The B-47 Stratojet was the world’s first swept wing bomber and the first to use a bicycle arrangement landing gear, which was necessary because of the thin wings. It was also the first plane built ...

A ‘thought or two’ to the issue of, meanwhile, much famed (and feared) ‘kill switches’ in US equipment delivered to Ukraine… There’s none of that. It’s as simple as that. Especially not in F-16s. But… ...

In the past 40 years, several jet-powered commercial airplanes have encountered clouds of volcanic ash and suffered damage as a result. In 1982, when Mount Galunggung volcano, Indonesia, erupted, ...

During the opening stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), the then 110th Fighter Wing (FW) was flying A-10A Thunderbolt II aircraft in direct support of Coalition ground forces. Affectionately known ...

Forty years ago, in 1984, NATO aircraft conducted a multi-national exercise that assessed the alliance’s ability to use specially prepared sections of the German autobahn as emergency airstrips.

The Su-27 did gain special markings – one of the five ‘kill’ stars painted on the port side of the nose was superimposed on the silhouette of a P-3! The Sukhoi Design Bureau was tasked in 1969 with ...

In 1951 Republic Aviation began a project to develop a supersonic tactical fighter-bomber to replace the F-84F. The result was the F-105 Thunderchief, later affectionately nicknamed the “Thud.” The ...

The F-22 Raptor defines air dominance. The 5th Generation F-22’s unique combination of stealth, speed, agility, and situational awareness, combined with lethal long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground ...

The Black Arrows, one of the predecessor Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, were an aerobatic demonstration team formed in 1956 by Squadron Leader Roger L.Topp, then Commanding Officer ...

As Vickers started to push on the stick, he heard a loud pop, followed by a roar. He knew exactly what had happened and he transmitted, “Lion 52. Emergency, my RIO just ejected” Here’s something you ...

The saga of the development of the F-14 Tomcat out of the ashes of the Joint Service F-111B program is quite a tale. Though widely derided for choosing the F-111 for commonality, Secretary of Defense ...

Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane remained the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. Flying at Mach 3+ from 80,000 feet, it could survey 100,000 ...