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Artistic reconstruction of an aviation and space museum hall with suspended biplane and spacecraft models

MUSEUM OF AVIATION & SPACE

From air to orbit.

Explore 18 exhibits across early flight, the airways, and space exploration. Read the complete label, evidence, limits, and further reading for every display.

Gallery images are artistic reconstructions of representative subjects. These are educational displays, not photographs of accessioned Eftsona objects; no collection provenance is claimed.

GALLERY 01 · Lift, control & power

The Problem of Flight

From the glider to the powered aircraft, each improvement had to be measured and tested.

Choose an exhibit below to see its complete label.

AS · 001Glider wingEarly glider reconstruction AS · 0021903 FlyerEarly powered aircraft model AS · 003Wind tunnel modelAerodynamic test model AS · 004Wooden propellerPropulsion component model AS · 005Radial piston engineReciprocating engine model AS · 006Flight controlsCockpit control model

EXHIBIT AS · 001 / 018

Glider wing

A light frame and fabric wing make lift visible as a design problem.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Early glider reconstruction
Period represented: Late nineteenth to early twentieth century
Typical setting: Experimental flying grounds
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Experimenters varied wing shape, area, and balance while testing how air moved around a lifting surface. A successful glide alone did not solve the harder problem of controlled, powered flight.

How to investigate it

Compare wing curvature, bracing, pilot position, and documented test results from successive designs.

What the display cannot establish

The model does not demonstrate an actual flight, its duration, or its degree of control.

Look closer: Which change would improve lift but make the craft harder to control?

Further reading: Smithsonian · Wright Brothers ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 002 / 018

1903 Flyer

A biplane design combined lift, propulsion, and three-axis control.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Early powered aircraft model
Period represented: 1903
Typical setting: Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

The Wright brothers made four brief flights on December 17, 1903. Their achievement rested on testing gliders, measuring lift and drag, and devising a means to control the aircraft in flight.

How to investigate it

Distinguish the original museum aircraft from replicas; compare dimensions, control linkages, contemporary photographs, and flight records.

What the display cannot establish

This reconstruction is not the Smithsonian original and cannot substantiate a particular flight by itself.

Look closer: Why did controllability matter as much as engine power?

Further reading: Smithsonian · 1903 Wright Flyer ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 003 / 018

Wind tunnel model

Moving air past a model lets investigators compare designs.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Aerodynamic test model
Period represented: Early twentieth century onward
Typical setting: Aeronautical laboratory
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Wind tunnels turn a question about flight into repeated measurements under controlled conditions. The Wrights used their own tunnel and balance apparatus to refine wing data before building a powered airplane.

How to investigate it

Identify the measured variables, test speed, scale, and similarity between model and full-size aircraft.

What the display cannot establish

A small model does not capture every force acting on a full-size machine in real conditions.

Look closer: What changes when the same shape is tested at a different speed?

Further reading: Smithsonian · Researching the Wright Way ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 004 / 018

Wooden propeller

A rotating blade converts engine power into thrust.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Propulsion component model
Period represented: Early twentieth century
Typical setting: Aircraft workshop
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

A propeller acts like a rotating wing. Its blade angle and shape vary along its length because the outer portion travels farther with each revolution than the inner portion.

How to investigate it

Examine twist, pitch, materials, damage, and the documented engine with which a real propeller was paired.

What the display cannot establish

The shape alone cannot establish its efficiency or identify a specific aircraft.

Look closer: Why is the blade twisted rather than flat?

Further reading: Smithsonian · How Things Fly ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 005 / 018

Radial piston engine

Cylinders arranged around a crankshaft powered many early aircraft.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Reciprocating engine model
Period represented: Early to mid twentieth century
Typical setting: Aircraft engine bay
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

A piston engine turns fuel combustion into rotation that drives a propeller. Cooling, weight, reliability, and maintenance mattered alongside raw power as aviation expanded.

How to investigate it

Trace intake, ignition, exhaust, crankshaft, and propeller connection; seek a serial number and service history for a real engine.

What the display cannot establish

This display cannot establish the condition or performance of any particular historic engine.

Look closer: What would a maintenance log tell us that a polished engine cannot?

Further reading: Smithsonian · America by Air ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 006 / 018

Flight controls

Pilot inputs adjust roll, pitch, and yaw.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Cockpit control model
Period represented: Early twentieth century onward
Typical setting: Pilot station
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

An aircraft changes direction through coordinated control of its surfaces. The 1903 Flyer used wing warping for roll, a forward elevator for pitch, and a rudder for yaw; later designs took different forms.

How to investigate it

Follow each linkage from pilot input to surface, then compare it with an aircraft manual or drawing.

