This exhibit is now closed.

Upon entering this gallery, you would find yourself almost nose to nose with a B-17 Flying Fortress roaring out of a clear blue sky, contrails streaming behind it. The Keith Ferris mural Fortresses Under Fire filled an entire wall and served as a backdrop for five fighter planes.

The story of World War II is too big for a single gallery, so this one focused on land-based fighter aviation. The fighter planes on display were a British Supermarine Spitfire, German Messerschmitt Bf 109, Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore, U.S. North American P-51 Mustang, and Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Also on exhibit were engines, bombs, armament, ammunition, aircrew and service uniforms from several nations, and personal memorabilia.

 National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC Plan Your Visit Related Topics: Aviation Military aviation Weapons World War II In This Exhibit Supermarine Spitfire HF. Mk. VIIc Object Mitsubishi A6M5 Reisen (Zero Fighter) Model 52 ZEKE Object North American P-51D Mustang Object Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6/R3 Object Aeronautica Macchi C.202 Folgore Object