Flying-Aviation
Flight Journal
The U.S. Mint Just Struck Morgan Silver Dollars for the First Time in 100 Years!
Struck in 99.9% Fine Silver for the First Time EVER!
1 min |
November - December 2022
Flight Journal
RUTHLESS JUG JOCKEY Flying with the 317th Fighter Squadron BY LT. GEORGE NOVOTNY, USAAF RET.), AS TOLD TO AND WRITTEN BY JAMES P. BUSHA
I HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A FIGHTER PILOT, the man in charge,” if you will. After I had earned my wings in 1943, I was given the choice of single-engine fighters or bombers. Although multi-engines may have sounded safer, I knew that the only person who would be able to put my flying abilities to the test was me! I was sent to the 54th Fighter Group in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to begin my indoctrination into becoming a fighter pilot. Most of the guys in the group had just returned from combat in the Aleutian Islands and the whole group was getting ready to go to the Southwest Pacific.
10+ min |
November - December 2022
Flight Journal
SR-71 BLACKBIRD
Faster than a speeding bullet!
10+ min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
RARE BEAR
The wrecked F8F-2 Bearcat that became Air Racing’s winningest Unlimited racer
10+ min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
STRAIGHT WINGS VS. SWEPT WINGS
F-84 Thunderjets & MiG-15s over Korea
10+ min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
The Sleeping Pilot
IN JULY OF 1943, it was the same as now: sunshine was a treasured commodity in Oxfordshire, England. So, even in the middle of a war, when the sun came out and the guns were quiet, young men would do the natural thing and enjoy it in the most natural of ways: with an afternoon nap. The war be damned.
1 min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
Mustang ACE of ACES - MAJOR GEORGE E. PREDDY
Squadron Leader Clive Rowley MBE RAF (Ret.), a former Royal Air Force fighter pilot, tells the story of USAAF fighter pilot and top-scoring Mustang ace George E. Preddy.
10+ min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
P-51: The 18th Fighter Bomber Group
With thousands of late-model P-51s available at the end of WW II, the Mustang became the predominant airframe inactive and guard units into the 1950s until they were supplanted by jets.
1 min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
Fleet Finch
The classic WW II Canadian trainer
8 min |
September - October 2021
Flight Journal
Impossible barriers are made to be broken
Few technologies have had such a rapid development and such a powerful impact on mankind as the invention of the airplane.
4 min |
March - April 2021
Flight Journal
RAMPANT RAIDERS
April 25, 1967, VA-212 tests the A-4 to the limit
10 min |
March - April 2021
Flight Journal
THE GROWLER
Boeing’s electronic attack weapon
10+ min |
March - April 2021
Flight Journal
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3
Authenticated by its log books, an N3N that 41st U.S. President George H.W. Bush trained in is preserved and still flying—now owned by Stewart Wells.
1 min |
March - April 2021
Flight Journal
Five-Gun Fury .
Lt. Floyd Fulkerson: Wingman to the Aces
10+ min |
March - April 2021
Flight Journal
YELLOW SCORPIONS - P-51 Mustangs rule the skies in China
Using Chinese airfields, the 311th Fighter Group was the first to take World War II to the Japanese. The 311th’s 530th Fighter Squadron, which became known as the “Yellow Scorpions,” was the first squadron based in China. During their combat tour, they flew A-36 dive bombers along with all versions of the P-51 (A, B, C and D). However, it was their expertise with P-51 B and C models that earned them the respect of Japanese pilots.
10+ min |
January - February 2021
Flight Journal
WACO “Super Sport” S3HD - A Golden Age king
The WACO “Super Sport” S3HD is often referred to as the “King of the WACO biplanes.” Built as only one example, it is the stuff of legends.
1 min |
January - February 2021
Flight Journal
SPITFIRE WITH A PUNCH - ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER IN POLISH COLORS
Squadron Leader Clive Rowley, MBE RAF (Ret.), a former officer commanding the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, tells the story behind the latest color scheme for the Flight’s Spitfire Mk XVI TE311.
10+ min |
January - February 2021
Flight Journal
F-35B LIGHTNING II SEMPER FI
The JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) program is synonymous with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, which ultimately won the competition against Boeing and its X-32. The JSF plan was to have a similar new fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy and U.S. allies: Build a bunch and keep the price tag down. It has been a success story since then.
10 min |
January - February 2021
Flight Journal
DEFENDER OF THE REICH WW II as seen by a Luftwaffe Ace
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring was in rare form, his eyes full of fire as he faced one of the better known of Germany’s aces, Oberst Walther Dahl. “Göring’s reply astonished even me,” Dahl remembered. “In the presence of pilots with heads, arms and legs in plaster, he yelled: ‘You cowards! Now I know why your Geschwader holds the record for parachute jumps: you jump so as not to fight.’
10+ min |
January - February 2021
Flight Journal
Lightning ACE!
P-38 Legend Robin Olds
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
SOUTH PACIFIC WARRIOR
A rare combat Mustang
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
Supermarine Spitfire Elliptical Elegance
Showing off the flowing curves of a jaguar ready to pounce, a Spitfire snugs in close, its pilot a picture of concentration as he carefully places the airplane exactly where he wants. It’s a timeless image of a timeless design.
2 min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
THE BEST WWII FIGHTERS
Which was number one?
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
“Hotrod” Jug
By the time this limited-production high-performance version of Maj. Michael Jackson’s Teddy was photographed in early spring 1945 at Boxted, the 56th FG had been operating with Thunderbolts for almost three years. Initially constituted in November 1940 as the 56th Pursuit Group, with three Squadrons (61st, 62nd and 63rd) operating a mix of training aircraft and basing, they were posted in scattered locations in defense of New York City in early 1942. With the 63rd actually based at Republic’s Farmingdale factory, it was a natural for the 56th to be tapped to be the premier Thunderbolt unit in May 1942.
2 min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
GUNFIGHTER OF THE RISING SUN
A Zero pilot’s own story
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
Me 262 Mach 1 Mystery
Did the Reich get there first?
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
HELLCAT VERSUS CORSAIR
GRUMMAN TEST PILOT FLIES THE COMPETITION
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
Flying the FW 190
A legend gets checked out in the Butcher Bird
10+ min |
Annual 2020
Flight Journal
THE F-5 AN AMERICAN TIGER
We all know about jet fighters such as the Phantom, Tomcat, Eagle, Viper, Hornet, F-22, and F-35, but what about the less-covered F-5? It doesn’t seem to secure as much time basking in the spotlight. Let’s indulge ourselves.
10+ min |
November - December 2020
Flight Journal
THE MARINES' LAST DOGFIGHT
THE CORSAIR WAS ONE TOUGH BIRD
7 min |