Walk with Us in the Footsteps of Heroes Duxford “Flying Legends
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Walk With Us in the Footsteps of Heroes Photo Credit: John Dibbs Lyon Air Museum’s “Heroes and Legends of WWII” July 2013 Tour of Historic Sites and Museums in England and France, Including the Fabulous Duxford “Flying Legends” Air Show Lyon Air Museum Presents “Heroes and Legends of World War II” A Tribute to “The Greatest Generation in Aviation” (and ALL Who Served) A Tour of Historic Sites and Museums in England and France Featuring the Internationally Famous Duxford Air Show July 10 – 23, 2013 Lyon Air Museum is sponsoring a “Tour of a Lifetime” international adventure that will appeal to everyone interested in World War II history. In the summer of 2013 we will travel to England and France on a journey of discovery and remembrance. In twelve unforgettable days we will visit historic sites in both countries that played a key role in winning the war in Europe. We will visit the fabulous American Air Museum at Duxford, England (the creation of which was due in large part to Major General William Lyon’s efforts), and witness the awesome Duxford “Flying Legends” Air Show, featuring immaculately restored World War I and II vintage planes in action. We will visit the room where “Ike” Eisenhower and his staff planned the liberation of western Europe, then begin a two-day tour of the places in Normandy where it happened. We will walk the tranquil sands of Omaha Beach, once stained with American blood. We will gaze at the sheer cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, which American Rangers climbed to neutralize big guns that could have wreaked havoc on the landing ships. We will visit Sainte-Mère-Église, where American Airborne troops landed in the midst of devastating enemy fire. On a lighter note, we will enjoy the sights and sounds of two of the world’s greatest cities: regal London and “The City of Light,” glorious Paris! For those persons whose schedules and/or budgets preclude participating in the full tour, we offer an “England Only” option that includes the full four-night London-based program as well as the three days and nights in the Portsmouth area before returning home from London Heathrow on July 18. In offering this outstanding tour for 2013 we are building on the success of our 2012 “D-Day+68” tour, which was unanimously praised by the participants. Throughout this brochure and highlighted in blue are comments about that tour from some of those intrepid travelers. All live in Southern California, except as noted. Several photos in this brochure were taken by participants on our 2012 tour. Photo Credit: Rob Scott With the imposing American Air Museum in the background, “Walking the Flight Line” at the “Flying Legends” Air Show is a special treat that awaits us as the pilots ready their rare warbirds for flight. The Lyon Air Museum 2013 Tour Itinerary Wednesday, July 10 The tour group assembles at Los Angeles International Airport, where we board a non- stop, overnight British Airways flight in BA’s upgraded “World Traveler Plus” class to London’s Heathrow Airport. (Participants from areas other than Southern California will fly independently to London.) The “World Traveler Plus” section of British Airways’ Boeing 747-400 series aircraft is, as shown in this seating diagram, a completely separate section with just 36 seats, located between First Class and “Club World” class. It features wider, more comfortable seats than those in the standard “World Traveler” class at the back of the aircraft, with head and foot rests and a greater decline. Individual video screens offer a wide range of entertainment options, and with just 36 passengers, attentive meal and beverage service is assured. Thursday, July 11 We arrive at Heathrow, clear Customs & Immigration, then are transported by private coach to the Radisson Blu Portman, a modern, four-star hotel ideally situated in the heart of London’s fashionable Mayfair district. The Radisson Blu Portman, a quiet oasis in the busy city. This evening, a "Welcome to London" cocktail reception and three-course gourmet dinner in a private room of the hotel set the stage for the exciting events to follow. Members of our 2012 tour group get acquainted at their welcoming dinner. Friday, July 12 Start the day with a bountiful breakfast buffet in the hotel. Then we’re off to experience London! We’ll see Buckingham Palace, the Mall and Admiralty Arch, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and “Big Ben.” Then on to majestic St. Paul’s Cathedral, which miraculously survived the Nazi bombs that leveled the areas around it. Next, the infamously historic Tower of London, where a Yeoman Warder ("Beefeater") will give us a tour featuring a look at the stunning Crown Jewels. Returning to