In support of an official event 

The Museum will be closed Sunday, May 25
In addition, the Fourth Hangar will be closed Saturday, May 24

Guided tours of the 4th building, normally scheduled at 3:00 p.m. daily, are canceled through May 28.

Effective immediately, the William E. Boeing Presidential Gallery will have limited guest access due to scheduled event preparations. The only accessible exhibits during this time include: Douglas VC-54 Sacred Cow, Flying the President Exhibit, USAF Established Artifact. We anticipate full gallery access will resume by June 5, 2025.

National Museum of the United States Air Force
National Museum of the United States Air Force
Presidential aircraft at National Museum of the United States Air Force

About the Museum

Welcome to the official website of the National Museum of the United States Air Force -- the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world -- located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio. This site is provided as a public service by the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Public Affairs Division.

Use the top navigation bar to find information about planning your visit as well as events and activities taking place at the museum.

Meet the Director

Learn about museum divisions. 

Museum Mission

The National Museum of the United States Air Force collects, researches, conserves, interprets and presents the Air Force’s history, heritage, and traditions, as well as today’s mission to fly, fight, win … air power anytime, anywhere to a global audience through engaging exhibits, educational outreach, special programs, and the stewardship of the national historical collection. With our educational outreach, we motivate, educate, and inspire youth interest in the United States Air Force (USAF) and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The statutory duties delegated by the Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) are accomplished on behalf of the American People.

We are the keepers of their stories™

Playlist:
Video by NMUSAF PA
Museum Audio Tour 11: Air Power Gallery: Taking the Offensive – China-Burma-India
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Dec. 31, 1969 | 1:50
Early in 1942, Japanese forces cut the Burma Road. For the next three years, the only means of getting supplies from India to U.S. and Allied forces in China was by air over the rugged Himalayan Mountains. Known as the “Hump”, this air route crossed some of the world’s most inhospitable terrain. Treacherous weather, freak winds and violent turbulence over mountain ranges as high as 16,000 feet were as much of a threat to fliers as were Japanese fighters. The C-46 Commando is best remembered as a mainstay in the air supply of U.S. forces in China. The Commando’s large cargo volume and better performance made it well suited for this area of operations. The diorama at the C-46 depicts an Engineer Aviation Battalion – or EAB. Many African Americans served in segregated support units during World War Two, such as EABs. With their skilled engineers and construction workers, they were one of the more significant support units. The self-contained EAB became the core of aviation engineering efforts during the war. Far from centers of civilization, Air Transport Command personnel who flew or supported Hump operations found few opportunities to boost their morale. More than 1,000 men were killed flying over the Hump and almost 600 aircraft were lost. Despite these hardships, some 650,000 tons of cargo were carried over the air route. The experience in delivering mass cargo by air paid dividends for future missions, even after World War Two, such as the Berlin Airlift and the buildup of American forces at the beginning of the Korean War.
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Museum Audio Tour 11: Air Power Gallery: Taking the Offensive – China-Burma-India
Museum Audio Tour 11: Air Power Gallery: Taking the Offensive – China-Burma-India
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Contact Us

National Museum of the
United States Air Force
1100 Spaatz Street
Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433
(937) 255-3286

Plan Your Visit

Air Force Mission

The mission of the United States Air Force is to fly, fight and win ... airpower anytime, anywhere.

To achieve that mission, the Air Force has a vision:

With a Total Force of more than 689,000 personnel, Airmen work to support all aspects of airpower, which includes five core missions: air superiority; global strike; rapid global mobility; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and command and control. Airpower also requires people and resources dedicated to unit readiness, base infrastructure and talent management.