First-ever public display of ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎

SEATTLE, April 1, 2014—The Air Force has chosen The Museum of Flight to permanently store and archive its ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ from the legendary Area 51 test flight facility at Groom Lake, Nev. The ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, described as ◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, will be on public display in the Museum’s Great Gallery next to the Lockheed M-21/D-21 Blackbird spyplane for up to ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎. Experts believe that the ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, and ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, were ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ were ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎.

◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ and ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ from ◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ were recently delivered directly to the Museum via ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎. The ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ include ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ and ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ that have ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ for over ◼︎◼︎ years. In addition to the ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎, the ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ were delivered in secure, airtight containers. A spokesman for the Defense Agency said the Museum was chosen because of its archival expertise, commitment to historical veracity, and its strategic location near the Duwamish River south of Seattle. The ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ are on loan to the Museum indefinitely, and will remain the property of the Air Force.

◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ historian and Area 51 expert Peter Merlin says the Air Force’s decision to move the classified ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ to the Museum will benefit future civilizations in ways we cannot imagine at this time. “I look forward to seeing them someday,” added Merlin, “unless they somehow ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎.” Merlin will be one of several speakers at the Museum’s “Area 51: The Real Deal” symposium on April 26.

Area 51 Vehicles Already in Museum’s Collection

The ◼︎◼︎◼︎ classified ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ augment the Museum’s very public display of two Lockheed aircraft that ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ flew at Area 51 - the ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ M/D-21 Blackbird, and the Jetstar CL-329 prototype. The M/D-21 was one of ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ Lockheed aircraft engaged in ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ at Area 51. The Jetstar was used by Lockheed engineer Kelly Johnson on corporate flights to oversee ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ at the ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ Groom Lake ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎.

Museum of Flight News Releases

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The independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, attracting more than ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ visitors annually. The Museum’s collection includes more than 160 ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ air- and spacecraft, the original manufacturing facility of The Boeing Co., and the world's only ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎. The Museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ individuals are served annually by the Museum’s ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ ◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎◼︎ 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 half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is id="mce_marker"9 for adults, id="mce_marker"6 for seniors 65 and older, id="mce_marker"6 for active military, id="mce_marker"1 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