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#AmericanHeritageMuseum #visitma #militaryhistory #historymuseum #WWII
Did you know that our TBM-3E Avenger currently on display in our annex hangar during special event weekends operated as a fire bomber / sprayer in civilian service after WWII and before we restored it from 1984-1986? Here is a photo of it in 1978 courtesy of the Warbird Information Exchange (WIX) and Warbird Resource Group as taken by Martin Kyburz - it certainly looks a lot different today! See more photos of the TBM both before and after restoration at: www.warbirdregistry.org/avengerregistry/avenger-91733.html
Today we celebrate the birthday of Harriet Quimby, one of America’s great aviation pioneers. Born on May 11, 1875, Quimby became the first American woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1911 and quickly captured national attention with her skill, courage, and unmistakable purple flying suit.![]()
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In 1912, she made history again as the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel, piloting a Blériot XI, the same type of early aircraft now on display in the American Heritage Museum’s annex hangar. Her achievement came just years after the dawn of powered flight and helped inspire generations of women in aviation.![]()
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The included photo shows Connie Tobias, pilot and Harriet Quimby re-enactor, flying the AHM Blériot 20 years ago, bringing Quimby’s remarkable legacy back to life.![]()
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#HarrietQuimby #AviationHistory #WomenInAviation #AmericanHeritageMuseum #BleriotXI #LivingHistory
On this day in 1940, Germany launched its invasion of Western Europe. Aircraft, tanks, motorized units, and communications helped change the pace of warfare in the opening phase of the Battle of France. The American Heritage Museum has several notable artifacts on display related to the Battle of France including the German Panzer 1 tank and the British Matilda Mk.II. Additionally, the museum is currently restoring an original German Junkers Ju 87D-5 Stuka in the Czech Republic and a German Heinkel He 111H-3 bomber in Florida for eventual display - both key aircraft used by Germany in its Blitzkrieg tactics. Learn more about the Battle of France by visiting us today!
On this day in 1945, Victory in Europe Day marked the end of World War II in Europe. For millions, it meant liberation, relief, grief, and the beginning of rebuilding after years of destruction. The American Heritage Museum has one of the largest collections of tanks, military vehicles, and artifacts from the European Campaign and we invite you to come and explore more!
- This event has passed.
Speaker Series: WAR PIGEONS: Winged Couriers of the U.S. Military, 1878-1957
July 17, 2021 @ 1:00 am, ending 3:00 pm
$20
For more than seven decades, homing pigeons provided the U.S. military with its fastest most reliable means of communication. Often, they were the only means of getting messages through. In the book WAR PIGEONS: Winged Couriers of the U.S. Military, 1878-1957, author Elizabeth Macalaster chronicled the service of this extraordinary bird in American armed forces, from its fledgling beginnings after the Civil War, to the birds’ invaluable role in communications in every branch of the military through both World Wars and beyond. There is no other animal as much a part of American heritage as the homing pigeon.
About the author:
Although Elizabeth Macalaster grew up among barnyard birds, she started her career as a marine biologist, studying North Atlantic cephalopods. She turned to science journalism and worked for the U.S. Department of Interior and EPA on water quality issues. Elizabeth now writes primarily science and history articles for newspapers and magazines.
Under the pen name, Ryan Ann Hunter, Elizabeth collaborated with Pamela D. Greenwood on award-winning nonfiction books for children and young adults. Their YA book, In Disguise! Undercover With Real Women Spies, reveals the achievements of unsung heroines throughout history. While researching this book, she came across information about homing pigeons making reconnaissance flights with tiny cameras strapped to their chests. The swift and strong little bird snagged her curiosity, and she began her foray into the world of homing pigeons.
Elizabeth is also the author of Reckoning At Harts Pass, an adventure/thriller in which homing pigeons play a covert role. A sequel is underway where Naomi, the main character, is being hunted by jihadists and the FBI.
