Indy Transponder: The Museum of Flight: Happy New Year!

Greetings!,

It's a busy week here at The Museum of Flight! The annual Blackbird Tip-to-Tail tours continue through Sunday, Jan. 4 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. Even if you think you know the Blackbird story well, you are sure to learn something new among the astounding facts and figures the docents share.

Thursday, Jan. 1 the Museum stays open late for Wells Fargo Free First Thursday. From 5 - 9 p.m., enjoy the Great Gallery, Personal Courage Wing, Space: Exploring the New Frontier exhibit, flight simulators and more--for free! The Museum Store and Wings Cafe will also remain open for the extended hours on this night.

Finally, Sunday, Jan. 4 is your last chance to see Harmony of the Universe: The Art of Toshiro Sawanuki in the Great Gallery. The Museum's new temporary exhibit, The Berlin Airlift--A Legacy of Friendship opens in the Great Gallery on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Dream, Discover, Soar!

Sincerely,
The Museum of Flight

December 2008

DECEMBER 2008

BLACKBIRD TIP-TO-TAIL TOURS

Friday, Dec. 26 - Sunday, Jan. 4 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily

Still the fastest piloted jet the world has ever seen some four decades after its first flights, the Lockheed Blackbird continues to fascinate and amaze. And so do the Museum's wonderfully knowledgeable docents! Continuing a holiday tradition, the docents pull out all the stops for their special Tip-to-Tail Tours of the Museum's unique M/D-21 Blackbird and Drone. Even if you think you know the Blackbird story well, you are sure to learn something new among the astounding facts and figures the docents share.

January 2009

JANUARY 2009

WELLS FARGO FREE FIRST THURSDAY

Thursday, Jan. 1, 5 - 9 p.m.

Once a month, the Museum stays open late--for free! Enjoy the Museum's Great Gallery, Personal Courage Wing, Space: Exploring the New Frontier exhibit, flight simulators and more from 5 - 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. Museum Store and Wings Café will also remain open for the extended hours on this night.

BANK OF AMERICA WEEKEND FAMILY WORKSHOP: SPACE STATIONS: A HOME IN THE SKY!
Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25 at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.

Since the 19th century, scientists and writers have dreamed of an outpost in space orbiting the Earth, where people could live and work. Learn about space station design, then build your own space station model!

THE BERLIN AIRLIFT--A LEGACY OF FRIENDSHIP

Saturday, Jan. 10, Great Gallery

On view for one month, this exhibit honors the 60th anniversary of the humanitarian effort commonly known as The Berlin Airlift.

The exhibit is presented in part by The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Washington, D.C. The Museum is one of only a few places this exhibit can be seen during its year-long tour of the United States.

PAPPY BOYINGTON FIELD: A DOCUMENTARY FILM BY KEVIN GONZALEZ

Saturday, Jan. 10 and Sunday, Jan. 11, 2 p.m. each day, William M. Allen Theater

"Pappy Boyington Field - A Campaign to Honor a Hero" tells a story surrounding the controversy in paying tribute to a hometown hero by changing the name of the local airport. The town is Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and the hero is World War II Marine fighter ace, "Pappy" Boyington. Filmmaker Kevin Gonzalez will be on hand to introduce the film and to answer any questions during both screenings.

AMERICAN FIGHTER ACES PANEL: US ARMY AIR FORCE ACES OVER EUROPE

Saturday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m., William M. Allen Theater

Join the Museum as we honor a panel of WWII Aces who flew over Europe:
Maj. William H. "Bill" Allen flew P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs during the war. Hear how he became an "ace in a day."
Maj. Frank McCauley, credited with 5 ½ aerial victories, flew the P-47 Thunderbolt and completed 46 fighter missions over Germany.
1st Lt. George P. Novotny was credited with three confirmed aerial victories flying in the P-40 Warhawk with the 325th "Checkertail" FG while in Africa in May, 1943. In December he was transferred to Italy and flew the P-47 Thunderbolt, gaining five more aerial victories.

TIP-TO-TAIL TOUR: THE DOUGLAS DC-3
Sunday, Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Great Gallery

Docent Dr. Dieter M. Zube will present the role of the military C-47 and the civilian DC-3 in the Berlin Airlift. Zube's Father was involved in the Airlift operation.

ASTRONOMER DR. DON BROWNLEE AND THE STARDUST MISSION

Saturday, Jan. 24, 2 p.m., William M. Allen Theater

On Jan. 2, 2004, NASA's Stardust spacecraft flew through the coma of Comet Wild 2 and collected approximately 1 million bits of dust from the comet. Two years later it flew back past Earth and dropped a capsule of comet dust samples that landed on the Utah desert. These are the first extraterrestrial samples returned to Earth since the 1970s and the first from beyond the Moon. This little comet dust bin has revolutionized our understanding of these cosmic building blocks. Stardust Principal Investigator Don Brownlee will share the details of this exciting mission and what it has shown us about the formation of our Solar System.

THE CANDY BOMBERS: LECTURE AND BOOK SIGNING BY ANDREI CHERNY

Saturday, Jan. 31, 2 p.m., William M. Allen Theater

In conjunction with the Museum's temporary exhibit celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, author Andrei Cherny will talk about his popular book on the subject, The Candy Bombers. Bringing together newly unclassified documents, unpublished letters and diaries, and fresh primary interviews, Cherny tells the tale of the ill-assorted group of castoffs and second-stringers who not only saved millions of desperate people from a dire threat, but changed how the world viewed the United States - setting in motion the chain of events that would ultimately lead to the dismantling of the Berlin Wall and America's victory in the Cold War.

NASA ASTRONAUT REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND
Saturday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 1

The Museum remembers the fallen astronauts of Apollo 1 and Space Shuttles STS-51-L Challenger and STS-107 Columbia during the anniversary of the tragedies. Special remembrance exhibits include the display of the panels highlighting the lives of each of the 17 astronauts. There will also be a special display of personal memorabilia from Washington State resident and Columbia pilot Willie McCool.

BANK OF AMERICA WEEKEND FAMILY WORKSHOP: BADGE OF HONOR: REMEMBERING THE CREWS OF APOLLO 1, STS-51-L CHALLENGER AND STS-107 COLUMBIA.
Saturday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 1 at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.

Learn about the history of space mission patches. Then make your own space mission button honoring the American astronauts who have given their lives to advance the progress of space travel.

February 2009

FEBRUARY 2008

NASA ASTRONAUT REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND LECTURE: DR. BONNIE J. DUNBAR

Sunday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m., William M. Allen Theater

In honor of NASA Astronaut Remembrance Weekend and in conjunction with the Friends Always: The Berlin Airlift--A Legacy of Friendship exhibition, Dr. Dunbar will give a presentation on her first space flight experience; STS-61-A Challenger--the West German D-1 Spacelab Mission.

Scheduled Events

DECEMBER 2008 EVENTS

JANUARY 2009 EVENTS

FEBRUARY 2009 EVENTS