Visiting the Sites, Events, and Hardware That Made History.
Travel trends in recent years have been evolving from pure sightseeing to what might be termed as “experiential,” a combination of observation and experience. This is why so many tours are focused around certain types of endeavors, such as archeological digs, off-the-beaten-path trekking, etc. Aviation-history travel, in which the traveler is inserted into the locations where world-shaking history was made, follows that trend.
When you’re talking about aviation history, it’s hard to ignore the impact that wars have had on aviation. And then, when you’re talking about the impact aviation has had on wars, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that the “WW” in “WW II” stands for “World War.” There are very few parts of the globe that weren’t affected to one extreme or the other by that conflict. And the primary battlegrounds, notably in Europe and the Pacific, were more than affected; some were totally reshaped.
Immense amount of construction and destruction altered European landscapes and left behind memories of a time when conflicts were of monumental proportions. Many of those reminders are touchstones for those who were there and want to remember as well as for those who want to gain a tactile understanding of the arenas where history was made. This interest has given rise to a well-organized community of tour companies that can take you to the remains of the airfield where Uncle Frank was based, tour world-class museums where artifacts of the conflicts are put in context, and take you to the depths where barnacle-covered wreckage accurately portray the cost of war.
Esta historia es de la edición April 2019 de Flight Journal.
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Esta historia es de la edición April 2019 de Flight Journal.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Scourge of the Allied Fighters
IT HAD TO BE THE MOST HELPLESS FEELING in the world: you're at 25,000 feet over Europe knowing that your primary function is to drop bombs-or flying escort for the bombers while being a slow-moving target for some of the world's finest shooters. However, you have John Browning's marvelous .50 caliber invention to give some degree of protection. Unfortunately, you're absolutely helpless against flak. Piloting and gunnery skills play no role in a game where sheer chance makes life and death decisions. For that reason, the Krupp 88 mm Flak 18/36/37 AA cannon could be considered WW II's ultimate stealth fighter. You never saw it coming.
ZERO MYTH, MYSTERY, AND FACT
A test pilot compares the A6M5 Zero to U.S. fighters
Fw 190 STURMBÖCKE
The Luftwaffe's \"Battering Rams\" against the USAAF heavy bombers
American BEAUTY
\"Forgotten Fifteenth\" top-scoring Mustang ace John J. Voll
BANSHEE WAIL!
Flying Skulls over Burma
KILLER CORSAIR
Albert Wells, Death Rattlers Ace
BACKSTREET BRAWLER
A young man, his Hurricane and the Battle of Britain
Still Flying After All These Years
One of the oldest airworthy J-3 Cubs
NOORDUYN NORSEMAN
Canada's rugged, fabric-covered workhorse
A good landing is one you can walk away from
NO, THIS IS NOT A SCENE FROM A MOVIE where the hero staggers away from a \"good landing\" on Mindoro, Philippine Islands, after being shot down by a Japanese Zero.