Having been kept in overall natural metal colours when first displayed at the USAFM (my 1973 photo here), it was restored to the earlier white-top scheme when moved into the Cold War Gallery by 1986. First serving the Military Air Transport Service's 1607th Air Transport Wing (Heavy) at Dover AFB, DE, in 1958 it set a world record for propeller-driven aircraft by lifting a cargo payload of 117,900lbs to 10,000ft. Transferred to the 436th MAW in January 1966 and remaining at Dover, it was flown from there to Wright Patterson for the museum in March 1971

Resplendent in the hi-viz colours of the 57th FIS at Keflavik, Iceland with which it operated between 1962 and 1970 often carrying out Soviet bomber intercepts, this Delta Dagger arrived at the museum in 1971

Delivered new to the 18th TRS/363rd TRW at Shaw AFB, SC in October 1957, next month it participated in Op Sun Run in which three new transcontinental speed records for the type were set. In Oct 1962 it flew low-altitude recon during the Cuban Missile Crisis and helped confirm that offensive missile sites were being dismantled. In March 1966 it went to war with the 45th TRS/460th TRW from Tan Son Nhut AB in Vietnam, seeing deployments to Misawa and Kadena in Japan, Andersen in Guam and Hickam, HI. In November 1970 it was transferred to the 153rd TRS/186rd TRG at Meridian, MS. To USAFM Oct 1978

A recent addition to the Cold War Gallery is this F-15C which achieved the type's first double MiG-29 kill while over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during Operation Allied Force in March 1999. At the time the aircraft was assigned to the 493rd FS/48th FW at RAF Lakenheath. It ended its career with the 131st FS/104th FW MA ANG at Barnes ANGB and was ferried to the NMUSAF in April 2023

Looking absolutely superb, this is a genuine Thunderbirds Super Sabre which (after operating with various TAC units from 1957) flew in the number six position for the 1968 display season. It was restored to its former glory in 1977 by team maintenance personnel at their Nellis AFB, NV home. Having last served the 175th TFS/114th TFG South Dakota ANG at Sioux Falls from 1970 to 1977, it was flown to the USAFM in July 1977 by the ANG and presented by Thunderbirds team staff

In 1965 the USAF sent its first F-4Cs to Southeast Asia, where they flew air-to-air missions against North Vietnamese fighters as well as attacking ground targets. The first USAF pilot to score four combat victories with F-4s there was Col. Robin Olds, a WWII ace. This aircraft is the one in which he and his backseat co-pilot destroyed two MiG-17s in a single day in May 1967. Last serving the 149th TFG (TX ANG) at Kelly AFB from 1983 (and briefly the CA ANG), it was ferried to the USAFM in April 1986

A military version of the civilian Ryan STA, the YPT-16 became the first monoplane acquired by the USAAC as a primary trainer. They ordered 15 after purchasing a single Ryan STA-1 in 1939 for testing as the XPT-16. From 1940-1942, the Air Corps bought nearly 1,200 more similar Ryan trainers as PT-20s, PT-21s and PT-22s. This one was not in fact operated by the military and was registered NC18922 by Ryan, but was used for demonstrations to Air Corps officials here at Wright Field in July 1939. To the museum in 1986

This Thunderchief began operational service in 1964 as a standard F-105F. In 1967 it joined the 355th TFW in Thailand, where it flew combat missions for nearly three years. During this time, it became one of a select few USAF aircraft to claim three MiG kills. In 1970 it was fitted with ECM gear and joined the 388th TFW for "Wild Weasel" duty, attacking enemy surface-to-air missile sites. Converted to full F-105G spec in 1972, it spent a further year in SE Asia before going the 35th TFW at George AFB, CA (my 1979 photo here). Ferried to the USAFM in 1980

The 156 Douglas O-38s made ended a series of biplane observation aircraft begun in the early 1920s. While operating out of Ladd Field near Fairbanks. AK in June 1941, this one crashed due to engine failure at Salcha River. Uninjured, the pilot and his mechanic hiked to safety after supplies were dropped to them. The abandoned aircraft remained in the Alaskan wilderness until recovered in surprisingly good condition some 27 years later using a CH-47 helicopter. It was then flown to the USAFM aboard a C-130, undergoing restoration over the next six years, only the wings needing extensive work

