Too Little, Too Late: The “What If?” Story of the Me 262 Turbojet Fighter

Much has been said about Germany’s technologically superior fighter and bomber designs, but the political turmoil in which the Luftwaffe had been embroiled since the war’s early years eventually caught up to bring down Hitler’s quest for world domination. It is true that Germany’s rapid conquest since Poland’s invasion was unprecedented, but the following years saw […] More

3 Fun Facts About The Crazy-Slow Plane That Saved Benito Mussolini

The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a German liaison aircraft which is probably more known for its laid-back reputation as a STOL performer than for the daring rescue of the Italian Dictator from a snowy mountain peak. The Storch was equipped with a 237-hp engine that produced a maximum speed of  93 miles per hour – specifications […] More

5 Life Lessons From WWII B-24 Pilots- Very Powerful

The B-24 was THE heavy bomber of the Pacific Theater. Borne out of General Arnold’s ambitious vision for a four-engine bomber with a 3,000-mile range and a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet,  the Air Corps came up with a  beast that eventually earned the distinction as the most-produced four-engine aircraft in history, totaling 18,188. The Liberator […] More

The “Butcher Bird”: How the FW-190 Earned Its Fearsome Name

This Underappreciated Fighter was a Bomber, Support Aircraft, Reconnaissance Plane, and Night Fighter All Rolled Into One Deadly Machine. The Focke Wulf W-190 – together with the Messerschmitt Bf 109 – are inarguably the two German Warbirds that made the Luftwaffe Fighter Force a menacing presence in the skies during the war. The untested war […] More

The Maneuver Wildcats Used To Shoot Down Zeros Effectively

Also called the Beam Defense Position, we take a look at the  aerial tactic that prevented the Japanese from “making any attack without seeing the nose of the American planes pointed at them.” Who thought that matchsticks would play a huge role in devising a tactic to neutralize the A6M Zero’s unprecedented speed and maneuverability? Well, […] More

5 Facts About The TBF Avenger: Endgame of The Douglas Devastator

Upon its introduction in 1935, the TBD Devastator was widely considered the first modern torpedo bomber in the world. Then came the Avenger. It was a huge departure from the traditional bomber design because it was the first monoplane with hydraulic folding wings, and it was the US Navy’s first all-metal aircraft. But the Devastator’s […] More