Stories of daring, stories of technological feats, stories of prevailing against the odds ... these are the stories we tell at the National Air and Space Museum. Dive in to the stories below to discover, learn, and be inspired. 

Showing 101 - 110 of 701

An oil painting on a 73.25” x 94.75” canvas depicting a bomber crew of nine airmen in the foreground, standing or kneeling in front of the tail section of a large Allied aircraft. Three of the airmen are wearing yellow life-vests. The interplay of light and shadow on the men’s faces and throughout the painting creates a somber feeling.

June 05, 2023

The Art of War

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The healing power of art.

An engineer in a hazmat-type suit and mask inspects the James Webb Space telescope's primary mirror segments, large octagonal mirrors that are the size of the engineer.

June 05, 2023

Up to Speed

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The latest news in aviation and space.

An early battery that resembles a jar with substance inside is photographed against a dark background.

June 02, 2023

Technical Study and Treatment of an Early Battery Assemblage

Story

Discover the process behind the conservation treatment of a set of batteries that Samuel Langley used in laboratory experiments, providing power to Langley’s later aviation and scientific experiments.

Grainy image of an aircraft flying with a trail of contrails.

May 26, 2023

Northrop P-61 Black Widow: First American Airplane Designed and Built to Fight at Night, Part II

Story

On January 30, 1942, the Army Air Corps awarded Northrop a contract to build two XP-61 prototypes. Rediscover the Northrop P-61 Black Widow aircraft in part two of the blog series.

A side by side comparison of a lion.

May 18, 2023

Conservation Treatment of Gilmore the Flying Lion: Making Decisions

Story | Inside the Conservation Lab

As a cub in the 1930s, Gilmore made aviation history when he traveled around the United States with the flamboyant and colorful aviator Roscoe Turner as a mascot for the Gilmore Oil Company. This is the second in a three-part blog series about the conservation treatment of Gilmore the Flying Lion. Explore how the Museum balanced caring for the original taxidermy with the goal to present Gilmore as lifelike as possible.

Katharine Wright (1874-1929)

March 31, 2023

Katharine Wright: The Wright Sister

Story

Katharine Wright played an important role in the early US aviation industry. The younger sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright, inventors of the first heavier-than-air powered aircraft, she was a key representative within the Wright Company.

A group of flight attendants pose for a picture.

March 29, 2023

Three Women in Aviation You May Not Have Heard Of

Story

From forgotten trailblazers to unsung heroes, the stories of these three lesser-known women in aviation are a testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and a love of flight.

Close-up of a Phantom II flying over the ocean.

March 22, 2023

The MiG Hunters

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Navy pilots recall the final, frenetic days of the air war over Vietnam.

A trio of Fokker Dr.1 replicas—two of which are painted with camouflage patterns—sit on a grassy field, where they took part in an airshow at Pennsylvania’s Golden Age Air Museum.

March 22, 2023

Rebuilt to Last

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

A small group of enthusiasts keeps World War I airplanes aloft.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th Anniversary rendering of a plane flying over the Golden Gate Bridge.

March 22, 2023

Pilot Program

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The development of Microsoft's desktop computer Flight Simulator.