On The Radar America knew about the Mitsubishi A6M Zero in the summer of 1940 after they easily picked off outdated Chinese biplanes. Flying Tigers’ leader, Claire Lee Chennault, warned the West about the fighter yet they paid little to no attention. After all, the West was confident that Japan’s technology was highly inferior. First […] More
In 1930, the US Army and Navy looked for an engine that could meet or exceed a benchmark of 1hp per cubic inch. Back then, only racing engines could achieve this benchmark, but these four engines tried their best to achieve that goal: Chrysler XI-2220 Chrysler was adamant that their inverted V-type 16-cylinder engine would […] More
Sir Hugh Dowding was the commander-in-chief of the RAF Fighter Command, and his leadership became a turning point during the Battle of Britain. Going Against the Tide In the Spring of 1940, Europe was collapsing under Nazi Germany. Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding was the commander-in-chief of Fighter Command for the Royal Air Force. France […] More
Douglas Bader was one of the most popular pilots of the RAF, well-known for his daring RAF raids and repeated attempts to escape as a prisoner of war during World War II. Here are the ten interesting facts about this legendary WWII pilot. 1. At the war’s end, Douglas Bader was cast as a hero […] More
Many Japanese soldiers of WWII are known to favor death over a dishonorable surrender. This is exactly what happened to these Japanese troops that crocodiles hunted down on Ramree Island. Taking Burma Back Burma fell under Japan, but in 1943, the tide of war changed and favored the Allied forces. Both Chinese and British forces […] More
The Hughes XH-17 Sky Crane was the first-ever helicopter project of the Hughes Aircraft Company. It featured a two-bladed primary rotor system with a diameter of 134 feet and holds the world record for the biggest rotor system. Out of Money The XH-17 was an ambitious project by the US Air Force. The idea was […] More
During World War II, hundreds of thousands of soldiers as prisoners of war faced starvation, abuse, and in some cases, total abandonment. 1. Evgeny Stepanovich Kobytev His name may not be found in some history books covering WWII, but Evgeny Stepanovich Kobytev’s haunting before and after photographs captured the entire war’s darkness. Kobytev enlisted to […] More
Turning the tide of war was far beyond Japan’s control, and growing desperate, air commanders proposed the idea of the kamikaze, The Divine Wind. Thousands of Japanese pilots had volunteered to be a kamikaze, deliberately crashing their planes into enemy targets in the name of the emperor, and for their country. Here are the ten things […] More
The Kaiten were crewed torpedoes and suicide crafts used by the Japanese against the allied forces in the final stages of WWII. Utter Desperation Despite their desperation to hold the Allied back, everything seemed futile by 1944. Japanese special attack units were organized, using numerous fanatic young men willing to make suicide attack missions in […] More
The valiant defense of US marines, soldiers, sailors, and civilians in Wake Island became a rallying point and boosted the nation’s morale back after the dark days of Pearl Harbor. Here’s how this tiny island with battleship guns managed to beat Japan for 15 days all alone: Middle of Nowhere Wake Island is a small […] More
Northrop’s T-38 Talon was a twin-engine, high-altitude supersonic jet trainer. The aircraft is also one of the few supersonic trainers that the US Army mass-produced. It was also the first-ever official jet trainer aircraft in the world. Here are the ten interesting facts about the T-38 Talon: 1. It was the world’s first supersonic trainer […] More
The Aerosani was an inventive motorized snow sled with an aircraft propeller that would ultimately give the Soviets an upper hand over the Fins after the outbreak of World War II. Here are the five facts that you need to know about the WWII Aersani Snow Tank: 1. Initially, the Soviets suffered heavy losses from […] More
