Moffett Air Field Museum Welcomes Cub Scouts

The Webelos Scouts of Pack 556, Den 3 spent a wet and windy Saturday afternoon visiting one of the jewel museums of the South Bay Area, the Moffett Field Museum. The Moffett Field Historical Society Museum is overseen by the outstanding steward curators and docents, which care for and share the content of some of the Silicon Valley’s earliest “tech” treasures. It was a perfect day to learn about the past for these Los Gatos Cub Scouts.

During their visit, the scouts learned that technologies from an era gone by might be the genesis of today’s Silicon Valley tech culture. “Frenchie” the docent of the day, guided the fourth graders into the past, back to 1931 where the concept of air ships first landed at the South Bay. Certainly, one of the most iconic and largest land structures ever built in World, at that time, is noteworthy and obvious. However, the story of Hangar One is only part of the concert that includes many back and side stories. The US Navy’s vision of Moffett Field had a variety of incubations over the years including the use of the inert gas, helium, as lift technology for rigid airship mobility. The Navy’s decision to use helium resulted in the ability to streamline the ship’s design with internally mounted engines, a much safer configuration. Airships were not the only vessels of flight that launched from this iconic airfield.

Aircrafts of all sorts, from test craft for NASA to blimps and balloons called Moffett home. However, the balloon trainers corps displayed one of the most ingenuous, yet simple ways of communicating and locating. One could argue that this may have been part of the timeline in the development of the GPS systems of today and perhaps some of the socials media. As the story was shared, the Scouts learned that ballooners from Moffett Field would launch into the air, not always in control of the winds nor where they might land. With no mobile phones in this 30’s era; the Navy cleverly designed what could be termed the first “Tweet” of the area and era. Upon landing in the balloon trainer, the crew would scribe a note as to their location and attach the note to leg of a homing pigeon that would fly back to base with a message as to the downed craft and crew’s location. Once the bird flew home, a technician would read the note and dispatch the first “Uber” military pick up.

International trade was also part of the historical significance that the Scouts absorbed on this mission of understanding. The Zepplin Company, along with Goodyear was part of the collaborative effort in development of lighter than air aircraft that would shadow the orchards of the South Bay.

Submarine warfare in the 60s, 70s and 80s brought many technology companies to the area that would support the Navy in its mission to protect the coast of the US. NASA Ames also came to call Moffett Field home in support of the space agency’s mission. Moffett Field’s infra-structure, land and landing spaces gave a host of new mission capabilities, including aeronautical wind testing and primate research with an eye toward manned space missions deep into the future.

While the mission of Moffett Field continues to develop, this rainy Saturday it took new flight as it taught several Scouts, whom eagerly learned about the past and enriched their fantasies about what the future might bring. The Webelos concluded their cold and rainy day adventure behind the stick of a trainer aircraft. A big “thank you” was offered from Den 3 to the staff and docent “Frenchie”. A side note, our “Docent for the day” is a former fighter pilot who also had the honors of making the 74,000th landing on the USS Hornet. The USS Hornet, will be hosting the scouts next overnight adventure in the very near future. To learn more about the adventures of Pack 556 Scouts, please visit www.pack556.com.