US Military Aviation
Cuba During the Missile Crisis
Fifty years later, Cubans remember preparing to fight the Americans.
November 2012 |
By Rafael Lima
Stratospheric Jump Set for October 8
Felix Baumgartner and his Red Bull team set a date for the Big Leap.
September 25, 2012 |
By Tony Reichhardt
Alarming Reports from George Orwell
In the weeks leading up to the Blitz, Londoners were still learning how to respond to air-raid warnings.
September 06, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Remembering Phyllis Diller
A story from when the famed comedian joined Bob Hope on his USO tours.
August 20, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
How Do You Name an Aircraft Carrier?
It's not as straightforward as you think.
August 14, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Take a Seat
Sixty-six years ago this week, Sergeant Lawrence Lambert became the first person in the U.S. to be ejected from a high-speed aircraft.
August 13, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Thanks for the Lift
Riding on a Marine Corps C-130 in Iraq had its risks, not all of them expected.
August 03, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
What’s Under the Thames?
Almost 100 aircraft were lost in the river during World War II alone, and it's not certain how many are still to be recovered.
July 27, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
The Tower Ravens
During World War II, a raven helped alert the city to approaching bombers.
July 02, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
“Mayday, This is Death 23”
The call that makes every Apache pilot freeze.
June 18, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Battle Noise School
How psychologists conditioned soldiers and civilians to the sounds of combat during World War II.
June 07, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Building Spitfires, Slowly
The legendary WWII fighter wasn't so fast getting out of the factory.
May 23, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
He Saved Navy Fliers from Spam
Long before Swanson's TV dinner, there was the Maxson Sky Plate.
May 17, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Titanic’s Wireless Operators: The Original Texters
Text messaging, from 1912 to 2012.
May 14, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Lin Xu’s Obsession
It started with a search for images of his hometown in China. Hundreds of miles of film later, he can't stop looking.
May 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Howard Hughes’ Robot
On his record-setting flight in 1938, the billionaire had two navigators, only one of which was human.
April 23, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
High Valor
Barry Crawford is honored for his heroism as a combat air controller in Afghanistan.
April 13, 2012 |
By Air & Space / Smithsonian magazine
Göring’s Nephew
A bizarre case of mistaken identity almost cost a World War II B-17 commander his life.
March 13, 2012 |
By Rebecca Maksel
