Air Aces series presented on Air Force Museum’s giant screen

DAYTON, Ohio — In a partnership brokered by Reel Stuff Aviation Resources, the Military Channel’s new six-part series, Air Aces, is simultaneously being screened at the newly renovated Air Force Museum Theatre.

Air Aces, which had its U.S. broadcast premier on Aug. 4, is a series of one-hour episodes that profiles some of the most heroic and courageous military pilots that ever flew. The Air Force Museum Theatre features 7.1-plus surround sound and state-of-the-art 4K digital projection onto an 80-foot wide giant screen.

With the theatre being a National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF) attraction, visitors can both experience a scheduled screening of an Air Aces episode and view the actual aircraft types flown by the pilots depicted in the program among related exhibits.

With access to actual flying aircraft like real Spitfires, Phantoms and P-51 Mustangs, Air Aces recreates incredible historical aerial action scenes and enhances them with CGI, advanced digital techniques, and primary source material. Viewers ride along with the pilots to feel the thick of the action in the cockpit, shaking as the flak explodes around them, and straining under intense G-forces.

The initial six week run of daily screenings in the Air Force Museum Theatre began with the “George Beurling” episode of Air Aces, coinciding with the series’ broadcast premier the same day. Episodes will screened in the Air Force Museum Theatre daily at 5 p.m. at a special price of $5 per person.

“Bringing such top quality Military Channel programming as Air Aces to the Air Force Museum’s new giant screen theatre is a triple-win,” said Reel Stuff director Ron Kaplan. “The Military Channel benefits from a high-profile, high-traffic forum at which to promote its spectacular new series; the Air Force Museum Theatre adds mission-relevant programming ideally suited for its state-of-the-art venue; and, best of all, this delivers a unique, immersive educational experience to theatre patrons, as Air Aces vividly illustrates how some famous military aircraft earned their iconic place in history and display in the Air Force Museum.”

One such example is the Air Aces’ fourth episode, “Robin Olds.” The late Olds is a legendary World War II fighter ace who also later shot down four enemy aircraft in the Vietnam War. Air Aces documents “Operation Bolo” the secret mission which then Colonel Olds, as 8th Tactical Fighter Wing commander, and his flyers conceived as an aerial “bait-and-switch” deception to draw enemy MiG 21 fighter jets into combat with his USAF F-4 Phantoms. Olds led the successful Jan. 2, 1967, mission and counted for one of the seven deadly MiG’s shot down. The Air Force Museum collection features the actual Phantom aircraft, in which Olds scored his four victories, displayed among “Operation Bolo” and related Vietnam air war exhibits.

After this six week dual premier broadcast-theatre screening run concludes, the initial partnership allows the Air Force Museum Theatre to show Air Aces episodes for one year. The theatre’s screening schedule is posted online.