To Catch a Shadow: The Great 1925 Solar Eclipse Aerial Expedition
In 1925 scientists sought to use airplanes and an airship as aerial platforms to observe and photograph a total eclipse of the sun
‘Bombs Away’ LeMay: America’s Unapologetic Champion of Waging Total War
From bomber general and self-professed war criminal to head of Strategic Air Command, Curtis LeMay divided America but always kept it safe.
Tuskegee Airman Charles McGee: ‘Do While You Can’
Charles McGee never thought much of flying until he started training at Tuskegee. When he finally left the U.S. Air Force, he had 30 years and three wars behind him.
Latécoère 631: France’s Big Flying Boat
The Latécoère 631 may have been the ultimate flying boat airliner but its service record left a lot to be desired
Shooting Star: Lockheed’s P-80 Paved the Way for Future American Fighters
America’s first operational jet fighter was quickly outclassed by sweptwing successors and saw its greatest utility as a trainer of prop pilots
Wright Brothers: A Promise of Flight Fulfilled
Far from being hailed as successful innovators for their achievements at Kitty Hawk, Orville and Wilbur initially faced the widespread disbelief of the public
The Power of a Picture: The Wrights’ First Flight
Despite what we’ve been told, this famous photograph doesn’t show the first powered, controlled flight.
First Planes Down at Pearl
Three National Guardsmen on a morning sightseeing flight were among the first casualties on December 7, 1941
Bringing Charles Home: A P-51 Pilot’s War and Ultimate Sacrifice
The story of P-51 pilot Charles Lee’s World War II service is a reminder of the sacrifices made by countless young men in the defense of freedom.
Legend of D.B. Cooper: What Happened to History’s Most Famous Hijacker?
Fifty years later, mystery still surrounds the hijacking of a 727 over the Pacific Northwest—the only unsolved air piracy incident in commercial aviation history
‘Gabby’ Gabreski: America’s Top Gun in Europe and First Two-War Ace
Gabby Gabreski nearly failed out of his Army Air Corps flight training, but went on to become the top American fighter ace in Europe during World War II and a jet ace in Korea.
Mystery Ship: What is This Early U.S. Navy jet fighter?
Can you identify this early U.S. Navy jet fighter?
