Let's Learn About Interior Lights!![]()
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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.
ACONE “De-Icer” Event featuring Patrik Muzila – Owner & Operator of Pivotal HELIX eVTOL
April 2 @ 6:00 pm, ending 8:00 pm
$20
Re-scheduled from March – Now April 2nd!
Join the Aero Club of New England and the American Heritage Museum for a rare, first-hand look at the rapidly emerging world of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
On Thursday, April 2nd, ACONE and AHM welcomes Patrik Muzila, one of the earliest private owners and certified operators of the Pivotal HELIX eVTOL, for an in-depth discussion on what it’s really like to own, operate, and fly a next-generation electric aircraft.
Weather permitting, Patrik will have the Helix on display indoors during the presentation—offering attendees a rare opportunity to see the aircraft up close and ask detailed operational questions.
Patrik is an early internet pioneer and entrepreneur whose interests span computer software, renewable energy, high-performance construction, and eVTOL aviation. In the mid-1990s, he helped develop some of the earliest database-driven web applications, later co-founding a web software company that was ultimately acquired by Adobe.
After a sabbatical, Patrik shifted his focus to renewable energy and high-performance building, founding European Architectural Supply, the first company to import high-efficiency European windows into the United States. Under his leadership, the company has grown into a leading U.S. supplier of high-performance building components.
Patrik has long followed developments in the emerging eVTOL industry. In 2025, he was selected for Pivotal Aero’s early access program for the BlackFly eVTOL—the world’s first commercially available eVTOL aircraft—and became the second customer certified to fly it. He will discuss his experience as a non-pilot learning to fly the BlackFly (recently renamed HELIX) and share insights from his first year owning the aircraft.
He will also cover the fly-by-wire, semi-automatic, computer-regulated flight control system, as well as maintenance, electric charging, takeoff and landing considerations, transport and assembly, and his thoughts on the future of consumer-level eVTOLs.
Event Details
When:
Thursday, April 2nd, 2026
Doors open: 6:00 PM
Social: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
Presentation with Q&A: 6:45 PM – 8:00 PM
Where:
American Heritage Museum
568 Main St
Hudson, MA 01749
Cost:
– Guests: $20 per person
– Aero Club of New England (ACONE) Members: Free!
Program:
• Aircraft overview & HELIX display
• Owner-operator experience with HELIX
• Flight control systems, maintenance & operations
• Audience Q&A
Includes self-guided museum tour and light fare with refreshments.
Note: Aircraft arrival and display are weather dependent.
Register early! Seats limited to 100 attendees.
Registration required by Monday, March 2nd.
