DAYTON, Ohio –The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will host U.S. Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Mark Kolic as he speaks about his experiences with the 1943 U.S. Army African Queen Half Track vehicle during “Plane Talks” on Saturday, Sept. 25.
Built by the White Motor Company in Cleveland, Ohio, the African Queen began service with the U.S. Army in World War II and was later modified for the Korean War. Eventually the vehicle was found by Kolic in the desert near Djibouti, Africa.
Kolic will be available near the vehicle in the Korean War Gallery from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. to discuss the retrieval and restoration of the Half Track, and answer any questions that visitors might have about this historic artifact on loan to the museum.
“Plane Talks” is a museum program that occurs several times a year and allow visitors the opportunity to interact with various subject matter experts. These experts may include veterans, active duty, former pilots, crew members, engineers, navigators, and more. Additional “Plane Talks” are scheduled on Nov. 13 in honor of Veterans Day, and Dec. 7 to commemorate Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year thousands of visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.