September 2013
Smithsonian magazine delivers trusted and incisive reporting on history, science, nature, culture and travel.
Features
Yes, the Wright Brothers Really Were the First to Fly
A Smithsonian curator evaluates recent challenges to the aviators’ place in history.
Swarms of small, orbiting cameras are coming. To watch.
Spysats for Everyone
The Thunderjet Had the Body of a Fighter and a Bomber’s Soul
The F-84 earned its reputation for ruggedness.
The Stealth Bomber Elite
Fewer than 100 pilots climb the ladder to the B-2 cockpit
The Science of Stealth
The most classified technology in a stealthy airplane is its skin
Meet the Grunts
Behind the scenes, they make airshow stars shine.
Spaces of the Space Age
Bold missions called for bold architecture.
Departments
Uncategorized
A rare da Vinci codex on birdflight goes on display at the National Air and Space Museum
Leonardo da Vinci, Birdwatcher