Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

A 65-year-old Black woman sits in the left seat of an airliner cockpit. She is smiling and wearing an airline captain's uniform, including a white shirt and a hat.

Meet the U.S. Air Force's First Black Female Pilot

Theresa Claiborne looks back on her outstanding career in military and civil aviation

A white man in his early 70s stands inside a museum gallery. He is wearing glasses and smiling. Behind him, is the nose and forward fuselage of a Boeing 747 airplane. The 747 is painted in a red, gray, and white paint scheme.

How to Display a 747 in a Museum

Three men sit under the shade of a massive airplane wing; one of the men is wearing an officer's hat. Two huge aircraft are parked in the background, both are painted black. Behind them is a lush island landscape. The photo has been given a green tint.

A World War II Veteran Recalls the Adventure of Patrolling the Pacific Aboard Flying Boats

Silver twin engine flying boat over a vast ocean. A small boat leaves it's wake below.

Flying Boats Were Once the Luxury Liners of the Air

A composite of multiple images. In the background is a landscape of pine trees and fields. Over it in speia tone is an image of pilots in military uniforms. In the foreground is a grey airplane, banked in a turn.

Did the Nazis Kill German Test Pilot Melitta von Stauffenberg?

A sleek jet aircraft painted red, white, and black flies over an air base in the desert.

Does a Fighter Pilot Have to Be Human?

On a black background is a white, angular-shape aircraft with no cockpit. The opening for the jet engine air intake is the front of the aircraft. Painted in black letters on the rear fuselage is: "Boeing Phantom Works." The right wing is marked: "X-45A."

A Drone Named Elsie May Becomes a Museum Artifact

Four military jets fly in a diamond formation across a blue sky. On the underside of each jet's wings, "US Navy" is painted in bold yellow letters. White airshow smoke streams from each jet. The moon is visible in the sky.

The Blue Angels Get Their First Female Jet Demonstration Pilot

A vibrant hydrogen balloon with intricate blue and gold designs floats above a bustling outdoor event set against a cloudy sky. Below, several white tents are set up in a grassy park, with groups of people mingling and walking around.

Balloon Expert Reacts to the Bridgerton Runaway Balloon Scene

A ladies long-sleeve blouse fastened by four plastic white buttons hangs against a dark background. The blouse features a multi-color map pattern printed on a white silk background.

How a World War II Escape Map Found a Second Use as a Ladies Garment

SR-71 Blackbird on display in a museum

Why the SR-71 Blackbird Never Gets Old

Three people stand inside one balloon's cavernous orange envelope during inflation.

See Hundreds of Hot Air Balloons Soar Above the Ground at the Largest Event of Its Kind

A German fighter aircraft is painted dull grey, with some black markings including a Nazi swastika. A large gun in mounted near the nose of the plane, which has a single large propeller.

Where to See World War II Aircraft Up Close

Overhead detail view of a trophy showing a silver angel extending her arms holding a vintage airplane.

The Trophy That Honors U.S. Air Force Flights

Two U.S. Navy men in uniform--a pilot and an aviator — stand in front of the cockpit of an F-4B Phantom II military jet aircraft.

Reflections from a Vietnam War POW

Speedball Alice, a restored dark green P-51D airplane with white stripes, is parked on a tarmac in the Reno desert, with mountains and blue sky in the background.

The Final Reno Air Show

A young woman wearing a U.S. Navy olive-green flightsuit and black combat boots perches next to the cockpit of her F/A-18C miltary jet. "Lt Sharon Cummins" is stenciled onto the side of the airplane.

Meet the First American Women to Fly Combat Missions

The Boeing Aviation Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is a vast open space filled with airplanes on both the floor and hanging from the ceiling, tilted at angles that convey the impression of flight.

20 Years of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Chuck Yeager's Ribbon Bar

What Chuck Yeager's Medals and Ribbons Tell Us About His Career

A black-and-white photo, tinged light brown, shows around 3/4 of massive airship as it exits a pitch black hangar opening.

Are We in an Airship Renaissance?

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Meet the U.S. Air Force's First Black Female Pilot

How to Display a 747 in a Museum

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