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
 

Fact Sheet Alphabetical List

Fact Sheet Search

  • 37mm Aircraft Cannon

    This Model 1918 Type M1 Cannon was manufactured at the Watervliet Arsenal, N.Y., during World War I. Mounted on a swivel, it was designed to be fired one shot at a time.Tests indicated that single-shot cannon of this type required too much attention by the pilot or observer during actual combat,

  • Wright 1909 Military Flyer

    The Wright 1909 Military Flyer became the first military heavier-than-air flying machine. Upon purchase by the Signal Corps for $30,000 on Aug. 2, 1909, the U.S. Army designated the Wright 1909 Military Flyer as Signal Corps Airplane No. 1, and it remained the only Army airplane for nearly two

  • G-3 Target Glider

    The McCook Field Engineering Section developed a series of target gliders in the 1920s, including the G-3. In December 1922 J.A. Roche designed the first model, the GL-1, as a target for anti-aircraft gunners of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery. These early targets were the first and only gliders

  • Curtiss 1911 Model D

    In 1911 the U.S. Army Signal Corps purchased its second airplane, a Curtiss Model D Type IV. The military version of the Curtiss Model D could be easily disassembled and transported on Army wagons. Like other Curtiss aircraft of the time, the Model D was a pusher, meaning the rear-mounted propeller

  • Standard J-1

    The Standard Aircraft Co. J-1 was a two-seat primary trainer used by the U.S. Army Air Service to supplement the JN-4 Jenny. Similar in appearance to the JN-4, the J-1 was more difficult to fly and never gained the popularity of the legendary Jenny.Standard developed the J-1 from the earlier Sloan

  • Schneider Schulgleiter SG 38

    The SG 38 served as the standard glider used by Luftwaffe student pilots for basic flight instruction in the late 1930s and into the 1940s. The SG 38 stands for Schulgleiter or "school glider" and the year it first flew, 1938.After World War I, the Germans faced strict limits on developing or using

  • Fokker D. VII

    First appearing entering combat in May 1918, the Fokker D. VII quickly showed its superior performance over Allied fighters. With its high rate of climb, higher ceiling and excellent handling characteristics, German pilots scored a remarkable 565 victories over Allied aircraft during the month

  • Ranger L-440

    The L-440 air-cooled, six-cylinder, inverted, in-line engine was manufactured by the Ranger Aircraft Engine Division of Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp. Built in several versions ranging from 175 hp to 200 hp, L-440 series engines powered more than 6,000 Fairchild PT-19 and PT-26 during World War

  • Hmong and other Indigenous People

    The majority of the Vietnamese population is made up of ethnic Vietnamese (84%) and ethnic Chinese (2%) who for the most part tend to live in urban and coastal areas. The remaining population is made up of tribal groups whose ancestors came to Vietnam from other Asian countries and who are referred

  • Combat Pararescue

    Today's Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service descended from units in World War II and the Korean War that pioneered combat rescue using seaplanes and helicopters. In Vietnam, the USAF refined its rescue techniques and organization, greatly improving chances that downed airmen and wounded soldiers