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

  • WWII Relics from the Polders

    In their long-range project to acquire additional land, the Dutch pumped the water from various sections of the Zuider Zee. Upon pumping a section dry, they often discovered the remains of aircraft (British, German and American) that crashed into the water during World War II. In some instances they

  • WWII Night Fighters

    Note:  This exhibit has temporarily been removed.As early as World War I, night bombing and interdiction had been countered by defending fighters and anti-aircraft guns. The fighters, in the earliest stages, depended on visual sightings assisted by searchlights and sound tracking, but they achieved

  • War of Secrets: Cryptology in WWII

    Cryptology is the study of secret codes. Being able to read encoded German and Japanese military and diplomatic communications was vitally important for victory in World War II, and it helped shorten the war considerably.Vital to VictoryIn WWII, wireless radio communication was very important for

  • War on the Asian Mainland

    Until late in the war, operations against the enemy on the Asian mainland in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater, were hindered by a tangled chain of Allied command, the long distance from sources of resupply and the very low priority of men and material given to the theater. The primary purpose of

  • 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

  • Wright R-3350-23 Duplex-Cyclone

    The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone was one of the most powerful radial aircraft engines produced by the United States. Based on the earlier Wright Cyclone engines, the R-3350 first ran in May 1937, and its first major military use was to power the Boeing B-29.Air-cooled with eighteen cylinders

  • Wright R-2600-13

    (Excerpted from North American Aviation Field Service Manual for B-25C and D)The Wright Cyclone, Model C14B, carries the Army Air Forces designation R-2600-13. The "R" stands for radial type of engine, "2600" stands for the number of cubic inches piston displacement, and the "13" is the model

  • Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14

    The R-2600 series engine was introduced in 1939, initially rated at 1,500 hp. With improvements, it later reached a rating of 1,800 hp. In military use, it was used on Army Air Forces A-20s and B-25s as well as some Navy torpedo and patrol bombers. It also gained fame powering the well-known Boeing

  • Walter HWK 509B-1 Rocket

    This liquid-fueled rocket engine is an advanced version of the engine that powered the German Me 163B Komet. It is equipped with an extra combustion chamber to extend the aircraft's range and endurance. The main engine and auxiliary chamber were used together for takeoff and climb. To conserve fuel,

  • Walter HWK 509A Rocket

    The HWK 509A rocket engine was developed was developed to power the German Me 163 Komet fighter-interceptor, one of the most unique distinctive aircraft of World War II. The motor used two fuels -- hydrazine hydrate in methanol, plus concentrated hydrogen peroxide -- that ignited violently when