15 May 1947: First flight, at Muroc AFB. 4/48: TOS USAF. Used in extensive engine testing program with one engine being changed to a J47. When the clear plastic nose began to crack from variations in temperature at high and low altitudes, mechanics fashioned a durable replacement made from plywood, which is still on the plane. The plane flew in the test program until late 1953. 1954: Paul Garber Restoration Facility, National Air Museum, Silver Hill, MD. 2010: Transported to the National Museum of the USAF where it remains stored at the restoration facility.

Chosen for preservation, the Enola Gay was stored at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ in 1946. Transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, the aircraft moved to Orchard Place Air Field, IL (1949), Pyote Air Force Base, TX (1952), and Edwards AFB (1953) for storage outside as the Smithsonian had no place to store such a large aircraft. In 1960, it was disassembled and moved to the Smithsonian storage facility in Suitland, MD where it's pictured in cramped quarters. Restoration beginning in 1984 at the Garber facility, the historic bomber was unveiled at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in 2003.

1931-built roadable twin-boom pusher engined aircraft with single fin. Two-seat tandem cabin. Corrugated metal skin. This was the first of four slightly varying examples of the Skycar built up to 1940 and is the last survivor.

An original SPAD S-XIII ordered by the USA towards the end of WWI.

1960-built two-seat training glider

1917-built Standard J-1 preserved wearing its original US Army Air Service markings.

Built as PQ-14A target drone for USAAF with serial 45-58816. Transferred to US Navy and designated Culver TD2C-1 with BuAer No. 120035. The type could be flown manned or un-manned, as each mission required.

Twin-seat amphibian fitted with secondary landing wheel in lower fuselage and powered by pusher engine between its wings. Built by Herman Ecker of Syracuse NY in 1912 and flown by him until its retirement in 1915.

1932-built Waco UIC executive cabin biplane.

Holder of the World Endurance Record of 653 hours non-stop refuelled flight set between June 4 and July 1 1935 by the Key Brothers circling above their home airport of Meridian, Mississippi. Flown to Washington by the brothers in 1955 and presented to the NASM for display.

Small two-seat utility helicopter built in 1951. The type was supplied to the US Navy and Army in small numbers for trials. This example is now exhibited in the Udvar Hazy center.

The CCW-1 was the single-seat development precursor of the larger CCW-5 Channel Wing aircraft. It first flew in November 1942 and is fitted with a T-tail. It is stored in the NASM Silver Hill MD facility.

Exhibited at the Silver Hill restoration centre of the NASM in 1982, this powered sailplane with pusher engine and three tail fins is now on display at the Udvar Hazy Center.

The Pogo was tested from April 1954 to November 1956, but technical problems couldn't be overcome before aviation progress passed it by. It was displayed at Naval Air Station Norfolk,VA until 1973 when it was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum. Photographed here in the museum's Paul E. Garber Storage Facility.

1925-built three-seat barnstorming biplane at the NASM Silver Hill restoration and storage facility

This early Phantom (original designation F4H-1F) set a low-altitude speed record, still unbeaten, on 28.8.61, when Lts Huntington Hardisty (pilot) and Earl De Esch (RIO) flew her at 903 mph over a 3 km low-altitude course at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The maximum altitude reached was only 125 ft, fully living up to the project name - Sageburner. 145307 is seen here at the NASM's storage facility with B-29 'Enola Gay'