Commander Kelly: Evergreen Air and Space Museum

"Invading" the Evergreen Air and Space Museum
McMinnville, OR

There are extraordinary aviation museums available all over the world. Notable among these are the Air Force Museum in Dayton (http://americainvadestour.blogspot.com/2014/10/invading-ohio.html), The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, the National Naval Air Museum in Pensacola (http://americainvadestour.blogspot.com/2014/12/invading-florida.html, Florida the Museum of Flight in Seattle (http://americanconservativeinlondon.blogspot.com/2012/07/museum-of-flight-seattle-wa.html), the IWM Duxford in the UK (http://americanconservativeinlondon.blogspot.com/2012/04/duxford-andgeorge-carlin.html) and the Caproni Museum in Italy (http://americanconservativeinlondon.blogspot.com/2015/09/caproni-and-dawn-of-military-aviation.html). All these are outstanding places to learn more about aviation history.

Hughes' Monster Plane

She actually flew!

"Spruce Goose", Evergreen Air Museum, McMinnville, OR

But the Evergreen Air and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon (www.evergreenmuseum.org) truly stands apart. Only one museum in the world can boast possession of Howard Hughes's famous Spruce Goose. The eccentric aviator and businessman built the wooden plane in order to safely transport American troops across the oceans that were menaced during World War II by Axis submarines. This giant machine is the largest airplane ever constructed and it was built almost entirely out of birch. Its only flight, with Hughes himself at the controls took place on November 2, 1947 and was for just over one mile at a height of seventy feet. The Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville was essentially built around the Spruce Goose.

Spirit of St. Louis (Replica), Evergreen Air Museum, OR

The Spruce Goose is one of the many treasures to be found at the Evergreen Museum. You will also encounter a replica of the Lucky Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis that flew the first ever successful transatlantic flight in 1927.

Commander K with B-17

Many military aircraft adorn the museum in McMinnville. You will find copies of the B-17 that was the workhorse bomber for the US Army Air Corps in WW2.

USAF F-5, Evergreen Air Museum, McMinnville, OR

The Museum has an enormous IMAX theater and a ticket for one film is included in the admission price.

In addition to aircraft, you will also find an enormous building dedicated to space travel. There is a universe to explore out there and Evergreen is a great institution documenting America's amazing history of space exploration.

Left Coast Cellars: Pinot for wine lovers across the spectrum

Beyond Evergreen's extraordinary collection of aircraft and spacecraft, it also offers the perfect launch pad for an exploration of Willamette valley wine country. The late David Lett launched a wine revolution in Oregon when he launched the Eyrie Vineyards (http://www.eyrievineyards.com/). "Papa Pinot" grew the first pinot noir in the Willamette valley. Eyrie is now led by David's son Jason. Today Oregon pinots rival their European cousins in Burgundy. One of my personal favorites is Cali's Cuvée Pinot Noir produced by Left Coast Cellars (http://leftcoastcellars.com/) near Salem. This affordable wine won a Critics Gold award in 2007 and will appeal to drinkers of ANY political persuasion.

Wine Trails of Oregon, written by my friend Steve Roberts, is the perfect guide to exploring the fantastic wines that can be found today in Oregon (www.amzn.com/0979269814).