Air Zoo Blog
Category: Flight Discovery Center
Wednesday, Jul 27, 2022
Discovering Shaba with Captain Thad Darger
The Air Zoo is excited to welcome a very special guest for a Discovery Series event this Saturday evening. Former F-117 Nighthawk pilot, Captain Thad Darger, will be reunited with the recently completed F-117 Nighthawk (tail number 817), Shaba, and will share his exciting journey with the 8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Wing, of Holloman Air Force Base. Captain Darger was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism while flying in the stealth aircraft displayed at the Air ...
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Monday, Nov 1, 2021
A Long Farewell to the SBD-2P
A few weekends ago we completed the 5+-year restoration of the world’s only SBD-2p Douglas Dauntless Dive Bomber on Friday, hosted a wonderful and emotional Aloha party to say goodbye to the aircraft on Saturday, and began taking it apart for transport on Monday. Bittersweet to say the least, as we are preparing to send the SBD back home to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (PHAM) in Honolulu, HI after our team spent over 40,000 hours restoring her to her former glory. With a...
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Friday, Oct 29, 2021
WWII pilot’s family reunited with restored plane at Air Zoo - Featured on WMUK
After more than five years of meticulous restoration at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo, a restored World War Two dive bomber that crashed into Lake Michigan during World War Two is heading to a new home. The Douglas S-B-D “Dauntless” will be on display at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum in Hawaii. Earlier this month, it was celebrated at a family reunion.
Enjoy the article & Interview now!
By Leona Larson, WMUK Reporter
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at Friday, Oct 29, 2021
Wednesday, Oct 13, 2021
Celebrating the end of an exciting chapter at the Air Zoo’s Restoration Center
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The time has come to celebrate the hard work and dedication the volunteers and staff at the Air Zoo have put into the restoration of the Douglas Dauntless SBD-2P Dive Bomber, a historic WWII Navy aircraft once thought lost forever in Lake Michigan.
The SBD-2P (Bureau Number 2173) currently housed at the Air Zoo’s Flight Discovery Center is the last of its kind. It was thought to have sunk to ...
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Wednesday, Aug 11, 2021
Historic Flying Fortress to Visit Air Zoo in Honor the Heroes Tour
The Air Zoo is preparing to welcome their 3rd visiting aircraft of the summer. The Boeing B-17G “Yankee Lady,” will visit the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Center’s Flight Discovery Center, beginning Friday August 13, 2021. The estimated time of arrival is 12:30PM and will stay until late Saturday afternoon.
This incredible aircraft last visited the Air Zoo May 31st - June 2nd of 2019, as part of the Air Zoo’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, and ...
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Friday, Jul 30, 2021
C-47 that led the main D-Day airborne invasion of Normandy visits the Air Zoo – tours and rides available
The Air Zoo is honored to welcome the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Central Texas Wing and their historic C-47, “That’s All, Brother,” to Kalamazoo. The crew will land at the Air Zoo’s Flight Discovery Center on Sunday, August 1st at approximately 11am. “That’s All, Brother” will be available for tours and rides Monday, August 2nd through Thursday August 5th. They will then head to Evansville, IN, the last stop on their 2021 Tour. Vi...
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Tuesday, May 11, 2021
The Air Zoo partners with STEM Flights to offer free flight experiences for local students.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Air Zoo Media Contact: Nikki Statler, Director of Marketing
Phone: 269.350.2811
Email: nstatler@airzoo.org
STEM Flights Media Contact: Carley Walker
Phone: 703.851.7952
Email: carley@stemflights.org
The Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Center has partnered with a fellow nonprofit to deliver free educational flight experiences for middle and high school students in the greater Kalamazoo area. The flights are administered by...
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Tuesday, Mar 2, 2021
Meet Shaba
In 2019, the Air Zoo was notified that it will be the proud recipient of one of the first F- 117 Nighthawks released for public display at a non- government institution.
The highly decorated Shaba (817) is one of 15 Nighthawks with over 5,000 flight hours. This incredible aircraft is one of 10 Nighthawks to fly at least 50 combat sorties; one of 7 that flew in at least three of the four significant campaigns in which Nighthawks were used; and one of only 5 that fit all three categories.
TH...
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Tuesday, Sep 22, 2020
B-17 Flying Fortress to Visit Air Zoo Last Michigan Stop in the 2020 Salute to Victory Tour
The Yankee Air Museum announced it is dispatching its flagship, the Boeing B-17G “Yankee Lady,” to the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport on Saturday, October 3, 2020. The Museum’s award winning World War II heavy bomber is visiting the area, offering self-guided tours and Air Adventure rides. The plane will arrive at approximately 10:00AM. Flight operations are scheduled to begin at 11:00AM at the Air Zoo...
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Monday, Jul 6, 2020
The Air Zoo – Phased Re-Entry Welcoming Guests, Both In-Person and Virtually
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Portage, MI, July 6, 2020 – Following an announcement made mid-June, the Air Zoo reopened its doors to its Members on Monday, June 29th, kicking off a two-week members-only appreciation period. General admission to the public will resume on Monday, July 13th at 9am. The Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Center staff and volunteers are excited to be putting months of preparation and planning, outlined in a 32-page document, referred to as the “Air Zoo Re-Entry Plan,” into action....
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Tuesday, Dec 10, 2019
The Story of our FM-2 Wildcat
IT WAS A COLD DAY OVER LAKE MICHIGAN
On December 28, 1944, it was just 15 degrees in Michigan when the FM-2 Wildcat fighter plane that currently calls the Air Zoo’s East Campus Restoration Center home crashed into the icy waters of Lake Michigan. One of the US Navy’s most successful fighters in early WWII, this particular Wildcat was being used to train pilots for aircraft carrier landing and takeoff over Lake Michigan. After completing two take offs and landings that fateful day,...
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Come visit us.
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Great place! Very interesting educational and informational! Great place to take the whole family as there is something for young children up to adults!
blackeyedsusan2018
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We took our grown daughters and young grandsons to the Air Zoo. It was very entertaining for all of us. There is so much to see and do. Rides for the whole family!
Rick C