RAF Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp Angered by the UK’s decision to station cruise missiles, (guided nuclear missiles), a group of women planned a protest march in 1981 that started…
US military pilots tell why an experienced fighter jock can’t fly a Cessna 172 without training
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk The Cessna 172 Skyhawk piston is the most popular single-engine aircraft ever built and has achieved a reputation for being the ultimate training aircraft. With simplistic…
A Taiwanese U-2 pilot flamed out at 70,000 feet over the Rocky Mountains and made a tumultuous landing
The U-2 The U-2 is still considered today to be one of the most technologically advanced aircraft ever built. Since its primary role was strategic reconnaissance, its development in 1954…
US Navy F/A-18 pilot explains why an F-22 pilot out of gas, with his ejection seat jammed and its canopy sealed shut could never do an emergency landing on an aircraft carrier
The F-22 Raptor The 5th Generation F-22 Raptor is the world’s premier air dominance fighter and a proven US Air Force (USAF) strategic deterrent. A combination of sensor capability, integrated…
After a combat mission, a US Navy F-4 pilot remembers getting into a fist fight with his RIO
The RIO or Radar Intercept Officer Any fighter aircraft’s normal mission is to intercept an airborne target. Finding a target on the radar is the first step in intercepting it.…
US Army AH-64 gunner got the call sign “Muddy” due to having diarrhea in his Apache during an attack training mission
Diarrhea in the cockpit of an attack helicopter Diarrhea was a common and serious medical condition that afflicted many US troops in Vietnam, in other conflicts and in peace time.…
USS Wainwright CO explains why Phalanx CIWS failed to shoot down the Harpoon missile fired by Iranians at his ship during Operation Praying Mantis
Operation Praying Mantis Operation Praying Mantis was the largest of five major US Navy surface actions since World War II. According to Naval History and Heritage Command, it was the…
Red Tails receives the first three F-35A Lightning II fighter jets
The Red Tails are the third ANG unit slated to transition to the F-35A Lightning II On December 5, 2023, three F-35A Lightning II fighter jets were delivered to the…
L-1011 TriStar pilot recalls when he and his crew were fired with no notice in the middle of a transatlantic flight
The L-1011 TriStar. The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, also known as the L-1011 (pronounced “El-ten-eleven”) and TriStar, is an American medium-to-long-range, wide-body trijet airliner built by the Lockheed Corporation. It was…
How the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor could have been prevented with just one Arleigh Burke class DDG
The Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor One of history’s major turning points was the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In a single, well-thought-out…