Aerial Minesweeping: Ingenious Solution to a Hidden Undersea Menace
When Germany deployed magnetic mines early in the war, Britain countered with aircraft that could explode them by mimicking a ship’s magnetic signature.
This Hinged Biplane Could Fold to Save Space on Aircraft Carriers
One of the first carrier-based aircraft featured a space-saving folding fuselage and inflatable flotation devices in the event the pilot had to ditch.
Into Cold Air: Was an Airship the First to Reach the North Pole?
Of the multiple early explorers who claimed to have reached the North Pole, only the crew of the airship Norge definitively achieved their goal
Sitting Ducks Over Normandy: A C-47 Pilot Remembers D-Day
A C-47 pilot gives his son a firsthand look at the dangerous missions he flew in flak-filled skies on D-Day and beyond.
Dauntless Forever: The Dive Bomber That Changed the Course of World War II
The 'slow but deadly' Douglas SBD dive bomber employed 1930s technology and tactics to turn the tide in the Pacific War
The Greatest Flight: Schlee and Brock’s 1927 Around-the-World Attempt
In 1927, on the heels of Lindbergh’s transatlantic success, two Midwesterners attempted to fly around the world in a single-engine Stinson
Building the Ultra-Sleek North American F-107A “Ultra Sabre”
Considering its unique and futuristic design, it’s surprising there aren’t more models available of the North American F-107A “Ultra Sabre.”
Was This Strange Jet the Best Fighter the U.S. Air Force Never Bought?
Odd though the North American F-107A looked, some still consider it the best fighter the U.S. Air Force never bought.
Tomcatting: Why the Grumman F-14 Never Lived up to its Reputation
U.S. Navy aircrews and recruiters loved the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, but a careful review of its record suggests the Top Gun mount wasn’t all it was cranked up to be.
Angels From Above: Pioneering Air Evacuation of Wounded in World War II
Allied special forces units in far-flung theaters pioneered air evacuation of wounded in World War II, providing a needed boost to the men’s morale.
Telescoping-Wing Airplanes: An Unusual Approach to Variable Geometry
Before jets sported swing wings, an early Russian Designer took a novel approach to variable-geometry wingspans in a series of French built airplanes.
Billy Mitchell’s Aerial Blitzkrieg
A century ago, the U.S. Army Air Service embarked on its first major air campaign, presaging the combined-arms assaults to follow.
Early Birdman Bud Mars: An Aerial Daredevil Wows the World
Pioneer aviator Bud Mars thrilled airshow crowds, narrowly escaping death on several occasions, and was among the first to fly airplanes in the Far East
