1. Zeros vs Dauntless On their way to escort the 18 Val dive bombers, 6 SBD Dauntless planes were spotted by the Japanese planes. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, the 6 Zeros who were supposed to escort the Vals decided to go for the Dauntless. The fight resulted in a stalemate with […] More
1. Ballard’s POV The film, Empire of the Sun, is loosely based on the experience of 12-year-old James Ballard in China. Ballard was a British kid born at the International Settlement of Shanghai, China. The movie shows Ballard struggling and being forced to grow up because of the war. 2. Ballard Played As A Guest […] More
The Hawker Hurricane was the British’s single-seater monoplane aircraft. It was designed by Sir Sydney Camm of Hawker Aircraft Limited in the early 1930s. It served during WWII, delivering impressive air victories during the Battle of Britain. It would also twelve years servicing the RAF doing performing various roles. Here are the ten facts that […] More
Conceived by Consolidated Aircraft, the B-24 helped the United States become a global force. It also allowed the US to strike enemy territory more than ever before. Here are the ten reasons why the B-24 was the true workhorse: 1. It was a force to be reckoned with It was 67 feet long, 18 feet […] More
Built by Convair, the B-36 Pacemaker was operated by the United States Air Force between 1949-1959. During the 1950s, aircraft was one of the key elements in maintaining peace during the Cold War with Russia. Here are the ten ways that the B-36 Pacemaker was a completely unique aircraft more than anything else: 1. It […] More
The Grumman Hellcat is a carrier-based fighter aircraft that became one of the most legendary fighters in World War II history. This well-designed carrier fighter was designed to take down Japan’s daunting Mitsubishi A6M Zero. It’s powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp, yet it still resembled the earlier Wildcat in […] More
1. Product Of The Great Depression The whole world was coming off of the Great Depression. Men and women from the Great Generation were formed by the hardships they experienced as kids during the depression. A study by Glen Elder showed that most of those children fared better in adulthood and knew how to solve […] More
1. The Last US Battleship USS Missouri is the last battleship that the US commissioned for the Navy. Designated as the BB 63, it was the youngest among its Iowa-class sisters. The ship served in many wars, starting from WWII, the Korean War, and ending after the Gulf War. 2. Built To Be Fast Looking […] More
1. Equal Representation For better or for worse, director Guy Hamilton wanted to represent both sides equally. This was seen as a very controversial move. After all, the effects of the second world war were still felt in some countries. Nevertheless, Hamilton was adamant about this, leading to some very interesting scenes and hiring decisions. […] More
1. Improved Kill-to-Loss Ratio Earlier results taken from the first half of the Vietnam War showed that the Navy’s losses were piling up. They were losing aircraft and aircrew at an alarming rate. After the program ran its course, the kill ratios from the second stage of the war favored the US better. According to […] More
1. Linkless Ammunition Feed The ammo used for the GAU-8/A goes through a linkless and double-ended ammunition feed. This linkless system significantly reduces the potential of jamming and allows the spent casings to be returned to the ammunition drum. In addition, it also prevents the expended shells from damaging the plane. 2. Redundant Hydraulic Systems […] More
1. Versatile and Reliable The PBY Catalina was relatively slow but versatile and reliable. So reliable in fact, that they were employed by every branch of the US military. Other nations also followed suit and made their own PBYs because of how valuable it was on the battlefield. 2. Great Spotters Catalinas were usually the […] More
