The F-4 Phantom is perhaps one of the most famous warbirds the US has ever operated. Its achievements in combat and its easily distinguishable design helped make the F-4 what it is today. But with that said, here are 5 things you might not know about the F-4 Phantom. 1. The second crew member had […] More
Once upon a time, there was an aircraft designed to fly with 52 gallons of Vodka to keep its 3 crewmembers comfortable during the flight. Whatever vodka wasn’t used up during the flight would be divided up between the flight crew and the maintenance crew on the ground. Though it may seem fictional, this was […] More
In the 1960s, Republic started a daring new project led by the same people behind the legendary P-47 and F-84. This aircraft, however, was different. It was the Cold War, so it just had to be an aircraft that was also capable of carrying a nuclear bomb. Later on, this aircraft would prove to be […] More
During the 1960s, developing a double delta wing aircraft was seen more as an unproven technology, and seen as a rather ambitious project. Because of its unstable design, the double delta configuration encountered issues. However, little did the Swedish know that they would discover a new maneuver- the Cobra. Here’s how the Saab 35 became […] More
On January 25, 1943, Joe Foss, a fighter pilot from the Marine Fighting Squadron 121, had just spotted a formation of over 100 Japanese bombers and Zeroes approaching the island of Guadalcanal. Foss immediately knew that he was outgunned and outnumbered, with only 12 men under his command. Aboard his Grumman F4F Wildcat, a more […] More
In 2009, approximately 35 years without getting a strategic bomber, the US Air Force built the Long Range Strike Bomber program to build the most technologically advanced bomber. This ambitious program took almost a decade, and the new stealth bomber was finally unveiled in December 2022. Long Range Strike Bomber Program In 2009, the United […] More
First built by the Yakovlev Design Bureau during the mid-1940s, the Yak-15 is the first jet combat aircraft that was adopted by the USSR Air Force. Its history is a striking example of the era of the birth of jet aviation, demonstrating the time of learning about little-known technology, encountering endless difficulties, and just basically […] More
Paddy Mayne was a remarkable figure for the Allies during the Second World War. His story encompasses everything – from punching a Commanding Officer to being one of the most decorated soldiers in the British army. Joining The Reserves Paddy joined the British Supplementary Reserves in March of 1939, six months before Hitler’s invasion of […] More
The Yak 3 is the smallest fighter that was used during World War II, and it was also the same aircraft that gave the Luftwaffe a run for its money. Entering the Easter Front in 1944, its German commanders were impressed by what this modest plane can do that they issued an urgent order in […] More
A German Ace by the name of Friedrich Beckh had quite an unusual story. By most standards, Beckh was too old for a combat position in WWII. He was born in 1908 and first joined the army in 1926 as part of the cavalry. After a nine-year tenure, he traded his horse for a fighter […] More
In the summer of 1943, Japanese Admiral Kamito Kuroshime proposed the use of “volunteer dive bomber attacks.” The idea was that the pilots would attempt to crash into enemy ships in aircraft loaded with bombs, torpedos, and other explosives. However, Japanese officials would rebuff Kuroshime’s proposal as they had high hopes of winning the war […] More
On April 1945, the Luftwaffe, desperate to resupply trapped German forces in Berlin, created operations using gliders to fly supplies. These were one-way missions for unfortunate pilots. Dire Situation At this point, Berlin’s resupply situation was dire, and the defenders needed regular resupply of ammunition and other supplies to maintain their defense until help arrived […] More
