The Incredible Messerschmitt Me163: Years Ahead of Its Time
When it took to the skies in 1944, the Messerschmitt Me163 Komet looked like something out of a science fiction serial. One of the stranger…
U.S. WWII Tank Development Errors
As the Second World War approached, the United States of America was not well equipped for armored warfare. When the government started preparing for mass…
50 Years of French Tanks
Renault FT-17 Light Tank Designed in 1916 and first sent into action in 1917, the FT-17 was France’s second ever serving tank. A narrow armored…
Great German Raider – Expedition of the Battleship Graf Spee
At the start of the Second World War, the German navy lacked the power to face Britain’s Royal Navy in a full-scale surface battle. Instead,…
Lightning: The Unusual Lockheed P-38 Fighter with 30 Photos
The P-38 Lightning was an unusual-looking aircraft. Unlike most fighter planes of the Second World War, it had two booms, each with an engine, so…
The Battle of Hastings: The Last Successful Invasion of England
The Battle of Hastings was a turning point in English history. It decided the fate of the English monarchy and shaped the country’s language, laws,…
Greatest Tank Battle in History – The Battle of Kursk
Fought from the 5th to the 23rd of July 1943, the Battle of Kursk was the greatest tank battle in history. Intended by German planners…
Stubborn Defense or Poor Allied Leadership? How Outnumbered Germans Held Up the British Army at Caen
For British forces landing in Normandy on D-Day, the city of Caen was one of their most important targets. The Germans, recognizing the city’s strategic…
Mammoth Revolution You Never Heard Of – The German Peasants’ War of 1524-5
In 1524, a revolt broke out in Germany. Peasants rose up in a war that showed the religious and social tensions that would tear Europe…
Ultimately Disgraced – Scipio Africanus was One of Rome’s Greatest Generals
Publius Cornelius Scipio was born around 236 BC, the son of a Roman aristocrat. He grew up amid the privilege of the Roman elite and…
Epic 1st Warship Battle of WWII Demonstrated a Truly International Conflict – River Plate
The first naval battle of the Second World War, the Battle of the River Plate was a symbolically important encounter. British ships clashed with a…
Still Going Strong – The F-16 Fighting Falcon
Originally designed to give the United States Air Force (USAF) superiority in the air, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has developed into a multi-role aircraft fighting…