First off, I promise there is game related stuff in this blog.
The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, who knew it was gaming related? Home to the Spruce Goose, this is a neat place to visit.
So, they put a 747 on top of a building, who doesn't do that?
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5347/6932511286_0fcd36bedf_c.jpg[/img]The Spruce Goose. Huge.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7085/6932508514_a6fc06cb12_c.jpg[/img]So just how big is the Spruce Goose? Notice the Yak 50?
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/7078586449_3d8eb4bfe2_c.jpg[/img]Here it is from the other side. B-17 Flying Fortress tailgun, Yak 50 and tail of Spruce Goose in one shot.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/7078586625_1dcf77a430_c.jpg[/img]So this is a flying, um, thing, that you stand on. See the place for your foot? Would you like to fly one?
[img width=600 height=800]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7186/6932510248_c60938c367_c.jpg[/img]Well you can simulate flying one. This is hooked up to, if not Microsoft Flight Simulator, something very like it. You stand on that platform, it responds to your leaning for direction. There is a motorcycle like throttle in your right hand.
[img width=600 height=800]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5197/6932510428_22a899377b_c.jpg[/img]This is a lunar lander simulator. It is a lot like the game Lunar Lander. This machine is set up to have two players side by side, each playing their own game. You have a throttle control in your left hand and a joystick in the right. There are three levels of difficulty. The one screen shows your view out the window and the other one is a display of gauges, fuel, thrust and so on. Very neat.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/6932510048_9dcefbcc17_c.jpg[/img]On the balcony there is a firearms collection. I had to take a picture of this gun. While not the biggest machine gun, you would still be firing this either sitting or laying down using that bi-pod. It is a big gun. I imagine this laying down impressive firepower at a pretty good distance. Still, someone figured that wasn't enough and put a bayonet on the end.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/6932509896_4a41208c4c_c.jpg[/img]Hey! Arcade machines! We are in luck!
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6932509466_c8bdc36a2a_c.jpg[/img]Out of order? It seems like this deserves a whole editorial by itself. Keep your games in working order people! There were a couple more simulators at this museum which looked fun but were not working. Really this was the only thing to complain about, this is a great place to go, but I want my gaming too!
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7138/6932509698_e713604120_c.jpg[/img][img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/7078584055_ab90fe100c_c.jpg[/img]This is a mechanical arcade machine once used in a firing range.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5234/7078584629_f2ccffb817_c.jpg[/img][img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7199/7078584427_33a2b90467_c.jpg[/img]I tried to get some pictures of the back parts, you know, the stuff that makes it go.
[img width=600 height=800]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/6932509242_0665840189_c.jpg[/img][img width=600 height=800]http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5350/6932509072_316df34345_c.jpg[/img]F-14 Tomcat. My favorite plane when I was younger. Also Maverick's favorite plane in Top Gun. See the Spruce Goose through the windows.
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7247/6932511006_2a4aafee1f_c.jpg[/img]Okay, lets try and come up with some good captions for this picture:
"duh"
"ya, you know if you leave that in it makes more compression that makes more torque."
"It's a lot more fun to fire it up and see were it lands."
"If you leave it in, the heat seeking missiles can't find you."
"Hunter safety orange. Wear it. Be Safe."
[img width=700 height=525]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/7078587217_aabee5c6e5_c.jpg[/img]Links:
The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/Wiki for The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...Aviation_%26_Space_MuseumWiki for The Spruce Goose
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_H-4_Hercules
On the balcony there is a firearms collection. I had to take a picture of this gun. While not the biggest machine gun, you would still be firing this either sitting or laying down using that bi-pod. It is a big gun. I imagine this laying down impressive firepower at a pretty good distance. Still, someone figured that wasn't enough and put a bayonet on the end.
All the guns in that photo were used by the now-defunct imperial Japanese military forces before and during the Pacific campaigns of the Second World War.
The rifle at the top appears to be an Arisaka Type 38, which was a standard-issue infantry weapon. The Type 38 was introduced in 1905, which was the 38th year of the Meiji emperor's reign, hence the rifle's type number. The one in the photo is more of a "deluxe" model, with a built-in folding bipod stand.
