On Saturday, July 17, the museum will open early for a special presentation on the P-47 and its role in the Battle for France. There is no additional charge for this event—just purchase a ticket to the museum and arrive early so you can be in place for the presentation. Get Tickets

This one-hour event will be held at 9am in the Westpac Restoration Hangar located on the museum campus. The presentation will be made in front of the museum’s P-47 which will be flown subject to weather conditions and runway availability.

The P-47 Thunderbolt was considered by many to be the best fighter-bomber of World War II. A highly versatile aircraft with excellent handling qualities and extraordinary survivability, the P-47 played a critical role in the Allied invasion of France and the ultimate victory over Germany.

The story of the P-47’s role in the battle for France will be presented by Lt. Col. Ashby Taylor, USAF (ret.), a fighter pilot with 21 years of service in United States Air Force. Lt. Col. Taylor flew 160 combat missions in Viet Nam and attended the USAF Fighter Weapons School and Test Pilot School.

The schedule for the event is as follows:

8:00 am Doors Open
9:00 am Presentation
9:45 am P-47 Walk-Around and Start-Up
10:00 am P-47 Taxi and Take-Off

For more information contact the museum’s Front Desk at 719 637-7559

775 AVIATION WAY COLORADO SPRINGS,