‘Sound Barrier Broken’ party at air museum on Oct. 14

The Wings of the North Air Museum is set to mark the 76th anniversary of Chuck Yeager’s historic breaking of the sound barrier with a “Sound Barrier Broken” party.

It will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at the museum, which is located at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie.

The museum will be free on this “special day,” a press release stated.

Military veterans who have exceeded Mach 1, Mach 2, and even Mach 25, will be on hand to share their stories of high-speed flight. 

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Among those expected to attend are retired Lt. Col. Caroline “Blaze” Jensen, who served with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and Retired Col. Curt Brown, a former NASA Space Shuttle mission commander.

Both Jensen and Brown, in addition to other military veterans, will be sharing their personal experiences with supersonic flight. The press release specifically highlighted Jensen’s role as one of the few female pilots in the Thunderbirds and her contributions as a supersonic flight instructor. Brown’s credentials, as detailed in the release, include piloting five supersonic aircraft during his Air Force tenure and commanding three NASA Space Shuttle missions.

This comes after the museum’s recent reopening on Sept. 9, following a two-year hiatus. While currently situated in a temporary facility, the museum, with a 25-year history at Flying Cloud Airport, is raising funds for a permanent location.

Those interested in the event can find the museum at 14857 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, just inside Gate H on the northwest corner of Flying Cloud Airport. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

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Wings of the North is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.