What was it like to secretly fly Soviet MiGs for the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War?
Join Lt. Col. (Ret.) Rob “Z-Man” Zettel for a special book signing and conversation about his new book, American MiG Pilot, and his firsthand experience flying top-secret MiG-21s and MiG-23s as part of the legendary Constant Peg program.
From hidden airfields at Area 52 in Nevada to some of the most elite air-combat training ever conducted, this is a rare look inside one of the Cold War’s best-kept secrets.
📍 Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
📅 Saturday, May 16
⏰ 12:30–2:30 PM
Presentation, Q&A, and book signing included. Learn more and get tickets at the link in bio.
Have you ever wanted to paint a plane?
Join us at Wings’ Exploration of Flight as we bring new life to a retired Cessna 150 with a one-of-a-kind aircraft art experience for the whole family.
Learn the history of nose art, work with a certified teaching artist to choose a theme, and help map, tape, and paint a real airplane. Plus, enjoy a picnic on the tarmac while watching planes take off and land at Centennial Airport.
Your artwork won’t just be a memory. The finished Cessna will be displayed in our hangar for future guests, friends, and family to see.
📍 Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)
📅 Saturday, May 30
⏰ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Spots are limited. reserve yours today at the link in bio!
🎤 New on the Behind the Wings podcast: Leadership Under Pressure
In this episode, host Rick Crandall sits down with Major General John Barry for a conversation spanning fighter aviation, Cold War alert missions, combat leadership, NASA, and national crises.
From nuclear alert scrambles over Europe to leading the largest fighter wing in the world at Luke Air Force Base, and even surviving the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, Barry’s career placed him at the center of some of the most consequential moments in modern aerospace history.
To hear more stories, find Episode 72 at the link in bio or wherever you listen!
This episode is supported in part by United Airlines.
Ejecting in the F-105 over Hanoi
Combat missions over North Vietnam often left little room for error. Thunderchief pilot and POW Thomas Kirk discusses leading what was then the largest raid of the war, being struck by anti-aircraft fire over Hanoi, and ejecting at hundreds of miles an hour.
To hear more stories, check out Episode 71 of the Behind the Wings podcast at the link in bio or wherever you listen!
Summer House, Wings edition. 🏡
Did you know former President Dwight D. Eisenhower escaped to Colorado during the summer? Between 1953–1955, he and Mamie visited Lowry Air Force Base to get away from the Washington D.C. heat. Before becoming president, Eisenhower led the D-Day invasion during WWII and helped liberate western Europe.
Now his story is coming to the big screen. Pressure, starring Brendan Fraser as Eisenhower, explores the high-stakes decisions that shaped D-Day. As a Wings follower, you can enter to win tickets to an exclusive advance screening on May 26 at the Sie FilmCenter before it hits theaters.
Head to the link in bio to enter.
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Giveaway ends 5/20 at 11:59 pm MST. No purchase necessary to enter or win. Open only to US residents, 18 or older. Void where prohibited by law. 30 winners will be chosen at random and notified by direct message/comment via Wings Over the Rockies social media account. Winner must respond within 24 hours or winner will be void and an alternative winner may be selected. Prize includes: two (2) advanced screening tickets to the movie Pressure. No cash or other substitution permitted. Prize is non-transferable. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Facebook, or Meta.
Landing a Helicopter on a Bank Robber’s Car.
In a high-stakes moment, a quick decision helped save countless lives. Pilot Mike Silva discusses covering a high-speed pursuit in a news copter and why he took matters into his own hands.
To hear more stories, check out our YouTube page or Episode 61 of the Behind the Wings podcast at the link in bio!
I was asked to speak at Cali’s school about Space… I know it’s shocking… but I haven’t been to Space 🤣 so I brought in the true pros from @wingsmuseum and they were out of this world. 🪐☄️🚀They brought three crafts (glow in the dark constellations, craters on the moon, and meteor impact) plus the star of the show- Astronaut Ice cream. We all had the best time and learned so much. Ya never know, there might be a future astronaut in the classroom. 👨🚀🚀⭐️
A free day at Wings is coming. ☁️
Thanks to @scfd_co , the Air & Space Museum is free to attend! Check out our iconic exhibits, take a ride on our simulators and connect with aviators and aerospace enthusiasts.
🗓️️ May 19
🕙10:00AM – 5:00PM
📍Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (7711 E Academy Blvd, Denver, CO 80230)
Learn more using the link in bio!
Our next Sensory Friendly Hours event is coming up on May 24 from 10AM-11:30AM at the Air & Space Museum. ️⭐️
Explore the hangar in a calm and welcoming environment with reduced lights and noises. Friends and family with sensory processing sensitivities can enjoy the hangar in a more calm and quiet environment. Everyone has something to participate in!
🗓️️ May 24
🕙10:00AM – 11:30AM
📍Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (7711 E Academy Blvd, Denver, CO 80230)
Admission is FREE for those with sensory processing sensitivities and their families. Please pre-register at the link in bio.
Flying Into the Most Heavily Defended Airspace.
Nearly 400 F-105s were shot down over the course of the Vietnam War, making operations extremely dangerous. Thunderchief pilot and POW Thomas Kirk discusses the initial excitement for his first combat mission and how it quickly turned to fear due to the heavy anti-aircraft fire surrounding Hanoi.
To hear more stories, check out Episode 71 of the Behind the Wings podcast at the link in bio or wherever you listen!
