10 April 2015 - The Dornier Museum Friedrichshafen

Our planned excursion today was to the Dornier Museum - "Fascination Aviation and Aerospace at Lake Constance".  It was the on the other part of our family ticket to the Zeppelin Museum last Saturday and we had to use it within a week.  Having our car made access easier and it was only 3 Euros to park there.

Dornier Flight Museum

The boys were excited!

Although Friedrichshafen is reasonably signposted, there are many roundabouts and unlabelled roads which do cause a bit of confusion!  Karl had downloaded the maps onto his tablet (but no wi-fi connection) but it was hard to follow so we decided to buy a Tom Tom before the end of the day!  It was by a bit of good fortune and a bit of common sense that we found our way to the museum.

3 D printer in action

3 D printed results!

Instantly the boys were drawn to the 3-D printing machine which was working on a model plane!  Luke is sure he wants a 3 D printer for Christmas!!!

Bomber plane

 We went outside to the aeroplane display and had great fun climbing up and looking in.  The most fascinating of all was a German bomber plane.  It was a bit gruesome thinking that this plane with all its navigational equipment and fancy interior had been/could be used to be so destructive.  The bomber has a bird's eye view over the target.  It was interesting to wander and ponder.

Inside the bomber

More screens to look at!

The cockpit, two seats for the pilots and a seat in front for the bomber.

Complicated!

Uniforms!

Uniforms

Note wheels on wheels because undercarriage is used for bombs.

This is where the bombs were stored.

Nasty plane really!

My excitement reached its peak when we heard a sound over head and saw it was the Zeppelin we have been spotting coming into land!  It sort of hovered down over one spot and we think passengers disembarked and boarded via a ladder!  As it costs between 160 Euros and 785 Euros for a flight, I don't think we'll be heading up in the air with the Zeppelin on this trip!  It does look magnificent and graceful!  We couldn't actually work out how it hovered over the ground and didn't see it take off again.

The Zeppelin landing

Inside the museum the exhibits were well organised, interesting and in English!  There were little booths where we could it and listen to vignettes in English, too and several documentary movie options.  The war was mentioned and in our view was rationalised somewhat but overall the displays were well done.  The vignettes were interesting especially those interviews with former forced labour immigrants and the kids were horrified at their mistreatment.  It led to interesting dinner conversation including discussion about Apartheid and also Australia's terrible treatment of our Aborigines.

Dornier was described as one with grit and boldness to pursue his ideas.  He came from humble beginnings as did many great inventors.  Dornier aircraft have also been used by the Australian Air Force and for search and rescue.  Some of the early passenger planes were seaplanes because they were thought to be safer if they were flying over water!

Achtung!

There was a great little children's area for play and craft and we all enjoyed making a paper aeroplane and using their craft material.  Call us cheeky or call us opportunists, Luke made a maize foam camel for one of his school projects out of the material provided which saved me collecting an egg carton and other junk to make the required model!  He also made a plane and a satellite.

Having fun, being a kid just like he should!

Putting on seatbelts in the helicopter.

Definitely time for uber lunch at 3PM when we left the museum and we headed in the direction (and didn't get lost) of a big shopping complex we had been to.  Lunch first which was very necessary and then purchase of the promised Tom Tom!

Safely home through all the lovely countryside to more essays!  

Luke was most excited at dinner to dissect and eat the smoked mackerel I had bought!  For a fussy eater, it is most strange that he loves fish of any description!  He gave us quite a commentary on its tiny teeth and hardened eyes from the smoking process!