World War II Aviation

Facing a two-front war in Europe and the Pacific, the United States mobilized its vast human and industrial resources to achieve victory—a strategy that required the systematic use of air power. World War II became the global arena for a titanic struggle for control of the air, and in both Europe and the Pacific, aviation proved crucial in tactical and strategic roles. The aircraft on view represent war-induced technological leaps in design and performance that recast the nature of air warfare.

Highlights include:

• Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay
• Lockheed P-38J-10-LO Lightning
• Aichi M6A1 Seiran (Clear Sky Storm)
• Stinson L-5 Sentinel

Related Smithsonian books:

• Angels Zero: P-47 Close Air Support in Europe (2000)
• A Wasp Among Eagles: A Woman Military Test Pilot in World War II (2010)
• Carrier Warfare in the Pacific: An Oral History Collection (1999)
• Hap Arnold and the Evolution of American Airpower (2001)