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
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
The Zero was a menacing war machine that toyed and destroyed the clunky Allied fighters on the onset of the Second World War. The Zeke’s unbeatable maneuverability and blazing speed were undoubtedly big factors in the swift destruction of Pearl Harbor. One year after the attack, the USAAF issued in Intelligence Summary No. 85, which […] More
Just 3 days after the B-29 Enola Gay dropped the Little Boy over Hiroshima, the Bockscar followed suit and unleashed the more powerful Fat Man that killed 35,000 people. The atomic bombings are still widely believed to be World War II’s final blow. However, the Japanese were only keen to offer a conditional surrender. Without any negotiations having been conducted, the Twentieth Air Force launched […] More
The Douglas SBD Dauntless embodied the grit and tactical mastery that defined the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway in June 1942 was one of the greatest victories of the Allied Forces. It effectively kept the Japanese Imperial Army from pursuing their invasion of the Pacific and placed them on the defensive for the […] More
Turns out, the secret to improving the odds of returning aircraft was not additional armor on the most damaged parts. During the war, The United States commissioned a select group of mathematicians which came to be known as the Statistical Research Group. They worked around the clock in developing ballistic tables, patterns, and computational devices […] More
The Supermarine Spitfire’s rough path to perfection In the documentary Battle of Britain: Pilot’s Stories, David Denchfield of the Royal Air Force 610 Squadron was asked about the legendary British aircraft Spitfire. With every bit of nostalgia, he replied: “I took off, and it was bloody marvelous, you thought you’ve been flying it all your […] More
One Of The Best Japanese Pilots Perhaps one of the most talented Japanese flying aces to have emerged during World War II was Sub-Lieutenant Saburō Sakai. He had claimed a total of 64 aerial victories, but his official record is only at 28. Despite flying an inferior aircraft, Saburō remained a threat to the Allies […] More
The Blue Nosed Bastards Weren’t Scared Against 50 Enemy November 2nd, 1944, 16 P-51 Mustangs from the Blue-nosed Bastards of Bodney fly deep inside enemy territory. They are on their way to escort a B-17 bomber headed to destroy a Nazi oil refinery. However, before reaching their main objective, the small group of Mustangs spots […] More
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American twin-engine, medium bomber designed and produced by the North American Aviation (NAA). The aircraft is named in honor of Major General William “Billy” Mitchell, making the B-25 the only US military aircraft named after a specific person. Although used in all theaters of the war, the B-25 […] More
B-24 Weaknesses The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is one of the most famous heavy bombers of World War II. Alongside the B-29 Superfortress and the B-17 Flying Fortress, the Liberator gained a distinguished war record during its service in the European, Pacific, African, and Middle Eastern theaters. The B-24’s longer range and higher bomb load capacity […] More
There’s no argument that the Supermarine Spitfire is one, if not the most iconic plane of World War II. It is loved both by veterans and enthusiasts alike. But how much do you know about this legendary fighter? Here are fascinating facts about the iconic plane that saved the Allies during the Battle of Britain. […] More
