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Florida Air Museum features famous cockpits

By General Aviation News Staff · October 5, 2007 ·

Ever wonder what the cockpit of the “Enola Gay” looks like? How about a Spitfire, an F-86A Sabre or the Space Shuttle “Columbia”?

You can see all of them — plus more — at the Florida Air Museum on the campus of Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Fla., which is hosting “At the Controls: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Looks at Cockpits,” a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian.

The exhibit, which runs through Nov. 25, features 20 large color photographs of historically significant cockpits, such as the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the Mercury “Friendship 7” and the space shuttle “Columbia.”

Using a camera with a 120° wide-angle lens and a variety of lighting techniques, photographers Eric Long and Mark Avino created unique images that contrast the simplicity and complexity of cockpits throughout aviation history, according to museum officials.

Measuring approximately 4 by 7 feet, the images depict in precise detail the evolution of the controls, instruments and displays used to fly these aircraft. The cockpits in the exhibition were selected because their panels illustrate the development and refinement of aviation technology. Additional information and complete views of the aircraft accompany each photograph.

Microsoft Flight Simulators also are available for visitors to “fly” while at the museum, and special opportunities will be available for other supervised flight simulator experiences, including a “Hot Seat Chassis” simulator with surround sound, and a vintage Link GAT-1 full motion trainer.

For more information: 863-644-2431.

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