National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Welcome to the official fan page of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
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"Fabric of the Air Force"(Post 2 of 4)In January 1997, the 50th Anniversary Office received approval for the creation of...
06/01/2026

"Fabric of the Air Force"(Post 2 of 4)
In January 1997, the 50th Anniversary Office received approval for the creation of a special anniversary commemorative quilt. Production of the project was funded through the Air Force Services sponsorship, and all 85 Air Force installations worldwide responded to participate in the project. Guidelines were established to ensure size, material and color were standard in each square. Dependents, volunteers and various individuals associated with the Air Force assisted in making the squares. Contests were held in some locations for the design and theme of the squares. A "Grand Quilting Bee" was held in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1997, where quilting students and volunteers could contribute the final touches of the quilt.
Plans call for this artifact to be temporarily removed from public display this summer as it undergoes conservation treatment to help preserve it for future generations. America 250-Ohio

📸 Photo Dump Alert! 📸Enjoy this random collection of aircraft photos at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Day...
05/31/2026

📸 Photo Dump Alert! 📸
Enjoy this random collection of aircraft photos at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio! From iconic aircraft to behind-the-scenes glimpses, there’s something for everyone.
Have some photos of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments or tag us! 📷👇

The GAMBIT 1 KH-7 satellite was the first American space reconnaissance system to consistently return high-resolution ph...
05/31/2026

The GAMBIT 1 KH-7 satellite was the first American space reconnaissance system to consistently return high-resolution photographs. GAMBIT 1 vehicles flew from 1963-1967 and were the first satellites to feature stereo cameras. Their most significant targets included Soviet missile silos. Of 38 total missions in four years, 36 satellites achieved orbit.

GAMBIT 1 added important new close-up imagery capability to wide-area search satellites already in use. Earlier CORONA satellites took pictures of wide swaths of land to identify items of interest such as airfields and missile sites. The need for close-up surveillance of those targets led to the GAMBIT 1 KH-7. The GAMBIT system included a single film-recovery capsule at the nose and camera gear in the main body of the satellite.

General Electric built both the vehicle housing the KH-7 cameras and the satellite’s film recovery capsules, while Eastman Kodak made the cameras and provided the film. Lockheed built the Agena spacecraft that carried the satellite. The Air Force launched GAMBIT 1 KH-7 satellites aboard Atlas-Agena rockets from Vandenberg AFB, California, and provided tracking and control at an Air Force facility in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Exposed film returned to earth in the film return capsule, which fell through the atmosphere, descended by parachute and was recovered in midair by specially equipped USAF aircraft near Hawaii.

This satellite is on loan from the National Reconnaissance Office (Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance).

A fun throwback to a 2024 visit from Zachary Hain, who reunited with the HH-60G Pave Hawk he once worked on during his m...
05/31/2026

A fun throwback to a 2024 visit from Zachary Hain, who reunited with the HH-60G Pave Hawk he once worked on during his military service.

Moments like these highlight the personal connections behind the aircraft on display. Seeing former Airmen reconnect with the aircraft they helped maintain, operate, and support is one of the most rewarding aspects of preserving and sharing Air Force heritage.

If you've ever worked on, flown in, or supported an aircraft now displayed at the museum, we'd love to hear your memories. Share your story in the comments below!

A new exhibit is coming!
05/31/2026

A new exhibit is coming!

McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle(Plans call for this aircraft to enter the NMUSAF Heritage Loan Program.). The National Mus...
05/30/2026

McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle(Plans call for this aircraft to enter the NMUSAF Heritage Loan Program.).
The National Museum of the USAF maintains three separate loan programs, each designed to serve a specific kind of borrower:
- Military Loan Program
- Community Static Display Program
- Civilian Museum Loan Program
All three seek to bring USAF history and heritage to a wider audience, foster a deeper appreciation of and interest in aerospace history and technology, and inspire future generations of aviation enthusiasts. Info: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Collections/Loan-Program/

Manufactured in 1976 by McDonnell Douglas Aircraft (now part of the Boeing Co.) at St. Louis, Mo., the F-15A on display (S/N 74‐0117) flew with Tactical Air Command units at Luke AFB, Ariz., and the Air National Guard at NAS New Orleans, La. Removed from the USAF inventory in 1991, it served as a maintenance trainer at Langley AFB, Va., before being delivered to the museum in 2013. It is painted to represent an aircraft of the 1st Fighter Wing.

