"Flak-Bait" undergoing restoration at the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. This indestructible B-26 flew 207 missions over Europe, the most by any USAAF bomber. Gen. Arnold decided to preserve this veteran of D-Day and missions against V-1 sites. Assigned to the 449th BS, 322nd BG, "Flak-Bait" lived up to its name with over a thousand flak holes patched and every control surface replaced at least once.

On display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum. The Okha 22 was an improvement over the Okha 11 that had a range of only 37 km. After a number of Okha 11s were lost along with their carrier G4M2e Betty bombers on several sorties, it became necessary to extend the range to 130 km by installing the Hitachi Tsu-11 hybrid motor-jet engine. This is the only surviving Model 22.

Built as AK875 and 1047 for RCAF. Later to NX1048N.

Japanese Navy 'George' fighter preserved in the Dulles Museum.

Completed as a Hurricane IIc, this was one of the last of an order for 2005 aircraft and was delivered in March 1944. It served with No. 41 Operational Training Unit based at Hawarden. It was allocated to 5270M on 27 June 1945.

Built at Lockheed's Burbank plant in November 1943 and used in various test and development roles during WW2 and then stored. It has never been repainted. Serial repeated under port wing leading edge.

Waiting for the ceremony to exchange it for 'Discovery"

A rare sight to see two Space Shuttles nose to nose. The occasion is the ceremony at the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy museum at IAD to exchange the museum's Enterprise, which never flew in space, for the OV-103 Discovery which flew more missions than any other Shuttle. It's interesting to compare the pristine appearance of the Enterprise to the post re-entry wear on the Discovery.

Seen at the ceremony to exchange Discovery for Enterprise at the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy museum at IAD. Discovery is now displayed there just as it appeared after it's last flight.

On display at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum. Named after a sailing ship that had pioneered scientific research, Discovery flew its first mission in 1984 and last in 2011 for a total of 39 spaceflights, more than any other Space Shuttle or spacecraft. It spent 365 days in space and clocked more than 238 million km. Reinforced carbon-carbon on the nose cone differs in color with the tessellation of 30,757 silica tiles forming the heat shield.

The 1912 Gage biplane in the NASM collection is referred to as the Fowler-Gage, in recognition of its owner and pilot, Robert G. Fowler. Beginning in October 1912, Fowler made numerous exhibition and passenger flights in California. He made his most famous flight in the airplane in 1913, flying ocean-to-ocean across Panama. With the Gage now on floats, Fowler started his Isthmus of Panama crossing with a takeoff from the Pacific side at 9:45 a.m. on April 27. Nevertheless, he completed the 83 km (52 mi) flight in one hour and 45 minutes. Full details: http://www.aviation-history.com/garber/vg

In 1919, the H.& M. Farman Aeroplane Company of France produced the Farman Sport two-place sport and light commercial biplane. In 1922, C.T. Ludington and Wallace Kellett of Philadephia, Pennsylvania imported their first two Sports. Their pilot flew this aircraft, serial number 15, C-72, in the 1924 "On to Dayton Race". After suffering severe damage in 1928, NC-72's airworthiness certificate was revoked luntil Ken Hyde of Warrenton, Virginia, restored it. C.T. Ludington himself identified the aircraft, allowing Hyde to reclaim the NC-72 registration. This is the last remaining Farman Sport.

"Plane Jane" was a Fleet designed for civilian pilot training. This model is painted in the colors of Roosevelt Aviation School, Long Island, New York. The aircraft was used in the Civilian Pilot Training Program to instruct potential military pilots prior to and during World War II.

On display at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum.

On display at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum.

On display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum. This Aerobat belonged to William K. Kershner, a highly respected instructor who authored five manuals on primary, advanced, aerobatic, instructor and instrument flying. It was used as a test bed for Kershner's spin studies, for which he performed over 7,000 spins.

On display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Helldivers were the last dive-bombers in the U.S. Navy. This Helldiver never saw combat, having reached Guam before the war ended. It was assigned to VB-92 "Battling Beasts" aboard USS Lexington (CV-16) from Sept. to Dec. 1945. By Jan. 1946 the Helldiver was back in the USA, and after rotating through different squadrons was marked for preservation in 1948. It has been restored as a VB-92 aircraft, aided by surviving members of the squadron.

Experimental Autogiro on display in the Vertical Flight exhibition at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum. These series of Autogiros were difficult to handle, leading to several accidents. The USAAF abandoned the Autogiro in favor of the more reliable Sikorsky helicopter.