Operation Bolo was led by Colonel Robin Olds and it was used to lure Vietnamese MiGs by mimicking bombing formations. This operation alone wiped out almost half of the Vietnamese’s MiG-21 arsenal. Its success led to the creation of similar operations which also proved to be effective at times. Underperformance The first half of the […] More
If there’s anything life has taught us, it’s that nobody is perfect. The same thing can be said of any warbird in existence and the P-51 is no exception. Allison vs Merlin You really have to nitpick to find what’s wrong with the P-51. For the longest time, it was something to do with the […] More
1. Remarkable Powerplant A hypersonic aircraft needs an engine that can meet its needs. Thus came the XLR99 – a liquid-fuelled rocket engine capable of generating more than 50,000 lbf (around 250 kN). Earlier versions used two XLR11 engines that were enhanced to produce 16,00 lbf (71kN). 2. Notable Test Pilots The first man to […] More
1. APX-80 aka Combat Tree This was a top-secret game-changer only equipped in a number of F-4Ds. They would use the Combat Tree to look around for specialized transponders in Vietnamese aircraft. Transponders were used by the Vietnamese to prevent friendly fire but were subsequently used against them by the APX-80. 2. Set 16 World […] More
Mikhail Devyataev’s story is like something out of a hero movie. Man Down Devyataev was piloting a Bell P-39 when he was shot down near Lviv, Ukraine. As he landed, German troops immediately seized him and he was taken to prison. The Germans weren’t particularly welcoming when it came to Russian military officers. According to […] More
New Faces A new B-24D Liberator was assigned to the 514th Bomb Squadron of the Air Force in 1943. There, it was given the name, “Lady Be Good” – a reference to the musical, and was assigned a fresh new crew. The crew members arrived in Libya just weeks before they got their first mission […] More
1. Cockpit Design For some planes, opening the cockpit can be a bit problematic. When planes would get hit, it could damage the engine and the controls needed to open the cockpit. Though some planes like the P-51 had an easier time opening the canopy. In such airplanes, a pilot would only slide the canopy […] More
A Crucial Mistake Forgetting to use your seatbelts in a car is one thing, forgetting to unfold your plane’s wings is a whole other story. On January 22, 1968, a pilot of the VF-53 Navy squadron aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard took off at night with his F-8 Crusader. It was supposed to be […] More
Forming Bonds and Earning Respect The two friends first met aboard USS Leyte in 1950. Hudner was assigned to the VF-32 where he piloted the F4U Corsair alongside his wingman, Jesse Brown. Brown faced discrimination growing up in the early 1900s. Still, he became the first African-American to complete the Navy’s basic flight training program. […] More
Imagine being so fast you can shoot yourself down. That is the story of the F-11 Tiger, an aircraft so quick that it somehow managed to hit itself. Born From Necessity The US saw the Soviet Union as a strong opponent during the Cold War. They were weary of the USSR’s capabilities, especially when it […] More
Craig Button was a 32-year-old USAF pilot who died in 1997. 25 years later, the manner of his death is still in question. Training Mission and Disappearance On April 2, 1997, Button was on a training mission with two other A-10s. This session was the first time Button was going to use live rounds. That […] More
1. You Need Connections Unlike cars, you can’t just go to your nearest hangar and ask for a quote for a P-51 Mustang. Production of this warbird has been canceled for decades now. So in order to get one of these, you need to have connections first. Hopefully, a guy you know knows a guy […] More
