Cold War
1946-1991
Jets, supersonic flight, and the reconnaissance revolution. The Space Race began here. Military budgets funded the most advanced aircraft ever built. Some still hold records today.
Historical context
The Cold War drove aerospace innovation at a pace unmatched before or since. The U-2, SR-71, and countless experimental aircraft pushed the boundaries of what was possible. Military aviation achieved Mach 3+ and 85,000 feet. The same competition that produced these aircraft put men on the Moon.
Defining characteristics
- • Jet propulsion becomes standard
- • Breaking the sound barrier
- • Strategic bombers and ICBMs
- • High-altitude reconnaissance
- • Stealth technology development
Aircraft from the Cold War
A-4 Skyhawk
Ed Heinemann was told the Navy wanted an attack aircraft half the weight of the A-1 Skyraider. He de...
CH-47 Chinook
The CH-47 Chinook is the heavy lifter of the U.S. Army. When you need to move artillery pieces, vehi...
F-104 Starfighter
Kelly Johnson called it 'the missile with a man in it.' The F-104 Starfighter was the purest express...
F-4 Phantom II
The F-4 Phantom II was the do-everything fighter of the Cold War. Navy interceptor, Air Force fighte...
Hughes 500
In Vietnam, the OH-6 'Loach' flew low and slow on reconnaissance missions, finding the enemy so Cobr...
Lockheed Constellation
The Constellation was the most beautiful airliner ever built. That triple tail, the graceful dolphin...
SR-71 Blackbird
The SR-71 Blackbird still looks like science fiction sixty years after its first flight. Kelly Johns...
U-2 Dragon Lady
Kelly Johnson's Skunk Works built the U-2 in 80 days — a high-altitude reconnaissance platform that ...