The T-39 Sabreliner In response to a USAF request for a twin-jet utility trainer, North American Aviation, Inc. launched a private venture to build the T-39. On September 16, 1958,…
Douglas A-4M Skyhawk restored to its former glory Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently had the exceptional chance…
SR-71, KC-135Q and JP-7 If not for air refueling, the SR-71 Blackbird’s range would be relatively limited to about 2,000 NM. The aircraft’s range was increased by several air refuelings,…
Legendary German Ace Adolf Galland Lieutenant General Adolf Galland, arguably the most well-known of Germany’s fighter pilots and air leaders during World War II, is a multifaceted personality. He is…
The B-58 Hustler On November 11, 1956, the US Air Force’s B-58, the nation’s first operational supersonic bomber, took off. The Hustler was distinguished by its delta wing design, in…
The Blackbird Developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft, the SR-71, sometimes known unofficially as the “Blackbird,” is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic…
The AIM-54 Phoenix The controversial F-111B, which was being developed for the Navy’s carrier fighter inventory, was replaced by the F-14 Tomcat in 1968. The F-14 Tomcat was built with…
The Blackbird The Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft were the basis for the long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft known as the SR-71, or “Blackbird,” as it was informally called.…
B-58 Navigator The first operational supersonic bomber of the US Air Force, the B-58, took flight on November 11, 1956. Apart from its delta wing design, the Hustler was distinguished by its advanced inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, its slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and its extensive use…
Operation El Dorado Canyon Operation El Dorado Canyon began on April 14, 1986, with a strike group consisting of eighteen US Air Force (USAF) F-111 fighter bombers, supported by a…