Aircraft
Soviet Interceptors – Cold War
SR-71 Blackbird (two-seated training version in the photo) – one of the most amazing aircraft ever built and real engineering wonder that came out Skunk Works facilities under brilliant lead of Clarence “Kelly” Johnson. Predominance as strategic level reconnaissance airplane, among others, realized through high-altitude and Mach 3+ flying. (Photo: US Air Force) Despite the fact that Blackbird was not…
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Steinbock, Gisela and Buzz-bombs II
The Dornier Do 217 was one of the best “performers” of the German Luftwaffe that ended up fulfilling various roles from bomber to reconnaissance aircraft and heavy-night fighter. This twin-engine 4-man aircraft appeared in prototype form by 1938 and would see several variants exist before the end of the war.…
Martin/General Dynamics RB-57FÂ Canberra
Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F October 1978 (NASA 928). Martin B-57F in its hangar at Centennial Airport. a Martin WB-57F Canberra which NASA pulled out of storage where it had been languishing for around four decades and brought it back to life. The Canberra took to the air earlier this month on…
Tupolev Tu-4 Soviet Superfortress
The USA persistently turned down Soviet requests for the delivery of B-29 bombers. Yet, despite this discrimination on the part of its ally, by the beginning of 1945 the USSR had obtained three flyable Superfortresses. Where had they come from? The origin of this miracle, very timely for the USSR,…
Bomber Command – Origins and Doctrine
Only 15 Fairey Hendons were built, serving with 38 and 115 Squadrons between November 1936 and January 1939. Before the famous early wartime trio of medium and heavy bombers (classified as such by the standards of the time) were to appear – the Whitley, Wellington and Hampden – an assortment…
Mosquitoes Bite and Beaufighters Punch I
Almost a year would elapse before the Luftwaffe returned in strength for the next phase of their attacks on the Midlands, this time with Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG2) – the Holzhammer Gruppe – in the van. From April until September/October 1942, Dornier Do217s spearheaded the notorious Baedeker air raids against historical…
Mosquitoes Bite and Beaufighters Punch II
Neatishead GCI was involved with so many interceptions at this time, to the extent that occasionally, in its own words, it became “overcrowded”. Just such a situation occurred on July 27/28, a night of lively action when Wittering’s Mosquitoes claimed two more Do217s off the north Norfolk coast, part of…