All Stories

Is the American flag backwards on the side of Space Shuttle Discovery? No, the “backwards” flag is actually part of the US Flag Code.

Over the years I’ve spent curating the National Air and Space Museum’s uniform and flight clothing collection, I have received many inquiries. One of the most frequently ask questions concerns the placement of Lt. Gen. Jimmy Doolittle's Medal of Honor ribbon on his wartime uniform.

Two women of the Royal Air Force share their experiences in the military. 

To celebrate the RAF’s 100^th anniversary, get to know a bit about these British aircraft, their owners, and what drew their pilots to flight.

A look at the history and impact of the Predator UAV on military aerial combat.

"Eject, eject, eject!" Most of us are experienced at bailing out of social situations, but what about airplanes? Fewer than 1 percent of military pilots ever pull the eject handle, but they all know what comes next. The canopy blows, and the pilot is (literally!) rocketed up and out. Now what?

Pilot Heather Penney reflects on what it means to be a woman in aviation and the commitment it takes to succeed, no matter what the field.

Delivering supplies to unreachable locations, tracking endangered wildlife, performing at the Coachella music festival—some of the many, varied uses for drone technology. The innovative and creative industries emerging from commercial drones are part of the history being documented at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, many members of the United States military are stationed overseas, far from home.  In November 1956, Brig. Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and his wife Agatha sat down to a Thanksgiving turkey in Taipei, Taiwan, provided by an unusual source—the Vice President of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

What began as a simple phone call between our STEM in 30 team and the United States Navy ended with us being catapulted off the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, going 0 to 165 mph in three seconds. How did we end up there?