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Meet Jacqueline Cochran
Posted on Oct 28, 2021
On May 18, 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound and, at the time of her death in 1980, she held more speed, altitude, and distance records than any other male or female pilot in aviation history.
Topics: AviationPeopleWomenWorld War II
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Stefan A. Cavallo: Test Pilot for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)
Posted on Nov 12, 2020
During World War II, pilots evaluated a wide range of aircraft types for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Test pilot Stefan Cavallo’s flight trials were critical to successful operations during the war.
Topics: AviationWorld War IIPeople
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Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service: The WAVES Program in World War II
Posted on Sep 14, 2020
As an intern with the Aeronautics Department I had the chance to review and scan hundreds of color images from WWII. What particularly drew my attention were the images of women who served in the Navy’s reserve force, since at the time they were not allowed to serve their country through military enlistment to the same extent as men.
Topics: AviationPeopleWomenWorld War II
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Body Art During World War II: From the Lyle Tuttle Tattoo Art Collection
Posted on Sep 09, 2020
Step outside of the Air and Space Museum and into the Lyle Tuttle Tattoo Art Collection in San Francisco, California to explore the symbolism of tattoo body art during World War II.
Topics: ArtPeopleSociety and CultureWorld War II
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Latin America in the Air War
Posted on Sep 03, 2020
With the 75th anniversary of World War II commemorations nearing their end, it is worth reflecting on those participants whose stories are not always well told.
Topics: AviationMilitary aviationLatino peopleWorld War II
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Celebrating the End of the War
Posted on Sep 02, 2020
Aboard the battleship USS Missouri, representatives from the Empire of Japan met with those of the United States, United Kingdom, France, Soviet Union, China, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to sign the document that formally ended World War II.
Topics: AviationWorld War II
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The Cactus Air Force’s Forgotten Spine: The Royal New Zealand Air Force at Guadalcanal
Posted on Aug 27, 2020
Often overlooked in the histories of the battle is the Cactus Air Forces’ forgotten spine, the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) that fought a desperate battle over the skies of the Solomon Islands.
Topics: Military aviationWar and ConflictWorld War II
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A Special Delivery for the Doolittle Raiders
Posted on Aug 26, 2020
On April 2, 1942, the aircraft carrier USS Hornet was part of a secret plan to strike back at Japan. With no room for aditional airplanes to land on the flight deck filled with B-25 Mitchell bombers, the US Navy turned to the Navy blimp L-8 for a specialy delivery.
Topics: AirshipsAircraftMilitary aviationNaval aviationWorld War II
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World War II in Color, Part II
Posted on Aug 24, 2020
For the Museum’s aviation perspective on the war, we are looking at the nation’s participation in the air war through three lenses – aircrew, ground crew, and the war workers that built the aircraft.
Topics: AviationMilitary aviationWar and ConflictWorld War II
Story
World War II in Color
Posted on Aug 20, 2020
World War II is one of the best documented conflicts in history. Millions of photos and miles of motion picture film stock provide a rich visual documentation of the conflict in both its brutal violence and celebration of martial purpose.