Aircraft
AEROSPATIALE ALOUETTE III, SAÂ 316-319
On February 28, 1959, Sud-Aviation tested a SE 3180 Alouette III prototype. Modified with a more powerful 550-horsepower engine and stronger gearboxes and transmission, the SE 3160 (SE 316A, and later SA 318) went into production in 1960. Some twenty versions of this helicopter, the last versions with a Turbomeca Astazou 870-horsepower engine, remained in production until 1975. Like its…
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Luftwaffe versus Operation Torch
Dornier Do-217M and Fritz X. The German response to “Torch” led to a major transfer of bombers and fighters into the theater. As early as November 4, Luftflotte 4 gave up a fighter group to the Mediterranean. Moreover, the North African invasion forced the Germans to shut down attacks on…
Early evolution of nuclear-armed bombers
B-29 and B-36 1948 … Boeing B-50 strategic bomber The evolution of nuclear-armed bombers began with the use of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, an aircraft designed in World War II to carry conventional weapons. Crews flew this aircraft to drop the 13-kiloton Little Boy atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima on…
Hawker Typhoon Redux
In response to Specification F.18137, design of the Hawker Typhoon was initiated by Sydney Camm in 1937. The Specification required a Rolls-Royce Vulture or Napier Sabre engine, so two prototypes were built initially, that with the Vulture known as the Hawker Tornado. The Sabre-engined version, designated Hawker Typhoon, also encountered…
S.N.C.A.O. CAO.700
Only one aircraft was built, and his maid flight had to be on June 25th 1940. But this day was the day of the Armistice. The aircraft was to take off but the order was given to stop the engines. SNCAO was a short-lived company originating from the nationalization of…
taran I
Officially, the Russian orders on ramming (in Russian, taran) were taken off the books in September 1944. By that time Russian pilots dominated the skies and few Luftwaffe planes ventured outside German skies. But the evidence shows that wartime ramming was still possible and enforceable 15 years after the war;…
taran II
Moscow, as expected, became the main target for enemy air attack. Hitler’s intention to level Moscow required hundreds of bombing planes. For this purpose the Luftwaffe formed a special group of 1,600 aircraft made up of the best squadrons. The leaders of this air fleet, which provided support for the…