Aircraft Exhibits: Soaring Through Aviation History
DC-9 Jetliner
Explore the golden age of commercial aviation with our fully accessible McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32, donated by AirTran Airways. This real jetliner is open for visitors to board and explore from the cockpit to the cabin. Climb into the pilot’s seat and see the full array of analog instruments used in pre-digital aviation. Walk through the passenger cabin, examine flight attendants work areas, and imagine the experience of flying in a commercial jet during the late 20th century. The DC-9 exhibit blends history and interactivity, allowing kids and adults to understand how jet travel changed global connectivity, commerce, and culture. Interactive features explain aerodynamics, navigation, and engine mechanics in terms accessible to all ages.
Convair F-106
Developed between 1956 and 1961, these interceptors were used by the U.S. Airforce to protect U.S. air space. It represents revolutionary advancements in aircraft design that attributed to attaining supersonic speed in level flight. The F-106B, or “Delta Dart” on display was purposely flown into thunderstorms, resulting in it being struck by lightning more than 700 times. It is a display of a key component in the lightning research done by NASA Langley Research Center. XV-6A Kestrel Witness the power of vertical flight with the Hawker Siddeley
XV-6A Kestrel.
The successful demonstration of the Kestrel led to the development of the Harrier Jump Jet, the world’s first operational fighter capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). Visitors can explore how vectored thrust technology allows the Harrier to take off from small spaces — like aircraft carriers or rough airfields — without the need for long runways. The exhibit includes a cutaway diagram revealing the sophisticated engine system that enables this capability. B-24 Liberator
Representing the WWII era, the B-24 Liberator was a heavy bomber that flew more missions and was produced in greater numbers than any other American aircraft during the war. The exhibit (if a partial or restored version) allows visitors to examine the tight quarters, gunner stations, and bomb bay mechanisms that defined the strategic air campaigns of the 1940s. Archival photos and veteran testimonials connect the hardware to the human stories behind each mission.