F-100 Super Sabre The F-100, which was created as an upgrade to the F-86 Sabre that saw action in the Korean War, was the first airplane in production to reach…
One of only two successful Blackbird Barrier Engagements after forgetting to deploy the drag chute on landing
The SR-71 Blackbird The Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft were the basis for developing the SR-71, also called the “Blackbird” or long-range, advanced strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The 4200th (later 9th)…
T-39A pilot remembers a Saudi Prince arriving in the US to buy F-15s
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,…
At MCAS Cherry Point, the Douglas A-4M Skyhawk was restored by Fleet Readiness Center East
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,…
The ringmaster’s Grand Finale: Ace Adolf Galland recalls his last combat mission
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…
B-58 navigator did more bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission
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…
After a mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster, an SR-71 Blackbird was checked with a Geiger counter before being allowed to taxi into the hangar
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…
US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired 6 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against 6 different targets
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.…