Fly Girls of WWII Traveling WASP Exhibit
This exciting, exhibit is designed to educate and inspire visitors with the amazing history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII. The mission of "Fly Girls" is to encourage those who experience the exhibit--and challenge them to “FLY” just a little bit higher.
The new Fly Girls of WWII was recently on display at the BOB BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM in Austin, Texas.
Click the arrows below to watch the slideshow.
Wings Across America's Traveling WASP Exhibit. Slideshow includes a selection of panels recently added to the exhibit and a selection of photos of actual displays.
Exhibit opens with five foot wide pair of WASP Wings.
(This is only a partial showcase of our Fly Girls Traveling WASP Exhibit)
Wings Across America's Traveling WASP Exhibit. 2 panels of WASP photos from training. Each printed on canvas. 3' x 5'
Introductory panel: THE FOUNDER, highlighting Jacqueline Cochran and her extraordinary contribution to the creation of the WASP. QR Code links to the text of Ms. Cochran's speech to the last WASP graduates and a short audio clip.
Panel is 24" x 18"
Introductory panel: THE GENERAL, highlighting General Hap Arnold and his courageous vision for American air power and the creation of the WASP. QR code links to General Arnold's last speech to the WASP.. 24" x 18"
The first of 15 brand new historical panels, which include quotes and QR codes -- making interactive elements, including video and audio, part of the visitor's experience.
32" x 48".
Fly Girls: 1/4 scale model of the PT-17 "Stearman"
Hanging above the panels, in front of the "WASP FILMSTRIP" with faces of over 100 WASP
This wonderful light-weight replica of a WWII training plane ships in its own case.
WASP Filmstrip with the faces of over 100 WASP. Six laminated strips 2 foot high x 30 '
Database of names of WASP and locations available.
Another section of the WASP Filmstrip
Faces of the WASP Filmstrip and the IIlustrated WASP Time Line -- 16 panels of WASP and American WWII milestones. Photo of the Timeline and the Filmstrip as displayed
at Wings Over the Rockies. 6 filmstrips @ 2' high x 30' long each.
Detailed versions of 3 of the 16 panels that makeup the WASP WWII Timeline.
Each panel is 2' x 5'
The QR code on this panel links to a video showing the WASP trainees arriving to Avenger Field on their primary means of ground transportation: a Cattle Truck.
32" x 48"
Fly Girls: Leather Fly Gear label with quote and a QR code linking to a feature video of WASP Anita Paul.
Fly Girls: Fifinella history and where she came from.
Thanks to the Walt Disney Company for allowing her to continue to fly with the WASP!
Fly Girls: Basic Training panel, featuring a WASP quote and a video of WASP trainees learning to fly the Link Trainer. 32" x 48"
Artifacts on display at the Bullock Museum in Austin.
Fly Girls: Photo montage of life during WASP training.
32" x 48"
WASP Training: Ground School, featuring a quote and link to a video of trainees marching around the wishing well, singing. 32" x 48"
Wings Across America's Traveling WASP Exhibit on display at the Bullock Museum.
Fly Girls unofficial dress uniform (label), including a quote and touching video of WASP Marion Hodgson remembering her 2 baymates who were killed during training. 18" x 18"
Artifacts from the Fly Girls exhibit beautifully displayed at the Bullock Museum.
Fly Girls WASP Exhibit includes five authentic WASP uniforms. QR Code on this label links to WASP Shutsy Reynolds (pictured) sharing a story
of an Army Air Force check ride.
WASP Graduation. Includes a link to WASP Doris Tanner describing what it felt like
to put on the Santiago Blue WASP dress uniform at graduation. 32" x 48"
Silver WASP Wings -- different variations of the wings, from the first class to the last, including the Air Transport Wings worn by WAFS. These sterling silver recreations were cast using the lost wax process by WASP Shutsy Reynolds.
Wings are mounted in 24" x 36" shadowbox.
The WASP Dress Uniform and Jacqueline Cochran's WASP Doll.
