Last Air Battles of World War II
Confusion reigned 75 years ago when Japan announced its surrender but pilots on both sides kept fighting.
Another Italian Misadventure in the Battle of Britain
When the Italian air force pitted biplanes against Hurricanes and Spitfires in the Battle of Britain, the outcome wasn't pretty.
Aviation History Book Review: Squadron 303
Arkady Fiedler, a Polish-born writer of popular travelogues, reached his zenith as a wordsmith when he chronicled the impressive early exploits of free Polish fighter pilots flying with the Royal Air Force in the historic air battle to save Britain in the summer of 1940.
Airfix Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
The perennial pickup truck (or should that be “lorry”?) compared to the sports car fighter (the Supermarine Spitfire), the Hawker Hurricane performed much of the heavy lifting during the Battle of Britain.
Evolution of the Air Force’s AC-130 Gunship
Since its debut during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force’s AC-130 gunship has played an integral role in close air support, air interdiction and force protection provided to U.S. ground troops.
Lord of the Distances Francesco de Pinedo
On November 7, 1925, a single-engine flying boat touched down on Rome’s historic Tiber River to tumultuous acclaim. At the controls were pilot Francesco de Pinedo and mechanic/copilot Ernesto Campanelli.
Amazing But True Aviation Stories
These 10 aviation tales prove that sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.
The Horten Brothers’ Jet Flying Wing
The never-built Horten Ho-229 has been the subject of more speculation and myths than any other World War II airplane
The Five O’Clock Taube: First Air Raids on Paris
The people of Paris were nervous, and with good reason. In the days since the August 3, 1914, declaration of war between France and Germany, the Germans had advanced rapidly through Belgium and northern France, and their First Army had reached the Marne River, just 30 miles east of Paris.
Fiorello La Guardia: From Congressman to WWI Hero in the Air
Future NY Mayor Fiorello La Guardia was a 35-year-old freshman congressman when the United States went to war in 1917.
Fatal Airliner Collision Over the Grand Canyon
A tragic accident led to the creation of the modern air traffic control system and the FAA
Build a Fisher XP-75 Eagle
The 1/72nd-scale Fisher XP-75 Eagle model offered by the Czech company Valom is a short-run multimedia kit. In a way, it’s fitting, as the actual XP-75 was also a “short-run” fighter, with only a handful ever being built.
Why America’s XP-75 Eagle Was a Turkey
Incorporating parts from three existing aircraft, GM’s XP-75 Eagle suffered from an overly complicated design and overweight experimental engine.
When Fire Rained From the Sky
The first low-level B-29 raid on Tokyo introduced a terrifying new tactic in the war against Japan
Letter From Aviation History: A Time of Sacrifice
When Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender 75 years ago on August 14, 1945, the world celebrated the end of a global nightmare that had claimed an estimated 60 to 80 million lives.
