Reno Jet Racer American Spirit Joins Smithsonian Collection

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum has added the Aero L-39C Albatros known as American Spirit to its permanent collection following a donation from owner Ed Noel of the Noel Air Race Team. The aircraft, a former Reno jet racer, arrived at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on June 13, 2026, during the museum’s Innovations in Flight event and will go on display later this summer. ## Donation and Formal Transfer The transfer took place at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, where the aircraft flew in for the ceremony. Museum officials accepted the donation from Noel, marking the addition of a competition aircraft with a documented record in closed-course racing. The jet will remain at the Virginia facility, which operates daily except December 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with free admission and $15 parking. ## Competition Record Between 2002 and 2024, American Spirit recorded eight first-place finishes, nine top-five finishes, and three closed-course speed records at the National Championship Air Races. Noel acquired the aircraft in 2007 and formed the Noel Air Race Team to prepare it for ongoing competition. These results established the jet as a consistent performer in the Jet Class. ## Aircraft History and Modifications The Aero L-39 Albatros was produced in Czechoslovakia by Aero Vodochody between 1971 and 1996. Surplus examples reached private owners in the United States during the 1990s and became the primary type in the Jet Class after the category began in 2002. Noel’s team performed extensive work on American Spirit, including aerodynamic changes to the tail and wingtips, substitution of lighter materials for heavier components, and installation of a water injection system. The modifications lowered the aircraft’s weight by approximately 1,100 pounds. ## Curatorial Significance Associate director Jeremy Kinney noted that the acquisition supports multiple narratives, including the aircraft’s origins as a Warsaw Pact trainer, its popularity among American owners as a foreign-built warbird, and its status as the most common jet in air racing competition. The specific history of American Spirit provides an unmatched example of performance within that category. Noel described the placement alongside the Wright brothers’ Flyer as the highest recognition of the aircraft, the pilots, and the team’s work. ## Museum Locations Visitors can also reach the National Air and Space Museum building in Washington, D.C., at Jefferson Drive between Fourth and Seventh streets S.W. That site maintains the same daily hours except December 25, offers free admission, and requires timed-entry passes. Additional details appear on the museum’s site at [SI.edu](https://www.si.edu/). The full account of the donation and arrival is available from the original report at [General Aviation News](https://generalaviationnews.com/2026/06/25/reno-jet-racer-smithsonian-donation/). Why it matters for AeroLink pilots: Pilots who follow air racing or maintain interest in surplus military trainers now have a documented benchmark aircraft preserved for public viewing, offering direct reference points on modifications that produced measurable performance gains in competition.