Being an airplane buff, I just had to see the collection of the only two Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy planes on exhibit at the Blackbird Airpark in Palmdale, California. But, before I even made it to Blackbird, I came upon the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant number 42. There, I found that I could view an outstanding collection of aircraft flown, designed, tested, modified or produced at that plant.

The Airpark also includes, on static display, 14 retired military aircraft, plus a 1/8 scale model of the AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile, the B-2 Spirit, and various other components from various other aircraft. I was drooling at the fantastic collection that Plant 42 has. They even have an F-104 Starfighter, and I couldn’t believe just how sharp the wings are, I could almost cut a finger, they are that sharp! The F-104 was the first operational USAF A/C that achieved Mach 2 in level flight and the first to hold simultaneous world records for speed, altitude and time-to-climb. She’s a real beauty. I can’t help but think of the marching cadence that the Airforce came up about the F-104, I won’t go into how sexy it is, but the cadence might be found on the Internet.

Then I saw the scaled composites 143 Triumph, it’s a one-of-a-kind aircraft that was never put into production. But for me the cream of the crop was the B-52F Stratofortress, this is the only existing ‘F’ model in existence. Oklahoma City Fair Grounds was its previous home, it was trucked in many pieces and then reassembled. I’m telling you, this Joe Davies heritage Airpark brought tears to my eyes. I got to see planes up close and personal that I’d never be able to see anywhere else.

The next day, it was hard to check out of hotel. Palmdale seemed to be asking me to stay a bit longer to see what other aircraft exhibits might be here, but I just didn’t have the time find out, I was on my way to Edwards Airforce Base to see their collection of airflight testing planes.

Palmdale’s Airpark Museums is a post from: Travel for Pennies

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Missouri is one of those states in the Midwest that has states all around it. Some of those states seemed surrounded by other states, which of course they are, but I mean they really seem like they’re closed in. I guess it’s no different than states that sit on one of the coasts, they have something else on all borders and it’s easy to fill wrapped in by the sea. I think with Missouri I mean more the amount of states, or other elements, that actually surround it. Do you have any idea how many states border the state of Missouri? Eight states. That’s right, there are eights states that border the single state of Missouri, that’s a lot right? I mean, if I were a resident I think I would feel a little nervous, but that’s ridiculous of course. It may have more states that border it but it doesn’t have as much land area as what say state like Texas or California has. And I’m from California, but our borders don’t make me at all nervous. I guess I don’t know what I’m talking about. Other states don’t try and take over states, I must belong to a previous time period, like the Civil War or something.

Missouri has had an incredible interesting history, and was the location of the Mormon War, if you can remember that. There were other states with Mormon wars, like in Utah, it was just called the Utah War and Illinois had a minor Mormon war, which is typically known as the Illinois Mormon War. Anyway, it as the Civil War that interests me and sometimes I’m even led to believe in reincarnation based on my fascination with it. It’s more than just interest, sometimes I feel like my life perspectives are more in tune with that time in Missouri’s history than in the current. Tourists will usually visit memorials and be interested in aspects of the St. Louis Massacre and you can find information here on hotels that have different battle sites locations and stuff. Missouri was originally a Union state and May of 1861 Union soldiers battled with civilians on the streets of St. Louis. At least 28 people were killed during the confrontation and over one hundred were murdered. This event caused a lot of Missouri citizens to back the Confederacy. Conflict between the two sides continued to plague the state throughout the war.

St. Louis Massacre and Missouri During the Civil War is a post from: Travel for Pennies

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The beautiful Balearic Island of Majorca has many intriguing aspects of Spanish cultural heritage and history. Today, it is a major tourist destination and is primarily known for its fabulous beaches and views of the Mediterranean. The island is also rich in the arts and entertainment and is great in its visitor accommodations. The inviting atmosphere of Majorca greats guests immediately as they enter their 5 star hotel Majorca , though this is actually just the starting point for a great experience. It makes a vacation to this and other Spanish Islands richer when an understanding of its history and cultural significance is incorporated into the journey.

It is interesting to note that Majorca was a stronghold for the Nationalist party during the Spanish Civil War. In August 1936 it was the place of the amphibious landing of the Republican party whose intent was to reclaim the island from the Nationalists. The Republican army greatly outnumbered their opponents and was able to drive 12 kilometers into the island’s mainland. The Nationalists, however, were supported by Italy’s Fascist government and their air power was stronger than the Republicans. Ultimately, this struggle became known as the Battle of Majorca, and the Nationalists were able to drive the Republicans completely from the island. During the rest of the war, Majorca was used as a strong Nationalist base for the Navy and air force.

The 1950s saw a tremendous rise in interest from tourists, and the island became a strong travel destination for visitors from foreign countries. This contributed to major changes in the sociological make up of the island and also to a huge growth period of the city of Parma. It brought with it, heavy migrations of workers from inland Spain and a major transition of the sociological construct of the island. Tourism in Parma increased substantially during this time and in 1960 Majorca had 500,000 visitors. This increased to 6,739,700 by 1997. Through the latter half of the 20th century, tourism continued to grow at increasing rates. Last year over 22 million guests arrived on the island through the Son Sant Joan Airport, while 1.5 million reached the island by sea.

Majorca During the Civil War is a post from: Travel for Pennies

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1. St. Louis Massacre and Missouri During the Civil War