Satisfy your need for excitement at Aviation Heritage Park’s annual Open Cockpit event on Saturday, October 11, from 10 am to 2 pm!
AHP invites the public, from aviation enthusiasts, aspiring pilots, and local history fans, to get an up-close look at the park’s impressive collection of warbirds. On this special day, the cockpits will be open on seven of our static displays, allowing you to look inside the perfectly restored interiors of some of the United States’ mightiest military machines. Knowledgeable docents will be on hand to tell you about the aircraft and share the stories of the heroes who flew them.
Viewing platforms will be available for all aircraft, including the F-4 Phantom II, F-111 Aardvark, Grumman F9F Panther, T-33 Shooting Star, Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King (Marine One), and the Bell UH-1P Huey. These aircraft are on loan from governmental agencies, and while full access is restricted, the viewing platforms provide a great vantage point to look inside. While you are here, get some “before” photos of our newest acquisition, an F-105 “Thud,” which is slated for restoration in 2026.
After exploring the aircraft outside, step into the Aviation Heritage Park Museum to discover the rich history of aviation heroism in south central Kentucky. On the main floor, you can learn the stories of our local heroes through the Distinguished Aviators wall, see our Thunderbirds’ exhibit, and take in our newest exhibit in our Hall of Heroes. For a deeper look at military aviation, head upstairs to the “River Rats Exhibit,” which honors the aviators who served in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
While you are inside the museum, get your camera ready because you are invited to climb into the seat of the T-38 Talon supersonic jet, #901! This incredible aircraft was flown by all the astronauts who have ever walked on the moon. The pilots who have been in its seat include all 6 Mercury missions through 1963, the 10 Gemini missions, and the Apollo program. The astronauts who have flown AHP’s Talon include legends like Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper, Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom and Donald K. “Deke” Slayton, John H. Glenn, Jr., Walter M. Schirra, Jr. and Alan B. Shepard, Jr. During our Open Cockpit Day, you can sit right there, too!
