NASA Repaints Two Iconic Jets in Patriotic Colors for America's 250th Birthday

NASA has repainted an F-15 and an F/A-18 in red, white, and blue to celebrate the U.S. semiquincentennial, with public appearances scheduled through October 2026.

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NASA has given two of its research aircraft a patriotic makeover to mark the United States' 250th birthday. According to the agency, an F-15 and an F/A-18 based at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, were repainted in red, white, and blue.

The paint job was completed at the International Aerospace Coatings Inc. facility in Spokane, Washington, on July 2, 2026. The aircraft, along with other NASA and military planes, performed a flyover in Washington on July 4, 2026.

The red, white, and blue paint scheme and the Freedom 250 logo will remain on the aircraft for at least one year, NASA says. The jets are scheduled to appear at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 23-24, 2026, and at the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, California, on October 3-4, 2026.

More information is available on NASA's Freedom 250 webpage at https://www.nasa.gov/freedom250/, and an image gallery can be found at https://www.nasa.gov/gallery/freedom-250/.