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

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  • Shapes and Patterns: The Photo Interpreter's Evidence

    Photo analysts used light tables like this one during the Cuban Missile Crisis to study negatives brought back by reconnaissance aircraft. Interpreters were trained to recognize shapes and patterns to identify objects such as aircraft, missiles, and structures. They could use either negative or

  • U-2 Pilot's Party Suit

    This "party suit" was not worn on missions, but instead was a strictly recreational outfit. It belonged to U-2 pilot Capt. Frank "Fuzzy" Furr, who wore it during the Southeast Asia War while deployed at U-Tapao, Thailand, in the early 1970s. Many pilots had customized party suits, and wore them for

  • David Clark MC-3 Partial Pressure Flying Suit

    Pilots of the 1950s-era high-altitude aircraft, including the U-2, wore partial pressure suits like this one. Partial pressure means the suit does not enclose the whole body. In an emergency where the cockpit depressurized, the suit would automatically tighten around the limbs and torso to protect

  • David Clark S-1010A Full-Pressure Flying Suit

    With the introduction of the larger U-2R in 1967, a roomier cockpit meant pilots could wear full-pressured suits. These new suits were more effective than partial-pressure suits in preventing the effects of exposure to the low pressure found at extreme altitudes. Full-pressure suits provide gas

  • Old Design, Young Airplane

    Over the years, the U-2 has been improved and modified many times. Several different models used a wide variety of sensors and cameras. The U-2 was even studied at one point for use on aircraft carriers to extend its range. The most visible change to the U-2 was the introduction of the U-2R in 1967.

  • Flying the U-2

    The U-2 is a difficult airplane to fly. With its long wings, light construction, and unusual landing gear, the Dragon Lady has always been a challenge even for the best pilots. As a result, there have been several accidents and fatalities over the years. When flying at high altitude, early U-2s had

  • U-2s Around the World in the Cold War

    The U-2 flew from bases around the world during the Cold War, including West Germany, England, France, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Panama, Pakistan, South Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand and South Korea. The USAF called its U-2 operators "Air Weather Squadrons," while the CIA called the same

  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 dramatically proved the importance of the U-2 and aerial reconnaissance. On Oct. 14, 1962, two USAF U-2s photographed portions of Cuba, revealing Soviet offensive nuclear missiles based only 90 miles from U.S. shores. President John F. Kennedy placed U.S. forces on

  • The Powers Incident

    In 1960 the U-2 was at the center of international politics. CIA civilian pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the USSR while photographing missile sites at Sverdlovsk and Plesetsk. The Soviets reportedly fired fourteen newly developed SA-2 surface-to-air missiles at his U-2. Though none hit

  • U-2 Mission

    The Air Force jointly managed U-2 development, testing and missions with the CIA from the start. Pilots for overflights of the USSR, though, were civilians working for the CIA. President Dwight D. Eisenhower believed sending military pilots over the USSR would be perceived as an act of war, so USAF