The museum depends on volunteers on a daily basis. Our volunteers have a variety of responsibilities from monitoring the...
05/30/2026

The museum depends on volunteers on a daily basis. Our volunteers have a variety of responsibilities from monitoring the exhibit galleries, interacting with the public, promoting the museum’s membership program, providing information at the main entrance, and more! All you need is lots of enthusiasm and a little time. Thank you to our many volunteers for all you do!!!

Link TrainerCrude pilot training aids had been designed even before World War I, but none had any significant training v...
05/30/2026

Link Trainer
Crude pilot training aids had been designed even before World War I, but none had any significant training value. Edwin A. Link provided a giant step forward when in 1931 he received a patent on his "pilot maker" training device. He had perfected his design in the basement of his father's piano and organ factory in Binghamton, N.Y. Organ bellows and a motor provided the means for the trainer, mounted on a pedestal, to pitch, roll, dive and climb as the student "flew" it. Ironically, most of his first sales were to amusement parks. In 1934, after a series of tragic accidents while flying the air mail, the Army Air Corps bought six Link trainers to assist in training pilots to fly at night and in bad weather relying only on instruments.

The World War II era brought orders for thousands of Link trainers from the United States and many foreign countries. Although Army Air Forces aviation cadets flew various trainer aircraft, virtually all took blind-flying instruction in a Link. Movement of the trainer is accomplished by vacuum operated bellows, controlled by valves connected to the control wheel (or stick) and rudder pedals. An instructor sat at the desk and transmitted radio messages which the student in the Link heard through his earphones. Inside the "cockpit," the student relied on his instruments to "fly" the Link through various maneuvers while his navigational "course" was traced on a map on the desk by the three-wheeled "crab." Slip stream simulators gave the controls the feeling of air passing over control surfaces and a rough air generator added additional realism during the "flight." The trainers were realistic enough that a humorous but unlikely story circulated that one student, told by his instructor that he had run out of fuel on a night flight, broke his ankle when he leaped from the trainer as though parachuting to safety.

More: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196852/link-trainer/

"Iron Mike," the mascot of the 317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, prior to its deacti...
05/30/2026

"Iron Mike," the mascot of the 317th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, prior to its deactivation in late 1969, is a classic example of Air Force esprit de corps. He was considered "fair game" by rival USAF units, and as such, was frequently abducted from Alaska, to reappear mysteriously at some other USAF base, ranging from Greenland to South Vietnam where, it was reported, he was taken to gain some combat experience. It was usually necessary for the 317th to arrange for its own raiding party to re-kidnap him for return to Alaska.

Iron Mike is now in a retired status as USAF historical property, having served the Air Force well. All USAF personnel are cautioned that he is no longer considered "fair game." This can be seen in our Cold War Gallery.

📅 Mark Your Calendar!Exciting events are on the horizon at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force! From special exhib...
05/29/2026

📅 Mark Your Calendar!
Exciting events are on the horizon at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force! From special exhibits and family activities to commemorations and aviation experiences, there’s something for everyone. Air Force Museum Foundation National Aviation Hall of Fame America 250-Ohio

Celebrating Aviation Series - June 14
Stearman Fly-In - June 19–21
Lights Over Dayton: A Celebration of Flight - June 26
"Fifi" & Friends Fly-in July 6-8

Info: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Events/

Address

1100 Spaatz Street
Dayton, OH
45433

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(937) 255-3286

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