by Bryan D. Carnes
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
9/27/2011 - DAYTON, Ohio (AFNS) -- The Korean War Gallery just went virtual at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
The gallery is now fully embedded with audio, video and interactive hotspots and touch-screen devices located throughout the gallery.
"The Korean War Gallery recalls the birth of the modern U.S. Air Force as a separate combat service," said Dr. Doug Lantry, the museum curator. "It explains the many missions Airmen had to perform in difficult circumstances shortly after the U.S. Air Force became independent. The Air Force matured quickly during the Korean War, and the virtual gallery -- especially its interactive and video content -- provides an engaging way of helping online visitors learn what Airmen and our allies accomplished during the war."
Located at www.nmusafvirtualtour.com, the Korean War Gallery is now fully interactive with initial materials. These areas consist of more than 165 hotspots where users can click on the artifact or exhibit and be provided with more information on that item. Also accessible are 14 audio tour podcasts with printable transcripts, seven videos and three interactive touch screens.
The Korean War Gallery features 14 of the most important aircraft of the conflict, including the C-124 Globemaster III and fighters like the famous F-86 Sabre and its dangerous adversary, the MiG-15. The story is explained in 15 chapters, including themes such as air superiority, special operations, air rescue and many more.
The museum's virtual tour consists of 92 high-definition panoramic nodes. All of the nodes are available online but not all areas are interactive. In addition to the Korean War Gallery, visitors can experience the World War II, Presidential, Research & Development and Early Years Galleries, the Holocaust Exhibit and Memorial and Air Parks. Within the next few months, museum officials plan to have the Southeast Asia Gallery completed.
The museum offers online visitors various ways to experience the tour, whether it is downloading podcasts from iTunes or accessing the tour through handheld devices such as tablet PCs and devices, smartphones or other mobile technologies. Each node eventually will contain clickable images to the aircraft and artifacts that will be hyperlinked to factsheets, supplemental information and educational materials.
