Tracer rounds and rockets rain down on "Yodaville" during a Weapons and Tactics Instructors training exercise.

Military Aviation

Legends of Vietnam: Shoulder to Shoulder

The Grumman A-6 was ugly, but it sure could cook.
By Rafael Lima

An SM-3 interceptor rises from a U.S. Navy Aegis cruiser in 2002. Sea-based defenses are attractive for intercepting shorter-range threats in their midcourse phase.

Above & Beyond: Canadian Helicopter Force, Afghanistan

By Major Jonathan Knaul

Before each mission, ground crews fed the Thunderchief’s 20-mm Gatling gun with ammunition.

Thuds, the Ridge, and 100 Missions North

How the Republic F-105 got good at a mission it was not designed to fly.
By Carl Posey

Then-Colonel Spector beside an F-16 during transition flight training at Hill
Air Force Base in Utah in 1980.

A&S Interview: Brig. Gen. Iftach Spector

Israeli Air Force Ace, teacher, author
By Peter Mersky

The Quiet One had a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera on its belly that helped the pilots navigate at night.

Air America's Black Helicopter

The secret aircraft that helped the CIA tap phones in North Vietnam.
By James R. Chiles

South Vietnamese refugees walk across a U.S. Navy vessel after fleeing their homes in April 1975.

Where Have All the Phantoms Gone?

How a fighter-bomber-recon-attack superstar ended up as fodder for target practice.
By Ralph Wetterhahn

Above & Beyond: Take a Left at Portugal

By James A. Jimenez

Restoration: The Memphis Belle

For this famous B-17, surviving 25 missions in World War II was the easy part.
By Mark Bernstein

Heir to the P-47, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is a purpose-built CAS aircraft, one of many types Marines can call on in a jam.

Above & Beyond: I Have a Flameout

By Richard G. Woodhull, Jr.

Brooks Bash (center) oversees the training of Iraqi pilots and ground crew.

A & S Interview: Brig. Gen. Brooks Bash

A talk with the commander of the Air Force transition team in Iraq.
By Paul Hoversten

The book that robbed the enemy of his secrets. A key to shapes shows a circle can be a haystack or a gun emplacement.

The Bone is Back

Too trouble-prone for nuclear alert and sidelined in the first Gulf War, the B-1 is today the busiest bomber in the fleet.
By David Noland

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Snapshot

Air & Space Videos

	Space Station Fly-Around Take a narrated tour of the station with the same animation astronauts use in training.
	Lunar Run How a plasma-powered rocket would shoot for the moon.
	The First Lunar Landing One of history's great voyages, captured on 16mm film.
	WW I Pilot Training Rare footage of Army pilots learning to fly Jennies in 1917.
	Armstrong’s Close Call A fiery bailout while training to land on the moon.
	Mercury Astronauts Meet the Press, 1959 ...and answer the question: "What was your least favorite test?"
	Marines Test the Joint Strike Fighter A Marine takes the new F-35 for a spin.
	On the Prowl Climb into the cockpit for a flight in an EA-6B Prowler.
	Dodging Missiles F-105 pilots recall the dangers of flying over North Vietnam.
	F-105 Walkaround Get a close look at the National Air and Space Museum’s Thunderchief.
	PTQ: Put Together Quickly Watch Boeing technicians repair an airliner—in two minutes.
	Operation Tumbler-Snapper Atomic bombs versus airplanes in the Nevada desert.

In the Magazine

In his portrait of the storied racer Rare Bear and its crew, photographer Tyson Rininger captures the sense of anticipation that surrounds air races. “Something’s coming,” this quiet night scene seems to suggest. “Tomorrow, it’s win or lose.”

Air & Space Interview

A&S Interview:
Burt Rutan

A wide-ranging talk with the magician of Mojave

New Worlds

Confidence Booster

This little known Apollo artifact caused astronauts to rest a little easier.

View full archiveRecent Issues

About Us

Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine has been delighting aerospace enthusiasts with the best writing about their favorite subject since April 1986. As an adjunct of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, Air & Space matches the grand scope of the Museum, encompassing every era of aviation and space exploration. With stories that range from the Wright Brothers to the design of NASA's next lunar lander, Air & Space emphasizes the human stories as well as the technology of aviation and spaceflight.

Population: Zero. Threat level: High By Ed Darack

From Al Asad Air Base, portraits of U.S. aircraft and crews in the fourth year of fighting. By the Editors

Meet J.T. Bachmann, the first USMC pilot to fly the Joint Strike Fighter. By Michael Klesius

For once, the deadliest helicopter in the world was tapped to save a life. By Ed Macy

Led by famed fashion photographer Edward Steichen, a group of camera men captured the action of World War II naval aviation. By Mark D. Faram

Patrolling over northern Iraq in 2001 felt like driving through a small town with Hell's Angels. By Randy Gordon

Memo to bad guys: Wanna know what U.S. warplanes you’ll tangle with in the future? Visit an aerospace model shop. By Chad Slattery

The Grumman A-6 was ugly, but it sure could cook. By Rafael Lima

From the impossible dream of a space-based shield, missile defense has come down to Earth. But will it work? By Ben Iannotta

In Nowheresville, Nebraska, the Air Force learned a thing or two about turbulence. By Dave Manoucheri

By Major Jonathan Knaul

How the Republic F-105 got good at a mission it was not designed to fly. By Carl Posey

Israeli Air Force Ace, teacher, author By Peter Mersky

The secret aircraft that helped the CIA tap phones in North Vietnam. By James R. Chiles

In April 1975, escaping Saigon meant crowding into a darkened C-130 in the middle of the night. By Fred Reed

To residents of Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Joint Strike Fighter says “Won’t you be my neighbor?” By Richard P. Hallion

Despite the best training and technology, why do pilots still die from not knowing which end is up? By Tom LeCompte

During World War II, WASPs proved that an airplane couldn’t tell the difference between a male and female pilot. By Jonna Dootlittle Hoppes

Occasional dispatches from our man in Afghanistan. By John Sotham

The paintings of Tom Lea, Life magazine's artist-correspondent during World War II.

