“America’s Hangar” Celebrates 20 Years

Lockheed SR-71A

Story and photos by Corey Beitler (Originally published in Corey’s “Distelfink Airlines” magazine, December 2023 edition – photo selection altered from original)

When its doors open to the public each day, the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, tells the story of aviation and space exploration through over 170 aircraft, 130 space vehicles, and thousands of smaller artifacts on display. Visitors to the museum can admire the sleek lines of the Concorde, the world’s first supersonic commercial airliner, and the massive size of the Space Shuttle Discovery, which flew 39 missions and spent 365 days in space. Thousands of smaller artifacts are just as intriguing, such as a collection of space suits worn by astronauts and a showcase of memorabilia commemorating Charles Lindbergh’s New York to Paris flight with the Spirit of St. Louis. This month, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is celebrating its 20th anniversary of being open to the public as the second National Air and Space Museum building of the Smithsonian Institution.

Outside look at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s long road to reality began shortly after the National Air and Space Museum’s flagship location opened in 1976 on the National Mall in downtown Washington D.C. The new building was large, the length of three city blocks, with the largest aircraft on display being a Douglas DC-3 commercial airliner from 1936. As museum curators moved aircraft and space vehicles into this new building, they realized at some point that a second, even larger facility would be needed to display the larger aircraft and space vehicles in the National Air and Space Museum’s growing collection.

As the flagship location on the National Mall was being planned in the 1960s, National Air and Space Museum supporters were already advocating for a second facility. These supporters believed the newly-built Washington Dulles International Airport would be an ideal location. The airport’s runways were long enough to support the arrival of large aircraft and the airport was only an hour’s drive from downtown Washington D.C. Unfortunately, funding from Congress to the Smithsonian Institution was limited, and museum officials only supported building an air and space museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution’s museum complex on the National Mall. At this location, the National Air and Space Museum became one of the world’s most visited museums, with over nine million tourists passing through its doors each year.

Douglas M-2 mail plane

When the location on the National Mall opened in 1976, many of the National Air and Space Museum’s aircraft and space vehicles were left behind. Some were stored in a large hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport, and others at a facility known as “Silver Hill” in Suitland, Maryland. This facility, later named the Paul E. Garber Facility, consisted of about 30 metal buildings in a swampy marshland. Unfortunately, many of these storage buildings lacked the climate controls and insulation needed for long-term storage of aircraft and artifacts. Some larger aircraft were stored outside under plastic wrap in the elements. As the National Air and Space Museum’s collection of artifacts continued to grow in the 1980s, a renewed interest developed in building a second, larger museum building.

Throughout the 1980s, National Air and Space Museum officials lobbied Congress for funding for a second National Air and Space Museum facility. They felt it was essential to display larger aircraft in their collection and preserve the collection for future generations. In 1984, the Washington Dulles International Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration set aside over 170 acres of land at the airport for a future second museum building and promised their support of the project. After nearly a decade of discussions with Smithsonian officials, Congress approved $8 million in funding in 1993 for the museum to design the “Dulles Extension” of the National Air and Space Museum. Three years later, with a promise of financial support from Virginia for the project, Congress authorized the Smithsonian to proceed further with design studies for the museum.

Unfortunately, there was a catch. Congress stated that no public funding could be used or would be authorized to support building a second National Air and Space Museum facility. The only money authorized by Congress for the Smithsonian Institution each year is an annual operating budget. Most Smithsonian projects are funded by private donations and museum benefactors. If a second museum building were to be constructed, the Smithsonian would have to raise the money by conducting a massive fundraising campaign.

To help the Smithsonian Institution design the new facility, the museum contracted with the architectural firm Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum (HOK). HOK had helped the Smithsonian design and build the original location on the National Mall in the early 1970s. The firm worked closely with museum curators, collections experts, and exhibit designers to define the new facility in terms of size, structural requirements, site and access needs, and environmental impacts.

The Boeing 367-80 “Dash 80” – the B-707 prototype

One of the key differences with the new facility compared to the flagship location on the National Mall was that the new building needed to be able to display larger aircraft and space vehicles. HOK and the Smithsonian agreed upon a design that was a large, vaulted space similar in appearance to an airship hangar that would fit the environment of a modern airport. This hangar would be over 900 feet long, accommodate 200 aircraft on display, and feature a large access door on one side so aircraft could be moved into the hangar without being taken apart. To get the most out of the display space, National Air and Space Museum curators wanted to hang many smaller aircraft from the ceiling as if they were flying. Elevated walkways running along the roof of the hangar would allow visitors to see aircraft on display from multiple angles.

