As a followup to my Fiat G.91R/4 post from visit to the Museu Do Ar in Sintra, Portugal in 2017. Here is one of the unique aircraft on display, a Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa) Fiat G.91R/3 ground attack / reconnaissance aircraft that sports plenty of commemorative markings. This Fiat G.91R/3 in bare metal finish,… Read More Portuguese Tiger – Part II: 75,000 Flying Hours in the Fiat G.91
Portuguese Tiger – Part I: Fiat G.91R/4 ground attack / reconnaissance aircraft at the Museu Do Ar in Sintra… Read More Portuguese Tiger – Part I: Fiat G.91R/4
When I think of Soviet Cold War era helicopters, the Mil Mi-24 Hind assault helicopter gunship first springs to mind. Brutish and sinister, bristling with weaponry from the flexible 12.7 mm Yakushev-Borzov Yak-B Gatling gun (or 23mm/30mm fixed cannons on some models) to underwing rockets, bombs, gun pods and anti-tank missiles, it can pack a… Read More Mil Mi-24 Hind – Soviet Era Beast From The East!
In 1991 the US Navy Advanced Tactical Aircraft (ATA) program and the associated subsonic McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II two-seat stealth attack aircraft was cancelled. The program was plagued by delays and huge cost overruns. The design was simply way too ahead of its time! Unfortunately the “Flying Dorito” never took flight and all that… Read More The A-12 Avenger II “Flying Dorito” Has Wings Again!
Continuing my visit to the National Aviation Museum of Argentina (Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina), at the Morón Air Base in Buenos Aires during December 2019, let’s now take a look at the FMA I.Ae 33 Pulqui II (Arrow II) prototype. Intended for service with the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina – FAA),… Read More Argentina’s Pulqui II – South America’s First Swept Wing Jet Fighter
When I travelled to Argentina in December 2019, one of my main destinations was always going to be the National Aviation Museum of Argentina (Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina) and I was not disappointed. The museum is nearly spotless and you can get a good view of all the aircraft on display. Located at… Read More Argentina’s Pulqui I – South America’s First Jet Design
Finding a Stealth Replacement for the Intruder The Grumman A-6 Intruder was a legendary long-range US Navy attack aircraft that could operate in all weather conditions, day or night. They served from 1963 through to the 1990’s with the US Navy and US Marine Corps and saw extensive combat in Vietnam during the 1960’s and early… Read More What Might Have Been – The A-12 Avenger II
The Bell P-63 Kingcobra first flew in December 1942 and was the successor to the Bell P-39 Airacobra. The Kingcobra featured significant improvements in design and performance but visually the most notable difference is the larger airframe and tail fin, along with the big four bladed propeller. The Bell P-39 Airacobra and P-63 Kingcobra both… Read More The Bell P-63 Kingcobra – All Hail The King!
The German Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) was the first operational jet fighter and appeared in air combat towards the end of World War Two. The Me 262 has always been one of my favourite World War Two era aircraft. It wasn’t the best jet to ever grace the skies but I have always… Read More The Survivors: Messerschmitt Me 262 – Germany’s Jet Fighter
Rare aircraft are a passion. If they are a bit of an oddity, then that’s even better and the Vought V-173 “Flying Pancake“, World War Two era experimental aircraft more than fits the bill! Ordered in May 1940, the wooden framed, canvas covered V-173 was completed in 1942 as the sole Proof Of Concept prototype for the… Read More The Survivors: Vought V-173 “Flying Pancake”
Aces Flying High 