What the display cannot establish

A static cockpit cannot show handling quality or a pilot’s workload in the air.

Look closer: What happens if a yaw correction is made without considering roll?

Further reading: Smithsonian · Roll, Pitch, and Yaw ↗

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GALLERY 02 · Travel, systems & safety

Airways & Evidence

Air travel became a network of routes, machines, people, and records.

Choose an exhibit below to see its complete label.

AS · 007Airmail route bagMail service display AS · 008Passenger airlinerInterwar airliner model AS · 009Jet engineTurbine cutaway model AS · 010Radar displayAir traffic control model AS · 011Flight recorderSafety investigation model AS · 012Composite wingModern structure section model

EXHIBIT AS · 007 / 018

Airmail route bag

Air mail helped establish scheduled routes and operating practices.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Mail service display
Period represented: 1920s–1930s example
Typical setting: Air mail route
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Mail contracts, route maps, schedules, and weather reports turned individual flights into a service. The work involved ground crews, pilots, dispatchers, and changing federal policy.

How to investigate it

Compare a route map with dated postal covers, weather logs, and published timetables.

What the display cannot establish

A bag and map cannot prove that a particular piece of mail flew on the depicted aircraft.

Look closer: What records could reconstruct one mailbag’s journey?

Further reading: Smithsonian · America by Air ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 008 / 018

Passenger airliner

A cabin, route, and schedule reshaped long-distance travel.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Interwar airliner model
Period represented: 1930s–1940s example
Typical setting: Commercial airport
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Metal airframes, more reliable engines, and navigational aids helped airlines connect cities. A model can show the aircraft, but the experience also depended on fares, access, crew labor, and airport infrastructure.

How to investigate it

Compare route networks, passenger capacity, cabin plans, and contemporary travel accounts.

What the display cannot establish

A model cannot represent the experience of every passenger or prove how widely air travel was accessible.

Look closer: Who could afford a flight when this type entered service?

Further reading: Smithsonian · America by Air ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 009 / 018

Jet engine

Compressed air, combustion, and turbine stages produce thrust.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Turbine cutaway model
Period represented: Mid twentieth century onward
Typical setting: Engine test gallery
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

A gas turbine ingests and compresses air, burns fuel, and uses the hot flow to drive a turbine and produce propulsion. The cutaway highlights a process hidden in a running engine.

How to investigate it

Trace the flow path and distinguish compressor, combustor, turbine, and exhaust; compare with a documented engine type.

What the display cannot establish

A cutaway cannot by itself prove fuel use, noise, reliability, or flight performance.

Look closer: Which parts must withstand the highest temperatures?

Further reading: Smithsonian · America by Air ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 010 / 018

Radar display

Controllers use surveillance and communication to manage separation.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Air traffic control model
Period represented: Mid twentieth century onward
Typical setting: Air traffic control facility
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Air traffic control grew from visual signals and procedural route coordination to radar-supported operations and newer surveillance systems. A screen is one part of a larger network of people and procedures.

How to investigate it

Compare the displayed targets with flight plans, radio records, and the system’s coverage and update rate.

What the display cannot establish

A simulated radar sweep cannot show every aircraft or establish what a controller actually knew at a moment.

Look closer: How could an aircraft be present yet absent from this display?

Further reading: FAA · Air Traffic Control History ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 011 / 018

Flight recorder

Recorded parameters can help reconstruct a flight.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Safety investigation model
Period represented: Mid twentieth century onward
Typical setting: Aircraft equipment bay
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Investigators correlate flight data, cockpit audio where available, wreckage, maintenance records, weather, and interviews. The popular name “black box” does not describe its usual high-visibility housing.

How to investigate it

Ask which parameters were recorded, at what sampling rates, and how the clock was synchronized with other evidence.

What the display cannot establish

One recorder cannot reveal every event, intention, or cause of an accident.

Look closer: What independent record could challenge an apparently clear data trace?

Further reading: FAA · Cockpit Voice Recorders ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 012 / 018

Composite wing

Layered materials can make a wing strong at reduced weight.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Modern structure section model
Period represented: Late twentieth century onward
Typical setting: Aircraft engineering laboratory
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Designers select materials, layup directions, internal structure, and manufacturing methods to balance strength, fatigue, inspection, and repair needs. A cutaway makes otherwise hidden layers visible.

How to investigate it

Inspect layup, joints, damage-tolerance tests, and the certified design of a specific aircraft.

What the display cannot establish

Appearance alone cannot establish the strength or service life of a real wing.

Look closer: Which flaws could be hidden below a smooth exterior?

