The Collective - Event Reports - Close Encounters of the Third Kind Model

On May 12, 2007 some of us traveled to the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center Museum in Chantilly, VA to see all the huge aircrafts and space vehicles that were on display there. To our surprise we stumbled across this model, the original filming model of the alien mothership from Steven Spielberg's 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, on display in a dark corner of the James S McDonnell Space Hanger. It was behind glass and only well lit on one side.

Part of our interest in this huge detailed model was due to this exhibit sign. Apparently the creators of the Mothership model had a sense of humor. There were several items added to the model as jokes. There were planes, droids, a bus, cemetery etc.

We had a fun time inspecting the model for these odd items. We found some... Can you spot them?
	the R2-D2 android from Star Wars in the picture to the left the 2 planes in the picture to the right

	a Volkswagen bus hides in the dark in the picture to the left the small cemetery plot can be seem in the shadows in the picture to the right

We weren't able to find the submarine nor the US Mailbox while there. But we did find some other items that may have also been intentionally placed on the model. In the picture to the right you can easily see Darth Vader's Tie Fighter from Star Wars.

Here are more close up pictures of the model. Maybe you can find more gag items...