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A.G. Arao / noyphoto | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum -- Main Building tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum -- Main Building

I shot the photos in this gallery in the National Mall Building of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., using a handheld Canon PowerShot S2 IS. Among the many attractions here are the Wright brothers' 1903 "Flyer," Charles Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis," World War II fighter planes and various historic spacecraft. The details used in the captions were drawn from the museum's Web site: http://www.nasm.si.edu .

>>> CLICK ON A THUMBNAIL PHOTO TO ENLARGE IT, AFTER WHICH YOU CAN GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD, OR RETURN TO THE THUMBNAILS. ... THE PHOTOS CAN ALSO BE VIEWED AS A SLIDESHOW. SEE THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THIS WINDOW. <<<
From left, Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, Melvill's SpaceShipOne and Yeager's Bell X-1.
From left, Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis," Melvill's SpaceShipOne and Yeager's Bell X-1.		 Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, FIRST nonstop solo transatlantic flight, May 21, 1927, Pilot: Charles A. Lindbergh.
Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis," FIRST nonstop solo transatlantic flight, May 21, 1927, Pilot: Charles A. Lindbergh.		 On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in history ...
On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight in history ...		 ... flying his Spirit of St. Louis 5,810 kilometers (3,610 miles) between Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York...
... flying his "Spirit of St. Louis" 5,810 kilometers (3,610 miles) between Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York...
... and Paris, France, in 33 hours, 30 minutes. ... Spirit of St. Louis was named in honor of Lindbergh's supporters ...
... and Paris, France, in 33 hours, 30 minutes. ... "Spirit of St. Louis" was named in honor of Lindbergh's supporters ...		 ... in St. Louis, Missouri, who paid for the aircraft. The initials NYP mean New York-Paris, the object of the flight.
... in St. Louis, Missouri, who paid for the aircraft. The initials "NYP" mean "New York-Paris," the object of the flight.		 Bell XP-59A, America's FIRST turbojet aircraft, Oct. 1 & 2, 1942, Pilots: Robert Stanley/Laurence Craigie.
Bell XP-59A, America's FIRST turbojet aircraft, Oct. 1 & 2, 1942, Pilots: Robert Stanley/Laurence Craigie.		 Bell X-1, FIRST aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound, Oct. 14, 1947, Pilot: USAF Capt. Charles E. Chuck Yeager.
Bell X-1, FIRST aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound, Oct. 14, 1947, Pilot: USAF Capt. Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager.
North American X-15, FIRST winged aircraft to fly at Mach 4, 5, & 6 above 30,500 meters (100,000 feet), 1959, operated by NASA.
North American X-15, FIRST winged aircraft to fly at Mach 4, 5, & 6 above 30,500 meters (100,000 feet), 1959, operated by NASA.		 In one test, the X-15 reached an altitude of over 108 km. (67 miles), flying so high that it operated more as a spacecraft ...
In one test, the X-15 reached an altitude of over 108 km. (67 miles), flying so high that it operated more as a spacecraft ...		 .... than an airplane. In 1967, it reached Mach 6.72 (7,297 kilometers or 4,534 miles per hour).
.... than an airplane. In 1967, it reached Mach 6.72 (7,297 kilometers or 4,534 miles per hour).		 The X-15 was designed to explore the problems of flight at very high speeds and altitudes.
The X-15 was designed to explore the problems of flight at very high speeds and altitudes.
Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket, FIRST aircraft to fly faster than twice the speed of sound, Nov. 20, 1953, Pilot: A. Scott Crossfield
Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket, FIRST aircraft to fly faster than twice the speed of sound, Nov. 20, 1953, Pilot: A. Scott Crossfield		 1903 Wright Flyer, FIRST successful airplane, Dec. 17, 1903, Pilot: Orville Wright.
1903 Wright Flyer, FIRST successful airplane, Dec. 17, 1903, Pilot: Orville Wright.		 On Dec. 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the 1903 Wright Flyer became the first powered, heavier-than-air machine ...
"On Dec. 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the 1903 Wright Flyer became the first powered, heavier-than-air machine ...		 ... to achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard.
"... to achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard.
It flew forward without losing speed and landed at a point as high as that from which it started.
"It flew forward without losing speed and landed at a point as high as that from which it started."		 Fokker T-2, FIRST aircraft to fly nonstop coast to coast, May 1923. The flight took 26 hours and 50 minutes.
Fokker T-2, FIRST aircraft to fly nonstop coast to coast, May 1923. The flight took 26 hours and 50 minutes.		 Albatros D.Va, German, World War I, 1918.
Albatros D.Va, German, World War I, 1918.		 SPAD XIII Smith IV, French, World War I, assigned to the 2nd Aero Pursuit Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Service, 1918.
