Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of museums, but agreed to go on the trip simply for the sake of traveling (and to spend some time with dear old dad). After we got to the museum, we watched the 3:00 showing of an IMax about fighter pilots (which was excellent). Left with about an hour, we started our tour of the museum in the "Early Years" section. The museum is ENORMOUS, which is why we set aside roughly two entire days to skim through it.
What the beginning part of that museum meant to me, I cannot describe. It was about the Wright Brothers and Glen Curtiss, the three men who began powered aviation. The airplanes were awesome, but what was truly amazing to see is how they went about designing, engineering, and building the airplanes and engines. It was an incredible glimpse into the thought and ingenuity that completely changed our world. There was something about what they were doing that resonated in me. They were so thorough, and were so mechanically adept. It was art. Just look at those planes, those parts, those plans. Elegant and effective. And the most awesome part is just how the Brothers saw it all through. They were so methodical, and just kept going until it worked. It's like they knew what they were doing the entire time. And that's what was so amazing to see.
Glen Curtiss took over the pioneering of powered flight by his expertise in engines. It was his application of knowledge that impressed me the most. Having built motorcycle engines, he took what he knew, adapted and applied it, and expanded upon the Wright brothers's work. His ingenuity is what really pushed the development of powered flight.
And the coolest part? All three of these guys were bicycle mechanics. Yeah. Nothing makes me more proud of my job than knowing that three bike mechanics invented powered flight.
Ok, that's great.
But on top of that (and I guess why it really makes me proud to call myself a bike mechanic after these guys) is the unbelievable craftsmanship and precision that went into these aircraft. I mean, really–these are works of art. The wooden ribbed frame, the intricately cabled control mechanisms, the incredibly machined cogs and chains... I couldn't believe it. This was precision in days long before robots or fancy manufacturing equipment. I had my face two inches and a glass box away from a cog for a good five minutes, marveling at the tiny lines where the milling machine had slowly etched the gear out of a block of metal. It was incredible! There were two wind tunnels, one large and the other small–perfectly aerodynamically shaped–hand-made out of laminated wood. The work and craftsmanship that went into making those just totally blew my mind.
And with all my ogling of gears and hand-crafted wind tunnels, I don't think we even made it to the 1920s. This is going to be a long visit.
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| Curtiss engine |
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| Art |
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| Look at that. |
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| The cog. |
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| Laminated-wood wind tunnel. |
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| An even bigger one. |
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