National Air and Space Museum - Washington DC
Only a relatively small part of the collection can be viewed at the Smithsonian in Washington.  The larger part of the collection is kept in the vast Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport.
Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St Louis - Lindbergh took off from Roosevelt Field near New York City on May 20, 1927 bound for Paris.  He made the first solo trans-Atlantic flight. This historic aircraft can be seen in the Smithsonian - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Manufacturer's hand painted details on the rudder - NYP stands for New York to Paris (left);  burnished nose of the aircraft which had no forward visibility - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Bell X1 (above) which was launched from a modified B29 to become the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.  Space Shuttle Enterprise (right). These aircraft are also in the Smithsonian - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
This aircraft was used as a test rig and was taken aloft piggy-backed on a specially adapted Boeing 747 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport - PHOTOs Malcom McCrow
The observation tower in the Udvar-Hazy Center is part of the museum and gives excellent views of aircraft operating in and out of Dulles - VIDEO CAPTUREs - Malcolm McCrow
The United Boeing 747 shown above touching down (left);  United Airlines Airbus A319 on finals (right) - VIDEO CAPTUREs Malcolm McCrow
Among the many aircraft of all types, the most famous Boeing B29 ever is Enola Gay, named for the captain's mother - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Republic P47 Thunderbolt beneath Enola Gay (left);  prototype Boeing 707 (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Boeing 707 prototype and Air France Concorde - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
USA