The A-17 series was a direct descendent of the pace setting Northrop Gamma, made famous by the aerial explorer Lincoln Ellsworth. It replaced the Curtiss A-8 and A-12 Shrike and was the last of the pre-WWII single-engine attack aircraft ordered into production by the Army Air Corps. The 'A' model seen here introduced a more powerful engine and fully retractable undercarriage. Arriving at the museum in 1971, it is displayed in the 1938 marks of the 90th Attack Squadron, 3rd Attack Group

First flown in 1948, over 6,500 of this two-seat trainer derived from Lockheed's P-80 jet fighter were built, serving over 30 nations including Bolivia, which was the last to retire the type, as recently as 2017. This one was flown to the museum in 1962

In the late 1930s Douglas developed the B-18 to replace the Martin B-10 as the US Army Air Corps' standard bomber, but by 1942 superior designs such as Boeing's B-17 had supplanted it, many being relegated to transport or anti-submarine work. This example was redesignated as an RB-18A in 1942 and after being used for utility duties, was operated post-war as a crop duster registered N56847. It was ferried to the USAFM in 1971

From looking at earlier images of some aircraft in the museum, it is apparent that their current positioning is less favourable for photography than it once was - this is an example. In the Lead-In-Fighter Trainer (LIFT) program, from 1975 new pilots went directly from T-38s to advanced fighters of an operational squadron. The LIFT program saved costs and reduced the training load on new pilots because they could learn fighter basics in a familiar aircraft. Modified with weapons pylon and gunsight, this Talon became one of the AT-38Bs so used by the 479th TTW (Holloman AFB, NM) till 1991

Derived originally from the Beechcraft Bonanza, the 350 T-34s eventually built for the USAF's Training Command served from first deliveries in 1954 through till replacement by Cessna T-37 jets from the end of that decade. A further 100 were built in Canada under licence. This one was registered N6485C between 1962 and 1979

Starting in 1925 with the P-1, Curtiss built a long series of fighters carrying the name Hawk. Of the eight different P-6 models produced, the P-6E remains the best known. This is the only surviving example in the world of the 70 P-6s built, donated to the museum in 1962. It is displayed in the markings of 17th Pursuit Squadron, 1st Pursuit Squadron Selfridge Field, MI in 1933 although it it fact served the 33rd PS, 8th PG, Langley Field, VA

The USAAF contracted with new manufacturer Interstate for 250 of their S-1B tandem seat liaison aircraft designating it as L-6 but overheating problems with its 115hp Franklin engine were never fully solved. This one was registered N60458 postwar

Rather less suitable for photography than when I last saw it in 1973 (photo here), "Triple Nickel" was one of the unarmed radar EC-121s that aided direction towards enemy aircraft, to aerial refuelling tankers and guided rescue planes to downed pilots. In October 1967 while stationed airborne over Gulf of Tonkin, this Connie guided a US fighter by radar into position to destroy a MiG-21, marking the first time an airborne radar weapons controller had directed a successful attack on an enemy aircraft. The 72 EC-121s had entered service with ADC from 1953, flying coastal patrols

Discovered without wings by demolition crews in a Chicago garage while clearing buildings to make way for a new freeway during the 1960s, the museum's P-12 had been delivered to the 95th Pursuit Squadron, March Field in late 1931 and has been restored to the marks of the 6th Pursuit Squadron, 18th Pursuit Group, Wheeler Field, HI as operated between December 1933 and May 1940. Stuck off having suffered a broken strut on landing, it was donated to the Coffey School of Aeronautics, Chicago, eventually arriving with the USAFM in 1973

The B-66 was developed from the US Navy A3D Skywarrior as a tactical light bomber and photo reconnaissance aircraft. The RB-66B photo reconnaissance version became the first production series and totaled 145 of the 294 B-66s built. The USAF also developed a weather reconnaissance and various ECM modifications. The aircraft on display flew combat missions in Southeast Asia with the 363rd TRW and was delivered to the museum in 1970. This link shows it as seen in 1973

In 1952 the USAF was testing two YRF-84F FICON (FIghter CONveyor) prototypes, one of which is currently stored at the NMUSAF - see my 1973 photo. Orders were placed for 25 RF-84Ks, while ten B-36s were converted into GRB-36 carriers. The RF-84K now on display in the marks of the 91st SRS (with which it operated between 1955 and 1957) may have been used for a short time for deep penetration reconnaissance flights into the USSR, started and recovered from its mother ship. As more capable aircraft rendered the awkward concept obsolete, the RF-84Ks joined regular land-based RF-84Fs