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

  • AAF Training During WWII

    One of the greatest accomplishments of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II was the training of hundreds of thousands of flying and ground personnel for its air armada. Coming from all walks of life, they were molded into the most formidable Air Force the world had ever seen. Before the war,

  • A Successful Evasion

    Second Lt. Ralph K. Patton, a B-17 copilot, was one of thousands to evade capture with the help of the citizens and the Allied intelligence network in western Europe. Shot down by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire over western France on Jan. 5, 1944, he evaded for three days until picked up by

  • A Test of Courage: 1st Lt. Jack W. Mathis

    Note:  This exhibit has temporarily been removed from display.The U.S. Army Air Forces planned to use daylight strategic bombardment to cripple the Nazi war effort in Europe, and the bloody campaign started in earnest in early 1943. Quickly, the courage and willingness of American Airmen to

  • AAF Aerial Supremacy

    With suitable bomber targets becoming increasingly scarce, the AAF instituted a program in February for its fighters to cover Germany at low level, strafing targets of opportunity. Because of a shortage of pilots and fuel, the Luftwaffe usually held its own fighters on the ground except for

  • Airborne Operations

    Airborne Operations was one of the tactical innovations introduced during World War II, although the use of parachute troops had been considered during World War I. In the 1930s, most of the world's major armies were experimenting with the idea of airborne operations as a rapid means of delivering

  • A-26 Invader Turret Gunsight

    This Mark 33 gunsight allowed a single gunner to aim the upper and lower turrets of the A-26. The upper sight provided the view for the upper turret, and the lower sight for the lower turret, with the gunner looking through the lens in the middle.Click here to return to the Tactical Ground Attack in

  • A-2 Jacket with Art

    A fine example of "jacket art," this A-2 was worn by the donor, a bombardier-navigator on the actual B-26 "Shootin In," which the museum's Marauder is painted to represent. The patch on the front of the jacket is the insigne of the 556th Bomb Squadron, the unit to which the original aircraft was

  • AAF Fighter Escort

    Early in 1943, the 4th Fighter Group, composed of the three former Eagle Squadrons, converted from the Spitfire to the P-47, a newly-developed AAF fighter with greater range. On March 10, the P-47 became operational when several made a fighter sweep over Europe. On April 8, two additional P-47

  • AAF Enters Combat from England

    The first AAF unit in England to become operational was the 15th Bomb Squadron. On July 4, 1942, six of its crews accompanied six British crews of the RAF No. 226 Squadron on a low-level attack against enemy airfields in Holland. Two of the U.S.-built, but RAF-owned, Bostons flown by Americans were

  • AAF to England

    Because of severe shortages of planes, personnel, supplies and equipment, the Army Air Forces was not able to send any units to England immediately. The first contingent of 1,800 personnel sailed from Boston for Liverpool on April 27, 1942. The first airplanes, 18 B-17s, left the United States on