A look at history

Docent Bill Haugen explains the special tiles on the shuttle.

A busload of aviation enthusiasts enjoyed the day November 8 at the Smithsonians's Udvar-Hazy Center. Members and guests got whilrwind tours of the vast aviation and aerospace collection.
A special thanks to Tom Jones and Dave Waldrup who joined the tour and added special insights.
The museum is planning its next bus trip in the spring and suggestions are welcome.

Astronaut Dick Gordon dies

Dick Gordon shows off Museum award presented by  Guy Walsh at Gemini dinner

Gemini and Apollo astronaut Richard "Dick" Gordon died Nov. 7 at age 88. A Navy veteran, he was a test pilot when he joined NASA's astronaut corps. 
Dick was the guest of honor when the Museum marked the 45th anniversary of the Gemini program in 2011.  He was an informative part of panel discussions, which spotlighted several people who worked on the program Maryland. Martin Marietta played a key role in the Titan missile used in the program.
Everyone who met Dick was impressed by his warmth and remember him fondly.

Look into planetary defenses

What happens when an asteroid or other near-earth object threatens us?

On November 6 Cheryl Reed, project manager of the DART program to redirect an asteroid, told audience about all the exciting programs at Johns Hopkins Applies Physics Laboratory.  Dr. Reed described NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test which is scheduled to launch in 2020 and will impact "Didymoon" in 2022.

Smithsonian Associates' visit to the Museum

Member David Power explains to visitors how he had to crawl to the nose to control cameras when he was a navigator on a B-57 in the 1950s.

Visitors from the Smithsonian Associates program followed the "Ghost of the China Clipper" to Middle River on Saturday, October 21.  The day-trippers made a stop at the Museum, where they heard archivist Stan Piet give a brief history of Glenn Martin and his factory.  They spent time looking at the Flight Line at Strawberry Point, where they heard members Ray Helmick and David Power give some inside information on some of the craft. They then headed for lunch and a talk on Pan Am and the China Clipper. In the afternoon, they took a tour of the Maryland Air  National Guard base.
Before boarding the bus back to Washington, they heard from Al Pollard, airport manager.

Al Pollard, airport manager, describes the importance of Martin State Airport.

Sorry, if we missed you

David and Regina Buehl join Peggy Smith (right) at the Museum's table.

The Museum was part of the Baltimore County Department of Aging Senior Expo at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium this week. The Expo featured hundred of exhibitors (including the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum) offering services, products and resources for seniors. The site also was home to a Job Fair, Art Show and entertainment.

Baltimore During World War II

Jack Burkert talks to members after his presentation.

Historian Jack Burkert informed and entertained visitors as the featured guest at Monday's Speaker Series.  His lively presentation focused on local indutries that thrived during World War II. Although his talk focused on  the "Big Three" industries that employed more than 100,000 people during the peak of the war effort -- steel making, ship building and aircraft manufacturing -- he also tipped his hat to the many other companies that contributed.
More than 50,000 people worked at the Martin Company and he hailed Glenn Martin as one of the aviation pioneers of the century.

Rosies and B-17 show up for weekend

Rosie Grace, three Rosebuds and some visitors ring bells commemorating workers in World War II.

The Museum hosted a bell ringing September 2 that was part of a national thanks to all Rosie the Riveters who helped in World War II.

The Liberty Foundation brought in its B-17 Flying Fortress Madras Maiden for the weekend but some bad luck kept it grounded. People were still able to admire the historic aircraft and take tours.

The weather did not deter fans who are waiting to get a ride on the Madras Maiden Saturday morning.