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Mask Policy:
In accordance with the updated guidance released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Defense (DoD) and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will require all visitors to wear face masks indoors effective July 30, 2021 until further notice.

Visitors ages three and up will be required to wear masks while indoors at the museum. This policy applies to all visitors, staff and volunteers regardless of vaccination status. Visitors may wear their own masks or a free paper mask will be provided. Cloth masks will also be available for purchase in the Museum Store.
Additional information available here.

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River Rats
The Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association was formed in Thailand in 1967 to improve tactics and coordination among aircrews flying over North Vietnam. Rich in tradition, it grew into a fraternal organization which has lasted far beyond the Southeast Asia War.Early in 1967, Col. Robin Olds, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) commander, hosted the
Reconnaissance and Retaliatory Strikes
President Johnson ended the bombing of North Vietnam in October 1968. believing that USAF unarmed reconnaissance aircraft would be permitted to fly over the country unopposed. When North Vietnam fired on some of these planes, newly elected President Richard Nixon ordered several retaliatory strikes against air defense sites. Still, North Vietnam
Ranch Hand Insignia and other items
InsigniaThe Ranch Hand insignia was designed in 1962 by Capt. Alan Kidd and Lt. John Hodgin, and it contains several elements of the Ranch Hand tradition. The symbol in the middle is the Chinese character for purple. The brown stripe on a green field represents a defoliated strip of jungle. Yellow and red represent the national colors of South
Rockwell International GBU-8 Electro-Optical Guided Bomb
The GBU-8 Electro-Optical Guided Bomb was one of the "smart bombs" that revolutionized aerial warfare. A standard bomb fitted with a Homing Bomb System (Hobos), the GBU-8 was first used during the Southeast Asia War.In 1967 the Department of Defense asked Rockwell International Corp. to develop the GBU-8 Hobos. It consisted of three parts: a
Republic F-105G Thunderchief
The F-105, nicknamed the "Thud," evolved from a 1951 project by to replace the F-84F fighter-bomber. The prototype first flew in October 1955, and Republic delivered the first production aircraft to the U.S. Air Force in 1958. Republic also developed a fully combat-capable two-seat trainer version, the F-105F, and 143 of them in 1963-1964.The
Republic F-105D Thunderchief
In 1951 Republic Aviation began a project to develop a supersonic tactical fighter-bomber to replace the F-84F. The result was the F-105 Thunderchief, later affectionately nicknamed the "Thud." The prototype YF-105A first flew in October 1955, but the first F-105D did not fly until June 1959. A total of 833 Thunderchiefs of all types were built,
R&R: Rest and Relaxation
The 5th Air Force carried military personnel from Korea to Japan (usually from Seoul to Tachikawa near Tokyo) for badly-needed, three to five day R&R (Rest and Relaxation) leave. Many took the train from Tachikawa to visit Tokyo while others visited the peaceful surroundings of Japanese national parks. A tremendous boost to morale, the R&R program
Reconnaissance
"Korea not only presented a different kind of war for military planners and politicians, it also presented a different kind of place for aerial reconnaissance to prove itself." - Brig. Gen. George W. Goddard, pioneer of modern air reconnaissance U.S. Air Force reconnaissance units in the Far East were undermanned and under-equipped, and jet
Russian VK-1 Jet
The VK-1 was used to power the MiG-15. It had a thrust of 6,000 pounds. Essentially, it was an improved version of the British-built Rolls-Royce "Nene" engine, incorporating enlarged combustion chambers, turbine blades and tailpipe for handling a greater flow of intake air.Click here to return to the Korean War Gallery.
Republic F-84E Thunderjet
The rugged F-84 Thunderjet gained its greatest renown during the Korean War. Initially sent to escort B-29s on long-range missions over North Korea, the Thunderjet excelled as a close air support and daytime interdiction strike aircraft. In Korea, F-84 pilots attacked enemy railroads, dams, bridges, supply depots and troop concentrations with