Note: All donations must be approved by the museum's Collections Committee prior to being accepted.
Please email the donations mailbox prior to physically shipping anything to the museum. Click here for more information about donating an item to the museum.
The National Museum of the United States Air Force is always seeking donations of artifacts, archival material, and digital files related to the US Air Force, USAF Reserve, Air National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, and their predecessor organizations. The examples listed on this webpage are not meant to be an exclusive list but represent some of the known gaps in the Museum’s collection that we hope to fill with your donation or assistance.
- A-1 Flight Jacket (1930s issue) in either brown or green (view photograph, courtesy of Lost Worlds, New York, N.Y.)
- U.S. Army Air Corps uniforms from the 1920s and 1930s, including insignia materials
- Memorabilia from closed bases and other facilities
o Movies
o Books
o Comics
o Toys/games
o World War I
- Royal Flying Corps/Royal Naval Air Service/Royal Air Force
- Lafayette Flying Corps: Lafayette Escadrille and other Americans in French units
o Between the Wars (1920s through 1930s)
- Royal Air Force/Fleet Air Arm
- Kościuszko Squadron – American volunteers fighting for Poland in the Polish-Soviet War (1919–1921)
- Yankee Squadron, Lincoln Battalion - Americans who fought during the Spanish Civil War
o World War II
- Eagle Squadrons
- Flying Tigers
o Memorabilia from closed bases and other facilities
o Uniforms/gear, personal items, photos, maps, diaries, sketchbooks, postcards, etc.
o Aviation-themed “trench art” and souvenirs
o POW items
o US aviation in occupied Germany and postwar France
o Embroidered pennants given as gifts to US aviators
o B-17D and B-17F components and repair parts to support the restoration of The Swoose and the Memphis Belle™.
o Type B-8 Winter Flying Helmet (view photograph, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, "Combat Flying Clothing" by Sweeting)
o Type AN-H-16 Winter Flying Helmet (view photograph, courtesy of Smithsonian Institution, "Combat Flying Clothing" by Sweeting)
o Body Armor for aircrews and ground forces
o Acrojets
o Skyblazers
o Thunderbirds
o Night Vision Equipment
o Air Force Cross event related items and archival materials
- signage, artwork, photos, etc.
o USAF Mortuary Flight Equipment
- Coffin
- Flags
- Other specialized items
o Flight Gear
o Uniforms (issue and non-issue)
o “Morale patches” (official and unofficial), certain souvenirs
o USAF ground convoy operations and Detainee operations
o Items illustrating cooperation with international partners/host nations
o Captured material
o Airlift/aerial port/Aerial refueling operations
o Combat air operations (Fighter & Bombers)
o Electronic warfare, C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)
o QRF and Security Forces/AF ground forces materials
o Support operations OCONUS
o Air Advisor materials
o Personal Memorabilia
o Images (print and digital)
o US Air Force Reserve Pipe Band Highland Dress
o USAF Band Drum Major accessories
o Equestrian Competition Service Dress Configuration
o Outstanding Airman Badges
o Inspector General Badge o Headquarters Air Force Badge
o (Note: Firearms are especially sensitive items for the museum to collect. Please contact the donations mailbox for specific instructions prior to shipping.)
o Anti-tank weapons
o Any firearms carried by Special Forces that are not standard issue
o AR-5/MA-1 rifle
o Firearm Accessories:
- Lasers
- Flashlights
- Grips
- Other
o GAU-22/A – 4 barrel 25mm cannon for F-35
o General Dynamics GAU-12/U Equalizer - 25 mm Gatling-type rotary cannon for AC-130’s
o Gun sights: Need examples of the multitude of red dot, telescopic and many other gun sights used on rifles and handguns.
o Heckler & Koch HK417 Rifle – USAF Special Forces use
o M107/M82 .50 sniper rifle
o M11 pistol
o M-24 rifle
o M240 machine gun
o M249 automatic rifle
o M-4 rifle with grenade launcher
o M-9 pistol
o MCS 870 combat shotgun
o MK-14, Mod 0 battle rifle
o MK-19 machine gun
o MP5 submachine gun
o SIG Sauer M17 Modular Handgun System (P320)
o XM174 grenade launcher
o 25mm ammunition (inert) – used in GAU-12 and GAU-22 cannons
o ZEUS-HLONS (HMMWV Laser Ordnance Neutralization System)
o "Beetle" – radiation proof aircraft repair robot
o Active Denial System
o R-11 Refueler Truck
o Up-Armored HMMWV from early in Operation Iraqi Freedom (any field mods intact if possible)
o MRAP
o M-ATV
o JLTV
o Flightline equipment
o Cargo Parachutes
o Aeromedical equipment
o Loaders
o Mechanic’s equipment
o Medal of Honor event related items and archival materials
o Missileer Uniforms and equipment
o SCAPE Suits
o Special Operations Weather
o Tactical Air Control Parties
o Combat Controllers and Special Tactics Officers
o Pararescuemen and Combat Rescue Officers
o Special Ops Helicopter Units
o Tan Flight Helmets
o Combat Air Advisor Brown Beret
o Wearable Computers
o Insignia
- SERE
- Special Tactics Officer
- Combat Rescue Officer
o Non-standard uniforms