“Innovations in Flight” at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Event Commemorated 80th Anniversary of World War II End
Innovations in Flight Returned to the Udvar-Hazy Center – A Tribute to Aviation Past and Present.
The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center hosted its highly anticipated annual “Innovations in Flight” event on Saturday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This one-day celebration of aviation featured over 50 aircraft—ranging from vintage warbirds to cutting-edge commercial jets—flown in specially for public display on the museum’s expansive outdoor grounds.
Fly High Aviation Media had two reporters on site we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, organizers and volunteers involved in the June 14th event, the event was exceptionally well-coordinated and offered an outstanding experience for attendees, aviation enthusiasts, and public alike, we are grateful for your support in ensuring the day ran smoothly.
On behalf of all of us at Fly High Aviation Media, thank you.
Sincerely,
Harry Morrow, FHAM - Editor
Fly High Aviation Media
Photography by: Andrew Robinson.
Gautham Kurup.
Here are some of the arriving aircraft for the event. In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, this year’s event shone the spotlight a remarkable lineup of WWII-era trainers, fighters, and bombers, accompanied by military reenactors who will brought history to life through authentic uniforms and storytelling. Among the standout aircraft participating were the WWII warbirds flying in for one day only, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress ‘Doc.’ One of only two airworthy B-29s left, Doc carries the legacy of the Pacific Theater, visitors can tour her cavernous bomb bay, step into the cockpit under the watchful eye of her veteran crew, and hear firsthand stories of life aboard America’s premier long-range bomber, NOAA’s WP-3D Orion “Hurricane Hunter”, a vital tool in storm tracking and atmospheric research, plus a remarkable lineup of WWII-era trainers, fighters, and bombers.
Several participating aircraft touched down at Udvar-Hazy the day before the event. Our Fly High Aviation Media reporter Gautham Kurup was on hand to capture arrival images, offering an exclusive sneak peek at this year’s lineup. See more photo's in our gallery above and below, featuring dramatic shots of WWII warbirds, a more modern aircraft used in everyday military and civilian flying.
Aircraft arriving in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, this year’s event will spotlight a remarkable lineup of WWII-era trainers, fighters, and bombers. Also including NOAA’s WP-3D Orion “Hurricane Hunter”, a four-engine turboprop specially outfitted for penetrating tropical storms and collecting critical atmospheric data, visitors will glimpse the weather-deck instrumentation that helps forecasters track hurricanes in real time. Airbus A400M Atlas, a modern military transport capable of hauling heavy cargo and personnel into austere environments. Its high-wing design and turboprop engines make it as versatile as it is imposing on the ramp. Also including a diverse civilian aircraft selection, ranging from classic taildraggers to cutting-edge light sport planes, this selection showcases a century of general aviation innovation, Pilots were on hand to discuss restoration projects, design evolution, and their personal connections to each airframe.
Innovations in Flight Outdoor Aviation Display, commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, blending historic and modern flight milestones, a century of engineering and design achievements in aviation, with opportunity to speak with pilots and step inside cockpits and cabins. With over 50 unique aircraft on display, including WWII-era trainers, fighters, and bombers flown in for one day only, plus living-history reenactors in period uniforms bring the era to life, Indoor “Soar Together” family programming focuses on the American home front, with Morse code demos, STEM crafts, swing dancing, and more.
Featured Aircraft Lineup of Vintage and Historic aircraft including, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, North American P-51 Mustang, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the star of the show Boeing B-29 Superfortress ‘Doc’. Other highlights were a wide variety of general aviation and historic warbirds.
Participating Modern Military Aircraft, a selection of modern military aircraft all in everyday use was showcased, ranging from heavy-lift helicopters to tactical transports and specialized research platforms. Aircraft lineup included the following: Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion – United States Marine Corps heavy-lift helicopter featuring three General Electric T408 engines, composite rotor blades, and a widened cabin to carry up to 35,000 lb of external or internal payload. Airbus A400M Atlas – German Air Force four-engine turboprop strategic transport capable of carrying outsized cargo, paratrooper drops, aerial refueling, and medical evacuation missions. De Havilland UV-18 Twin Otter (UV-18) – US Naval Research Laboratory short-takeoff-and-landing research platform configured for airborne science with multiple sensor ports, a max endurance of 4½ hours, and a service ceiling of 25,000 ft. Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin – United States Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter equipped with a Fenestron ducted tail rotor and four-axis autopilot that can automatically hover at 50 ft above a target or fly pre-programmed search patterns. Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk – US Navy multi-mission maritime helicopter based at NAS Patuxent River, optimized for anti-submarine warfare, surface search, electronic surveillance, and casualty evacuation. Beechcraft RC-12M Huron – US Navy intelligence-gathering variant of the Super King Air, fitted with roll-on/roll-off sensor racks, belly radome, and configurable mission stations for signals intelligence missions. Eurocopter TH-72A Lakota – US Army training helicopter at NAS Patuxent River, derived from the AS365 Dauphin family and used for basic and instrument flight instruction. Local EMS and Police Rotorcraft – Helicopters from area medical evacuation services and law enforcement agencies, demonstrating rapid-response capabilities for public safety and search-and-rescue support.
NOAA’s WP-3D Orion “Hurricane Hunter,” a four-engine turboprop specially outfitted to penetrate tropical storms and collect critical atmospheric data, will make its Innovations Event 2025 debut, showcasing its advanced observational suite. Operated out of NOAA’s Aircraft Operations Center, the WP-3D—nicknamed Miss Piggy and Kermit—is equipped with dual C-band and tail-mounted X-band Doppler radars, a barber pole sampler for in-situ measurements, and the capability to deploy GPS drop wind sondes to map three-dimensional wind, temperature, and humidity fields deep within the storm core. The event will highlight the aircraft’s latest experimental Rain, Ocean, Atmosphere Radar System (ROARS), which delivers unprecedented wave-height, precipitation microphysics, and surface wind measurements to drive more accurate hurricane intensity and track forecasts through improved data assimilation techniques.
Innovations in Flight is one of the museum’s most popular annual events, drawing large crowds. Inside the Museum – “Soar Together at Air and Space” Visitors can step inside the Udvar-Hazy Center to join the “Soar Together at Air and Space” family day series, which this year spotlights life on the U.S. home front during World War II. Activities are free and no passes are required: Hands-on demonstrations by the Smithsonian Ham Radio Club Morse code practice and decoding secret messages, Coloring and crafting “flyable” paper planes, Storytelling and meet-and-greets with military reenactors.
Explore the permanent museum collection beyond the special events, guests can marvel at the museum’s world-class collection, including: Space Shuttle Discovery in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar, Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, Air France’s Concorde supersonic airliner, The Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar, where artifacts are preserved and restored.
Big thank you to Andrew Robinson & Gautham Kurup for there efforts bringing you all this report.
Until next time.
Harry Morrow, FHAM.
Editor, Fly High Aviation Media.