World War II aircraft scheduled to arrive at Air Force museum early July 4

Historic planes will be on display Tuesday and Wednesday

A trio of historic World War II aircraft are scheduled to arrive at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Tuesday morning, weather and conditions permitting.

The Commemorative Air Force will fly three different Second World War-era aircraft to the museum as part of their Air Power History Tour, the museum said.

Expected to arrive are the B-29 Superfortress known as “FiFi;” the B-24 Liberator “Diamond Lil;” and a T-6 Texan, a legendary trainer of World War II.

The planes are expected to arrive at about 8 a.m. Tuesday, weather and maintenance conditions permitting, the museum said.

If you’re anywhere near the museum at about that time, you may see the planes approach. But the memorial park area behind the museum can be a safe place from which to watch the planes land on the runway behind the museum.

For those who miss the landing, all aircraft will be on static display for the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.

Visitors can see the training aircraft that flew with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS) during WW II and will have the rare opportunity to tour the cockpit of the era’s premier heavy bombers, the museum also said.

In honor of the T-6 trainer flown by the WASPs, free guided gallery tours featuring Women in Aviation will be offered Tuesday and Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Tours will take visitors through the history of women in the Air Force from World War II to space exploration.

The B-29/B-24 Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) brings together the aircraft, pilots and crews from more than 70 CAF units across the country to create the AirPower Squadron, which the museum called “an ever-changing assortment of military aircraft touring together to bring the sights, sounds and smells of World War II aviation history to audiences across the United States.”

The museum is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

About the Author