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
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
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
It’s no secret that war leads to many technological advancements – especially in the field of military weaponry. One example of this is the Fritz X – a smart bomb developed by Germany during WWII. It was the world’s first precision-guided munition used in combat and the first ever to sink a ship. But what […] More
The United States Air Force announced in 2009 that it would cease production of the F-22 Raptor. The decision to cease production of the iconic warbird was met with some controversy, as the aircraft was considered the most advanced fighter jet in the world at the time. However, there are several reasons why the US […] More
The F-15 Eagle is widely regarded as one of the best jet fighters of all time. It has been in service with the USAF since 1976 and has proven its worth in numerous conflicts, including the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan. The fighter’s sleek lines and distinctive silhouette have made […] More
A boost-glide concept that can be considered an intercontinental spaceplane – this was one of Germany’s many attempts to strike America during WWII. Germany’s Silbervogel, also known as the “Silver Bird,” was a concept for a suborbital bomber intended to be launched vertically using a rocket-powered sled, which would propel the aircraft to a high […] More
