The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Spitfire Mk IIa powers through the English summer sky being flown by Flt Lt ‘Parky’ Parkinson. Serial number P7350 is the only Spitfire still flying to have seen combat in the legendary Battle of Britain fought during 1940..(Photo by John Dibbs/facebook.com/theplanepicture)
Reginald Mitchell laid down the original lines of the Spitfire at a time when the very word “fighter” meant a stack of fabric wings with flying wires coupled to big, exposed wheels and outfitted with a few machine guns. While so many aircraft are inspired by others of similar function, the Spitfire was the first of a new breed. Although the move to monoplanes was already well under way worldwide, it was Mitchell who brought the soul of an artist to the engineers’ drafting table.
Whereas Willy Messerschmitt had a fixation with easily constructed straight lines, Mitchell’s sole goal was to cheat the wind through the merciless use of compound curves, tight seams and smoothly shaved rivets. It is said that the wind could flow from the huge spinner past the carefully formed compound cowl clear to the tail without a single discontinuity to disturb it.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.’
Lightning ACE!
P-38 Legend Robin Olds
SOUTH PACIFIC WARRIOR
A rare combat Mustang
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.
THE BEST WWII FIGHTERS
Which was number one?
“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.
Britain Still Can't Escape Europe
Brexit will not end the U.K.’s long, fraught relationship with the Continent
MATCHING INTERIOR MILLWORK
If one lacks professional expertise, installing crown moulding, replacing missing bits of casing or trim around windows, and retrofitting lost baseboards may be an exercise in frustration. Especially when nothing in an old house is square! First learn about the role of trimwork, building up profiles, turning corners with mitered and coped joints, and what tools to use where.
MEGHAN UNDER FIRE FOR BABY BOMBSHELL
Fears Harry’s wife went public with miscarriage ews as shocking PR stunt
WILLIAM'S CANCER NIGHTMARE!
Terrified Kate begs hubby to forgive Harry and Meghan before it’s too late
GOOGLE FACES UK SCRUTINY OVER NEW ADVERTISING DATA REVAMP
Google faces fresh regulatory scrutiny in Britain over plans to revamp its ad data system, after an industry lobbying group complained to the competition watchdog that the changes would cement the U.S. tech giant’s online dominance.
LEGEND HOBBY - SPITFIRE 50 GP/EP ARF
This winning warbird is a fast build and flies like a dream
TOY BOY ROD MAKING TRACKS FOR BRITAIN
ROD STEWART is definitely leaving L.A. and moving back to Britain, say insiders, who note the rocker is taking apart his massive model railroad set and shipping it to his home in Essex.
The Book That Launched a Factory
WHAT INSPIRES ME.
3 big thoughts
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