International roster of experts share secrets and stories of
finding and restoring lost aircraft

SEATTLE, March 6, 2015--On March 14-15, The Museum of Flight will host its second annual two-day symposium about the growing field of aviation archaeology. The event will bring together an international team of experts on aircraft recovery and crash-site preservation. Their presentations will explore all aspects of aviation archaeology, with amazing stories of recovery operations from forests, frozen lakes and beneath the sea. The authors in the symposium will also be signing copies of their books. The programs run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and are free with admission to the Museum.

Presenters
John Sessions, warbird pilot and CEO of Historic Flight Foundation in Everett, Wash. Sessions will compare the recovery and restoration of his World War II P-51B and Spitfire Mk. IX. Weather permitting, he will fly one of the planes to the Museum, where it will be on public display for the day.

Peter Merlin, aviation author, renowned "X-Hunter" and Area 51 expert. Merlin will talk about the military experimental aircraft crashes in and around the Nevada desert.

Nick Veronico, author of "Hidden Warbirds: The Epic Stories of Finding, Recovering & Rebuilding WWII's Lost Aircraft." Veronico will talk about his new book, "Hidden Warbirds II."

Mark Allen, underwater aviation and maritime recovery specialist with Kirkland-based Underwater Admiralty Sciences. Allen will discuss the search for a Boeing 314 airliner that sunk in Pacific Ocean over 70 years ago.

Derek Abbey. Abbey will talk about Bent Prop, a volunteer group focused on locating Americans missing in action because of aviation crash during World War II.

Dr. Adrian Hunt, executive director of the Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Wash. Hunt will offer a presentation about World War II air crashes on National Park Land.

Dave and Lindsey Goss, founders of the aircraft restoration company, GossHawk Unlimited. Their presentation will be about restoring seriously deteriorated aircraft to new condition.

Megan Lickliter-Mundon, underwater aviation archaeology expert. Lickliter-Mondon will give a presentation about 3D mapping an underwater, crashed, B-24 bomber.

David McCurry, author of "Aircraft Wrecks of the Pacific Northwest, Volumes 1 and 2." McCurry will talk about aviation artifact sites in the Northwest.

Peter Hunt, scuba diver and former navy A-6 Intruder pilot. Hunt will tell the story of an attempt to unravel the mystery of an Intruder lost at the bottom of the Puget Sound.

Museum of Flight Media Releases
Access this and all other Museum of Flight news releases online at:
www.museumofflight.org/press/archives

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Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, the independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, serving more than 560,000 visitors annually. The Museum's collection includes more than 160 historically significant airplanes and spacecraft, from the first fighter plane (1914) to today's 787 Dreamliner. Attractions also include the original Boeing Company factory, and the world's only full-scale NASA Space Shuttle Trainer. The Museum's aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 150,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum's on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field halfway between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors 65 and older, $17 for active military, $12 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. McCormick & Schmick's Wings Café is on site. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org

Ted Huetter
Public Relations
and Promotions Manager
206.455.5360
Rachel Dreeben
Marketing
and Public Relations Coordinator
206.768.7201