‘Rise Above’ exhibit highlights Tuskegee airmen, female WASP pilots;
to visit Aviation Museum Aug. 15-17, free and open to public
LONDONDERRY, N.H.—A traveling exhibit celebrating the inspirational stories of historic World War II-era aviators will land at the Aviation Museum of N.H. for three days in August.
‘Rise Above,’ which highlights achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen and the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots, will be open to the public free of charge from Friday, Aug. 15 through Sunday, Aug. 17.
The exhibit includes an iconic P-51C Mustang fighter aircraft painted in Tuskegee Squadron’s ‘Red Tail’ design—one of the few still flying today.
Also included are a mobile theater featuring films and displays telling the stories of the Tuskegee Airman and the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots—both groups that overcame adversity to make crucial contributions to the Allied effort during World War II.
‘Rise Above’ will be open to the public on Friday, Aug. 15 and Saturday Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Sunday, Aug. 17, the hours will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Aviation Museum of N.H. is located at 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H.
The ‘Rise Above’ traveling exhibit features the vintage P-51C Mustang as well as a mobile exhibit hall featuring a movie theater and displays about the Tuskegee airmen and female WASP pilots.
The exhibit is designed to help the public—especially young people—understand and remember sacrifices made by those from earlier generations who answered to call to serve the nation, sometimes in spite of great difficulties.
The exhibit will be free to the public due to generous donors who have underwritten the N.H. appearance of ‘Rise Above.’
“It’s a real privilege to welcome the ‘Rise Above’ traveling exhibit to the Aviation Museum,” said Jeff Rapsis, the museum’s executive director. “We are honored at this opportunity to highlight stories of the Greatest Generation at its best to today’s families, and to make the exhibit free to the public.”
The visit to the Aviation Museum of N.H. at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is the only appearance of ‘Rise Above’ in the Northeastern U.S. this year. In addition to the P-51C Mustang, the exhibit is expected to include other vintage aircraft, including a 1943 Grumman Widgeon amphibious aircraft and a PT-23 trainer. All aircraft will be on static display.
In conjunction with the ‘Rise Above’ traveling exhibit, the Aviation Museum’s flight simulator will be set up to give visitors a chance to take the controls of a virtual P-51C Mustang in flight. The museum’s flight simulator is suitable for visitors age 13 and above.
The ‘Rise Above’ exhibit is curated and managed by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a Texas-based non-profit that specializes in restoring vintage military aircraft and organizing tours and exhibits to highlight their historic service to the nation.
The local appearance of the ‘Rise Above’ exhibit is supported by the CAF’s New England Wing, which will be on hand during the event.
The event will also feature food trucks, family activities, and special guest appearances. More information will be released closer to the event. The ‘Rise Above’ traveling exhibit is presented in cooperation with Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
The three-day appearance of ‘Rise Above’ comes as part of the Aviation Museum’s annual ‘PlaneFest!’ celebration, which takes place each August on the weekend closest to the birthday of legendary aviation pioneer Orville Wright.
On Saturday, Aug. 16, ‘PlaneFest!’ will feature a ‘Young Eagles’ program run by members of Chapter 107 of the Experimental Aviation Association. ‘Young Eagles’ programs give young people age 8 to 17 the chance to take a brief flight in a private aircraft. Rides are provided by local pilots, who donate their time and the use of their aircraft.
Advance online registration is required for ‘Young Eagles’; for more info, visit ww.eea.org and click on the ‘Youth and Young Adult’ section.
Other highlights of ‘PlaneFest!’ will include a birthday cake for Orville Wright served to all visitors mid-day on Saturday, Aug. 16.
The Aviation Museum, a non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization based in the 1937 art deco passenger terminal at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, is dedicated to preserving the Granite State’s rich aviation past, and also inspiring today’s students to become the aviation and aerospace pioneers of tomorrow.
The Aviation Museum of N.H. was named ‘Best Place to Take Kids’ in southern New Hampshire in the 2025 HippoPress Reader’s Poll, the fifth year in a row it received this distinction.
The Aviation Museum is located at 27 Navigator Road, off Harvey Road, in Londonderry, N.H. For more information, call (603) 669-4820. Follow the Aviation Museum on social media at facebook.com/nhahs.
