The Flight Deck22 Jan 2019

How We Got the MiG 21

Sometimes the story of how we acquired an artifact is just as interesting as the artifact itself. Such is the case with the Soviet-built MiG-21 that stands in our Great Gallery. Bruce Florsheim, one of our docents and an active player in getting the MiG to Seattle, explains the historical significance of the MiG and how it ended up in our Museum. “In its time, the MiG 21 became the most produced supersonic jet in aviation history and the most produced combat aircraft since WWII,” says Florsheim. The Soviets loved it because it was rugged—it could easily take off from unprepared fields—and inexpensive to produce: you didn’t have to be a mechanical genius to build it or maintain it. Back in 1994, the MiG caught the eye of Boeing VP Jim Blue as he was touring an aircraft factory in the Czech Republic. Blue saw that a large group of them were covered in a tarp, and he asked his host what the plans were for the jets. “They will be scrapped,” said the Czech guide, and Blue, then a Museum trustee, knew that he had to acquire one. At first the Czechs refused to sell the plane, but Blue persisted, and eventually the plane was disassembled and embarked on a months-long adventure across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal, and up to Seattle, where it was rebuilt and displayed in the Museum. The two Czech mechanics who were flown over to help rebuild it experienced an adventure of their own when Blue introduced them to American-style supermarkets. Learn more about the MiG 21 here and then come see it in person in our Vietnam Divided: War Above Southeast Asia exhibit. Host: Sean Mobley Producer: Sean Mobley Webmaster: Layne Benofsky Content Marketing Manager: Irene Jagla

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(103)

The Pop Culture of Space with Dr. Margaret Weitekamp

The idea of living and working in space has acted as inspiration for stories for thousands of years. Dr. Margaret Weitekamp is a curator and chair of the space history department at the Smithsonian Na...

8 Okt 202539min

Space Law & Order with Dr. Saadia Pekkanen

If someone’s murdered on the International Space Station, what happens? Dr. Saadia Pekkanen is the founding director of the Space Law, Data, and Policy Program at the University of Washington, and is ...

24 Sep 202534min

Are Space Stations Maybe a Bad Idea? with Kelly Weinersmith

Yeah, dreaming of a thriving community in space is all fine and dandy. But have we really thought this through? Kelly Weinersmith is a biologist and popular science writer. She co-authored the book A ...

17 Sep 202541min

The Science of Mass Effect with Mac Walters

The Mass Effect series set a new standard for science fiction storytelling. Part of its appeal was a grounding in real science. Mac Walters is the CEO of Worlds Untold, but before founding his own com...

10 Sep 202551min

Your Home in Space with Sana Sharma

Space is trying to kill you. How can you make it feel like home? Sana Sharma is a co-founder and the Chief Design Officer for the Aurelia Institute, where she focuses on creating habitats in outer spa...

27 Aug 202544min

Space Food! with Vickie Kloeris

Sandwiches hit different at zero gravity. While at NASA, Vickie Kloeris managed the food systems for the Space Shuttle and later the International Space Station. She joins host Sean Mobley to chat abo...

22 Aug 202551min

Ad Astra With Wendy Lawrence

Wendy Lawrence is a retired NASA astronaut and pilot for the United States Navy. She joined host Sean Mobley for a frank and honest conversation about resilience, finding community, and reflecting on ...

19 Dec 20231h 1min

10 LGBTQ+ People In Aerospace You Should Know

LGBTQ+ people have been part of aviation and space science for centuries. Today’s episode is a bit of a departure from our normal format. Special guest Joalda Morancy rejoins host Sean Mobley to spotl...

12 Dec 202333min