Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina BuNo. 2459 rolled off the Consolidated production line only days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and became one of the first five amphibious PBY-5A's accepted by the U.S. Navy on December 22, 1941. Assigned to VP-73 as aircraft number "9", it headed to Iceland and began patrolling the treacherous North Atlantic for German U-Boats as they waged a devastating war on shipping convoys supplying England and other Allied nations. ![]()
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Read the rest of the story of this incredibly historic aircraft including the 3.5 U-Boat victories it has to its record at the American Heritage Museum's website at: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/aircrafts/consolidated-pby-catalina/![]()
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See the PBY-5A when it makes its first public appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh - July 20-26, 2026. ![]()
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Music by Bensound![]()
License code: ZRYMUKL8ELFFOOIQ![]()
Artist: : Roman Senyk
A little teaser for the June 20th & 21st Tanks, Wings & Wheels Father’s Day Weekend – Featuring American Elegance - American Heritage Museum! Make your plans now - it's gonna be the bees-knees!
Meet "Rosie the Rocketer"!![]()
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#AmericanHeritageMuseum #VisitMA #MilitaryHistory #HistoryMuseum #WWII
What do you get the dad who has everything? Easy. A real World War II tank experience!![]()
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WWII Tank Ride and Driving Program Gift Certificates from the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA are a one-of-a-kind Father’s Day gift packed with history, excitement, and serious big-gift energy. Choose from experiences in the M4 Sherman, M24 Chaffee, or M36 Jackson Tank Destroyer.![]()
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Give Dad a story he’ll tell forever - shop now at: www.americanheritagemuseum.org/tank-driving-experiences-and-tank-rides/gift-certificates-tank-rid... - certificates ordered up to June 14 should arrive in time!
WWII Tank Experience Gift Certificates & Gift Memberships at the American Heritage Museum
www.americanheritagemuseum.org
Give the gift of history that is sure to be 50 tons of fun! World War II Tank Ride & Driving Program Gift Certificates are the perfect gift for the history lover in your life! Get a gift membership to...
Last day to get 2x entries! ahmus.me/double-down - Get Double Entries in the WWII Jeep Sweepstakes through June 4th! The Grand Prize WWII Jeep is awarded on June 30th and all proceeds from the sweepstakes supports the growth of the American Heritage Museum and our educational programs!
The Road to Victory Sweepstakes - Win a Road-Ready, Original WWII Jeep!
ahmus.me
This is not your average Jeep. The American Heritage Museum is giving YOU the chance to win a real, period-correct, road-ready 1944 Ford GPW Jeep — an authentic WWII-era military vehicle — in the ...
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History After Hours: Maj. Carpenter & “Rosie the Rocketer” with Jim Busha
May 15, 2025 @ 6:00 pm, ending 8:30 pm
$15 – $20
History After Hours is a Monthly Evening Program for American Heritage Museum Guests and Members to learn more about some of the fascinating stories surrounding the history presented in the museum. History After Hours events are 6:00pm to 8:30pm.
Our May 15, 2025 History After Hours Program features Jim Busha, noted aviation historian and journalist and author of Bazooka Charlie: The Unbelievable Story of Major Charles Carpenter and Rosie the Rocketer.
Major Charles Carpenter made headlines during the Second World War when he affixed six bazookas to his tiny Piper L-4 observation plane and began attacking German tanks – successfully destroying six German tanks and destroying or disabling several German armored vehicles. “Bazooka Charlie” and his plane “Rosie the Rocketer” were profiled in a variety of military and civilian publications, including the iconic Stars & Stripes. His efforts earned him the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
The major was a high school educator in the civilian world, teaching history and coaching football. In 1945, the dashing pilot was forced out of the cockpit and into a hospital bed by Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was discovered in his neck. In addition to the enemy and terminal cancer, Carpenter also battled cynicism and guilt, particularly in regard to the state of his marriage, which was on the brink of failure by the time he returned home from Europe. Charles Carpenter died in 1966, having resumed his career, salvaged his marriage, and long outlived the timeline afforded him by his doctors in the initial prognosis.
This revealing biography of the famous pilot was made possible through the collaboration of Jim Busha and Carpenter’s daughter, Carol Apacki. Along with memories of her father in his postwar years, Carol provided a treasure trove of wartime correspondence between Charles and his wife, Elda Carpenter.
The actual L-4 flown by Carpenter, “Rosie the Rocketer” was found by the American Heritage Museum in 2019 and restored to flying condition. It will be on display this evening for visitors to see.
Program Admission
$15 per person advance sale online
$20 per person at the event
Admission is free for American Heritage Museum members.
(Not a member? Click here to purchase a membership and email membership@americanheritagemuseum.org
with your member ID number for the promo code for members)
Click Here to Buy Tickets to History After Hours on May 15, 2025
