Air Force Museum Pictures

[TimothyC]

I'll be posting cool pictures taken at the National Museum of the United States Air Force over the past several years (2008-Present).

I'll Start off with the Kettering "Aerial Torpedo"



With a 75 mile (120 km) range, and a 180 lbs (81 kg) warhead, and a top speed of about 120 mph (190 kph), this early missile is the functional predecessor to the Tomahawk. After reaching the expected range, small explosive bolts would separate the wings from the fuselage, and it would dive to the target.

Navigation was a bit of an issue.

[TimothyC]

The EC-135 ARIA program was used to support NASA and USAF missions via tracking and range telemetry.




This is how the nose art appeared earlier this year (early last month):



And this is how it appeared last weekend:








F-22. This was taken on a day when the hanger it is stored in had most of it's lights on full. When this is not the case, I can't take a picture of the plane for a hill of beans.




For fans of Eastern-block aircraft, the ubiquitous MiG-21.




The bracing pads on the MX rail car model, they would be used to support the vehicle while the missile was erected and fired.




The exhaust vent ports on the NKC-135 Airborne Laser Lab. It's also a good view of the hump and laser turret.




A Rather through set of Pilot tubes for one aircraft. I've got an internet cookie for the first person to ID the plane (Those who have been to the museum recently need not apply). Hint: I took this image without holding the camera above my head while standing on he floor.




The X-40 was the drop test vehicle for the X-37 USAF spaceplane project. It is an 85% scale model of the X-37,




Also seen is the nose of the X-4 Bantam, the YF-23, and the tails of the XF-92 and the F-16 AFTI,




The YF-23 nestled in under the nose of the XB-70.