Aero L-39C Albatros 'American Spirit' Jet Racer Enters Smithsonian Collection

The Aero L-39C Albatros 'American Spirit' jet racer has been incorporated into the national collection of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, thanks to a donation from Ed Noel of the Noel Air Race Team (NART). This aircraft recorded eight first-place finishes, nine top-five placements, and set three closed-course speed records from 2002 to 2024. It arrived at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on June 13 during the 'Innovations in Flight' event, where the official transfer took place. Later this summer, the jet will be on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Jeremy Kinney, the associate director for research and curatorial affairs, emphasized that this acquisition enables the museum to share stories about surplus Warsaw Pact trainers and foreign-built warbirds.