Further reading: FAA · Aircraft Certification ↗

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GALLERY 03 · Satellites, crews & robots

Beyond the Atmosphere

Spaceflight is documented through engineering records, telemetry, samples, and observations.

Choose an exhibit below to see its complete label.

AS · 013Early satelliteEarth-orbiting satellite model AS · 014Mercury capsuleCrewed spacecraft model AS · 015Saturn VLaunch vehicle scale model AS · 016Lunar ModuleMoon landing craft model AS · 017Hubble telescopeOrbital observatory model AS · 018Mars roverPlanetary robot model

EXHIBIT AS · 013 / 018

Early satellite

A small spacecraft opened a new era of observation and communication.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Earth-orbiting satellite model
Period represented: 1957 onward
Typical setting: Earth orbit
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Sputnik 1 launched on October 4, 1957, becoming the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. Its transmissions and orbit were evidence available beyond the launch site.

How to investigate it

Compare launch records, radio frequencies, orbital tracking, and the contemporaneous reports of observers.

What the display cannot establish

This model is not Sputnik 1; it cannot prove that a depicted antenna or measurement matches the flown hardware.

Look closer: How can an independent observer verify an object is in orbit?

Further reading: NASA · Dawn of the Space Age ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 014 / 018

Mercury capsule

A compact capsule protected one astronaut during early U.S. crewed flights.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Crewed spacecraft model
Period represented: 1958–1963 program
Typical setting: Launch and reentry
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Project Mercury tested launch, orbital operations, reentry, recovery, and human performance in space. The capsule was one piece of a much larger ground and flight system.

How to investigate it

Compare flight plan, capsule configuration, mission transcript, telemetry, and recovery record for one named flight.

What the display cannot establish

A generic capsule model cannot describe all Mercury missions or prove a specific mission outcome.

Look closer: What evidence would confirm a capsule’s identity after recovery?

Further reading: NASA · Mercury Mission Transcripts ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 015 / 018

Saturn V

A multi-stage rocket carried Apollo missions toward the Moon.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Launch vehicle scale model
Period represented: 1960s–1970s
Typical setting: Launch complex
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Saturn V used successive stages to reach orbit and send Apollo spacecraft on a lunar trajectory. Ground tests and uncrewed flights preceded the crewed lunar missions.

How to investigate it

Follow stage separation, engine configuration, mission timeline, and payload mass in NASA flight reports.

What the display cannot establish

The model cannot convey launch forces or establish the performance of an individual rocket.

Look closer: Why discard a stage after it has burned its fuel?

Further reading: NASA · Apollo Program ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 016 / 018

Lunar Module

A specialized vehicle descended to and ascended from the Moon.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Moon landing craft model
Period represented: Apollo era, 1960s–1970s
Typical setting: Lunar surface and orbit
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Apollo’s lunar module separated surface landing from the command module’s return to Earth. Its descent and ascent stages served different jobs; the surface stage remained behind.

How to investigate it

Compare mission timeline, landing telemetry, crew transcript, images, and hardware drawings.

What the display cannot establish

A model alone cannot establish a landing site or document an astronaut’s activities.

Look closer: Which evidence links a particular lunar module to a particular site?

Further reading: NASA · Apollo Lunar Module ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 017 / 018

Hubble telescope

A telescope above much of Earth’s atmosphere records distant light.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Orbital observatory model
Period represented: 1990 onward
Typical setting: Low Earth orbit
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Hubble’s instruments, pointing systems, and servicing missions shaped the observations it could make. Images are processed from measured data, and interpretation depends on calibration and analysis.

How to investigate it

Read the instrument, wavelength, exposure, observation date, and image-processing notes for a particular observation.

What the display cannot establish

A colorful image is not a literal unaided-eye view and does not alone prove every scientific interpretation.

Look closer: Which instrument produced the data behind an image?

Further reading: NASA · About Hubble ↗

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EXHIBIT AS · 018 / 018

Mars rover

A robotic field geologist carries cameras and instruments to another world.

Display type: Illustrated reconstruction · Planetary robot model
Period represented: Twenty-first century
Typical setting: Martian surface
Accession / origin: No physical Eftsona object; image is illustrative

What this represents

Rovers plan drives, image landscapes, examine rocks, and relay measurements to Earth. Results depend on the instrument, location, calibration, and constraints of remote operations.

How to investigate it

Compare a rover image with its instrument metadata, site map, and mission science release.

What the display cannot establish

A dramatic landscape image alone cannot establish the chemistry or age of the rocks pictured.

Look closer: What measurement would test a claim about ancient water?

Further reading: NASA · Rover Basics ↗

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