Aug. 12, 1946: President Truman establishes the National Air Museum

The Smithsonian Institution began collecting aeronautical artifacts in 1876, when it acquired 20 Chinese Imperial kites. By the end of World War I, a Section of Aeronatics had been established within the Division of Engineering, and Smithsonian Secretary Charles Walcott had mandated that the institution collect aircraft of historical significance. In particular, Charles Lindbergh’s SpiritContinue reading “Aug. 12, 1946: President Truman establishes the National Air Museum”
The post Aug. 12, 1946: President Truman establishes the National Air Museum appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.