Exhibitions

Flight Testing

July 1, 1976 – 1995

National Air and Space Museum
6th St. & Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC

Flight Testing, Gallery 109, 1st Floor, East Wing

See on Map Floor Plan

This gallery traces the history of flight research, research aircraft, and the test pilot.

Highlights include:

  • Lilienthal Glider, an early, unpowered flight research vehicle
  • Bell XP-59A Airacomet, the 1st U.S. turbojet aircraft
  • Hawker Siddeley XV-6A Kestrel, a successful application of vectored thrust in an aircraft
  • Lockheed Model 5-C (modified) Vega Winnie-Mae, performed stratospheric research in the 1930s, piloted by Wiley Post