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Duffy Weave – On-The-Job Training yields a tactical advantage

The F6F Hellcat gave pilots like Jim Duffy a fighting tool that leveled the playing field against any fighter the Japanese empire launched against them. The Flying Heritage Collection’s F6F-5 may be the only one still flying that is close to “original” as opposed to being totally restored to better-than- new condition. (Photo by John Dibbs/planepicture.com; aircraft from the Flying Heritage Collection)

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The morning when Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the Second World War, Naval Aviation Cadet Jim Duffy was completing primary flight training at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station, south of Los Angeles. That clear Southern California winter morning found him in an N2S-3 Stearman, flying for fun and building time over the Catalina Channel. “I came back in and the line chief told us Pearl Harbor had been attacked. I’d...

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All the stories featured in Flight Journal are as unique and varied as the airplanes and warriors who flew them. From popular warbirds like the P-51 Mustang and Me 109 to the Lockheed SR-71 and futuristic hypersonic fighters, we cover the whole spectrum of aviation. We’ve heard from countless readers over the years about how much they enjoy the compelling stories and beautiful photography.