How a fighter-bomber-recon-attack superstar ended up as fodder for target practice. By Ralph Wetterhahn

It's an addiction. Admitting you have it is the first step.

By James A. Jimenez

For this famous B-17, surviving 25 missions in World War II was the easy part. By Mark Bernstein

On the ground with Marines in Afghanistan, the author sees a different side of close air support. By Ed Darack

From the desk of the Director of the National Air & Space Museum By J. R. Dailey

Cleaning up an aircraft carrier. By Phil Scott

Between the F-80 and the F-104, a supersonic pioneer fought the Cold War...in its own way. By Jorge and Karen Escalona

The Navy's newest Hawkeye gets closer to the fight. By Preston Lerner

How Iranian air crews, cut off from U.S. technical support, used the F-14 against Iraqi attackers. By Tom Cooper

By Richard G. Woodhull, Jr.

A talk with the commander of the Air Force transition team in Iraq. By Paul Hoversten

Photographs taken from the world’s first warplanes changed the course of battle. By Robin White

How P-47s became the tank busters of World War II By Robert F. Dorr and Thomas D. Jones

More recollections of the fabled fighter. By airspacemag.com

Portraits of military aviation's first fleet. By airspacemag.com

Aviation historian Ron Dick takes a closer look at an old warbird. By Diane Tedeschi

Life came at you fast when you flew the X-15. By Peter Garrison

You might say that Osprey pilots are neither fish nor fowl. By John Croft

Too trouble-prone for nuclear alert and sidelined in the first Gulf War, the B-1 is today the busiest bomber in the fleet. By David Noland

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Air & Space Interview

New Worlds

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Population: Zero. Threat level: High
By Ed Darack

From Al Asad Air Base, portraits of U.S. aircraft and crews in the fourth year of fighting.
By the Editors

Meet J.T. Bachmann, the first USMC pilot to fly the Joint Strike Fighter.
By Michael Klesius

For once, the deadliest helicopter in the world was tapped to save a life.
By Ed Macy

Led by famed fashion photographer Edward Steichen, a group of camera men captured the action of World War II naval aviation.
By Mark D. Faram

Patrolling over northern Iraq in 2001 felt like driving through a small town with Hell's Angels.
By Randy Gordon

Memo to bad guys: Wanna know what U.S. warplanes you’ll tangle with in the future? Visit an aerospace model shop.
By Chad Slattery

The Grumman A-6 was ugly, but it sure could cook.
By Rafael Lima

From the impossible dream of a space-based shield, missile defense has come down to Earth. But will it work?
By Ben Iannotta

In Nowheresville, Nebraska, the Air Force learned a thing or two about turbulence.
By Dave Manoucheri

How the Republic F-105 got good at a mission it was not designed to fly.
By Carl Posey

Israeli Air Force Ace, teacher, author
By Peter Mersky

The secret aircraft that helped the CIA tap phones in North Vietnam.
By James R. Chiles

In April 1975, escaping Saigon meant crowding into a darkened C-130 in the middle of the night.
By Fred Reed

To residents of Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Joint Strike Fighter says “Won’t you be my neighbor?”
By Richard P. Hallion

Despite the best training and technology, why do pilots still die from not knowing which end is up?
By Tom LeCompte

During World War II, WASPs proved that an airplane couldn’t tell the difference between a male and female pilot.
By Jonna Dootlittle Hoppes

Occasional dispatches from our man in Afghanistan.
By John Sotham

How a fighter-bomber-recon-attack superstar ended up as fodder for target practice.
By Ralph Wetterhahn

For this famous B-17, surviving 25 missions in World War II was the easy part.
By Mark Bernstein

On the ground with Marines in Afghanistan, the author sees a different side of close air support.
By Ed Darack

From the desk of the Director of the National Air & Space Museum
By J. R. Dailey

Cleaning up an aircraft carrier.
By Phil Scott

Between the F-80 and the F-104, a supersonic pioneer fought the Cold War...in its own way.
By Jorge and Karen Escalona

The Navy's newest Hawkeye gets closer to the fight.
By Preston Lerner

How Iranian air crews, cut off from U.S. technical support, used the F-14 against Iraqi attackers.
By Tom Cooper

A talk with the commander of the Air Force transition team in Iraq.
By Paul Hoversten

Photographs taken from the world’s first warplanes changed the course of battle.
By Robin White

How P-47s became the tank busters of World War II
By Robert F. Dorr and Thomas D. Jones

More recollections of the fabled fighter.
By airspacemag.com

Portraits of military aviation's first fleet.
By airspacemag.com

Aviation historian Ron Dick takes a closer look at an old warbird.
By Diane Tedeschi

Life came at you fast when you flew the X-15.
By Peter Garrison

You might say that Osprey pilots are neither fish nor fowl.
By John Croft

Too trouble-prone for nuclear alert and sidelined in the first Gulf War, the B-1 is today the busiest bomber in the fleet.
By David Noland