Question about Soarin'...

[Mugglemama]

I was hoping maybe some of you have been slightly more observant while in the queue for Soarin' than I have, lol!

Our next DLR trip is scheduled for May. I homeschool my kids and am planning a unit study of early aviation. I'd really love to cover as many of the aviators as possible that are featured in the Soarin' queue.

Does anybody happen to know the names of any of the aviators in the photos along the Soarin' queue walls?

TIA for any help you can offer, I really appreciate it!!

 

[oc_tony]

I found this list of aircraft and aviators on-line, but it is about 6 years old. They may have swapped out some of the posters for different ones since then. Next time DW or I are there, we'll double check this and confirm those that are still there. DW may be going tomorrow. Until then, other DISers may know better...

Aircraft
Gull Glider (aircraft used in the first heavier than air controlled flight in 1883 in Otay Valley)
Douglas World Cruiser (completed the first around the world flight in 175 days)
Spirit of St. Louis (first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to France)
Lockheed Vega (set multiple flight records for speed and altitude)
P-38 Lightning (World War II era fighter)
P-51 Mustang (World War II escort fighter)
Spruce Goose (wooden flying boat)
Flying Wing (jet bomber shaped like a wing)
F-80 Shooting Star (1st US aircraft to fly over 500 mph)
F-86 Sabrejet (Korean War era jet fighter)
Bell X-1 (first airplane to break the sound barrier)
F-104 Starfighter (held simultaneous world records in time to climb, speed and altitude)
X-15 (hypersonic rocket jet)
SR-71 Blackbird (fastest "air breathing" plane in the world)
Gossamer Condor (human powered aircraft)
Space Shuttle Columbia (first space shuttle)
Voyager (circumnavigated the globe nonstop without refueling)

Aviators
Donald Wills Douglas (designed first planes to circumnavigate the globe)
Allan Lockheed (formed Lockheed Aircraft Corporation)
Jack Northrop (designed the Lockheed Vega)
William J. Powell (promoted black aviation)
Howard Hughes (built the Spruce Goose, set many air records)
John J. Montgomery (pilot and designer for the Gull Glider)
Glenn L. Martin (founded Martin Aircraft Company)
Fred Wiseman (made first air mail flight)
Alys Mckey Bryant (first woman to fly in Canada)
Amelia Earhart (who hasn't heard of her?)
T. Claude Ryan (built the Spirit of St. Louis which is on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.)
James Herman Banning (completed the first transcontinental flight by black aviators)
Pancho Barnes (Hollywood stunt aviatrix who held the world speed record)
Bobbi Trout (set many flight records including one for altitude)
Jackie Cochran (aviatrix who held more records for speed, altitude and distance than any other pilot)
Jimmy Doolittle (most famous for leading the WWII bombing of Tokyo)
Chuck Yeager (first pilot to break the sound barrier)
Kelly Johnson (head of Lockheed's Skunk Works aircraft design center)
Burt Rutan (designed Voyager and SpaceShip One)
Paul MacReady (designed Gossamer Condor)

 

[Mugglemama]

OC TONY: Thanks a ton!!!! This is SO helpful!!!

 

[Sherry E]

If I am correct, I think the (now deceased) Challenger crew is on the wall as well (even though they are not early aviators). I seem to recall that my friends and I commented on the photo last year and said it was nice to have that up there in tribute, and then we got into a discussion about how shocking and surreal it was on the day in 1986 when Challenger blew up as America watched it on TV.

I bet Sully (Chesley Sullenberger) will eventually make it on that wall as well!

 

[oc_tony]

If I am correct, I think the (now deceased) Challenger crew is on the wall as well (even though they are not early aviators).

This sounds right. They may even have the crew from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster as well.

 

[oc_tony]

oc_tony's wife here : I checked the list that we copied and pasted into post #2 and it is accurate. Here are a few corrections/additions...

-Kelly Johnson is actually Clarence "Kelley" Johnson.
-The Spruce Goose is also listed as the Hercules Flying Boat.
-The Space Shuttle Columbia is displayed with a tribute to the deceased crew.
-The Space Shuttle Challenger is not displayed.
-They have added two more aviators: Katherine Chang (born in China, then immigrated to America, she is often referred to as China's Amelia Earhart) and Robert "Bob" Cardenas (piloted the B-29 that launched Chuck Yeager's X-1).

I enjoyed answering your question and hope you have a fun trip this May. Tony and I are both teachers, so we appreciate you injecting a little learning into your Disney trip.

 

[Sherry E]

Maybe they took down the Challenger photo, but it was definitely up there at one point. I just confirmed with my friend last night (the one I was having the Challenger discussion with while we waited in the line for Soarin'), and she said she definitely remembered seeing a picture of the Challenger astronauts on the wall, and that the teacher, Christa McAuliffe, stood out in her mind. I have to say, as soon as she mentioned Christa's name specifically, I remember seeing her up on that wall as well. Now what they did with the Challenger photo is anyone's guess. I assume it is not there now. But it was at one point. They should have left it up!!