our private coach we’ll ride across Tower Bridge to the Anchor at Bankside, an ancient pub overlooking the river, from which Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London. We’ll enjoy a hearty three-course "pub lunch" on the pub’s riverside terrace (weather permitting), then travel back to Whitehall for a tour of the Churchill War Rooms, the authentically preserved underground headquarters of the British High Command that served as the nerve center of the war planning effort during World War II. The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben The Tower of London 8 The Anchor Pub The Map Room in the Churchill War Rooms We’ll return to our hotel for a bit of a rest, then an early dinner* before going "out on the town." Instead of staying together as one group we will divide into two or three parties, each of which will attend one of the many “live” theater productions in London’s exciting West End Theater District. *If you prefer, you can dine after the theater on our À la Carte voucher plan, in the hotel or at any other restaurant and be reimbursed for the cost of the meal, up to a specified amount. “The tour exceeded my expectations.” Dr. W. B. Saturday, July 13 You have three choices today: 1. Spend the day on your own in London, doing independent sightseeing, shopping at the fabulous department stores, perhaps taking a ride on the "London Eye," a giant Ferris wheel with enclosed cabins that offer spectacular aerial views of the great city. 2. Travel by private coach to the beautiful, historic Georgian city of Bath, famous for its ancient Roman baths and its links to Jane Austen. After a welcoming “coffee and cake” treat in the historic Assembly Rooms you will be given a walking tour of Bath by a professional guide, concluding with a very “proper” English afternoon tea at the elegant Francis Hotel before returning to London. Right: Some of the participants on our 2012 tour survey Bath’s extra- ordinary architecture. 3. Visit the RAF Museum in North London. Situated on the site of the London Aerodrome, it displays over 100 aircraft from around the world. After lunch at the museum we tour HMS Belfast, a World War II vintage Royal Navy cruiser, anchored in the Thames. Left: Immaculate Me 262 at the RAF Museum is the genuine article, not a replica. Below left: The RAF Museum’s iconic P-51 Mustang. Below right: HMS Belfast framed by Tower Bridge. Dinner this evening will be on our À la Carte voucher plan, in the hotel or at the restaurant of your choice. Sunday, July 14: Duxford Day! To maximize our available time at Duxford we will travel from London to Cambridge by regional train, with a private coach providing transport between the Cambridge railway station and nearby Duxford Airfield. En route, we’ll visit the American Cemetery and Memorial at Madingley, to pay our respects to the thousands of Americans who died during the European Air War. We then proceed to Duxford, where we will have the balance of the morning free to explore the many wonders of the American Air Museum and the other displays at the huge, historic Imperial War Museum complex. Above: The American Air Museum at Duxford displays an incredible collection of preserved planes, including a P-47, B-17, B-24, B-29, B-52, and an SR-71, plus over a dozen other historic aircraft, all under one very large roof! Below: The AAM’s immaculately preserved B-17G, “Mary Alice.” Sunday, July 14 (continued) The “AirSpace” building at IWM Duxford also presents a wide range of important planes, including a Concorde. The afternoon is devoted to one of the most spectacular World War II “warbird” aerial exhibitions ever staged: “Flying Legends!” A dazzling array of over 50 fully operational WWI and WWII fighters and other rare aircraft will take to the skies over Duxford to perform breathtaking displays of not only the planes but the skill of the pilots who man them*. We’ll enjoy this premiere international aviation event in the exclusive “Gold Pass” seating area, with a gourmet lunch included. This premium ticket also allows us to “walk the flight line” before the planes take off. Among the rare warbirds expected at the 2013 show are a P-47G Thunderbolt; P-38 Lighting; F4U-4 Corsair; two Hispano Buchons; nine Spitfires; three Hawker Sea Furies; Hawk 75; many P-51s; two P40s; three Yak Fighters; Nieuport 17; Fokker DR1; Sopwith Triplane; B-17G Flying Fortress Sally B; PBY Catalina Miss Pick Up; an Avro Lancaster and a Hawker Hurricane. Photo Credit: Frank Mormillo A photo taken in 1944? No, it was shot 68 years later, as over two dozen WWII vintage fighters flew over southeastern England during the 2012 “Flying Legends” Air Show ─ a sight you’re unlikely to see anywhere else! *Exact program of events subject to operational availability of scheduled aircraft and appropriate weather conditions.