Giga Panorama

The Eugene W. Kettering Cold War Gallery features aircraft that span the years of the Cold War and reveal how technological achievements of the era led to the advanced systems being applied in modern combat. The gallery's aircraft collection presents a broad range of platforms, such as fighters, long-range bombers, attack aircraft, reconnaissance, heavy airlift and trainers. Modern aircraft on display include the world's only permanent public display of a B-2 stealth bomber.


You can use either mouse or keyboard to pan zoom in and out of the 180 degree giga panorama which was stitched together from 7 individual pictures taken from the mezzanine located between cold war and missile gallery. A convenient function to zoom in to a particular object is to (repeatedly) double click on it (shift double click zooms out). You can also use the mouse's scroll-wheel to zoom. When you click on the GigaPan logo you are taken to the Gigapan website from where you can use labeled snapshots to automatically zoom into the various exhibits. There you can also launch a full screen viewer. Click on help if you need more instructions.

The following gives you an overview of what can be seen in the panorama. It also provides links to the museum webpages in which the exhibits are described in more detail.


Lockheed U-2A: high-altitude surveillance missions
Ryan BQM-34 Firebee: high-speed target drone for both surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles


Convair B-36J Peacemaker: strategic bomber with intercontinental range
XB-36 Landing Gear: largest aircraft tires produced in the U.S. to that time

McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel: hunter aircraft to attack enemy air defenses
General Dynamics F-111F Aardvark: long-range, all-weather strike aircraft
General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon: small, lightweight, low cost, air superiority day fighter
Convair F-106A Delta Dart: all-weather interceptor
McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II: tactical reconnaissance aircraft
Martin RB-57D: strategic high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger: the world's first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor and the USAF's first operational delta-wing aircraft

Martin TM-61A Matador: U.S. Air Force's first pilotless bomber (similar to the German V-1)
Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter: tanker
North American F-86D Sabre: all-weather interceptor
Cessna U-3A "Blue Canoe": light administrative liaison, cargo and utility transport
De Havilland U-6A Beaver: primarily used for aeromedical evacuation
Radioplane OQ-19D: fast aerial target with which to train anti-aircraft gunners
Convair B-58A Hustler: U.S. Air Force's first operational supersonic bomber


Cessna LC-126: Arctic rescue service
Grumman OA-12 Duck: amphibian, used primarily by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, before and during World War II
Beech T-34A Mentor: primary trainer


Convair B-36J Peacemaker: strategic bomber with intercontinental range
Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star: used as a trainer, drone director and target towing
Northrop SM-62 Snark: pilotless nuclear missile


Northrop F-89J Scorpion: all-weather fighter-interceptor for the Air Defense Command
Boeing X-45A J-UCAS: scaled-down, advanced technology demonstrator


Mark 17 Thermonuclear Bomb: first operational USAF "H-Bomb"
MK39 Nuclear Bomb: basically an improved MK15
Mark VI Aerial Bomb: improved version of the "Fat Man" implosion bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki
Mark 53 Thermonuclear Bomb: hydrogen bomb
Mark 28 Thermonuclear Bomb: hydrogen bomb


Boeing B-1B Lancer: long-range, multi-role, heavy bomber
Lockheed SR-71A: long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft
Northrop AT-38B Talon: advanced, supersonic flight trainer
Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II: close air support of ground forces


Boeing RB-47H Stratojet: electronic reconnaissance aircraft to gather information about Soviet air defense radar systems
Northrop B-2 Spirit: long-range bomber with "stealth" technology
North American T-28A Trojan: primary trainer


Douglas C-133A Cargo Master: large-capacity strategic cargo aircraft