Airplanes | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/airplanes/RSS feed for AirplanesenThu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000To Capture the Beauty and Wonder of Flight, These Celebrated Artists Created Spectacular Visions of Astronauts, Aviators, Rocket Launches and the Moonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-capture-the-beauty-and-wonder-of-flight-these-celebrated-artists-created-spectacular-visions-of-astronauts-aviators-rocket-launches-and-the-moon-180989437/At the National Air and Space Museum, a recently opened gallery space features artworks by Norman Rockwell, Alma Thomas, Francisco Goya and other luminariesThu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-capture-the-beauty-and-wonder-of-flight-these-celebrated-artists-created-spectacular-visions-of-astronauts-aviators-rocket-launches-and-the-moon-180989437/See 16 Stunning Animal Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awardshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/Now in its 62nd year, the famed competition has released a sneak peek of the entries from this contest ahead of announcing the winners in OctoberWed, 26 Aug 2026 18:28:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-16-stunning-animal-images-from-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-awards-180989397/When an American Airplane Crashed Into a School in 1944, an English Village Lost Almost All of Its Youngest Children. Why Has WWII's Worst Civilian Aviation Accident Been Forgotten?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-american-airplane-crashed-into-school-1944-english-village-lost-almost-all-of-its-youngest-children-why-has-wwii-worst-civilian-aviation-accident-been-forgotten-180989341/On August 23, 1944, a test flight over the village of Freckleton, located in northwest England, ended in disaster, claiming the lives of 61 people, including 38 students between the ages of 4 and 6Thu, 20 Aug 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-american-airplane-crashed-into-school-1944-english-village-lost-almost-all-of-its-youngest-children-why-has-wwii-worst-civilian-aviation-accident-been-forgotten-180989341/This American Pilot Downed 40 Enemy Aircraft During World War II. Researchers Discovered the Wreck of His Plane in a Pacific Jungle and Brought a Wing Back to His Home Statehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-pilot-downed-4o-enemy-aircraft-during-world-war-ii-researchers-discovered-the-wreck-of-his-plane-in-a-pacific-jungle-and-brought-a-wing-back-to-his-home-state-180989259/Richard I. Bong, flying a plane decorated with a portrait of his future wife, Marge, became America's highest-scoring "ace" and received a Medal of HonorTue, 04 Aug 2026 20:33:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-american-pilot-downed-4o-enemy-aircraft-during-world-war-ii-researchers-discovered-the-wreck-of-his-plane-in-a-pacific-jungle-and-brought-a-wing-back-to-his-home-state-180989259/These Early Biplanes Documented the Arctic, Captured Newsreel Footage and Witnessed Lindbergh's Historic Flight. Now, a Rare Example Will Hang in a Museumhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-early-biplanes-documented-the-arctic-captured-newsreel-footage-and-witnessed-lindberghs-historic-flight-now-a-rare-example-will-hang-in-a-museum-180989253/The Cradle of Aviation Museum recently acquired a Curtiss Oriole, three-seat biplane manufactured at a nearby Garden City factoryTue, 04 Aug 2026 15:17:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-early-biplanes-documented-the-arctic-captured-newsreel-footage-and-witnessed-lindberghs-historic-flight-now-a-rare-example-will-hang-in-a-museum-180989253/A Man Picking Berries in the Forest in Poland Might Have Stumbled Upon the Wreckage of an Allied Airplane From World War IIhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-picking-berries-in-the-forest-in-poland-might-have-stumbled-upon-the-wreckage-of-an-allied-airplane-from-world-war-ii-180989219/Experts are still investigating but note that an earlier discovery nearby identified part of the wing of a British Lancaster bomberWed, 29 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-picking-berries-in-the-forest-in-poland-might-have-stumbled-upon-the-wreckage-of-an-allied-airplane-from-world-war-ii-180989219/TSA Officers Found Five Cannonballs Stolen From a Civil War Fort in a Checked Suitcase at an Alabama Airporthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tsa-officers-found-five-cannonballs-stolen-from-a-civil-war-fort-in-a-checked-suitcase-at-an-alabama-airport-180989212/The inert artifacts gave security officers in Gulf Shores a good scare. Investigators say the weapons came from Fort Morgan, which guards Mobile BayTue, 28 Jul 2026 19:42:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tsa-officers-found-five-cannonballs-stolen-from-a-civil-war-fort-in-a-checked-suitcase-at-an-alabama-airport-180989212/This 1950s Airplane Disaster Prompted the Flight Safety Demonstrations Passengers Know Today. Searchers Just Found the Wreckage in the Atlantic Oceanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-1950s-airplane-disaster-prompted-the-flight-safety-demonstrations-passengers-know-today-seachers-just-found-the-wreckage-in-the-atlantic-ocean-180989170/A team of explorers used an autonomous underwater vehicle to locate the remains of the Pan American ‘Clipper Endeavor’ about five miles off the coast of Puerto RicoWed, 22 Jul 2026 15:02:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-1950s-airplane-disaster-prompted-the-flight-safety-demonstrations-passengers-know-today-seachers-just-found-the-wreckage-in-the-atlantic-ocean-180989170/