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!
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
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”
In 1972 the USAF Lightweight Fighter (LWF) Program was launched to develop a smaller, highly maneuverable, lower cost air combat fighter to complement and conduct roles not suitable for the highly capable but expensive McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle air superiority fighter. This program ultimately pitted two contenders in a fly off, the General Dynamics YF-16… Read More The Survivors: Northrop YF-17 Cobra – The Unwanted Fighter with Quite a Legacy!
Any (North American) Rockwell OV-10 Bronco fans out there? It is one of my favourite aircraft. I like the styling of the Bronco and it was a great success story for Rockwell as a light attack and observation aircraft. 360 OV-10 aircraft were produced between 1965 and 1986. OV-10 US Military Service The OV-10 first… Read More Rockwell OV-10 Bronco: The Observation and Counter Insurgency Specialist
SOPWITH CAMEL Designed by Herbert Smith of the Sopwith Aviation Company as a further development of the Sopwith Pup, the iconic British Sopwith Camel biplane was the most successful Allied scout fighter of World War One and became the steed of many Allied air aces. Introduced to the Western Front in 1917, the Sopwith Camel… Read More The Survivors: World War One’s Iconic Sopwith Camel
The Technik Museum Speyer in south-west Germany has a fantastic technology collection that includes aircraft, spacecraft, ships, submarines, cars and much more in both indoor and outdoor exhibits (it’s a big museum)! Part of the collection includes a number of NATO Cold War veteran aircraft, including those operated by what was then West Germany. Here… Read More Technik Museum Speyer – NATO Tech
Continuing on from my attendance at the great Kyneton Air Show on Sunday April 23rd, 2017, lets take a look at the various aircraft on static display. I will also show some photos on activity around the Kyneton Airfield after the air show and visiting aircraft departures. Statics Post Air Show & Departures After the… Read More Kyneton Air Show 2017 – Part VI: Static Displays & Aircraft Departures
Lets now take a look at more of the warbirds that flew at the Kyneton Air Show on Sunday April 23rd, 2017. Seeing these historic combat aircraft up close and flying is always a highlight of any air show and this was no exception. Warbirds TBM Avenger The warbirds that took to the sky at… Read More Kyneton Air Show 2017 – Part IV: Warbirds and the 1944 “Flack Incident”
In addition to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) assets the Avalon Australian International Airshow 2017 also included international military flying displays from the USAF and RNZAF. The USAF solo handling displays were performed admirably in a General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon (aka “Viper”) multi-role fighter and the always impressive Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter… Read More Australian International Airshow 2017 – International Military Visitors
Aces Flying High 