When the bomber boys went at it: Dogfights in slow motion
Considering World War II was the largest conflict in human history, it is not surprising that some really bizarre episodes of armed combat occurred. From the start of the war…
The 7 best transport planes in US military history
It’s not the most glamorous Air Force mission, but arguably it’s the most important because without transports troops and gear don’t make it to the war. (And it’s hard to win a war without troops and gear.) Here are the top seven transport plane…
This plane carried out the mission that inspired the ‘Star Wars’ trench run
In 1977, Star Wars took the country — and the world — by storm. One of its most iconic scenes was the trench run, during which X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters defy the odds to put proton torpedoes down a thermal exhaust port, running a gaunt…
Heres what its like inside a giant C-17 cargo plane at JB Charleston
Joint Base Charleston serves two factions of the US military: the Air Force and the Navy. Before 2010, the Charleston Air Force Base and the Navy Naval Support Activity Charleston…
6 Chinese weapons that are direct rip-offs of American ones
China’s military has surged in capability and size in the recent decades, but that rise has come, partially, as a result of stealing, copying, or imitating technology developed by the U.S. and other countries. From drones to ships, here are six of …
5 ‘failed’ prototype planes that went on to serve for years
Planes that lose competitions rarely get a second act. Just ask the YF-23 Black Widow II — two jets were produced and tested and now both will live out their days on display in museums. But there are a lucky few who have lost out only to get a sec…
How a prop-driven biplane took down a jet fighter in the Korean War
Military history is full of battles fought against unbelievable odds. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose. The story of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae is likely the most famous outnumbered…
15 photos that show the C-130 can do almost anything
The C-130 is one of the workhorses among American military planes, performing a wide range of missions from humanitarian relief to law enforcement to bombing missions. Here’s a rundown of 15 of them:
1. Close air support
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This ‘Whale’ saved 700 planes during the Vietnam War
When armchair historians discuss naval aviation during the Vietnam War, the focus usually turns to the F-4 Phantom. That’s the multi-service plane flown by the Navy’s only aces of the war — Randall “Duke” Cunningham and Willie Driscoll.
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6 planes the Air Force should bring back
We’ve talked about some planes that the United States Navy would probably want to have back in service. Well, the Air Force has a few planes they’d probably wa…