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
In the fall of 1974, the Space and Missile Systems Organization did an air-launched ballistic missile test. The only plane that could carry the giant 86,000 pound-missiles was the recently unveiled Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. It was able to drop it from 20,000 feet over the Pacific, and this impressive piece of engineering continues to serve […] More
This plane is unique in the sense that its wings are round. More specifically, the wings form a circle all the way around the fuselage- a closed wing or more accurately, a ring wing around the plane. Why did this ring-wing plane didn’t fly, why we never built it, and what happened to the concept? […] More
The PZL.24. is a fairly underrepresented Polish aircraft during the Second World War. It would be the last of a long, rich lineage of Polish-designed fighter aircraft. Design Modifications Further modifications to the design were explored by PZL as late as 1939, with a planned K variant carrying four 20 mm cannons, and an L […] More
At the height of the war, the Japanese sought to develop one last aircraft that could bring the war in their favor against the Allies. Enter the Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate. Considered the finest Japanese fighters ever built, it completely took the USAF by surprise. The Gale A single-seat fighter, the Hayate (Japanese for Gale,) was […] More
The United States military has been known to push its helicopters to the very brink of their usability. For instance, the Black Hawk has significantly surpassed its operating lifetime. But the issues with China caused US authorities to evaluate what they have, and they set on an ambitious project set to replace the current fleets […] More
On June 3, 1942, in the deserts of Libya, 9 P40-B Tomahawk Fighters from the South African Air Force 5th Squadron are rushing to the aid of the French defenders that are being bombed in a fort. It’s a star-studded flight with flying aces in its midst- Cecil Golding, Robin Pare, and Louis Botha. Out […] More
The Mil V-12 is a heavy transport helicopter built in the USSR during the late 1960s. It was the biggest helicopter in the world and was created to carry Russian missiles to remote forest locations, away from the US’ eyes. Primary Purpose While the V-12 may look like an experimental aircraft, it has a primary […] More
Saburō Sakai is one of Imperial Japan’s legendary pilots, with over 60 successful hits under his name. But at this point, for Sakai, it didn’t mean anything- with two atomic bombs dropped in mainland Japan and losing an eye, he felt all his efforts were in vain. Two days after the ceasefire, a group of […] More
Did You Notice? You gotta love the A-1 Skyraider. You know, the A-10 Warthog’s father? Some might say the P-47 Thunderbolt is the A-10’s grandfather. All incredibly good CAS aircraft. The A-1 Skyraider is a single-seat, propeller-driven attack aircraft used by the United States during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. It was designed […] More
Admiral Kuznetsov was an aircraft carrier that served as the flagship of the Russian Navy. Her development was hindered when the Soviet Union was dissolved, even forced to sail for thousands of miles even before it finished. The Soviets, at this point, didn’t have the means to keep her in optimal conditions. When the USSR […] More
That’s A Startup! Now that’s a startup! Today we bring you a video we found on TikTok from the account gandytiktokhangar and it’s a doozy. There’s nothing like a good ‘ol Corsair startup but even better when it’s this close! Arguably the best WWII plane, at least in the Pacific Theatre, the F4U Corsair is […] More
