National Museum Of The U.S. Air Force Acquires PT-17

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force has officially welcomed a PT-17 to its collection after a ceremonial transfer at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland this week. According to the museum, the aircraft is significant in that it is one of only two PT-17s still in existence that saw use during World War II as a trainer for the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black airmen in the U.S. military. The museum acquired the PT-17 via an aircraft exchange with the Massachusetts-based Collings Foundation’s American Heritage Museum.

“This aircraft is a valuable piece of our American aviation and military history,” said National Museum of the United States Air Force Director David Tillotson III. “Adding this to our collection gives us the ability to tell the broader story of the impact and bravery that that Tuskegee Airmen had during World War II, and the precedent they set for future generations.”

The museum noted that the PT-17 will be on display in its WWII Gallery beginning in the spring of 2024. Located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, the National Museum of the United States Air Force houses more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of historical items. Admission to the museum, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is free.