The Lockheed Vega was a high-speed passenger monoplane built by Lockheed Aircraft, and first delivered in 1927. It achieved fame because it was used by a number of record-breaking pilots, who were attracted to its speed and rugged, long-range design. Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, piloting a Vega 5B. She flew a Vega in the 1929 Women’s Cross Country Air Race (known as the Powder Puff Derby), and also set several women’s speed and distance records flying a Vega.

The Vega 5B was a seven-passenger variant intended for transport service. The fuselage was of monocoque design, manufactured from sheets of plywood, skinned over wooden ribs, which were laminated into sections with glue, then compressed into the final shape. The Vega wing featured a single spar cantilevered on the very top of the aircraft. The 5B variant featured an upgrade to the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine (450 hp), increasing aircraft speed.

A redesigned cowling was also incorporated. The Vega was considered a difficult aircraft to land, and forward and side visibility from the cockpit was extremely limited. Vega production totaled 132, of which 64 were Vega 5s.

The Museum’s Lockheed Vega 5B is a full scale model, built for use during the making of the motion picture Amelia, starring Academy Award winning actress Hillary Swank. This model was donated to the Museum by Avalon Pictures in 2010.