 

[oc_tony]

Hmmm, now I'm second guessing myself about the Challenger display. Perhaps I missed it, but I just don't remember seeing it this morning. I'm definitely going to check the next time I'm in line to ride Soarin'. It certainly would be appropriate to have a Challenger tribute.

 

[Hawleys]

I think we saw the Challenger display just last weekend. Although I can't remember what we looked at specifically, we had the same conversation that Sherry did, talking about how we remember watching the disaster on television. So sad...

 

[Sherry E]

I think we saw the Challenger display just last weekend. Although I can't remember what we looked at specifically, we had the same conversation that Sherry did, talking about how we remember watching the disaster on television. So sad...

Oh thank goodness! I was beginning to think both my friend and I were going nuts!! I mean, it is entirely possible that Disney could take down the photo as some point, but I knew we had seen it at least last year, and then when my friend mentioned Christa McCaulliffe catching her attention in the photo, I knew we couldn't both be off our rockers!!! That was specifically what prompted our discussion of the horrific Challenger 1986 explosion and how surreal it was.

I wonder how many others have seen that photo and has the same discussion, Hawleys!! I mean, it is not a lively, fun chat to have, but it evokes a lot of memories, just like the 'Where were you on 9/11' discussions do.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Another bit of trivia about Jack Northrop. He designed the Flying Wing - which later led to the B2 Spirit.

Flying Wing

B2 Spirit

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

The picture of the Challenger crew was up this past December. As soon as you enter the "hanger" queue, it's on the right hand side.

 

[Sherry E]

The picture of the Challenger crew was up this past December. As soon as you enter the "hanger" queue, it's on the right hand side.

Thank you, Courtney! Yes, now I remember looking to the right - that's where I thought it was, but then I began to doubt that I ever saw it! We saw it last year in either October or December (can't recall which), but they could always take it down (though why would they? It should stay up all the time!!), so it could disappear at any time.

 

[jlmarr]

For the OP's homeschooler angle, a lot of the theming of Condor Flats is based on the movie "The Right Stuff", which covers the early days of the US space program. Although there are some PG-13 elements (i.e. watch the movie yourself first) this movie might be interesting as part of your early aviation unit. Chuck Yeager plays a major role early in the movie (and the real Chuck Yeager is an extra in one scene), Pancho Barnes is portrayed, and the selection and training of the seven Mercury astronauts fills out the rest of the movie. Some of the movies musical score can be heard around Taste Pilot's Grill, and that is a replica of Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1 zooming out of the front of TPG.

Some trivia about the movie:

- The Undertaker at the beginning of the movie is the late Royal Dano, who is the voice of Abraham Lincoln in DL.

- The actress that plays John Glenn's wife is the mother of current actress Zooey Deschanel.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

Thank you, Courtney! Yes, now I remember looking to the right - that's where I thought it was, but then I began to doubt that I ever saw it! We saw it last year in either October or December (can't recall which), but they could always take it down (though why would they? It should stay up all the time!!), so it could disappear at any time.

You're welcome Sherry!

I just remember because we have a school in our area called Christa McAuliffe and when I saw that picture, I put 2 and 2 that Christa McAullife was in the Challenger. Doh.

For the OP's homeschooler angle, a lot of the theming of Condor Flats is based on the movie "The Right Stuff", which covers the early days of the US space program. Although there are some PG-13 elements (i.e. watch the movie yourself first) this movie might be interesting as part of your early aviation unit. Chuck Yeager plays a major role early in the movie (and the real Chuck Yeager is an extra in one scene), Pancho Barnes is portrayed, and the selection and training of the seven Mercury astronauts fills out the rest of the movie. Some of the movies musical score can be heard around Taste Pilot's Grill, and that is a replica of Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1 zooming out of the front of TPG.

Some trivia about the movie:

- The Undertaker at the beginning of the movie is the late Royal Dano, who is the voice of Abraham Lincoln in DL.

- The actress that plays John Glenn's wife is the mother of current actress Zooey Deschanel.

Wow, very very cool. Thank you!

 

[oc_tony]

Hmmm, now I'm second guessing myself about the Challenger display. Perhaps I missed it, but I just don't remember seeing it. I'm definitely going to check the next time I'm in line to ride Soarin'.

oc_tony's DW here again: Sorry to dig up this old thread, but we promised ourselves that we would check the Soarin' queue the next time we visited, and we finally went this morning. As you enter the "hanger" and look to the right, there is a poster displaying the Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew which died tragically on Feb 1, 2003.

We looked all over the walls for a Challenger poster, but didn't see one. Personally, I don't ever remember seeing a Challenger tribute, but I suppose it could've been there at some point. If it was there, I don't know why they would take it down though. Anyway, at least I know I'm not losing my marbles now.

 

[LuLusApple]

This is a great thread I never fully appreciated Condor Flats before
but I will be looking at it thru new eyes next time
thanks!