The HabForum

What do you guys think of the proposal to add the Gulfstream II Shuttle Trainer Aircraft and the T-38 from AC to the Shuttle Park area?

See charts from the PDF posted on Sprocketeers:
http://www.sprocketeers.org/wp-content/ ... Charts.pdf

Do you think this is a proper place to display AIRcraft? Would this area be better used to showcase shuttle-related SPACE hardware?

I love the plan for the Blackbird though

I'm going to have to vote no right now -
The planes are great to have but I kinda like how Shuttle Park wide open and aircraft sitting on the ground breaks that open space up. It would be cool if they put them up on mounts on the outside ring of the shuttle park. Like between the Mars building and Astrotrek building.

Niot sure what to think on this one. I have seen some old pictures from the late 80s or early 90s when they had the F-4 in shuttle park before the main AC area opened. Looked tacky to me and out of place. I think nearby like wes said might be better. Atleast the T-38 and the shuttle training aircraft have shuttle connections though.

I think the planes will add to the story of the shuttle but I do agree they should be on the edge of the ring of the shuttle park

You know the neat thing about the A-12 is that its something you can get close to. I think the idea of setting it up as a show piece is good, but its kinda neat the gear is down.

celticcowboy wrote:I think the planes will add to the story of the shuttle but I do agree they should be on the edge of the ring of the shuttle park

agree. Many people don’t seem to understand how close NASA and the astronaut corps has been to the T-38 for a very long time now. Growing up in Tallahassee, Florida, I saw them stopped to refuel at the local airport a couple of times (I left the area in the 90s and never found out who were flying them at the time). In fact, astronaut CC Williams (who would have been the LMP on Apollo 12) augured in just north of Tallahassee in a T-38 in 1967. He punched out, but too late bounced before the chute could open. I know where the crash site is, and tried to go look at the site the last time I was there visiting my family, but it’s private property and they won’t let anyone in there.
But back to the original point, the T-38 is as much of an astronaut’s experience than the shuttle was, perhaps more so. That has been their ‘commuter’ vehicle since the late 1950s.

Good news. Don't know if anyone read what we were talking about the placement of the G2 aircraft in shuttle park but Dr. Barnhart just announced in one of the committee meetings that she really wants to move it closer to the Astrotrek building and out of the circle around the Pathfinder.

That's good news. I don't think the Shuttle Park/Pathfinder should be so crowded. I still think of the Gulfstream shuttle training aircraft as something that should go to AC as part of the Advanced Space Academy training that happens over there. I don't see it being that popular with the general public. This asset is best used as a Space Camp training piece. Just my opinion! Feel free to chime in.

I was thinking about the idea of putting something in rocket park. Since so many changes have come to rocket park, it looks dis-shoveled. It would be nice to see a facelift here.

Hey guys. I was flying in to Birmingham today and spotted the G-II parked beside the FAA tower. Can't wait to hear how they are going to get her to the sprocket. So far the concept of airlifting her has been thrown out and it looks like a ride up I-65 is going to be the answer BUT there are some height issues and turn issues that were being worked.

https://foursquare.com/weslyons/checkin ... BL8&ref=tw

You're right Kale, the rocket park could use a shot in the arm. Many of the rockets are showing their age and have faded markings that could use a fresh coat of paint. There's a Titan missile laying somewhere that needs to be restored, and we all know about the Skylab. Perhaps there are other things that could be done to make the rocket park more interesting and draw people out there. The last couple of times I've visited, the rocket park wasn't getting the traffic it used to.

I think the problem with Rocket Park is that since the Saturn 5 moved to the Davidson building, the focus has been off. This is also due to the fact that rocket park has changed over the years alot, hense the hodge podge layout.

I think there is two ways that the rocket park could start looking up that are obvious, and that is re-arange the park and place a new attraction in the rear of the park where all the open meadow space is.

Hotdog is right, there is two seperate Titan stages in the wings as well as the weathered Saturn Skylab Sim. Those could be used to patch up the layout along with the new Gulfstream.

Also I was trying to brain storm what could be placed in the rear of rocket garden which would not only take up space, but refreshen the whole USSRC image with the public. I haven't yet come up with a silver bullet idea to drum up the support of the 80's and 90's, but I was thinking that a hanger would be neat. I would love to see a hanger with the A-12, Gstream, t-38's, and other space related aircraft on display. That way all the aircraft are up close and personal, out of the weather, and airconditioned.

What ever goes in the back of rocket park I think will be a keystone of getting folks back in rocket park. I see rocket park as the center of the complex, which will make it shine. Currently, people don't want to spend alot of time in rocket park, not only because its out of order, but because its outside (yes that sounds lazy, no A/C). However, if you had something in the back of rocket park that drove traffic through rocket park, I think they would enjoy it more. This is because as the visitors travel on foot from the different major parks of the complex, they will always pass through a portion of rocket park. This helps the visibility, because it presents rocket park to visitors in managable chunks.

Just some thoughts.

A new attraction in the back of the rocket park would be a great way to drive traffic. Maybe for the younger kids, a moonbuggy ride and for the more skilled older set, a docking simulator?

Oh, and they need to get the X-15 back. Up until the late 90s, we had an X-15 mockup in the rocket park. I think its at Wright-Patterson AFB now. I'd love to know the story of how this one got away.

Speaking of space planes, I'd love to see a traveling exhibit of the lifting bodies, precursors to the Space Shuttle. Rocket planes such as X1, X2 and X15 could be included in the display. Either have realistic mockups or the real thing. This is the kind of stuff that should be on the main floor of the museum.

That is exactly what I am thinking as far as aircraft. I was looking on the new site that was recently posted with old USSRC pics and saw the old pics with the X-15 in the main museum. How they let that go doesn't make sense. Of course, they also parked the Sky Lab trainer outside for a few years and thought it would be just fine with no water issues to speak of!

You know the thing I miss most about rocket park is the old school 1/5 gravity arm that used to be where a little play ground is now. That was the coolest thing in rocket park all the times I went as a kid. It also gave you an awesome view of everything.

I forgot to mention the inter stages that are in the west parking lot these days. It would be neat to have them in the mix somewhere in the park. Hopefully as something else other than a building.

Hotdog wrote:Oh, and they need to get the X-15 back. Up until the late 90s, we had an X-15 mockup in the rocket park. I think its at Wright-Patterson AFB now. I'd love to know the story of how this one got away.

It's actually at the Evergreen Museum in Oregon (hanging nearby the Spruce Goose's left wing). I've seen it there before, but it's well off the ground.

Any news on the Gulfstream, now that the T-38 has been mounted?

Expect a big announcement about the Gulfstream in a few weeks!!