The YF-12 was developed in the 1960s as a high-altitude, Mach 3 interceptor to defend against supersonic bombers. Based on the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft, the YF-12A became the forerunner of the SR-71 strategic reconnaissance platform. The first of three made its maiden flight in August 1963; this is the second one built and was recalled from storage in 1969 for a joint USAF/NASA investigation of supersonic cruise technology in support of the SST and Space Shuttle programs. It was flown to the museum in November 1979, the other two having been destroyed in accidents

The X-5 was the first high-performance aircraft that could vary the sweep of its wings in flight and was an experimental design based upon that of the Messerschmitt P.1101, discovered in Germany at the end of WWII (sweep only adjustable on ground). Two X-5s were built, the first flight occurring in June 1951. One was destroyed in October 1953 when it failed to recover from a spin at 60 degrees sweepback, the survivor being delivered to the USAFM in 1958

In 1951 at the request of the Army, the USAF developed the XH-26, a one-man observation helicopter powered by a pulse-jet on the end of each rotor blade. It could be packed into a container to be towed by a regular Jeep and stripped for air dropping, re-assembly taking 20 minutes. Five prototype Jet Jeeps were evaluated and performed well, although the pulse-jets were too loud and cost considerations forced the cancellation of the program

Nestled under the XB-70 is the X-1B, which was instrumented to study thermal heating during supersonic flight. In 1957 Neil Armstrong, then a NACA test pilot, tested the installation of a system of small reaction rockets used for directional control. Cracks in the fuel tanks finally grounded the rocket plane with the last of 27 flights being made in January 1958

Displayed with its RAF serial, this Beaufighter was taken up by the RAAF as A19-43 and saw combat in the southwest Pacific with 31 Sqdn. Postwar it was used as an instructional airframe before becoming derelict, finding its way to the Moorabbin Air Museum in 1971. In 1987 it was sold to the USAFM where it was restored to represent the aircraft flown by the Commander of the 415 Night Fighter Sqdn USAAF based in Italy, who shot down a Heinkel He.111 carrying staff officers in September 1944

The 'Flanker-C' trainer on display at the NMUSAF was built in 1989 and served first in the Soviet Navy and then the Ukrainian AF after the Soviet Union collapsed. In 2008, Ukraine sold the demilitarised jet in the US where it was given a CoA as N132SU, and in 2011 the US Air Force bought it, although it was not passed to the Museum until 2023

Bell completed two tilt-rotor XV-3s and began hover tests in 1955. The first one was damaged beyond repair, but testing continued with the second aircraft. The first complete rotation from takeoff to horizontal flight and back took place in December 1958. After testing ended in 1965, the surviving XV-3 went on display at Fort Rucker, AL and later into storage. From 2004 it was restored by Bell Helicopter Textron and arrived at the museum in 2007

Placed on display as recently as May 2024, this was Boeing entry in the Joint Strike Fighter contest started in 1996 and ultimately won by Lockheed Martin's X-35 and developed into the F-35. It was never given USAF markings, remaining in Boeing's ownership

Built in the early 1980s in great secrecy, the revolutionary Tacit Blue tested advanced radar sensors and new ideas in stealth technology. It was inherently highly unstable but had a digital fly-by-wire system to control it. Using advanced sensors, it could loiter behind enemy lines, continuously monitoring and providing valuable information through data links. It flew 135 times before the program ended in 1985. The aircraft was declassified and placed on display at the museum in 1996

This was originally the jet-powered Martin SV-5J, a derivative of the X-24A lifting body built for flight training but never flown. For display purposes, the SV-5J has been modified to represent the X-24A. Martin donated it to the museum in 1971. In 1973 the actual X-24A 66-13551, which made 12 gliding tests in 1969 and 1970 dropped from a NASA modified B-52, was converted into the radically different 'flat-iron' X-24B on display alongside

In June 1939 Beech delivered three examples of its popular commercial Model 17 Staggerwing aircraft for evaluation as executive or courier transports under the designation of YC-43, leading in 1942 to an order for 270 UC-43s. A further 118 were purchased or leased from exiting owners to meet Army and Navy needs, those in service with the latter being designated as GB-2s. This one was BuNo 23733, registered N67198 postwar and after landing wheels-up in 1968, was donated to the USAFM in 1974. It is now displayed to represent a UC-43 assigned to the 8th Air Force in England in 1943

