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 21 - 30 of 698

Ten white men wearing olive-green flightsuits stand inside a large airplane hangar. The hangar door is open, revealing snow-covered mountains against an overcast sky.

December 18, 2024

The U.S. Military Finds a Way to Complete Challenging Missions

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Over its long career, the P-3 Orion's superior engineering has allowed the U.S. military to achieve its goals.

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Portrait of the vintage biplane, the 1909 Wright Military Flyer, on a black background.

December 18, 2024

Wilbur and Orville Wright’s 1909 Triumph for the U.S. Army

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

An in-depth look at the National Air and Space Museum's Wright Military Flyer.

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A group of ten people wearing casual clothing stand beside a single-propellar, pristine-looking World War II aircraft painted with green, brown, and gray camoulage stripes and the large red star of the Soviet Union on its tail.

December 18, 2024

The Ilyushin Il-2 Was Known as the “Flying Tank”

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

What's new in aviation and space.

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A large hand-carved teakwood chest with scalloped edges and four round feet. The chest appears to be stained a rich reddish brown. The front panel on the chest has a bas-relief globe pattern flanked by a pair of airplane wings.

December 18, 2024

This Trophy Chest Belonged to Amelia Earhart

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Amelia Earhart's trophy chest will be displayed in the Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight gallery in 2025.

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AirSpace, a podcast, logo

November 28, 2024

AirSpace Bonus! The Air Up There: Airplane Facts with Max

Story | AirSpace Podcast

While we get Season 10 ready we're bringing you this episode from our friends at the Federal Aviation Administration's Podcast, The Air Up There.

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Portrait of Arthur Van Haren, Jr.

October 12, 2024

WWII Ace Arthur Van Haren Jr.

Story

Arthur Van Haren Jr. became one of the most decorated naval aviators to come from Arizona, and one of the most decorated Latino pilots of World War II.  He embodied many Americans who entered the war with no previous military experience, yet through training, skills, and bravery, performed above what could have been imagined.

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A computer-generated 3D image shows a detailed view of a wrecked World War II-era Boeing B-17 as it appears at the bottom of the Adriatic Sea, crusted with coral and other marine life.

September 23, 2024

Treasure Hunting for Airplanes: The Great Debate

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Aviation archaeology is primarily the locating and documenting of old aircraft crash sites.

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A 65-year-old Black woman sits in the left seat of an airliner cockpit. She is smiling and wearing an airline captain's uniform, including a white shirt and a hat.

September 23, 2024

“If You Can See It, You Can Be It.”

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

An Interview with Capt. Theresa Claiborne, the first African American woman pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

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A white man in his early 70s stands inside a museum gallery. He is wearing glasses and smiling. Behind him, is the nose and forward fuselage of a Boeing 747 airplane. The 747 is painted in a red, gray, and white paint scheme.

September 23, 2024

Jumbo Jet

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

How the National Air and Space Museum acquired the Boeing 747 for America by Air exhibition. 

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A photo of the desolate lunar surface shows an Apollo astronaut standing beside a moon rover, parked on the edge of a vast deep crater.

September 23, 2024

A Breath of Fresh Air

Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Recent discoveries and news in aviation and space. 

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