For the Sopwith Camel, training fatalities (380) were almost equal to combat fatalities (420) On December 22, 1916, the Camel—the most famous of the Sopwith fighters—made its debut. It was…
The US Navy created the F4U Corsair as a carrier-based fighter, but there was no immediate plan to give it to the Marines Nothing more represented Marine fighter aviation during…
“With no drag chute doors, the drag chute had departed the aircraft and was lost at sea. We were grateful to the Lockheed engineers for designing the drag chute to…
‘He was flabbergasted. All four flight attendants pampered him and told me his name was Lloyd, so I patterned all my PAs to him,’ Boeing 727 flight engineer and airline…
“Like every other crew, we wanted this mission. It was special, it was a first, it would cover territory that the jet had never been in, and it would provide…
Bell celebrated the completion of the first AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter for the Kingdom of Bahrain on Sep. 30, 2021. Bell celebrated the completion of the first AH-1Z Viper attack…
In Japan, Warrant Officer Shiromoto Nauharu Hayabusa’s alleged exploits as a pilot over the Solomon Islands on January 31, 1943, have become legendary. The Japanese started constructing an airfield at…
One of the unwritten requirements to become an SR-71 Blackbird crew member/maintainer was to have an outrageous sense of humor. The SR-71 Blackbird is still considered the world’s fastest aircraft,…
Older aircraft did not have a launch bar integrated into the nose gear; instead, a wire rope called a catapult bridle was attached to the aircraft and the catapult shuttle……
“My sensation was that the aircraft as out of control and I ordered Kenny to eject which he did. Instinctively, I took the stick and throttles in hand, and to…