CURRENT ISSUE

September 2013

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Features

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Yes, the Wright Brothers Really Were the First to Fly

A Smithsonian curator evaluates recent challenges to the aviators’ place in history.

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The Thunderjet Had the Body of a Fighter and a Bomber’s Soul

The F-84 earned its reputation for ruggedness.

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The Stealth Bomber Elite

Fewer than 100 pilots climb the ladder to the B-2 cockpit

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The Science of Stealth

The most classified technology in a stealthy airplane is its skin

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Meet the Grunts

Behind the scenes, they make airshow stars shine.

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Spaces of the Space Age

Bold missions called for bold architecture.

Departments

Viewport

Viewport

An Evening With a Telescope

Above & Beyond

Space Shuttle Engines: Just the Stats

How I came up with the numbers that amazed.

Oldies and Oddities

The first flyer in Texas—and his airplane

Slats and Old Soggy No. 1