The machine gun in the middle looks like a Type 99, but I've never seen one with a "blunderbuss"-type barrel before. I'm not too surprised about the bayonet, seeing as how the Japanese forces loved the old-school, chop-chop-stabby stuff.
On the bottom is most likely a Nambu pistol, although the barrel looks thicker than the ones I've seen.
As the Kacho might ask: What does this have to do with games?
Well, unless you're playing Call of Duty: World at War, absolutely NOTHING, that's what!
BTW in case you care, here's a link to the first part of History Channel's Tales of the Gun episode on Japanese small arms of WWII:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhpCemV0-jo
|
|
@Zagnorch: I watched all 5 parts of that Tales of the Gun episode. Part 3,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=UH0i6DW7fQc
is most applicable, as it shows the pistol and a similar machine gun. It turns out the pistol is a Type 94. You were right about the machine gun being a Type 99. I looked at the picture in better resolution and it says on the title card:
"Arisaka type 99 bolt-action rifle
Caliber 7.7mm Arisaka
Japan
Standard issue throughout the later stages of WWII for Japanes infantry and naval forces in the Pacific, the Arisaka rifle was offered in 6.5mm and 7.7mm variants."
|
|
@nupoile:
Oh, okay then.
BTW the model of machine gun without the blunderbuss barrel is actually the Type 96, the Type 99's immediate predecessor--
--wait, when did this become a forum for early- to mid-20th-century east Asian firearms?
Hold on a second...
Um, yeah... it really sucked that the R Line Pilot and Blazing Angels machines were outta order. Probably from the place not getting much tourist action, what with the economy and gas prices.
There we go... much better.
|
|
Only the Imperial Japanese Army would mount a bayonet on a machine gun. Can you imagine a mass of Japanese soldiers charging through a mist, screaming with their bayonets pointed straight ahead, then comes poor Hashimoto with his ammo man, struggling to keep up with the others. Almost sounds like a Monty Python skit.
|
|
@bombatomba:
Almost sounds like a Monty Python skit.
I was thinkin' more of a Kids in the Hall skit.
Especially if the ammo man's ammo box sports a bayonet... 
|
|
@bombatomba:Almost sounds like a Monty Python skit.
@Zagnorch:I was thinkin' more of a Kids in the Hall skit.
Yeah, pretty much what I was thinking when I took the picture.
|
|
@Zagnorch:Only if the ammo man was also dressed as a woman who complained about hurrying home in time so they could have dinner with Fujitas. The potato casserole that Mrs. Fujita makes... Mmm mmm.
|
|
@nupoile:
Yeah, pretty much what I was thinking when I took the picture.
Yeah, totally, right? 
@bombatomba:
Only if the ammo man was also dressed as a woman who complained about hurrying home in time so they could have dinner with Fujitas.
Kevin McDonald would be perfect for that part.
Which would leave Dave Foley to play Hashimoto.
But I'm still split over whether Scott Thompson or Mark McKinney should play Mrs. Fujita...
|
|
Hey, you know what? I just realized that there are water slides attached to the emergency exits of the 747.
Not inflatable emergency slides, but fully-enclosed tubes that resemble water slides.
I wonder if they'd let you climb up there and slide down 'em if you asked real nicely...
|
|
@Zagnorch: I think they probably would  That building is one of the four currently on the site, it is a water park. We didn't go in that building but it looks pretty wild considering were this is located (small town, at an airplane museum)
Here is a link to a news story before the building was built:
http://www.kgw.com/news/business/New-water-park-opens-at-Evergreen-92562359.html
Here is a more current story:
http://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2011/06/evergreen_wings_waves_waterpar.html
|
|
@nupoile:
Holy crap-- it IS a water park?!
Makes the local Raging Waters seem totally lame in comparison.
And, ummm... this has to do with video games how?
|
|
@Zagnorch:"And, ummm... this has to do with video games how?"
Well.....wait.....um............isn't this AviationGeneration?.....
|