Connected to the large aviation hangar would be a separate hangar large enough to hold a Space Shuttle and smaller space vehicles. Another part of the new museum building would be a restoration hangar and conservation lab for museum curators to restore aircraft and space vehicles and preserve smaller artifacts. Unlike the substandard facilities at Silver Hill, these new buildings would feature proper climate controls and lighting designed to preserve artifacts. The restoration hangar would have large windows and would be able to be viewed from inside the new museum. These windows allow museum visitors to watch museum curators restore aircraft. In addition, the new museum would have an IMAX movie theater, classrooms, restrooms, a food court, and a gift shop for museum visitors.

The Donald D. Engen observation deck

Finally, the new museum building would feature a large observation tower, allowing visitors to watch airport operations at the nearby Washington Dulles International Airport. This 164-foot tall tower was named for Admiral Donald D. Engen, USN (Ret.), a former FAA Administrator and Director of the National Air And Space Museum who was an advocate for the need for a second National Air And Space Museum building. Engen contributed many design ideas for the new museum and traveled nationwide to gather support and solicit funding for the project. Sadly, Engen lost his life in a glider crash in 1999 and was unable to see his dream of a second facility become reality.

The North American Rockwell Space Shuttle “Discovery”

When HOK completed the preliminary design work in 1999, the new complex totaled 706,000 sq. ft. The new building would be the largest of the Smithsonian buildings and also the first Smithsonian museum to be built entirely with private funding. Although National Air and Space Museum curators could have used even more space, the design chosen for the new building prioritized their most immediate needs and reflected the fact an enormous fundraising task lay ahead to fund the project.

Work began on the site of the new building in 2000. A contractor team from the Virginia Department of Transportation cleared the land for the “Dulles Center”. The site set aside for the new museum building had been bought by the Washington Dulles International Airport in the 1950s for an expansion project that never came to fruition. It was ideally located next to major highways for easy access and had room for future growth. When the airport bought the property, it planted the fields full of pine trees. These trees were ready for harvesting when the contractors came to the site. In the fall of 2000, the National Air and Space Museum officially broke ground on the new building. The new building would be named the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, a Hungarian-American billionaire and businessman, gave a $66-million grant to the Smithsonian Institution to build the new museum and was the project’s largest benefactor.

The Washington Dulles International Airport through the Donald D. Engen observation deck

In the spring of 2001, the Smithsonian Institution awarded the building contract for the new facility, worth over $125 million, to the Hensel Phelps Construction Company. As this contract was finalized, the Virginia Department of Transportation sent a second contractor team to complete utility installation, pave roads and the 2,000-car parking lot, and a taxiway linking the museum to Runway 1R-19L at the Washington Dulles International Airport. As part of the generous financial contributions made by the Commonwealth of Virginia to the project, the state funded all of the site’s infrastructure needs.

Since the Smithsonian was raising funds for the project as construction was ongoing, the museum phased the project. Hensel Phelps would first build the main aviation hangar, the space hangar, and the east wing. The east wing was a critical part of the first phase of the project because it contained the food court, IMAX theater, restrooms, and other amenities needed by the millions of visitors expected each year. If the first phase of the new building was completed, the Smithsonian could open the museum to the public. It was hoped that the new museum being open to the public would help the museum raise the additional funding needed to complete the rest of the facility. The second phase of the project would include the construction of the restoration hangar and artifact conservation lab.

View from the catwalk

Hensel Phelps and its subcontractors used two teams during the construction of Phase I. One team worked on the aviation hangar, and one worked on the east wing and the observation tower. A mild winter in 2001 with dry weather allowed the contractor teams to work ahead of schedule on the building. ADF International, the subcontractor that fabricated the massive arched steel trusses used for the hangar roof, was able to erect them in less than six months. In April 2002, work began on the space hangar, and by the fall, the new museum building was over three-quarters completed. The architectural theme of the new museum, with its large hangar and extensive collection of aircraft, gave it the nickname “America’s Hangar” among Smithsonian officials.

