The 1920s and 1930s were formative decades in aviation on many
levels. Flight technology rapidly advanced, military and
civilian aviation grew tremendously, record-setting and racing
captured headlines and public interest, and African Americans
began to breach the social barriers of flight. The interwar
period also witnessed the birth of modern rocketry. The Barron
Hilton Pioneers of Flight Gallery highlights this exciting era
with an eclectic collection of aircraft and other objects. A
common theme unites them. All are connected with people who
pushed the existing technological or social limits of flight
during the early decades of the 20th century. Each aircraft or
exhibit represents an unprecedented feat, a barrier overcome, a
pioneering step. This website provides brief highlights from
four main sections of the exhibition on display at the National
Mall Building in Washington, DC. A full online exhibition is yet
to come.