Mike Hankins

curator of U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps post-World War II aviation at the National Air and Space Museum

Stories from this author

Selfie of Joy Dean in her flight helmet. Clouds are reflected in the visor.

These Groundbreaking Pilots Made History 30 Years Ago as the First American Women to Fly Combat Missions

SR-71 Blackbird on display in a museum

Why the SR-71 Blackbird Never Gets Old

A young woman wearing a U.S. Navy olive-green flightsuit and black combat boots perches next to the cockpit of her F/A-18C miltary jet. "Lt Sharon Cummins" is stenciled onto the side of the airplane.

Meet the First American Women to Fly Combat Missions