In all of recorded human history, few of mankind's endeavors have developed with such speed and impacted the manner in which we live more than aviation. Even now it is difficult to believe that only sixty-six years after the Wright Brothers introduced the world to powered flight over the windswept dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, astronaut Neil Armstrong took his “one giant leap for mankind” onto the desolate gray landscape of the moon. Indeed, throughout the course of its development, the airplane has signaled a revolution at virtually every turn, whether changing the face of warfare, eclipsing the sound barrier, or making the world a smaller place through air travel.
Examined in this context, the NC-4 flying boat is one of the tangible symbols of aviation's historic development, both a harbinger of change and one of the sparks of the aerial revolution. Her epic transoceanic journey during May 1919, though overshadowed by the later non-stop flights of others, nevertheless marked the first time an aircraft conquered the forbidding Atlantic. Her intrepid crew represented attributes that have been subsequently passed down through generations of aviators, combining technical prowess, an element of daring, and mental and physical fortitude.
The actual aircraft that made the historic flight, the NC-4 dominates the South Wing of the museum with its mammoth size. The display of the aircraft is complemented by personal mementoes from the crew, including medals and decorations received for the flight.