Aircraft carrier landing operations It takes skills and nerves of ice for a US Navy pilot to take off and land an aircraft on a carrier’s flight deck, essentially a…
Giora Even- Epstein, the leading jet ace Giora Even-Epstein was pleasant and enthusiastic, and he was known as “Hawkeye” due to his remarkable vision of more than 20/15, which allowed…
When Luftwaffe Bf 109Gs were overwhelmed by Fleet Air Arm F4Fs and why the little Wildcat could be more than a match for Messerschmitt Bf 109
The F4F Wildcat First flown in February 1939, the rugged and heavily armed F4F Wildcat became the Navy/Marine Corps premier fighter until late 1942. By the end of that year,…
SEAL JTAC explains why the Navy F-14 Tomcat crews were the best for Close Air Support (Only matched by those of USMC F/A-18Ds)
The F-14 Tomcat after the Cold War The iconic F-14 Tomcat was almost benched after the abrupt end to the Cold War which took away the primacy of the fleet…
RAF Lightning pilot flew a solo intercept against a formation of 80 Soviet Tu-95 Bear and Tu-16 Badger strategic bombers off the UK coast
The RAF Lightning The Lightning was the first fully supersonic aircraft in the Royal Air Force, and Fighter Command’s maximum speeds were instantly doubled with its introduction. Throughout its twenty-eight…
Flying the SR-71 with just one engine in full afterburner was Blackbird aircrews’ most dangerous operation
The SR-71 Blackbird The SR-71, the most sophisticated spy plane in the Blackbird family, which also included the A-12 and YF-12, was created by a team of Lockheed personnel under…
US Navy F/A-18 pilot tells why Hornet drivers cut the fingertips off their gloves
Fighter pilots While the life of a fighter pilot might seem very adventurous and full of fun, a lot of planning and preparation goes into being a fighter pilot. As…
Why a US Army UH-1 Huey crew member had great difficulty prepping raw meat for a meal since the mission where he had to evac seven KIA South Vietnam soldiers
The UH-1 Huey The UH-1 “Iroquois” helicopter, also known as the “Huey” for the phonetic sound of its original designation, HU-1, served as the Army’s workhorse throughout the Vietnam War.…
“We were not just fleet air defenders:” F-14 RIO tells why Tomcat crews could prevail against anyone in a dogfight
The F-14 Tomcat Advancements during the Cold War in Soviet long-range patrol and bomber aircraft dictated a requirement for a fleet defense fighter that could engage high-altitude bombers from well…
When a KC-135 Stratotanker crew crossed Vietnam DMZ and went into a dive to refuel a flamed-out F-105 Thunderchief
The KC-135 Stratotanker The KC-135 Stratotanker was the first offspring of the Dash 80. It was the only tanker employed by the Strategic Air Command for fifteen years, and it…