U.S. continues the mission.  They still go after the target. They still fight.  If a commander is hit and unable to fulfill his duties, the next in line due to our rank structure takes over!  They don't leave that commander behind but they still continue to the target.

I told Beloved that someone needs to write a Military History and Warfare Jr Home school curriculum on this stuff as I think home school boy community would love to read history and information like this!  I would do it if I had the time!  Unfortunately, I am trying to home school 4 of the 5! That in itself takes up so much time! But, if anyone takes up my idea and takes the challenge, I want the first binding of the curriculum!