All Stories

While the real world might be behind the curve on Wakanda’s technology, some of the planes featured in the Black Panther universe share similarities to emerging autonomous aircraft.

Bragg was a pioneer African American pilot whose leadership in Black pilot organizations in the 1930s paved the way for other aviators. 

Aerospace pioneers make all kinds of new discoveries during their careers—some even find that special someone along the way.

The Museum will have a brand new opportunity to tell the story of air transportation thanks, in part, to a gift from eight major airlines. 

In the quiet of the Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia sits the U.S. Air Force F-100D “Super Sabre,” serial number 56-3440. 440 was in Vietnam from June 1965 until July 1970, but its most intense combat was seen 50 years ago, during the Tet Offensive.

Airports are transitional spaces, serving the Earth and the sky, a zone where both humans and technology are intertwined. Since 2007, Athenian-born photographer Alexandros Lambrovassilis has been photographing the transition occurring at Ellinikon International Airport, the international airport in Athens, Greece that closed in 2001.

Take a closer look at the Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless' unique landing gear, and how it impacts the flight of the aircraft. 

Flak-Bait, the museum’s Martin B-26 Marauder bomber, flew more combat missions than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II. But how many missions did it participate in exactly?

‘Tis the season for holiday cards.  Many cards feature photos of families and pets dressed in festive (maybe even matching) outfits.  Aviators, on the other hand, celebrate their airplanes! The many collections in the National Air and Space Museum Archives are filled with enough cards to last well beyond the 12 days of Christmas.

As 2017 comes to a close, let’s revisit some of our favorite stories of the year: stories of solar eclipses, scientific women, the Spitfire, and spacecraft.