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

Access to the Presidential Gallery will be limited from May 15 to June 5

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 5 June 2025.

Fact Sheet Alphabetical List

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  • V-2 with Meillerwagen

    The German army developed the V-2, known also as the A4 missile, as an alternative to super-long-range artillery, which the Treaty of Versailles prohibited after World War I. Designed by rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun, the V-2 was a breakthrough in missile technology but failed to prevent

  • Republic/Ford JB-2 Loon (V-1 Buzz Bomb)

    The JB-2 was a U.S.-made copy of the famous German V-1 surface-to-surface, pilotless flying bomb first used against England in June 1944. The Republic Aviation Corp. built the airframe for the JB-2 from drawings prepared at Wright Field, using dimensions taken from the remains of several V-1s

  • VB-1 Azon Guided Bomb

    The VB-1 (VB for vertical bomb) was a 1,000-pound bomb fitted with a tail assembly containing radio-controlled movable rudders. These permitted the bombardier to attain greater accuracy by steering the bomb to the right or left (referred to as azimuth, hence the name Azon) after its release from the

  • Rheinmetall MK 108 30mm Cannon

    Displayed at the museum is the 30mm MK 108, which was a belt-fed, low velocity cannon with electric ignition. In addition to the two 13mm MG 131 machine guns mounted above the engine, the Bf 109G-10 carried either a 20mm MG 151 or a 30mm MK 108 cannon that fired through the propeller hub. Although

  • Mk XIII Aerial Torpedo

    Developed by the U.S. Navy weapons station at Newport, Rhode Island, the Mk XIII served as the United States' standard aerial torpedo in World War II. Thirteen feet long and 22.4 inches in diameter, a combat-ready Mk XIII weighed about 2,200 lbs, including 600 lbs of Torpex high explosive. In the

  • Welrod Mark IIA Silenced Pistol

    "Snap of a Finger"The noise of the Welrod Mark IIA .32-cal. silenced pistol being fired has been characterized as being no louder than the snapping of a finger. Developed by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), the Welrod was manufactured in two calibers -- .32 (as displayed) and also in

  • M65 1,000-lb. Bomb

    The M65 1,000-pound general purpose (GP) bomb was typically used against reinforced targets like dams and concrete or steel railroad bridges. The P-47 Thunderbolt could carry two M65s, while the B-26 medium bomber could carry four. The AN-M65 is on display in the World War II Gallery.Click here to

  • M29 Cluster Bomb

    The 415-pound M29 cluster bomb was used during World War II against enemy troops, unarmored vehicles and artillery. Typically carried by fighters and medium bombers, the M29 was dropped from between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. After release, the outer seal separated to dispense 90 4-pound fragmentation

  • M10 Airplane Smoke Tank

    Several types of fighters and light bombers carried the M10 smoke tank. The Douglas A-20 could carry up to four of these tanks to lay a smoke screen or dispense chemicals such as tear gas. When filled to a maximum of 30 gallons, each tank weighed up to 588 pounds and could lay a smoke screen about

  • "Little Boy" Atomic Bomb

    The Mk I bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," was the first nuclear weapon used in warfare. It was delivered by the B-29 Enola Gay (on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum), it detonated at an altitude of 1,800 feet over Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. The result of the Manhattan