Introduced in Italy in 1933, the Fiat CR.32 was a compact, maneuverable biplane fighter, with a fixed undercarriage that had a good rough field capability (sometimes referred to as the Freccia or Arrow in Italian service). The aircraft was developed by aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli (hence the CR designation). Despite being an obsolete, lightly armed… Read More The Survivors: Spain’s Fiat CR.32 Cricket & Her Old Foes
Developed in Germany in the early 1930’s as both a twin-engine medium bomber and civilian airliner, the Junkers Ju 86 first entered service in 1936 and approximately 470 examples would be produced by 1938. The Ju 86A/D/E/G/K bomber (the G model had a round glass nose and the K model was the export version –… Read More The Survivors: Sweden’s & the World’s Last Junkers Ju 86
The Junkers Ju-87 Stuka was an infamous dive bomber produced in Germany before and during World War Two (the name was derived from Sturzkampfflugzeug which translates to dive bomber). Approximately 6,500 were built between 1936 to 1944. In the Spanish Civil War (the Ju-87 entered combat with the German Condor Legion in 1937) and the early days of the Blitzkrieg… Read More Achtung Stuka!
The Junkers Ju-52 “Iron Annie” or “Aunty Ju” as she was known, is a tri-motor transport and troop carrying aircraft from the 1930’s and 40’s made with construction of a corrugated aluminium skin known as Duralumin that although looks unusual was very practical for strength purposes. The Ju-52 was the workhorse of Lufthansa and other airlines around the world such… Read More “Iron Annie” the Junkers Ju-52
WILLY MESSERSCHMITT Wilhelm “Willy” Emil Messerschmitt (June 26th, 1898 – September 15th, 1978) was one of the most influential German aircraft designers and manufacturers of the 1930’s and World War Two. His aircraft used by the German Luftwaffe were some of the most successful and innovative fighting machines of that period including the Bf 109 (the Bf designation comes… Read More Willy Messerschmitt’s Bf 109
Aces Flying High 