Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, the fighters, bombers, and trainers that defended freedom continue to enthrall and inspire audiences at airshows, thanks to generations of warbird pilots, maintainers, restoration specialists and collectors. In our September, 2022 issue we introduced you to the young warbird pilots, maintainers and restorers who are already beginning to displace more “experienced” warbird fliers and fixers. Their participation is vital for the warbird community, injecting new blood into a tradition reliant on people even more than aircraft to remind America of its proud history. Introducing the men and women who will […]
Keeping Em Flying! – The new generation of warbird pilots, restorers and mechanics
Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, the fighters, bombers, and trainers that defended freedom continue to enthrall and inspire audiences at airshows, thanks to generations of warbird pilots, maintainers, restoration specialists and collectors. In our September, 2022 issue we introduced you to the young warbird pilots, maintainers and restorers who are already beginning to displace more “experienced” warbird fliers and fixers. Their participation is vital for the warbird community, injecting new blood into a tradition reliant on people even more than aircraft to remind America of its proud history. Introducing the men and women who will […]
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“As a kid growing up on the bow of my father’s tugboat, hauling oil from Seattle to Alaska, I had a lot of time on my hands. I used to read the pulp magazines about the aces of WW I, such as the Red Baron. That’s probably how I became interested in flying. But when I became a fighter pilot, I didn’t care about flying straight and level; I was more interested in the fighter aspects of pursuing and attacking an enemy. It was the aggressive instinct of being a fighter pilot in combat, hunting and attacking other airplanes as […]
“Satan’s Angels” Ace – Tales from a P-38 pilot in the South Pacific
“As a kid growing up on the bow of my father’s tugboat, hauling oil from Seattle to Alaska, I had a lot of time on my hands. I used to read the pulp magazines about the aces of WW I, such as the Red Baron. That’s probably how I became interested in flying. But when I became a fighter pilot, I didn’t care about flying straight and level; I was more interested in the fighter aspects of pursuing and attacking an enemy. It was the aggressive instinct of being a fighter pilot in combat, hunting and attacking other airplanes as […]
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FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS of the Korean War, there was very little need for a nocturnal interceptor because the North Korean Air Force had been obliterated by U.S. fighters. In November 1950, this situation changed drastically. The sweptwing MiG-15 began flying south of the Yalu River, which put the airspace over friendly troops at risk along with the jampacked airbases south of the 38th parallel. Up until this time, the nightly alerts were manned by the F-82 Twin Mustangs and the Marines’ F7F-3N Tigercats. These two World War II types would be no match for the MiG-15. For the […]
STARFIRES Over Korea – F-94 pilots tangle with MiGs
FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS of the Korean War, there was very little need for a nocturnal interceptor because the North Korean Air Force had been obliterated by U.S. fighters. In November 1950, this situation changed drastically. The sweptwing MiG-15 began flying south of the Yalu River, which put the airspace over friendly troops at risk along with the jampacked airbases south of the 38th parallel. Up until this time, the nightly alerts were manned by the F-82 Twin Mustangs and the Marines’ F7F-3N Tigercats. These two World War II types would be no match for the MiG-15. For the […]
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By the time this training scene was recorded in Canne, Italy, in July 1944, Allied Yugoslavian airmen had several years of experience working side by side with the RAF. Following the dissolution of the Yugoslav Kingdom in April 1941, surviving members of the country’s air force migrated to British protectorates in the Middle East for service against the Axis. Training issues delayed their immediate service to the cause until well into late 1942, with their pilots initially being relegated to ferry service in the North African campaign. In September 1943 a “B” Flight of No. 94 Squadron RAF, based initially […]
Training Mission
By the time this training scene was recorded in Canne, Italy, in July 1944, Allied Yugoslavian airmen had several years of experience working side by side with the RAF. Following the dissolution of the Yugoslav Kingdom in April 1941, surviving members of the country’s air force migrated to British protectorates in the Middle East for service against the Axis. Training issues delayed their immediate service to the cause until well into late 1942, with their pilots initially being relegated to ferry service in the North African campaign. In September 1943 a “B” Flight of No. 94 Squadron RAF, based initially […]
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Bringing the Vought Corsair to the fleet was a daunting challenge that spanned nearly three years. Key behind those efforts was the talent of Vought test pilot Boone T. Guyton. Like many of his 1930s contemporaries, Guyton was enamored with the exploits of Charles Lindbergh but felt that pursuing a career in aviation was an economic hardship his family could least afford. Fortunate to attend college in St. Louis, Guyton arrived in the 1935 job-deprived Depression with little opportunity other than a local teaching position. Fortune arrived in his mailbox just in time to redirect his entire career as the […]
The Corsair Maker
Bringing the Vought Corsair to the fleet was a daunting challenge that spanned nearly three years. Key behind those efforts was the talent of Vought test pilot Boone T. Guyton. Like many of his 1930s contemporaries, Guyton was enamored with the exploits of Charles Lindbergh but felt that pursuing a career in aviation was an economic hardship his family could least afford. Fortunate to attend college in St. Louis, Guyton arrived in the 1935 job-deprived Depression with little opportunity other than a local teaching position. Fortune arrived in his mailbox just in time to redirect his entire career as the […]
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Between the implementation of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 and December 31, 1948, all U.S. registered flying machines sported an N-number, much as they do today, the “N” being an internationally recognized identifier for the United States. During that period, however, an additional letter-identifier followed the “N.” Depending on their category, they were registered in the NC (Commercial), NG (Glider), NL (Limited), NR (Restricted, usually meaning race airplanes), NS (State government), and, finally, NX (eXperimental). Airplanes registered in the NC category are seldom seen today, but the others, including NS (State) registrations, are all but unknown. One of those […]
WACO YKC Stunning and Ultra Rare Golden Age Cabin Flier
Between the implementation of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 and December 31, 1948, all U.S. registered flying machines sported an N-number, much as they do today, the “N” being an internationally recognized identifier for the United States. During that period, however, an additional letter-identifier followed the “N.” Depending on their category, they were registered in the NC (Commercial), NG (Glider), NL (Limited), NR (Restricted, usually meaning race airplanes), NS (State government), and, finally, NX (eXperimental). Airplanes registered in the NC category are seldom seen today, but the others, including NS (State) registrations, are all but unknown. One of those […]
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“Like all pilots who flew and fought in the Hurricane I grew to love it. It was strong, highly maneuverable and it could turn inside the Spitfire and the Me 109. Best of all it was a marvelous gun platform. The sloping nose gave you a splendid forward view, while the eight guns were set in blocks of four in each wing, close to the fuselage. The aeroplane remained rock steady when you fired.” —(Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, CBE, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar) Douglas Bader was one of the Royal Air Force’s best-known fighter aces of World […]
Bader’s Hurricanes – Double amputee fighter ace Douglas Bader and his Battle of Britain Hurricanes
“Like all pilots who flew and fought in the Hurricane I grew to love it. It was strong, highly maneuverable and it could turn inside the Spitfire and the Me 109. Best of all it was a marvelous gun platform. The sloping nose gave you a splendid forward view, while the eight guns were set in blocks of four in each wing, close to the fuselage. The aeroplane remained rock steady when you fired.” —(Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, CBE, DSO and Bar, DFC and Bar) Douglas Bader was one of the Royal Air Force’s best-known fighter aces of World […]
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