Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
Probably no other gallery holds more history than the museum’s Presidential Gallery. Nine aircraft that supported presidents, diplomats, visiting heads of state and other dignitaries are spread throughout this exhibit area. The crown jewel of the gallery is a Boeing VC-137C commonly referred to as SAM 26000 [pronounced Sam two-six-thousand]. This was the first jet made specifically for use......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
On a nice day, step back in history when you visit the outdoor area of the museum. The Eighth Air Force Control Tower, a representation of a World War Two-era control tower in Great Britain, is one of the first things you see as you enter the main drive. Just beside it are the Nissen Huts. These – more or less — temporary structures are examples of where airmen lived, worked and played.......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
Dominating the Missile & Space Gallery are missiles and a space launch vehicle standing upright in the silo-like facility. The gallery is designed to give visitors a slight feeling of being in an underground silo. The vehicles represent American airmen's proud heritage of nuclear deterrence and the Air Force’s leadership in space. Since 1959, U.S. Air Force strategic nuclear-armed missiles......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
Since the beginning of space travel, the U.S. Air Force has been an integral player in research and development, as well as a vital partner with NASA. The Missile & Space Gallery guides you through the history of the U.S. Air Force involvement with space through manned-spaceflight, missiles, mice and even monkeys. The first thing you see when entering the gallery is the Apollo 15 command......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
So where is the United States Air Force headed? Aircraft in the Cold War Gallery give a picture as to what the future of the Air Force will look like. The B-2, although it has been around for several years, represents how precision, stealth aircraft is being efficiently used today. The museum’s B-2 is the world’s only permanent public display of this type of aircraft. The bomber on display......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
In response to the September 11 attacks, Operation Enduring Freedom was launched in Afghanistan. Less than two years later, Operation Iraqi Freedom began in Iraq. With these conflicts still in progress, the museum gives visitors a glimpse into the life of airmen serving in Southwest Asia. Be sure to explore the Warrior Airmen exhibit located in the Cold War Gallery which depicts airmen who......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
The events of Sept. 11, 2001, were another defining moment in American history. When terrorists hijacked commercial planes to crash into the World Trade Center towers in New York followed by an attack at the Pentagon and a crash in a field in Pennsylvania, the military realized that a new era of warfare had begun. Operation Noble Eagle began on September 11, 2001, to defend the United States......
Audio by NMUSAF PA | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force | 12.31.1969
While the 1990s marked the end of the Cold War, a new chapter in Air Force history began to develop. There were the conflicts in the Middle East and also in the Balkans. With the collapse of communism in Yugoslavia, nationalism led to civil war and the horrors of "ethnic cleansing." When Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence from Serbian-dominated Yugoslavia, the Serbians fought to......
