Outside Doolittle Hall stands a striking sculpture of Pegasus, the legendary winged horse.

This impressive statue, a gift from the Italian government, has graced the U.S. Air Force Academy grounds since before the graduation of its first class. It is a replica of the original Pegasus sculpture at the Italian Air War College in Florence. In mythology, Pegasus symbolizes not only invincibility in battle, but also glory, wisdom and inspiration.

Towering over 10 feet tall and weighing eight and a half tons, the sculpture rests on a base featuring a spherical representation of Earth. The marble used to create Pegasus was quarried from the Apuan Alps — the same region where Michelangelo sourced stone for many of his masterpieces. The carving was overseen by renowned Italian sculptor Mario Moschi, and the statue was formally dedicated on May 15, 1959, with Gen. Silvio Napoli, chief of staff of the Italian Air Force, attending as the guest of honor.

Originally positioned outside the Arnold Hall Ballroom, Pegasus was relocated to its current site in the spring of 1994. According to Academy lore, Pegasus is capable of flight under the right conditions. On that occasion, it did take flight — though by crane and truck rather than wing and sky.