Fly Girls: WASP Dress Uniform featuring a video clip of WASP Deanie Parrish
recounting her first solo flight. 18" x 18"
Fly Girls: PLANES flown by WASP, canvas artwork, 40" x 60"
Fly Girls: WASP Flight Uniform (label), featuring video of WASP Ruth Helm (pictured) recounting a memorable ferry trip. 18" x 18"
Fly Girls: WASP Duty Stations map of the US, including 120 AAF Bases where WASP were stationed during WWII. 40" x 30" mounted on canvas
Door to a WWII UC 78 Army Air Forces aircraft.
One of the over 77 different types of military planes flown by the WASP.
Fly Girls: Above & Beyond tribute to the 38 WASP and trainees killed while flying for our country. Art on canvas 54" x 68".
Red lined copy of Public Law 95-202 granting WASP Veteran's Status in 1977
Medals awarded to the WASP after their service was declared 'military' in 1977.
Fly Girls: National Recognition--including QR Code to watch WASP Deanie Parrish's "Thank You Speech" to Congress on behalf of all the WASP.
32" x 48"
Congressional Gold Medal replica showcased inside a 13" x 16" shadowbox.
Copy of public Law 111-40 awarding the WASP The Congressional Gold Medal
Fly Girls: The Faces of the WASP Mosaic, mounted on WWII aircraft aluminum. The print features an AT-6 taking off from Avenger Field at sunset and is created from the faces of all 1,102 WASP. Mosaic Key included to find each individual WASP.
Quote-- Astronaut Eileen M. Collins, Col. USAF.
Quote: Lt. Col Nicole Malachowski, First female Thunderbird Pilot.
Quote: General Hap Arnold
Quote: Byrd Granger, WASP
Quote: Secretary of the AF, Michael Donley
Quote: Gen James Doolittle
Quote: Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Chief of Staff, USAF
3 panels, 2' x 5' -- with quotes from the WASP
printed on pvc board
Top of the panel which includes the names and faces of WASP as interviewed. 2 panels containe over 100 WASP and are 2' x 5'. Printed on PVC board.
This hanging banner is 8 ' x 3' and features WASP Deanie Parrish
and some of the iconic values WASP live by.
Graphic also matches Wings Across America's brochure,
available for visitors.
Fly Girls: the perfect backdrop for the TV interview. WASP Deanie Parrish, WASP Bee Haydu, Jenna Bush Hagar, WASP Helen Snapp and the NBC "TODAY" crew, in front of the Fly Girls Exhibit. March, 2010
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BACKGROUND:
Wings Across America's first exhibit doubled in size when it traveled from Baylor University's Mayborn Museum to the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, eventually landing at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo in Michigan. It was such a big hit, they wanted to keep it permanently.
A second traveling exhibit was then created and displayed at Wings Over the Rockies Air And Space Museum in Denver, Colorado.
Following its return from Colorado, the Bob Bullock Story of Texas History Museum in Austin expressed an interest in featuring Fly Girls of WWII as part of Veteran's Day, 2014, through January of 2015. During these conversations, The Bullock staff generously devoted time and expertise to help Wings Across America 'upgrade' and 'refine' the exhibit.
Click to view the photos from the Flygirls Exhibit at Wings Over the Rockies
Click to view a digital version of the "Pass It On" exhibit, including inspirational quotes from the WASP.
CURRENT
Fly Girls of WWII --selected pieces from the Mary Jo Tilton collection will be on display on the 3rd floor of the Bob Bullock Story of Texas Museum .through 2017. Digital photos will be featured on the museum's website.
CSPAN feature on Fly Girls at the Bullock, Jan, 4, 2015
Video interview with Jenny Cobb, Exhibit Assistant at the Bullock Museum
FUTURE:
Dates and locations for 2021/22 are TBD.
If you are a museum interested in showcasing the Fly Girls Traveling WASP Exhibit, click the email link below to contact Nancy Parrish or call the number at the bottom of the page.
