New Orleans: Bombers and torpedo planes will be the stars of the latest expansion of the National World War II Museum, and visitors will be able to get close-up views of the war planes on elevated catwalks.
Construction of the new USD 35 million exhibit will be formally announced Friday. One of Boeing Co.`s most famous World War II aircraft, the B-17G Flying Fortress heavy bomber, will be a centrepiece of the new exhibit.
The B-17G is recognizable by the nose turret designed to defend against oncoming attacks by fighter aircraft.
"When you watch some of the old movies of bombing runs, its the plane you see," said Boeing historian Mike Lombardi said.
The B-17 that has gained enduring fame, in part because it was a primary weapon in U.S. strategic bombing against Germany and because it was featured in the 1949 movie and 1960s television series "12 O`Clock High."
The new museum wing will be called the U.S. Freedom Pavilion: Land, Sea and Air.
"This will be our largest building and a wonderful new chapter on the story of the war," said Gordon Mueller, the museum`s president and CEO.
The pavilion will be financed by a USD 20 million grant through the Department of Defence and $15 million given by the Boeing Co. It will have 30,000 square feet of exhibit space — about half of the current space — and is scheduled to open early in 2012.
It will have a number of other war planes on display. Among them will be a North American B-25J Mitchell medium bomber, made famous by the 1942 raid on Japan commanded by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle. The exhibit will also showcase a General Motors TBM Avenger, which was the Navy`s mainline torpedo plane for much of the war, as well as a Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber. That plane led the U.S. to victory over a Japanese fleet at the Battle of Midway in 1942, considered by many historians as the turning point in the war in the Pacific.
While the aircraft will be the featured attractions, the pavilion also is intended to honor collaborative efforts of the U.S. armed forces.
Included will be an interactive submarine experience based on the last patrol of the USS Tang, which was sunk during an attack against Japanese shipping in 1944. Visitors will re-enact roles of crew members as the sub engages the enemy.
The new pavilion is part of an overall USD 300 million expansion for the museum, which was founded in 2000 as the National D-Day Museum and later was designated by Congress as America`s National World War II Museum. It is privately operated as a non-profit museum.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.