During World War II, 98-year-old Dick Miralles served as a gunner on the SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber in the Pacific Theater. He’s the last surviving member of Air Group 11 and still has his logbook up to this day. He also gets to be a tail gunner again in his SBD Dauntless for the first […] More
In this day and age, having your own stealth fighter is seen as more of a necessity. America has plenty and so do Britain, Russia, and China. So what’s stopping Iran from doing the same? Ten years of development The Conqueror F-313 is Iran’s planned stealth fighter aircraft that they unveiled ten years ago. Ten […] More
The Kamov Ka-50, aka the Black Shark, is one of the most unique and versatile rotary-wing aircraft ever produced. Here’s why: 1. Known for its coaxial rotor system Coaxial rotors are mounted on top of each other and turn in opposite directions. The Ka-50’s coaxial contra-rotating rotor system completely removes the need for a tail […] More
With advanced new fighters being introduced, it seems clear that the US is moving further away from dogfighting platforms, doubling down on beyond-visual range engagements. But for many, it feels like Déjà vu. After all, didn’t the Americans already learn this lesson in Vietnam? A Thing of the Past America prizes air superiority in its […] More
The Dornier 335 was a heavy fighter built for Germany during the Second World War. Today, we’ll be exploring the story of the quickest aircraft the Nazis have ever built: Origins Claude Dornier was a German aircraft designer and engineer known for his unusual taste in aircraft designs. While he gained fame with his more […] More
The F-35 remains the most technologically advanced fighter in service today. But as capable as they are, those in charge of its development are already planning for the fighter’s next upgrade. Here’s what we know so far: A New Brain Some of the fighter’s onboard systems are decades old. To get them up to date, […] More
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force was alerted by the presence of two Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighters on February 7, 2013. After the encounter, Russia denied the allegations and claimed that they were merely conducting routine flights near the Kuril Islands. However, they failed to realize just how capable the Japanese F-2s were. FS-X Program The […] More
The Handley Page Hampden was a British twin-engine bomber that served the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It was also known as the “Flying Suitcase,” because of its cramped crew conditions. Developing The Prototype The Handley Page team proposed a radical design placing emphasis on performance rather than payload- the HP 52. […] More
Proponents of the sixth-generation idea say that it’s really quite simple. What defines this new generation is its unconventional systems and its relationship with information. For many, the fact that the vast majority of systems being imagined and prototyped are very far distant from the traditional idea of a fighter aircraft means that we’re clearly […] More
It didn’t take long for another type of war to come in after the end of WWII. Across each side of the Iron Curtain, military factions raced against each other to produce the ultimate strategic bomber – one that had unprecedented range and was capable of piercing through any line of defense to deliver immense […] More
Movies play a big role in the perception of historical events. In the video, YouTuber OTD Military History compares how the movie Fury showed combat versus how it was covered in the historical footage from WWII. Unsurprisingly, the movie and historical footage share many similarities – but some have critical differences. Advance over open ground […] More
1. World’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft Me 262s were one of the most advanced combat aircraft introduced in WWII. The aircraft was effective in dogfighting, but was also used for scouting, light bombing, and even dabbled in night fighting. German pilots who flew the Schwalbe claimed that they shot down at least 542 Allied […] More
