2010 is the 75th anniversary of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Aircraft rides and tours during Seattle visit of "Liberty Belle"
 
SEATTLE, April 13, 2010--Liberty Belle, a restored World War II B-17 bomber, is making a visit to Seattle and The Museum of Flight. The Flying Fortress will arrive Monday, April 19 at 10 a.m. and be on view at the Museum ramp from April 19 - April 26. On April 24 - 25 aircraft rides will be available hourly from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by ground tours of the plane from 4:30 - 6 p.m. Flight experiences last about 45 minutes, with 30 minutes in the air. Ground tours of the plane are from 4:30 - 6 p.m. The aircraft is owned and operated by the Liberty Foundation.
 
There were over 12,000 B-17s produced between 1935 and 1945, with almost 5,000 lost in combat. The Liberty Foundation's B-17 Liberty Belle is one of only 14 B-17s that still fly today. The aircraft was built toward the end of the war and was not flown in combat. It is painted in the colors and nose art of the original Liberty Belle B-17 that flew missions with the 390th bomb group of the U.S. 8th Air Force. For costs, reservations and more information: call 918-340-0243 or visit www.libertyfoundation.org

Media flights are available on Monday, April 19 beginning at approximately 11 a.m.
  
Photo courtesy of the Liberty Foundation.
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The non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest independent air and space museums in the world. The Museum's collection includes more than 150 historically significant air- and spacecraft, as well as the William E. Boeing Red Barn® -- the original manufacturing facility of the Boeing Co. The J. Elroy McCaw Personal Courage Wing displays 28 World War I and World War II aircraft from the United States and other countries including Germany, Russia, and Japan. Over 30 aircraft representing the first century of aviation are displayed in the all-glass T.A. Wilson Great Gallery. The evolution of space flight and a look into the future are presented in the exhibit, Space: Exploring the New Frontier. The Airpark includes outdoor displays including the first jet Air Force One, a supersonic Concorde airliner and the prototype Boeing 747 jumbo jet. Interactive displays in The Flight Zone provide educational and entertaining activities for young children. The Museum's aeronautical library and archival holdings are the largest on the West Coast. More than 140,000 students are served annually by the Museum's on-site and outreach educational programs--the most extensive museum-based youth aviation and space education program in the country. The Museum is the only air and space museum in Washington State that is both nationally accredited with the American Association of Museums and a Smithsonian affiliate.
 
The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for active military, $8 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org
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