(Photo credit: Pima Air and Space Museum)
THE DATE FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED FOR MAY 18TH
The 18th of May marks almost exactly the 70th Anniversary of the innovative and daring WWII RAF mission called “Operation Chastise,” more commonly known as the “Dambuster Raid” which took place over the 16th and 17th of May 1943. The raid marked the combat debut of several technological advances which in addition to making the mission a success, served as proof-of-concept for the technology and techniques that would play a major role in the outcome of the war.
(Photo credit: Pima Air and Space Museum)
Marking the 60th birthday of former RAF 8th Squadron Avro Shackleton AEW.3 WL790 Mr. McHenry, the Pima Air and Space Museum has recently restored the plane and it will be a featured attraction, fresh out of the paint shop. The museum will also be allowing visitors to climb into the cockpit of an RAF English Electric Lightning. British cars and motorcycles from local enthusiast groups will be on hand as well to round out the “British Invasion” theme of this one-day special event.
With over 300 planes on display, the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, is among the largest aviation attractions in the world. Add to that the bus tours of the world-famous “Boneyard,” the largest aircraft storage and preservation facility in the world (M-F only), and it makes a trip to Pima a “MUST” regardless of where you’re coming from.
