Public celebration for famous Lockheed, half-price admission for those dressed in 1930s style
SEATTLE, Aug. 30, 2013–The long-awaited fly-in arrival of the Museum’s 1935 Lockheed Electra, one of only two in the world, is scheduled for Sept. 21 at 1:45 p.m. The rare airliner is the same type as Amelia Earhart’s famous plane, and it will be the center piece of a permanent Earhart exhibit opening in October. In celebration of the Electra’s arrival and final flight, the Museum’s Curator, Dan Hagedorn will lead a noon program about the airplane, followed by outside music and festivities to welcome the aircraft upon its landing. Half-price admission will be offered to Museum visitors dressed in the style of the 1930s.
Grand Finale for Historic Airliner
As the Museum’s airplane, the Electra will make its first public appearance at the Reno Air Races and Air Show Sept. 10-15, and the vintage plane’s final flight will be from Reno to Seattle on Sept. 21. En route, the Electra will flyover an Amelia Earhart event in Oregon, and flown near iconic Northwest landmarks such as Mt. Rainier, the Space Needle and the Seattle skyline. After low passes over Boeing Field before landing, the Electra will taxi into the Museum parking lot and parked next to vintage cars from LeMay – America’s Car Museum. The Electra will be on view in the parking lot for the rest of the day, and will not be displayed again until it is installed indoors in the Earhart exhibit on Oct. 12.
The Airplane’s History
The Museum’s Electra was built for Northwest Airlines and began passenger service in 1935. It served in WWII and then went back to flying passengers for various airlines until it was restored to replicate Amelia Earhart’s Electra in 1996. In 1997 Linda Finch flew it around the world, reenacting Earhart’s ill-fated, 1937 last flight. Today there is only one other Lockheed Model 10-E Electra in existence.
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 $18 for adults, $15 for seniors 65 and older, $15 for active military, $10 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