"Glamorous Glennis" suspended at Smithsonian NASM. This was the first aircraft to go supersonic on 14 Oct 1947, flown by Capt C. Yeager. The X-1 was dropped around 23,000 ft. by a modified B-29 flown by Maj R. Cardenas. After climb the flight plan was to reach Mach 0.97 but the sound barrier was crossed that day to attain a speed of Mach 1.06 after levelling off at 43,000 ft. The X-1 was powered by a 26.5 kN Reaction Motors XLR11-RM3 rocket engine with four combustion chambers burning LOX and ethyl alcohol. The combustion chambers could be turned on and off individually but not throttled.

On display in a tight space at NASM, Washington, D.C. 'Yellow 7' with a blue-red Reichsverteidigung band was flown by 49-victory ace Obfw Heinz Arnold who was wingman to Maj Rudolf Sinner of III./JG7. The wing was named "Nowotny" in honor of 258-victory ace Maj Walter Nowotny who headed Kdo Nowotny, the first jet fighter unit till he was shot down. JG 7 was equipped with the Me-262 from Dec 1944 till its surrender in May 1945, scoring victories till the end. After its capture at Lechfeld in 1945, this Me-262 was shipped under Op Lusty to the USA where it was numbered FE-111 for evaluation.

The wedge-shaped vertical stabilizer necessary for directional stability, upper speed brakes and a small tail-skid in retracted position is visible on the first X-15 on display at NASM. Just three of these hypersonic aircraft were built, and only 12 pilots flew them including Neil Armstrong for a total of 199 flights from 1959-68. The X-15 set the world's unofficial speed record of Mach 6.70 with Flight No. 2-53-97, and an altitude record of 354,200 ft. with Flight No. 3-22-36. The second X-15 is displayed at NMUSAF. The third X-15 was lost on 15 Nov 1967 on Flight 3-65-97 in a fatal accident.

One of two C.202 survivors, on display at the National Air and Space Museum. The Folgore was a successor to the C.200 Saeta. Using a German Daimler-Benz DB 601 in-line engine, the Folgore was superior to the P-40 and Hurricane in North Africa. When supplies dried up, a license-built copy of the DB 601 called the Alfa-Romeo R.A.1000 R.C.41-I Monsone (Monsoon) powered the Folgore. This Folgore is painted in the markings of 90° Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo, 4° Stormo from North Africa.

On display in the Golden Age of Flight Hall at NASM, Washington, D.C. On Sept. 13, 1935, Howard Hughes set a new world speed record by flying the H-1 at 567 km/h. On Jan. 19, 1937 he broke the transcontinental US speed record with an incredible avg. speed of 535 km/h. Hughes used low aspect ratio wings and moderate aspect ratio wings respectively for each record. Outstanding design features included the close fitting bell-shaped engine cowling, retractable landing gear and flush rivets to reduce drag.

On display in the Golden Age of Flight exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum. This Staggerwing was built on July 3, 1936. It once belonged to E.E. Aldrin, father of astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, among the nineteen different owners. After World War II, the aircraft was refitted with a 225-hp Jacobs L4-MB engine. It was donated to the NASM in 1981.

11/30: Rolled out as an Alpha; sold to Colonel C.M. Young, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics, for his personal use checking airways and facilities; registered as NS-1. 1931: Ford Motor Company with c/r NC11Y then to National Air Transport. 1932: TWA; converted to Alpha 4. 1935 to 1946: Many owners. 5/46: Foster Hannaford of Winnetka, IL. 1971: EAA. 1974: National Air & Space Museum. 1974 to 1976: Restored.

The second of three D-558-2 Skyrockets built by Douglas for the US Navy's supersonic research. This was the first Mach 2 buster aircraft with Scott Crossfield taking it to Mach 2.005 on November 20, 1953 during NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics - renamed NASA after 1958) testing. It was the Skyrocket's only Mach 2 flight.

The one and only Wright Flyer.

Jerrie Mock flew this aircraft when she took off from Columbus, Ohio, on March 19, 1964 and landed back at the same location on the 17th April 1964, becoming the 1st woman to pilot an aircraft around the world.