The exhibit, which will be at the museum the first two weeks of January, is part of the new VIP program — Visiting Important Planes and Pilots, KT Budde-Jones,  museum spokesman, said.
Famous for its gull wing profile and starring role in World War II’s  Baa Baa Black Sheep Squadron, there are only a few of these beautiful and powerful warbirds still flying today.
 

One of the little known stories surrounding the Corsair is that of Ensign Jesse L. Brown, Budde-Jones said. Brown became the U.S. Navy's first aviator to break the color barrier in October 1948. During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in North Korea, Brown’s F4U Corsair was severely damaged. Brown was unable to bail out from his crippled plane and was forced to crash-land. His injuries and damage to his aircraft trapped him in his Corsair. Jesse’s white squadron mate, Lt. Thomas Hudner Jr., crash-landed his F4U Corsair near Brown and unsuccessfully tried to extricate him.  Brown died of his injuries. Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroics.

The U.S. Navy honored Brown by naming an escort ship after him — the U.S.S. Jesse L. Brown. Eventually, Brown’s squadron 32 left Korea and was deployed to Sanford. Today, his story is alive through the exhibit “A Pilot Lights the Way…” featuring the art of celebrated Sanford  artist, Carl Rapheal Purdy. It  honors  Brown and other African-Americans in aviation. The exhibit is traveling in celebration of 100 years of naval aviation.
The exhibit and the F4U Corsair can be seen at the Kissimmee Air Museum,  233 N. Hoagland Blvd., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children 5 to 12 years old.
For more information on the museum and Warbird Adventures’ T-6 flights, call 800 386-1593 or visit www.warbirdadventures.com.