Aircraft | War History

Forget CGI! A B-17 Was Actually Crashed During the Filming of ‘Twelve O’Clock High’

Gary Merrill, Gregory Peck and Dean Jagger as Col. Keith Davenport, Gen. Frank Savage and Maj. Harvey Stovall in 'Twelve O'Clock High'

We live in a world where CGI is commonplace in movies. It’s actually become a selling point to say that flight sequences, such as those…

The B-17 Tail Gunner Who Continued to Fight, Even After Being Shot Down

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in flight

On November 29, 1943, tail gunner Eugene Paul Moran survived what could have been a horrific crash aboard a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. While on…

Convair XFY Pogo: The Tail Sitter That Looked Like a Mallard Duck

Convair XFY Pogo in flight

The Convair XFY Pogo was an American experimental vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tail-sitter aircraft. Following World War II, the Americans began developing VTOL combat…

Northrop YB-49: The Flying Wing Strategic Bomber That Was Years Ahead of Its Time

Northrop YB-49 taking off

The Northrop YB-49 was an American prototype jet-powered strategic bomber. The Northrop Corporation developed it following the Second World War for service with the US…

A WWII Bomber Pilot Flew a Cessna 172 for Over 64 Days As a Publicity Stunt

Cessna 172, in-flight, attached to a grounded truck via a fuel hose + Las Vegas, Nevada city-limits sign

If you thought the seven-hour New York to London flight was bad, buckle up because two men decided to break the record for the world’s…

Goodyear Once Developed An Inflatable Aircraft Known As The ‘Inflatoplane’

Goodyear 446/XAO-2 Inflatoplane in flight

During the 1950s, Goodyear became more involved with the US military, trying its hand at creating an aircraft that was compact enough to be delivered…

US Navy Pilots Were Afraid to Fly the Vought F7U Cutlass

Vought F7U Cutlass in flight

The Vought F7U Cutlass was a carrier-based aircraft that served with the US Navy between 1951-59. Developed with the use of German research taken by…

How An F/A-18 Hornet Pilot and His Wingman Returned to Base After a Mid-Air Collision

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet taking off

On April 22, 1996, two US Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets got into a mid-air collision during an exercise off the coast of Virginia. Both…

The Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress ‘Memphis Belle’ Flew 25 Combat Missions Over Europe

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 'Memphis Belle' parked on the tarmac

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress holds the distinction of being the third-most produced bomber of all time, with 12,731 built from 1936-45. The aircraft first…

The Northrop Tacit Blue Was Nicknamed the ‘Alien School Bus’ For Its Unusual Design

Northrop Tacit Blue in flight

Several unusual aircraft have been developed over the years (just look at the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin), but few were as unique in appearance as the…

The Most Impactful Military Vehicles of World War II

Still from 'Battle of Britain'

In the shadowy chapters of history, battles are often viewed through the prism of generals and troops – their tactics, their bravery and their sacrifices.…

The Most Beautiful Military Aircraft to Ever Roll Off the Production Line

North American F-86 Sabre taking off + Supermarine Spitfire in flight

In the world of aviation, the marriage of beauty and function has birthed stunning creations, with aesthetics and power being held in equal regard. From…