U.S. Air Force Academy & Cadet Chapel Photos

The U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel (1956-62) is one of the most striking buildings in America. Shaped like a series of swept-wing jets heading heavenward, the interior uses the upper story for Protestant services, with the ground floor split between Catholic, Jewish & other chapels. The architect was Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the firm which designed the rest of the campus during the same period. The main campus is a square around the chapel edged by other modern buildings graced with historic jets & models as memorials. This built structure sits on a vast tract of land, much of it in its natural state up against a range of the Rocky Mountains.

See also: Colorado Springs Region, Aviation Museums
Click photo to enlarge.
Cadet Chapel dominates U.S. Air Force Academy campus.

USAF Academy Cadet Chapel (1956-62).
Architect: Walter Netsch of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. On National Register.

Roofline of USAF Academy Chapel.

Side view of USAF Academy Chapel.

Peaks of USAF Academy Chapel recall Rocky Mountains.

Triangular elements of walls of USAF Academy Chapel.

Concrete supports of overhanging floor of USAF Academy Chapel.

Oblique view of USAF Academy Chapel.

End section of USAF Academy Chapel.

End view of USAF Academy Chapel recall swept wings of a fighter jet.

Interior of upper Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Reredos of Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Altar of Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Cross with wings in Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Looking back toward organ of Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Organ by Walter Holtkamp in back of Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Stained glass of Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Stained glass & view of mountains from Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Looking up to ceiling & stained glass of USAF Academy Chapel.

Sculpted pews of Protestant chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Lower-level Catholic chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Mosaic reredos by Lumen Martin Winter in lower Catholic chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Detail of Virgin Mary by Lumen Martin Winter on reredos of lower Catholic chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Detail of Archangel Gabriel of annunciation by Lumen Martin Winter on reredos of lower Catholic chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Crucifixion scene by Lumen Martin Winter in lower Catholic chapel of USAF Academy Chapel.

Jewish Chapel in USAF Academy Chapel.

Holy Ark with modern Ten Commandment representations in Jewish Chapel in USAF Academy Chapel.

Modern old Testament paintings (1985) by Shlomo Katz in Jewish Chapel in USAF Academy Chapel.

Modern old Testament paintings paintings (1985) by Shlomo Katz in Jewish Chapel in USAF Academy Chapel.

Modern old Testament paintings paintings (1985) by Shlomo Katz in Jewish Chapel in USAF Academy Chapel.

Painting (1985) by Shlomo Katz of Ezekiel's vision of winged man, eagle, lion & bull around God in Jewish Chapel in USAF Academy Chapel.

Campus of USAF Academy (1955-1962). Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

USAF Academy Chapel towers above campus.

Academic & dormitory buildings sit on man-made platform of USAF Academy.

Library & Fairchild Hall academic building of USAF Academy over historical Republic F-105D Thunderchief & General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon jet aircraft.

Library of USAF Academy beside Republic F-105D Thunderchief.

Mitchell dining facility & Sijan Hall dormitory over McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle at USAF Academy.

Sijan Hall in sections at USAF Academy.

Sijan Hall dormitory (1968) at USAF Academy.

Vandenberg Hall dormitory of USAF Academy over General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon jet aircraft.

Campus view with mountains, Harmon Hall, Arnold Hall & Honor Court at USAF Academy.

Harmon Hall administration building of USAF Academy.

October 17, 1999 fighting eagles sculpture by Terry Hinde at USAF Academy.

Arnold cadet social hall beyond sculpted model aircraft on Honor Court at Air Force Academy.

Sculpted model World War II P-51 Mustang & B-29 Superfortress aircraft & Arnold Hall at Air Force Academy.

B-29 Superfortress bomber & P-38 Lightening commemorative models on Honor Court before Arnold Hall at USAF Academy.

B-24 Liberator commemorative model on Honor Court before Arnold Hall at USAF Academy.

P-40 Warhawk commemorative model flies toward Cadet Chapel at USAF Academy.

Barry Goldwater Air Force Academy Visitor Center.


All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.