As Hensel Phelps construction crews and their subcontractors put the finishing touches on the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National and Space Museum curators were busy as well. Curators assembled aircraft and moved them into display positions in the building. Aircraft were shrink-wrapped in plastic to protect them from dust and damage as construction crews finished their work. Museum exhibit designers were also busy preparing signage to showcase aircraft and space vehicles on display and smaller exhibits for displaying the smaller artifacts. By the time the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center was ready to open in late 2003, more than 80 aircraft were in place within the museum building.

The National Air and Space Museum was able to time the opening week of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to coincide with the 100th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight at Kitty Hawk. The museum officially opened to the public on Monday, December 15, 2003. Critical reception of the new facility was positive, with over 10,000 people visiting the museum on opening day. In the weeks following the opening, hundreds of thousands of visitors passed through the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s doors. After only 11 weeks of operation, the new museum had been visited by over 500,000 people.

Martin B-26 “Flak Bait” under restoration

Although not completed in time for opening day, Hensel Phelps and museum curators were able to open the 246,000 sq. ft. James S. McDonnell Space Hangar in November 2004. After raising additional funding over the next few years, the National Air and Space Museum was able to contract with Hensel Phelps to build the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar in October 2008. Construction was completed on the restoration hangar in October 2010. In 2019, construction crews began a project to repair the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center’s roof. During this time, the museum’s food court was renovated and remodeled, with fast food chain Shake Shack taking over the contract for food court operations from McDonald’s. The museum remained open to the public while these roof repairs and the food court remodeling project were completed.

Grumman G-22 “Gulfhawk II”

Today, approximately 80 percent of the National Air and Space Museum’s collection of aircraft, space vehicles, and smaller artifacts are on display inside the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The museum is home to over 170 aircraft, 160 space vehicles, and thousands of smaller aviation and space artifacts. In addition to the treasures within the museum, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center hosts special events throughout the year to further connect visitors to the history of aviation and space flight. These special events include guest speakers, presentations, author book signings, and visits from current and historic aircraft for display on the museum taxiway outside the main hangar.

Boeing B-29 “Enola Gay”

The aircraft and space vehicles on display in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center are divided into over 15 different themed exhibits. Although the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is famous for some of its larger aircraft and space vehicles on display, such as the Concorde, the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, and the Space Shuttle Discovery, there are many other aircraft in the exhibits at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center that are historically significant and cannot be seen anywhere else in the world.

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center has a large collection of World War II aircraft, the rarest being the ones displayed in the museum’s World War II German Aviation exhibit. Two of the German aircraft on display in this exhibit are the world’s only remaining examples. The Dornier Do-335 Pfeil and the Arado Ar-234 Blitz now on display at the museum were captured and evaluated at the end of World War II by the Allies. The Do-335 Pfeil was designed as a heavy fighter and was the fastest piston-engine German fighter of World War II. The Arado Ar-234 Blitz was the world’s first operational jet bomber. Unfortunately for the Luftwaffe, both aircraft were built in small numbers due to engine problems and production delays and saw only limited operational use towards the end of the war. As a result, these technologically advanced aircraft could not make any impact on the outcome of World War II.

The aircraft that might be the highlight of the German World War II Aviation Exhibit in the museum is the Heinkel He-219 Uhu (Eagle-Owl) night fighter. The He-219 was an sophisticated airplane, featuring an advanced radar system and was the first military aircraft to be equipped with ejection seats. The He-219 was the fastest piston-engine night fighter available to the Luftwaffe during World War II and one of the only German aircraft capable of catching the Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers. Despite its high speed and excellent handling characteristics, the He-219 was a complicated and expensive aircraft to build, and less than 300 were built during World War II, too few to make a significant impact in the German war effort.

Focke-Wulf Fw-190 (foreground) and Heinkel He-219 Uhu (behind)

The He-219 on display in the museum was secretly brought to the United States after World War II. Along with the other German World War II aircraft on display in the museum, it was flight-tested and evaluated before being donated to the Smithsonian Institution. National Air and Space Museum curators have spent several years restoring the rare He-219 and fabricating missing parts for the aircraft so it can be displayed in this exhibit.

