3rd of February, 2024
This Saturday – February 3, 2024 – we’re thrilled to present another great series of presentations for “Hangar Talk” and an awesome “Flying Demo” of the sleek and powerful Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter jet.
Doors to the Museum will open at 9:00am. Regular admission prices are in effect and Museum Members always get in free!
Here’s what’s in store for “Hangar Talk” . . .
Andrew Laddaga and the Wright Brothers’ Wind Tunnel ProjectMany of you may remember meeting Andrew Laddaga back in September 2023 when this young man introduced himself and his proposed project for the Boy Scouts of America’s Eagle Scout award. At that time, he outlined his desire to manage a team of scouts to construct an exact replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1901 Wind Tunnel. This Wind Tunnel was instrumental in helping the brothers determine the proper size, shape, and camber for the wings of their flying machine.
Now Andrew is back to tell us more about this wind tunnel and the experiments that Wilbur and Orville made using it. Most importantly, Andrew will unveil his replica Wind Tunnel – his project and his gift to the Museum.
Medal of Honor Series: Gallantry Under FireWe continue our ongoing series focused on one of the most prestigious awards in the world – the Congressional Medal of Honor. This month, the Museum’s Ken Saltgaver reminds us that heroes walk among us even today as he looks at a more recent Medal of Honor recipient. We’ll see how courage, determination, and a spirit of teamwork came together during a remarkable life-saving mission.
The Story of the MiG-15It’s been several years since we last featured the Museum’s Soviet-era MiG-15 fighter jet in a flying demonstration and we thought it appropriate to tell how this jet came to be and how it served communist bloc nations for decades. The Museum’s Brian Finnegan will begin his story at the close of World War II and show how this early jet became a “game-changer” in the opening months of the Korean War and set the tone for jet warfare in the decades that have followed.
TED Talk – Douglas Bader: From Loss to Exemplary SuccessThe Museum’s Ted Mount continues his look at the Aces of World War II with his glimpse into the extraordinary and adventuresome life of Douglas Bader. This is a story of a man who refused to let tragedy and disability get in the way of his flying and his service to country. Bader’s life is an example for us all, and Ted will take us through it in his own unique and inspirational way.
Flying Demo of the Mikoyan Gurevich “MiG-15”At 12:15pm, Jim Llano of the Museum will present the “Flying Demo” of the Museum’s Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter jet. Echoing our Hangar Talk presentation, Jim will briefly detail the history of the MiG-15 as a combat jet aircraft and talk about this particularly MiG-15’s history.
Following Jim’s presentation, Pilot Chris Fahey will fire up the Klimov VK-1A centrifugal turbojet engine directly in front of the crowd. After the engine roars to life, Chris will taxi away and Jim will hold our Member’s Only Raffle Drawing for some great prizes, including a flight in the Museum’s Vultee BT-13B “Valiant.” Then Chris will delight us with an aerial demonstration of the MiG-15 with a flight over the Museum for twenty minutes. Upon return, guests may meet and ask questions of Chris and learn first-hand what it’s like to fly one of history’s most versatile aircraft.
In addition to all of the above, we’ll have food trucks on hand, the Gift Shop is stocked with plenty of great items, our Museum Guides will tell you the stories of the Museum and its world-renowned collection, they’ll be fun for the kids, and our B-17 will be open for visitors to tour the inside. A great way to spend the day at Planes of Fame!
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