The versatile STOL U-10 could fly as slow as 28mph and found favour in Vietnam War service which included clandestine operations by Air America. Retired to MASDC in 1974, this one is actually 66-14360 which was registered N42022 in 1976 for use by the Screwworm Eradication Program in Texas before joining the USAFM around 1984. It is painted to represent an aircraft operating in SE Asia in 1968 with the 5th Air Commando Sqdn

This is the only VC-54C built, 42-107451, the first dedicated presidential aircraft. It had the fuselage of a C-54A with the wings of a C-54B for extra fuel capacity. Known as "Sacred Cow' in view of its highly sensitive security profile, for President Roosevelt's only flight aboard it to the Yalta Conference in February 1945, it was marked with false serial 42-72252 belonging to a C-54 which had been lost in the Pacific. Roosevelt's successor, Harry S. Truman signed the 1947 National Security Act aboard, creating the USAF. Retired from regular transport work in 1961, it went to the USAFM 1983

Ca.1949: TOS USAF. 1955: Sheppard AFB, TX, for maintenance training. 1956: Registered N2566B, exported to Mexico for Chiapas Aero Services, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapa with c/r XA-LOU. By 1960: Open storage in Mexico City. 1978-1988: Derelict, at a farm. 1990: Returned to USA. 1991-1993: Restored to static condition for USAF Museum using components from YC-125A 48-634 (N3756Q). 1994: United States Air Force Museum, 1995: Restoration completed at the museum. Marked as 48-622, which was stationed at Wright-Patterson for cold weather testing. 2022: NMUSAF solicited for buyers. 2025: Engines removed

Ca.1949: TOS USAF. 1955: Sheppard AFB, TX, for maintenance training. 1956: Registered N2566B, exported to Mexico for Chiapas Aero Services, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapa with c/r XA-LOU. By 1960: Open storage in Mexico City. 1978-1988: Derelict, at a farm. 1990: Returned to USA. 1991-1993: Restored to static condition for USAF Museum using components from YC-125A 48-634 (N3756Q). 1994: United States Air Force Museum, 1995: Restoration completed at the museum. Marked as 48-622, which was stationed at Wright-Patterson for cold weather testing. 2022: NMUSAF solicited for buyers. 2025: Engines removed

More than 5,000 MiG-23s of all types were built. The MiG-23MS was designed for export and was equipped with a less sophisticated radar housed in a smaller radome. The USAF's 4477th Test Squadron, the "Red Eagles," flew this aircraft during Project Constant Peg providing realistic adversary training for US pilots. It is likely an ex Egyptian AF aircraft and was transferred to the museum in February 2017

This is an early model Soviet AF MiG-29A that was assigned to the 234th Gvardeiskii Istrebitelnii Aviatsionnii Polk (234th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment) stationed at Kubinka AB in Moscow. It was one of the six MiG-29s that made a goodwill visit to Kuopio-Rissala, Finland, in July 1986, marking the first public display of the type. In 1992 it was one of 33 MiG-29s inherited by the Moldovan AF, operated as '25 white' (ex '22 yellow') and was sold to the US in 1997 wearing its olive green camouflage

This really is 52-1066. Chateauroux to Athens and was forced down by Yugoslavia Air Force fighters. Plane and crew were held until after some diplomatic negotiations when they were released to return to Chateauroux. 19 Sep '74: Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, for storage. 27 Aug '75: Flown to the Air Force Museum. It is displayed as 51-135 of 756th Military Airlift Squadron/909th Military Airlift Group (Andrews AFB).

The USAAS adopted the SPAD XIII, a development of the SPAD VII, as its primary fighter in WWI. By the war's end, the Air Service had accepted 893 SPAD XIIIs from the French, equipping 15 of the 16 American fighter squadrons. This example went into service with the French in October 1918 so did not see war operations but was shipped to the US in 1919 and fitted with a smaller Wright-Suiza engine to replace its Hispano-Suiza. Joined Cole Palen's flying circus in 1951, becoming N2030A and bequeathed to the USAFM in 1993 where it is now displayed in the colours of 94th PS ace Eddie Rickenbacker

Designed in 1917 as a combination fighter, light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft by Capt Georges LePere, a French aeronautical engineer working for the USAAS, LUSAC stood for LePere United States Army Combat. This is the only LUSAC 11 in existence of 28 built and went to France just before the end of the war. In 1989 the museum acquired it from the Musee de l'Air in Paris. After extensive restoration, it went on display in 1992, marked as it appeared while at the Allied test facility in Orly, France, in late 1918