SPAD XIII Smith IV, French, World War I, assigned to the 2nd Aero Pursuit Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Service, 1918.
Fokker D.VII, German, World War I, 1918; captured on Nov. 9, 1918, when its pilot mistakenly landed on a U.S. airfield.
Fokker D.VII, German, World War I, 1918; captured on Nov. 9, 1918, when its pilot mistakenly landed on a U.S. airfield.		 Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VII, British, World War II.
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VII, British, World War II.		 The legendary Spitfire, along with the Hurricane, successfully defended the U.K. in the Battle of Britain.
The legendary Spitfire, along with the Hurricane, successfully defended the U.K. in the Battle of Britain.		 Macchi C.202 Folgore, Italian, top; and North American P-51D Mustang, American. World War II.
Macchi C.202 Folgore, Italian, top; and North American P-51D Mustang, American. World War II.
Macchi C.202 Folgore, top. Designed in 1940, the Folgore (Lightning) was the most effective Italian fighter ...
Macchi C.202 Folgore, top. Designed in 1940, the Folgore (Lightning) was the most effective Italian fighter ...		 ... used in quantity during World War II. Bottom: North American P-51D Mustang.
... used in quantity during World War II. Bottom: North American P-51D Mustang.		 Many experts consider the P-51 Mustang, bottom, the best fighter of World War II.
Many experts consider the P-51 Mustang, bottom, the best fighter of World War II.		 Originally developed for the British, the Mustang was later ordered in large quantities by the U.S. Army Air Forces.
Originally developed for the British, the Mustang was later ordered in large quantities by the U.S. Army Air Forces.
The Messerschmitt Bf. 109 gained the world's attention during the Battle of Britain. It remains Germany's best-known aircraft.
The Messerschmitt Bf. 109 gained the world's attention during the Battle of Britain. It remains Germany's best-known aircraft.		 Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero. The Zero was the primary Japanese naval fighter during World War II.
Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero. The Zero was the primary Japanese naval fighter during World War II.		 It was used in the attack on Pearl Harbor and in Kamikaze raids toward the end of the war.
It was used in the attack on Pearl Harbor and in Kamikaze raids toward the end of the war.		 Allied pilots were astounded by the Zero's maneuverability. It was very successful in combat until the Allies changed tactics.
Allied pilots were astounded by the Zero's maneuverability. It was very successful in combat until the Allies changed tactics.
Allied pilots referred to all Japanese fighters as Zeros, but the term is correctly applied only to the A6M -- codename Zeke.
Allied pilots referred to all Japanese fighters as Zeros, but the term is correctly applied only to the A6M -- codename "Zeke."		 Scale model of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, U.S. Navy.
Scale model of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, U.S. Navy.		 Scale model of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, U.S. Navy.
Scale model of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, U.S. Navy.		 Scale model of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, U.S. Navy.
Scale model of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, U.S. Navy.
Douglas A-4C Skyhawk, designed 1950-52, first flown on June 22, 1954. A4s were used against ground targets in the Vietnam War.
Douglas A-4C Skyhawk, designed 1950-52, first flown on June 22, 1954. A4s were used against ground targets in the Vietnam War.		 A precursor of the U.S. space shuttle.
A precursor of the U.S. space shuttle.		 Mercury Friendship 7 carried FIRST American to orbit Earth on Feb. 20, 1962. Astronaut: John H. Glenn Jr.
Mercury "Friendship 7" carried FIRST American to orbit Earth on Feb. 20, 1962. Astronaut: John H. Glenn Jr.		 Gemini IV made possible the FIRST American spacewalk, June 3, 1965. Astronaut: Edward H. White II.
Gemini IV made possible the FIRST American spacewalk, June 3, 1965. Astronaut: Edward H. White II.
Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, FIRST manned moon landing, July 16-24, 1969. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins
Apollo 11 Command Module "Columbia," FIRST manned moon landing, July 16-24, 1969. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins		 Apollo Command Module.
Apollo Command Module.		 Background: U.S. Apollo mission docking with Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.
Background: U.S. Apollo mission docking with Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.		 Breitling Orbiter 3 Gondola, FIRST nonstop flight around the world by a balloon, March 21, 1999.
Breitling Orbiter 3 Gondola, FIRST nonstop flight around the world by a balloon, March 21, 1999.
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones completed the journey in this British-built gondola in 19 days, 21 hours, and 55 minutes.
Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones completed the journey in this British-built gondola in 19 days, 21 hours, and 55 minutes.

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