The Sikorsky-designed R-6A two-seat observation helicopter evolved from the boxy R-4, the first Air Force helicopter to serve in a combat zone (example here). Although Sikorsky built the first six for testing, another 219 were constructed under licence by Nash-Kelvinator, this being one of them. Accepted by USAAF at Detroit in April 1945, it operated with various training units in Texas till declared excess in March 1949. Acquired by the museum in 1986

Showing a considerable advancement from its earlier designs, Sikorsky's H-5 helicopter gained its greatest fame during the Korean War when it was called upon repeatedly to rescue pilots shot down behind enemy lines and to evacuate wounded personnel from frontline areas. More than 300 were built, with this one being ferried form Elgin AFB, FL to Patterson Field for the USAFM in March 1955

First flown in January 1942, the R-4 holds the honour of being the world's first helicopter to go into production and the first to see combat, despite being difficult to fly and suffering from excessive vibration. This one (of 131 built) was obtained from the University of Illinois in 1967

This L-2M is actually 43-26592, built in 1944 by the Taylorcraft Airplane Co in Alliance, OH. The USAAF used it for liaison pilot training at the McFarland Flying Service Contract Pilot School, Atkinson Municipal Airport in Pittsburg, KS. This only lasted for four months before it went into storage and was declared surplus. After many changes of ownership, a project to restore it was found in a garage in the Central Valley of California in 2012. From 2009 to 2011 it toured many airshows across the US; to NMUSAF Sep 2011. Now painted to represent another L-2M flown at Atkinson during the war

This T-6D flew as an early 'Mosquito' FAC aircraft with the 6147th Tactical Air Control Group during the first two years of the Korean War. Ironically, it was converted to a mosquito spraying aircraft in 1952. Two years later, the USAF transferred it to the nascent Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). The ROKAF placed it on display outside for several years after retiring it. The USAFM acquired it in 1995 and after restoration it went on display in 2001 and can now be seen in the Korean War Gallery

Built in 1942, this L-3B found its way into private hands as surplus after the war. Completely restored by its previous owner in Ohio, the aircraft was flown to the museum in 1984. A total of 1,400 L-3s were supplied to the USAAF for liaison and observation duties

This Liberator flew combat missions from North Africa in 1943-1944 over Italy, Greece and Austria with the 512th Bomb Squadron. It was flown to the museum in May 1959

This AT-11 is one of 1,582 ordered by the USAAF between 1941 and 1945, 36 of which were modified as AT-11A navigation trainers. It was operated during the last years of WWII by the Bombardier Training School, Roswell Army Air Field, NM. Operated postwar by the Abrams Aerial Survey Corp, Lansing, MI as N64044 and later N341X, in 1969 they donated it to the USAFM

This Me-163 was sabotaged while under construction by the forced labourers building it in Germany. A stone was found wedged next to the fuselage fuel tank and there was contaminated glue in the wing structure. Taken into service by JG 400 at Brandis around Aug 1944, it was captured by the British at Husum and shipped to Farnborough, then onwards to Canada. Loaned to the USAFM by the CNAM, Rockcliffe 1978-95 and to USAFM permanently in 1999. During restoration in Canada the inscriptions "Manufacture Ferme" (Plant closed) and "Mon coeur est en chomage" (My heart is not occupied) were discovered

The famed B-17F "Memphis Belle" became the first heavy bomber to return to the US after flying 25 missions over Europe in WWII. It had been on loan from the Air Force to the city of Memphis and was relocated to the museum in 2005. After years of meticulous restoration, it was placed on public display in the World War II Gallery in May 2018

Out of the 116 B-58 supersonic bombers built, eight survive. The type had a high accident rate and relatively short service life from 1960, ending in 1970 when it was determined that the cost of maintaining the fleet was too great. This example was operated by the 43rd BW from Carswell AFB, TX and in March 1962 set a transcontinental speed record averaging 1,214 mph while flying non-stop from Los Angeles to New York (in 2:00 hours) and back, winning the crew the Bendix and Mackay Trophies. It was ferried to the museum in December 1969 - my 1973 photo here shows it outside

Initially used by the Flight Test Division here at Wright-Patterson as an EF-94A then JF-94A, this early Starfire flew with the 101st FIS MA ANG from Boston-Logan from 1954 till ferried to the UASFM as long ago as May 1957, although it didn't undergo preparation for display until the 1970s

You can't beat the old metallic and dayglo combination! This rarity is one of 15 Cessna Model 195s obtained by the USAF in 1949 to meet a need for a rugged aircraft with excellent performance for the Arctic rescue service. The floats were interchangeable with skis. The paint scheme shows the aircraft as operated by the 10th ARS at Elmendorf AFB, AK

From 1953 the USAF began replacing its WB-29 weather reconnaissance aircraft with modified B-50Ds. Stripped of defensive armament, 36 became WB-50Ds for long-range weather recon missions with high-altitude atmospheric samplers, Doppler & weather radar and a bomb-bay fuel tank for longer range. While with the 97th BW, 49-0310 was used to sample for radioactive particles in case the Soviet Union had detonated a nuclear weapon. Transferred to the Air Weather Service in 1955, from 1965-67 it flew as a JB-50D test machine here at Wright Patt; to the USAFM in 1968. My 1973 pic here

The F-80C on display at the NMUSAF is one of the few remaining Shooting Stars that flew combat missions during the Korean War. Restored and painted as it was in 1950 while assigned to the 8th FBG, it was placed on display in 1979 having been returned to the US from Uruguay in 1970, where it had flown with the FAU since acquisition in 1958 with serial 221

This Osprey was originally built as a pre-production MV-22B for the USN with BuNo 165839. In 2005 it was modified into a CV-22B and flew more than 200 developmental test missions at Edwards AFB. On transfer to the USAF's 413th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL it flew a further 400 tests before ferrying to Wright Field for the museum in December 2013

The A-36A dive bomber was the first US Army Air Forces version of North American's famous Mustang, the latter originally developed for the RAF in 1940. It was used in the Mediterranean and Italian campaigns in 1943 but by 1944 it had been found that the high-altitude P-47 and P-51 fighters were more suitable for low-level missions when fitted with bomb racks than the A-36As. The museum's example was raced by the Essex Wire Corp as NX39502 '44' between 1946 and 1949, eventually being donated in 1971. It is painted as an A-36A flown by the 522nd FBS in combat over North Africa and Italy

The Bronco on display in the Southeast Asia War Gallery came to the museum in October 1991 and is painted as it appeared when it served in that theatre. From entry into service in 1969 it was based at a wide range of locations - Bien Hoa AB and Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, Nakhon Phanom R Thai AB, Bergstrom AFB, TX, Osan AB, Republic of Korea, Wheeler AFB, HI, George AFB, CA and lastly Shaw AFB, SC with the 507th TACW

The Blue Canoe was of course the military version of Cessna's highly successful 310 series, selected in 1957 by the USAF for service as a light administrative liaison, cargo and utility transport. The aircraft on display here (backed by the U-6A that can be seen here) is one of several USAF U-3As that were transferred to the US Army and in this case operated by the Georgia Army National Guard from 1974. It was flown to the museum in September 1984

Operated by the 353rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Myrtle Beach AFB, SC) this A-10 flew 57 missions in Operation Desert Storm out of King Fahd Airport at Dammam in Saudi Arabia