Aviation Museum of New Hampshire hosts hangar barbecue and fly-in

Visitors at the June 18 event at Boire Field in Nashua, New Hampshire, are invited to walk the flight-line of vintage, homebuilt, and general aviation aircraft while mingling with local aviators and aviation enthusiasts. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ramp tickets cost $10 for adults, with free admission for children 12 and under. An airport-style hangar barbecue buffet with all the fixings will be served for an additional cost.

Pilots are welcome to fly in, and those with vintage airplanes and homebuilt aircraft are encouraged to attend.

This year’s event will feature a historic Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina flying boat, operated by Historic Air Tours. This vintage World War II-era aircraft is nicknamed the Flying Turtle, and is one of only a handful of Catalina amphibious aircraft still flying. This type of aircraft is credited with playing a major role in World War II.

The Flying Turtle will be on display from 10 a.m. to noon and then will offer 30-minute rides for $350 per person for 30-minute rides, the museum announced. Proceeds from the flights are used for aircraft fuel, restoration, and maintenance. Rides may be booked in advance online.

The event is expected to host a number of other vintage aircraft, including a restored World War II-era Fairchild PT-23 training airplane from the New England Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, a historic aircraft preservation organization.

A virtual reality aerobatic flight, the “Rob Holland Experience” will be available to event attendees. Participants, using virtual reality goggles, can see what it’s like to perform aerobatic flight maneuvers with Nashua-based world aerobatics champion Rob Holland.

"This popular exhibit has been in storage during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, but it's now time to get it out again to give visitors a chance to fly along with Rob Holland, Nashua's hometown aviation hero," said Jeff Rapsis, the museum’s executive director.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to check out the museum’s student airplane-building partnership with the Manchester School of Technology, “where high school students are in the final stages of completing their first aircraft—a Van’s RV-12iS.”

The barbecue buffet is served at noon at the hangar of Nashua Jet Aviation at 83 Perimeter Road at Boire Field. Tickets to the barbecue are $30 for adults; $25 for museum members; $10 for ages 6 to 12; and free for kids 5 and under. Ramp tickets, which do not include lunch, are $10 per person, with kids 12 and under admitted free.

Attendees may buy tickets in advance online. All proceeds of the fly-in barbecue benefit the nonprofit Aviation Museum of New Hampshire.