Even though the Mitsubishi Zero is Japan’s most recognizable plane of WWII, it was not the fastest nor their most powerful aircraft. That distinction belongs to a Japanese floatplane dubbed the Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai (George). Japan’s Early Plans The Japanese Empire was preparing to strike US military bases in 1941. Engineers from Kawanishi proposed […] More
Powered by a new engine that the world has never seen, the French Leduc 022 was geared to dominate the skies. Equipped with anti-air missiles and rockets, it would have been the perfect Soviet bomber interceptor in the ‘50s. But today, the 022 is nowhere to be seen. Why is that? Going Back To 1913 […] More
Jay Leno believes that the Rolls-Royce Merlin is the greatest piston aircraft engine ever built – and he’s not all talk either. The television host owns several blueprints, books, manuals, and also owns two cars powered by a Merlin. However, what he’s really excited about is the new addition to his garage: a Packard-built Rolls-Royce […] More
During World War II, the B-29 Superfortress was one of the most formidable aircraft in the skies. Capable of carrying a devastating payload, the B-29 was an essential tool in the United States’ effort to defeat Japan. One of its many pilots was Frederick Allen Stearns, who flew the #42-94098 along with eleven more crewmembers. […] More
The Soviet Union went to extraordinary lengths to create an effective ground attack aircraft during the Second World War. At that point, they envisioned a warbird capable of doing extreme damage to enemy infantry and vehicle regiments. The Fire Hedgehog In 1944, as the Red Army advanced victoriously toward the West, two weapons designers came […] More
World War II introduced us to the Mustangs, Lightnings, Spitfires, Mosquitos, Bf 109s, and many more. Included in this long list of fascinating aircraft are the RAF’s Gloster Meteor and Germany’s Messerschmitt Me 262. These two warbirds became the first operational jet-powered fighters in the world. Both were developed in secrecy during the war and […] More
Like the leaders of today, Germany’s political and military leaders during WWII also had special aircraft reserved for their personal use. These aircraft were all of one type – usually the luxury version of the famous Junkers Ju52/3m – a tri-motor transport plane equivalent to the Douglas DC-3. Creating The FDF In 1934, Hitler created […] More
Designing a stealthy fighter aircraft with great maneuverability is certainly achievable today. In the 1990s, however, Lockheed Martin decided to make their own version – one with a sleek airframe but no tail. Multi-Axis, No-Tail Aircraft An aircraft that could leverage thrust vector control to manipulate high-end dogfights, the new design skipped on using a […] More
Did you know that the Imperial Japanese Army, Navy, and Air Forces also operated WWII-era German planes? Close Ties Germany and Japan maintained friendly relations in the mid-30s, a partnership that would eventually culminate with the two joining forces together with Italy on September 27, 1940. He 100s and 112s One of the first German […] More
We all know that the F-14 Tomcat is one of the greatest fighter aircraft ever built. Developed by Grumman in the late 1960s, the Tomcat first entered service with the US Navy in 1974. Over the years, it has proven to be a versatile and reliable aircraft, capable of performing a wide range of missions […] More
The Pratt and Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp was one of the most significant technological advancements in aircraft engines during World War II. This powerful and reliable engine played a critical role in helping the Allies win the war, particularly in the Pacific theater. Design Specifications The R-2800 was a radial engine with 18 cylinders and […] More
The MiG-23 was designed in the early 1960s as a successor to the highly successful MiG-21, which had served the Soviet Union well during the Cold War. However, the MiG-23 was plagued with design flaws and mechanical problems that made it a difficult aircraft to fly and operate effectively. Design Flaws One of the primary […] More
