Short Sperrin – The V Bomber that Never Was - PlaneHistoria
The Short Sperrin was an experimental jet bomber built by the Short Brothers aircraft manufacturer in the 1950s. The Sperrin was built in response to a| PlaneHistoria
The Short Sperrin was an experimental jet bomber built by the Short Brothers aircraft manufacturer in the 1950s. The Sperrin was built in response to a| PlaneHistoria
Naval Aviation Comes of Age at the Battle of Midway During World War Two, air power played a more significant role than in any previous conflict. The RAF surviving the Battle of Britain in the late summer of 1940, for example, contributed directly to preventing a planned German invasion of Britain. But it was in the realm of naval aviation that aircraft played an unexpectedly crucial role. Before the war, many naval experts believed that big guns on capital ships, which had always been the de...| PlaneHistoria
On May 2nd, 1952, the world’s first scheduled passenger flight featuring a jet airliner took off from London Airport bound for Johannesburg in South Africa. The 36 passengers would experience a cruising speed of over 450mph, considerably faster than any other passenger aircraft then in service. They would also enjoy a flying experience that was smoother and quieter than any piston-engine aircraft could provide. The future of commercial air travel had arrived, courtesy of British aviation te...| PlaneHistoria
Acquiring information about an enemy’s latest weapon often involves top secret and carefully planned spy operations, but in June 1942 the unbelievable happened. The British were presented with a real-life example of a Focke-Wulf Fw 190, a fighter aircraft which was shrouded in secrecy and became infamous to RAF pilots for its performance and deadliness in combat. This was not through an act of espionage or defection, but thanks to a spectacular navigation blunder made by a Luftwaffe officer...| PlaneHistoria
In 1961 kids (and some adults) around the world were introduced to the concept of a vehicle that could both fly and travel underwater – a flying submarine. The television show Supercar emerged from the fertile imaginations of British television show maker Gerry Anderson and his team at AP Films. Viewers were thrilled by the exploits of pilot Mike Mercury and his crew as they battled bad guys in the air, underwater and even at the edges of space. Anderson would go on to create other futurist...| PlaneHistoria
The A-10 Tankbuster is about as big as its name suggests, so called because of its fearsome reputation as an armored vehicle swatter housing a gun so enormous that the plane had to be designed around it. Commended for its lethality during the first Gulf War and the Afghanistan War, 367 of these titans are still part of the US Air Force today after they impressed generals with their stellar performances and valiant feats on the battlefield. Contents Background and Development The A-10 started ...| PlaneHistoria
A bomber’s ball turret position is often looked at with fear. Suspended underneath a bomber, it’s the only thing separating you from a 30,000 feet drop. The turret was a small, cramped place to be, often operated by the smallest men available. From this position a gunner could cover virtually the entire underside of the aircraft with his machine guns. It was named the Sperry turret, after the company that made them; the Sperry Corporation. They were most famously used on the Boeing B-17 F...| PlaneHistoria
Even while the iconic Spitfire was still in frontline service with the RAF, plans were being drawn up for a new generation of combat aircraft that would offer performance not dreamed of by wartime pilots. One company that would drive this forward was not new, but it was also not a name popularly associated with the design of British military aircraft: English Electric. And they would go on to produce an aircraft with unbelievable performance – the Lightning. Contents English Electric Compan...| PlaneHistoria
In modern warfare, achieving unchallenged air supremacy is the most important requirement to win any battle. This is what the F-22 was built for, and it remains the number one priority of governments eager to construct a military force that is consistently victorious. The US is no different, having first learned this lesson during World War Two after the introduction of its P-38, P-47, P-51, F4U, and F6F fighters helped it achieve air domination in every theatre of war. By outmatching the fle...| PlaneHistoria
The Daimler-Benz DB 600 series engines were without a doubt the workhorse and most commonly used engines throughout World War II for the Luftwaffe. Initially designed in the mid 30s, Daimler-Benz continued to develop this power plant, which over its life time put out some seriously impressive figures. We’ll dive into what makes this excellent series of engines tick. Contents Development The Reich Ministry of Aviation set out requirements in the early 1930s for a new engine to drive the late...| PlaneHistoria
In 2009 a famous incident occurred at the Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, United Kingdom, involving a Cold War Handley Page Victor bomber.| PlaneHistoria
