On the way out to DC, A stop was made in Gettysburg
Widely refereed to as the "High Point of the Confederacy", the section of wall seen in this image is the only place where the rebels broke through the union lines on the third day.
The next day a trip was made to Udvar Hazy.
When entering Udvar Hazy, you are greeted with an SR-71 and the shuttle behind.
The X-35B, the STOVL prototype for the F-35B is seen here.
The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite is positioned above the shuttle.
Designed to be launched from an F-15 at the peak of a Zoom Climb, the ASM-135 was an anti-satellite weapon, but was never operational.
Dropped into the Venusian atmosphere by the Vega probe, this sensor platform operated for over two weeks.
Above is a RIM-8 TALOS long range SAM, while bellow is the submarine launched, anti-submarine SUBROC weapon.
The Hall of Missiles is short, but includes a wide variety from various points in history.
Another view. In the Lower left corner the Instrument Unit from a Saturn rocket can be seen.
Here we see a B-26 being restored.
Proposed for Gemini recovery, the program was dropped in favor of the Apollo Capsule and conventional parachute recovery.
Another shuttle view.
A wide variety of aircraft are on display.
The prototype for both the 707 and the C-135, this aircraft (Boeing 367-80) is technically a version of neither.
F-BVFA is on display
This unique biplane had issues on launch, and the design was abandoned in late 1903 following a crash.
Enola Gay
A survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, this Aircraft was used to search for the retiring IJN fleet
From the observation tower, flight operations at Dulles can be viewed. Here, an A380 has just landed.
The next day I went to the Mall for the flyover. Here we see Spaceship One at the Air and Space Museum
Apollo 11's Columbia.
They squeezed a lot of planes into a very small space
Spirit of Saint Louis is on the ground for restoration work.
The first group of the flyover was a flight of L-4 Grasshoppers.
Is a flight of Stearman aircraft a group of Stearmen?
The most numerous aircraft in the flyover, the T-6s were out in force
As a flight commemorating the Doolittle Raid, the B-25s took their rightful place in the history of American aviation.
A Catalina, finally taking her turn to do a pass down the mall.
Representing US air power at Midway.
The B-24 is making her pass....
....With her little friends to help her!
Probably the loudest moment of the flyover.
A close-up.
Fifi's not as loud as a pair of B-17s, but she is imposing.
Follwoing the flyover, It was decided to go to the National Gallery as that was likely the coolest and quietest place on the Mall.
The first in a series of five paintings by Gilbert Stuart of the first presidents, the paintings are on display in the National Gallery.
Also on display is a portrait of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.