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America by Air

Air and Space Museum

America by Air traces the history of commercial aviation in the United States from airmail to airlines. Exploring the history of air transportation in the United States, this exhibit shows how the federal government has shaped the airline industry, how improvements in technology have revolutionized air travel, how the flying experience has changed, and how different airlines have fared over the course of the history of commercial aviation.


  • National Air and Space Museum 220 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Personal equipment 125 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Uniforms 85 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Memorabilia 41 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Aircraft 33 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Models 27 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Headgear 20 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Helmets 20 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Costume accessories 14 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Propulsion systems 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Equipment 8 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1910s 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1920s 3 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1930s 9 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1940s 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1950s 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1960s 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1970s 7 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1980s 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 1990s 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • 2000s 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • United States of America 189 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • United Kingdom 2 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Japan 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • America by Air 220 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Air and Space Museum Collection 220 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC 220 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Airlines 85 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Aeronautics 8 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Popular culture 6 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Air traffic control 1 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Not determined 208 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • CC0 11 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus
  • Usage conditions apply 5 Filter by term plus Exclude term minus

Coat, Flight Attendant, Continental Airlines, ca. 1941

Playing Cards, Northwest Airlines

Transmitter, Radio, Model A, First Pan Am Route

Cap, Garrison, Air Transport Command

Control Unit, Automatic Direction Finder (ADF), MK 1

Pet Carrier, Cat Parrot Chihuahua

Boarding Pass, Southwest Airlines, Light Blue

Trousers, Pilot, Mohawk Airlines

Model, Static, Curtiss JN-4H Mailplane

Blouse, Flight Attendant, United Airlines

Vest, Captain, PEOPLExpress

Boarding Pass, Southwest Airlines, Gold

Scarf, Flight Attendant, Eastern Air Lines

Suitcase Small, Green

Coat, Shop, Pennsylvania Central Airline

Model, Static, Curtiss Carrier Pigeon 1, National Air Transport (NAT)

Badge, Pilot, Airmail, Bob Shank

Shirt, Stewardess, American Airlines

Necktie, Pilot, Eastern Airlines

Compass, Lieutenant H. P. Culver, 1st US Air Mail Flight

Twelve-cylinder, reciprocating engine with split construction aluminum crankcase and dual carburetors. Green cylinders are angled at 45 degrees in two banks.

Liberty 12 Model A (Lincoln) V-12 Engine

Shirt, PATCO

Model, Static, Sikorsky S-42, Pan American Airways

Card Game, "The Airmail Game"

Pratt & Whitney Wasp A, R-1300 (R-1340), Radial 9 Engine

Cap, Pilot, Transcontinental and Western Air

Model, Static, Boeing 747, Braniff International

Turbojet Model Pratt & Whitney JT3C (J57)

Trousers, Service, Air Transport Command, United States Army Air Forces

Model, Static, Boeing 307 Stratoliner, TWA

Bag, New York Air

Full view of a silver paneled plane suspended from the ceiling. There is a figurine in brown flying gear in the cockpit, and TWA is written on the plane's side in red.

Northrop 4A Alpha

Necktie, Pilot, Trans World Airways (TWA)

Jacket, Flight Attendant, Republic Airlines

Boarding Pass, Southwest Airlines, Mustard Yellow


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