“Dusty” Air Tractor AT-400A

In the Commercial Aviation exhibit within the museum, an aircraft on display is instantly recognizable by visiting children. An Air Tractor AT-400A on display is painted to match the colors of “Dusty” from the “Planes” and “Planes: Fire and Rescue” animated films from Disney. Owned by Rusty and Lea Lindeman, the Air Tractor AT-400A was painted to match Dusty’s colors from “Planes” at the request of Disneytoon Studios. Rusty Lindeman then took the airplane to various airshows throughout the United States in 2013 to promote the film for Disney. Lindeman donated the AT-400A to the Smithsonian Institution when retired the AT-400A from agricultural operations with his firm, Rusty’s Flying Service. In the films, “Dusty” demonstrates the value of agricultural and utility aircraft to children. Today, this AT-400A, painted to look like “Dusty”, is a huge hit with children at the museum and is often a stopping point in the museum for a family photo.

Another popular area with museum visitors in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is the Modern Military Aviation exhibit. This exhibit contains a diverse group of modern military aircraft, including an example of a Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler and a Grumman F-14D(R) Tomcat. Also on display in this exhibit is the prototype Lockheed Martin X-35B. The development and flight testing of this prototype eventually led to the production of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter.

Boeing F/A-18 Hornet used by the U. S. Navy’s Blue Angels

A recent addition to this exhibit is an aircraft in a color scheme that is very familiar to many visitors to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. In 2020, the Smithsonian Institution received a McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18C Hornet as a donation from the U.S. Navy. This F/A-18C was donated to the museum by the U.S. Navy “Blue Angels” Flight Demonstration Squadron. At the time of the donation, the “Blue Angels” were transitioning to the newer Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and retiring the older F/A-18Cs. The F/A-18C now on display within the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center flew in many airshows throughout the United States as part of one of the world’s most storied military flight demonstration teams. Now on exhibit in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the F/A-18C Hornet is still painted in its iconic “Blue Angels” color scheme of blue and gold. The addition of this aircraft to the collection helps the National Air and Space Museum tell the story of military flight demonstration teams to museum visitors.

Caudron G.4

For those aviation enthusiasts who like early airplanes, the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center has several of those on display as well. The Pre-1920 Aviation exhibit in the museum features aircraft from the Pioneer Era and World War I. Some of the aircraft on display in this exhibit include an example of a Bleriot IX monoplane from the Pioneer Era and a Sopwith F.1 Camel, Halberstadt CL.IV, Nieuport 28C.1, and a Spad XVI from World War I. Perhaps the rarest airplane in the exhibit is the Caudron G.4, a rare surviving example of a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft from World War I.

The Caudron G.4 on display in the museum is one of the oldest surviving bombers in the world and one of the few surviving twin-engine aircraft from World War I. A French-built aircraft, the Caudron G.4 saw widespread use with the Allies as a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft when introduced into service in 1916. The G.4 was a primitive aircraft in many ways, using wing-warping technology for lateral flight control and having a top speed of only 80 miles per hour.

In 1917, the Caudron G.4 was withdrawn from use as a light bomber. Aviation technology was advancing rapidly during the war, so much so that the aircraft was now obsolete for frontline service. The surviving G.4s were used as training aircraft for the remainder of the war, where their excellent handling characteristics made them easy to fly for pilot trainees. Over 1,300 G.4s were built during World War I. Today, this rare surviving example helps the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center tell the story of early reconnaissance and bomber aircraft to museum visitors.

Curtiss F-9C Sparrowhawk parasite fighter

Another rare aircraft in the collection of the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in the Inter-War Aviation exhibit. Aviation changed dramatically in the years between the two world wars, with airplanes evolving from wood and fabric biplanes to metal monoplanes. Advancements were also made in the technology of aero engines, allowing aircraft to fly faster and for longer distances. During this period of aviation history, some innovative concepts in aviation led to dead ends. The museum’s Curtiss F9C-2 Sparrowhawk, the only surviving example of its type, and represents one of those innovative but flawed concepts.

In the 1930s, the U.S. Navy built two giant rigid airships, the U.S.S. Akron and the U.S.S. Macon. The U.S. Navy had an imaginative concept for using these airships for long-range reconnaissance. The U.S. Navy envisioned these airships as being airborne aircraft carriers, having their own fighter aircraft that could be used to scout enemy fleets and report their position. Each airship had a specially designed hangar to accommodate these aircraft.

The Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk was initially designed as a carrier-borne fighter aircraft but had poor flight deck handling characteristics, tending to bounce when landing. When the U.S. Navy needed a small aircraft to operate from the airships as a parasite fighter, the diminutive Sparrowhawk, being only 12 feet high, 20 feet long, and having a wingspan of 25 feet, met the requirements. Eight Sparrowhawks were built for use aboard the two airships.

When operating from the airships, the Sparrowhawks could be launched and recovered using a special trapeze hook mounted on the underside of the airship. The Sparrowhawks were stored inside a hangar inside the bottom of the airship. The U.S. Navy tried several concepts with the airships and the Sparrowhawks, including locating and scouting surface ships. Unfortunately, the small size of the Sparrowhawks limited their range and the armament they could carry. The slow speed and large size of both airships made them easy to find by enemy aircraft in simulated war games.

The U.S. Navy’s interest in the concept ended when both airships were lost in crashes, the U.S.S. Akron in 1933 and the U.S.S. Macon in 1935. The three Sparrowhawks that survived after the loss of the two airships were relegated to utility aircraft as they had no airship to operate from. By 1939, only one Sparrowhawk remained in airworthy condition. The U.S. Navy, recognizing the importance of the little aircraft in naval aviation history, rebuilt it using the best parts from the surviving F9C-2s and donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. In 1974, the Potomac Chapter of the Antique Airplane Association restored the F9C-2 Sparrowhawk for the National Air and Space Museum.

Part of the Vietnam War aircraft collection: right to left is a MiG-21F-13, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II and tail of an A-6 Intruder

The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy also has an extensive collection of Korean and Vietnam War aircraft in their Korean and Vietnam Aviation exhibit. These aircraft, especially the examples from the Vietnam War, have become more popular with museum visitors in recent years as interest in this war grows as the population who fought in it ages.

One of the aircraft on display in the exhibit is a McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II. The F-4 is one of the most successful multirole combat aircraft in aviation history and has been adaptable to many roles throughout its career, including reconnaissance, ground attack, and air superiority. The F-4 on display in the exhibit saw service during the Vietnam War with the U.S. Navy, flying missions during the Linebacker II bombing campaign in 1972.
Also on display in this exhibit is a Soviet-built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F. The small, fast, and nimble MiG-21 was the standard Soviet interceptor during the 1960s and 1970s. Widely exported, the MiG-21 saw service in 60 nations across four continents. Upgrades to radar, armament, and engines allowed the MiG-21 to be developed into a multirole aircraft later in its career. Over 60 years after its introduction, a few countries still operate the MiG-21 as a frontline combat aircraft.

Another aircraft on exhibit from the Vietnam War is a Republic F-105D Thunderchief. The F-105 was designed as an all-weather, supersonic, fighter-bomber capable of delivering conventional or nuclear weapons. Nicknamed the “Thud” by its pilots and maintainers, the F-105s were a key part of the bombing campaign of the Vietnam War, flying over 20,000 missions during the conflict.

The exhibit also includes an example of a Grumman A-6E Intruder. Developed as an all-weather strike aircraft for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the A-6 also saw significant service in the Vietnam War, attacking high-value targets at night and in adverse weather conditions. The A-6 Intruder had a long career with the U.S. Navy, with the last examples finally being retired after the 1991 Gulf War.

In addition to the aircraft and space vehicles on display, the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center also has thousands of other aviation and space artifacts on display. These artifacts include models, artwork, flight suits, aviation memorabilia, and other objects that tell the story of air and space flight.

Oshkosh T-3000

One of the new additions to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy’s collection of artifacts is an Oshkosh T-3000 Rescue Truck located in the Commercial Aviation exhibit. These heavy-duty rescue trucks are specifically designed to respond to aircraft accidents. These vehicles carry large tanks that can hold water, foam, and dry chemicals to extinguish fires from aircraft accidents. The foam is used to smother burning jet fuel. Often called “crash trucks”, these vehicles are equipped with large tires and powerful diesel engines. These features allow the trucks to drive over all types of terrain at high speed and respond quickly to an emergency.

