Valiant Air Command, Inc.

09/27/2026

Busy day today over at Venue on the horizon!

09/24/2026

On June 6, 1944, our C-47 Tico Belle crossed the English Channel towing a glider full of 82nd Airborne troops into Normandy. 🇺🇸✈️

She went on to fly in Operation Dragoon, Market Garden, the Bastogne resupply and Operation Varsity, then served with the Norwegian and Danish air forces. She survived a crash in 2001, and after years of work by our volunteers, she's still flying today.

Read her full story on our blog 👉 https://www.valiantaircommand.com/post/tico-belle-d-day-c-47-skytrain

Tico Belle is a Douglas C-47 that towed a glider into Normandy on D-Day. Discover her 80-year story and see her at Valiant Air Command in Titusville, FL.

09/18/2026

🛍️ Did you know Valiant Air Command has an online store?

Visit: https://shop.valiantaircommand.com/

Our Commemorative Brick Program is currently available online, making it easy to recognize a veteran, loved one, squadron, organization, or someone special while supporting Valiant Air Command.

Are you a current Valiant Air Command member? Your **10% member discount is also available for eligible online store purchases!**

📧 Members: Please check your email for instructions and your exclusive discount information. For the protection of this member benefit, the discount details will not be posted publicly on social media or our website.

Thank you for supporting Valiant Air Command and helping us preserve aviation history for future generations!

09/18/2026

🇺🇸✈️ Happy Birthday to the United States Air Force! ✈️🇺🇸

Today, Valiant Air Command proudly celebrates the birthday of the United States Air Force, officially established as an independent branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on September 18, 1947.

The history of the Air Force is well represented throughout our museum, with aircraft that tell the story of American air power across generations — including our impressive Republic F-105 Thunderchief, an aircraft forever associated with some of the most demanding missions of the Vietnam War.

From the early days of military aviation to the aircraft of the Cold War and beyond, these machines help us preserve the stories of the pilots, aircrews, maintainers, and countless others who served.

🎂 Happy 79th Birthday, United States Air Force!

To all Air Force veterans, active-duty Airmen, and their families — thank you for your service.

Aim High… Fly-Fight-Win! 🇺🇸

09/16/2026

✈️ **Your next aviation adventure is waiting — don’t wait until you arrive to get your tickets!**

Plan ahead and purchase your admission to the **Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum** online before your visit.

With **48 historic aircraft** to explore, incredible stories from aviation history, and something new to discover around every corner, there’s no better time to plan your trip.

🎟️ **Skip one more thing at the door — get your tickets online today:**
https://valiantaircommand.ticketing.veevartapp.com/tickets/view/calendar/

Whether you’re planning a family day out, visiting the Space Coast, or finally checking the museum off your list, secure your tickets now and start looking forward to your visit.

📍 Titusville, Florida
🕘 Open daily, 9 AM–5 PM

**History is waiting. Come experience it for yourself.**

09/15/2026

09/15/2026

✈️ A Remarkable F-14 Story — Told by the Man Who Lived It

Valiant Air Command had the pleasure of welcoming former U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat Radar Intercept Officer David "Bio" Baranek (Topgun Days, Tomcat RIO, and Before Topgun Days ), along with Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., to the museum to share the incredible story of the day a Martin-Baker ejection seat saved his life.

On December 19, 1981, Bio and his pilot, William “Bill” Switzer, were landing their F-14 Tomcat aboard the USS Constellation in the Indian Ocean when things went terribly wrong.

Their Tomcat caught an arresting cable that had not been set correctly for the aircraft’s weight. The cable initially slowed the F-14 — but then failed. Traveling at roughly 50 knots, the Tomcat was moving too fast to stop on the remaining flight deck, yet too slowly to become airborne again.

With the aircraft heading over the side of the carrier, Switzer called 𝐄𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐄𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭!

Bio pulled the lower ejection handle.

Their Martin-Baker GRU-7A ejection seats fired during the brief moment the Tomcat was falling from the carrier deck toward the ocean below. Both men survived — Bio without injury and Switzer with only minor injuries — and both continued their U.S. Navy careers.

Hearing stories like this firsthand is an important part of preserving aviation history. Aircraft tell one part of the story — but the experiences of the men and women who flew them bring that history to life.

🎥 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘉𝘪𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AODsGL15nM

A huge thank you to David “Bio” Baranek and Martin-Baker for visiting Valiant Air Command and sharing this unforgettable piece of F-14 history with us.

Two U.S. Navy aircrew. Two emergencies. Two ejections that saved th...