390th Memorial Museum

The 390th Memorial Museum at Tucson’s Pima Air & Space Museum focuses on the World War II legacy of the 390th Bombardment Group, later lineage to the 390th Strategic Missile Wing. Formed in 1943 and equipped with Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, the group flew roughly 300 combat missions from England, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations for sustained operations against heavily defended targets. At the heart of the memorial is B-17G 44-85828, exhibited as a tangible reference point for Eighth Air Force heavy bomber engineering, crew coordination, and the attrition realities of daylight strategic bombing. The museum’s proximity to Davis–Monthan Air Force Base and the vast aircraft “boneyard” underscores a broader narrative of long-term preservation, from aluminum airframes stored in the desert climate to a single restored Flying Fortress interpreting one unit’s experience. For enthusiasts, the site provides a concentrated environment to study unit-level history, bomber crew roles, and the evolution from manned strategic bombing in the 1940s to the missile age represented by the later 390th Strategic Missile Wing.