The T-3000 rescue truck on display has a unique place in history. During the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon, the airliner that was flown into the Pentagon had nearly 20 tons of aviation fuel on board. The Pentagon’s foam truck for its helipad was severely damaged in the attack, leaving emergency personnel no way to extinguish the large aviation fuel fire burning at the Pentagon’s destroyed Navy Command Center.

An emergency call was put out to the Ronald Reagan National Airport for assistance, and this crash truck, “Foam 331”, was one of the first vehicles to respond to the scene along with “Engine 335”, a conventional fire pumper from the airport. Shortly after “Foam 331 and “ Engine 335” arrived, “Foam 335”, a second crash truck from Ronald Reagan National Airport, was called to the scene. The fire was so intense that both crash trucks quickly ran out of the foam. A tanker from the airport was called to the Pentagon to resupply the vehicles. The efforts of these two crash trucks and their crews succeeded in suppressing the fire, limiting further damage, and preventing further loss of life. The T-3000 was retired by the Washington Metropolitan Airport Authority (WMAA) in 2016. In 2021, retired WMAA firefighter Bill Stewart and the Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting Rescue Working Group worked with Oshkosh Airport Products to restore “Foam 331” to how it appeared during the 9/11 attacks and donate it to the National Air and Space Museum.

Visitors to the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center currently have the opportunity to see several aircraft on display that usually are not part of the museum’s aircraft collection. These aircraft are normally on display at the flagship National Air and Space Museum location on the National Mall. That museum is undergoing a renovation project, and to allow for construction crews space to do the renovation work, several aircraft, such as the North American P-51D Mustang located in the museum’s World War II Aviation exhibit, had to be relocated out of the building. While these aircraft are at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, they are getting restoration work from museum curators if needed. Because of space limitations, some aircraft, such as the Hughes H-1 Racer, are displayed in sub-assemblies and will be fully reassembled when they are returned to the National Mall location.

The Bell X-1 “Glamorous Glennis”

One aircraft from the National Mall location that is on display fully assembled is the Bell X-1 “Glamorous Glennis” flown by Chuck Yeager. Yeager made history flying this aircraft when he broke the sound barrier with it on October 14, 1947. The Bell X-1 is being displayed near another rocket-powered aircraft, the museum’s Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet from World War II. An excellent aspect about the Bell X-1 on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is that where aircraft hangs on display in the museum at the National Mall, it is far away from a close-up view by museum visitors. The Bell X-1 is currently on floor display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, allowing museum visitors to get close to the aircraft and see it at eye level.

Another new addition to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress “Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby”. This aircraft was recently shipped to the museum from the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. Currently, the B-17G is in various pieces and sub-assemblies on the museum floor of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Museum curators plan to fully assemble the B-17G to display on the museum floor within the next year.

Chance Vought F4U-1D Corsair

For the past 20 years, visitors to the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center have been awe-struck by the aircraft and space vehicles on display. Visitors from military veterans to school children to families on vacation have gasped at a Vought F4U-1D Corsair from World War II hanging from the ceiling as if it was approaching an aircraft carrier deck and posed for a picture next to the massive Space Shuttle Discovery. Exploring the elevated walkways, visitors have viewed the Concorde and appreciated its sleek lines from several different angles. From the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower, museum visitors have watched some of the largest commercial aircraft in the world, such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380, land at the Washington Dulles International Airport.

As aviation and space flight continues to technologically advance in the future, new aircraft and space vehicles will take their place in the museum to continue the story of air and space flight for museum visitors. There is little doubt that 20 years from now, visitors of all ages will still come through the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center’s doors by the millions each year. They will not only be fascinated by the aircraft and space vehicles on display but also the thousands of smaller space and aviation artifacts and the building’s stunning architectural design that fits the ambiance of the airport environment where it is located.

North American P-51C “Excaliber III”

The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center nickname is “America’s Hangar”. The museum is just that, a hangar full of aviation and space treasures preserved for current and future generations of not only Americans, but people from around the world to learn about the history of aviation and space exploration.

To learn more about the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, take a virtual tour of the museum, see more photos of the museum’s artifact collection, or plan a visit to the museum, please visit https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center .

You can hover over the thumbnail photos for an aircraft identification, or click for an enlarged view…