Come Face to Face with History: Tuskegee Airmen

An artist's rendering of the Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft.

They became famous for their aircraft’s bright red tail and for their combat record. The African American WWII pilots, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, are reuniting in Polk County this weekend.

Of the original group of nearly 1,000 trained pilots and 15,000 ground personnel who became known as the Tuskegee Airmen, roughly 100 pilots and 200 ground crew are alive today.

A government archival photo of WWII Tuskegee Airmen.

“Legends & Legacies Symposium Series: They Dared to Fly” opens today and runs through Saturday at Fantasy of Flight, Polk City. Five of the Tuskegee Airmen will meet the public and answer questions at sessions scheduled today, Friday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The five distinguished airmen scheduled to attend are: Dr. Roscoe Brown, Jr., Riverside, NY, Leo Gray, Ft. Lauderdale, Raymond Cassagnol, Oviedo, George Hardy, Sarasota and Hiram Mann, Titusville — and Roy Archer, son of airman Lee Andrew Archer, Jr. who will retell his father’s story.  

Fantasy of Flight has a permanent multi-media Tuskegee Airmen exhibit including previously recorded interviews with several of the pioneering Airmen,

For tickets or more information, visit www.fantasyofflight.com <http://www.fantasyofflight.com/>  or call (863) 984-3500.