The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History will hold a Dedication Ceremony for the newly restored F-16 Fighting Falcon - an aircraft operated by the New Mexico Air National Guard 150th Fighter Wing ‘The TACOS' - on Wednesday, November 5, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and other dignitaries will be present to publicly acknowledge the legacy and historical significance of the TACOS, as they are represented on the airplane's trim and tail insignia.

Who: The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History - a congressionally chartered, Smithsonian Affiliate - will host the Dedication Ceremony for the F-16 Fighting Falcon alongside U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and Brigadier General Andrew Salas, Adjutant General for the New Mexico Air National Guard.

What: A Dedication Ceremony will be held for the newly restored F-16 Fighting Falcon - an aircraft operated by the New Mexico Air National Guard's 150th Fighter Wing ‘TACOS'. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich and other dignitaries will be present to publicly acknowledge the legacy and historical significance of the ‘TACOS', as they are represented on the airplane's trim and tail insignia.

Where: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
Heritage Park
601 Eubank Blvd SE
Albuquerque, NM 87123

When: Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Why: The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History has completed the restoration of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a full-bodied aircraft acquired by the Museum in March, 2014. This special initiative to recondition the F-16 to display the New Mexico Air National Guard 150th Fighter Wing, ‘The TACOS,' tail insignia and trim, was part of "Operation Preservation" - a two-year campaign to restore the iconic aircraft in the Museum's outdoor exhibit area known as Heritage Park.

The TACOS will be honored in the restoration of this airplane because of their legacy and contributions to our country. This division of the New Mexico Air National Guard has flown combat operations in Korea, Vietnam, Bosnia and Iraq and was mobilized and flew combat air patrol sorties throughout the United States following the attacks on September 11, 2011. The 150th Fighter Wing TACOS operated the F-16 from 1992 to 2003.

Restoration of this iconic aircraft was supervised by Jerry Hanks, Project Manager, and was completed with the help of volunteers from Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, Museum volunteers and members of the CNM Aviation Maintenance Technology program and Service-Learning program.