DC TRIP: Still More Planes . . .

Lockheed 5B Vega, as flown by Amelia, in the Air and Space Museum

Sorry, I can't identify this one. Can you?

Lockheed Model 8 Sirius

Tsk, tsk. Another mystery plane.

Eastern Airlines DC3

Pirate Comics: "Eric Falcon, Soldier of Fortune" by Bill Ward

This tale illustrated by Bill Ward, the creator of Torchy (see her HERE), is from Buccaneers #20 (the second issue) from May 1950. Thanks to JonTheScanner for uploading it to comicbookplus!

DC TRIP: Presidents Gone Wild

More cool stuff from the Smithsonian Museum of American History - Presidential style . . . 

Harry Truman's vacation shirt

 Warren G. Harding's pajamas

Eisenhower's golf clubs

A fan given away at Babtist churches, sponsored by a mortuary

Kennedys on Mt. Rushmore? Sure, why not.

Congress commissioned this statue in 1832, to celebrate the centennial of George Washington's birth. Scultor Horatio Greenough depicted George in this wacky steam-room pose. It sat in the Capitol Rotunda, then was moved outside for a while, before being tucked away in the Smithsonian in 1908.

A bug for Mike Britt

This is Mike.

This is a bug.

DC TRIP: The Tall American

Yeah, we paid another visit to this guy. Hasn't moved a muscle since we saw him ten years ago. His butt must be getting sore.

A 1917 copy of a life mask made in 1860, before Abe ran for President. 

1917 copy of an 1865 life mask.

The hat he wore to Ford's Theater.

One of the pillows he bled on before dying. 

The tower of Lincoln books we saw at the Ford's Theater museum.

This song was running through my head the whole time.

DC TRIP: George Washington Slept (and Sat) Here

Yeah, we made the pilgrimage to the old wickiup George called Mount Vernon. 

George, Martha and her rugrats by a previous marriage were there to greet us.

George's ride was pimped up something like this one, from the same Philadelphia carriage maker.

He also tooled around in a covertible.

Sadly, the best stuff was inside the house - and inside the museum - where no photos are allowed. Being watched like a hawk by one of the guards, I refrained from taking illicit pictures, but luckily, a few scofflaws managed to snap some and post them online. 

My favorite room in the mansion is Washington's study. That guillotine-type dingus above the chair is a foot-operated fan. 

Employing some fancypants science, someone managed to recreate what is supposedly Washington's true face. The first time we saw it on a mannequin, it looked pretty cool, but when the same face and same expression turned up on several more Georges, it got a little creepy. 

DC TRIP: Spy Toys on Wheels

Saw this fleet of spymobiles at The International Spy Museum. A couple of them looked familiar, like maybe I once had my own. Gave me visions of having a machine gun installed on the hood of my PT Cruiser.