The world’s fastest and highest flying production aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird, is preparing to move from the Virginia Aviation Museum to the Science Museum of Virginia. The iconic, supersonic stealth plane will become the focal point of the Museum’s new exhibition gallery, Speed, opening 2016.
Before traveling to its new home, the Blackbird will be disassembled and packaged by experts from Worldwide Aircraft Recovery and W.M. Jordan Company. This winter the plane will be transported to the Science Museum of Virginia in seven major pieces, where it will be installed and fully suspended inside of the nearly century-old building.
“Suspending a supersonic jet from the ceiling of a historic train station presents some challenges, however we have a terrific team on board to help display and preserve this iconic artifact for generations to come,” says Richard Conti, Chief Wonder Officer, Science Museum of Virginia.
Weighing in at 43,000 pounds with a wingspan of 55 feet, the Blackbird will fit snugly inside of the Museum’s main concourse where it will be featured as the principal artifact for the upcoming Speed exhibition – unveiling the mind-blowing intersection of motion and time across a world of science and technology.
John Lawson, President and CEO of W. M. Jordan Company, notes, “We love this industry because of the diversity of the types of projects and the challenge of creating a unique solution for every customer.”
“Over the years, I have been involved in some very challenging and unique projects, but the Speed project is a rare opportunity,” says W. M. Jordan Company’s Project Manager, Bruce Shepheard. “To fit the plane in the building, our team will suspend an SR-71 Blackbird at an angle. The visitors to the Museum will see the Blackbird from a totally new perspective!”
The Museum invites guests to witness the transformation of the main concourse first-hand. A digital display showcasing a time-lapse of the work-to-date brings new guests up to speed and reveals the science, technology, engineering and mathematics behind the Speed experience.
Speed is part of the Museum’s Inspire the World Campaign, which is transforming the Science Museum of Virginia’s galleries and programs.