The Horten Brothers’ Jet Flying Wing
The never-built Horten Ho-229 has been the subject of more speculation and myths than any other World War II airplane
Lindbergh’s Path to Glory and Everlasting Fame
Before he gained a worldwide reputation as "Lucky Lindy," Charles A. Lindbergh developed a solid repertoire of aviation skills.
How the B-25 Became the Ultimate Strafer of World War II
Armed to the teeth with machine guns and a 75mm cannon, B-25s played a key role in World War II as low-level bombers and strafers.
Firebombers! Flying on the Edge to Fight Fires
As last fall’s California wildfires demonstrated, the demand for aerial firefighters and the dangers they face have never been greater.
The Luftwaffe’s Carrier Plane That Never Flew From a Ship
Designed as a carrier-based torpedo bomber, the Fieseler Fi-167 ended up hunting Yugoslav Partisans when its ship never materialized.
Arch and Teddy: First Flight By a U.S. President
A bromance blossomed between Archibald Hoxsey and Theodore Roosevelt in 1910 when the early aviator took TR for a short flight—the first by a U.S. president.
Operation Bodenplatte: Last Gasp of the Luftwaffe
In the early morning hours of the first day of 1945, Allied pilots in northwest Europe might have expected to see pink elephants before they saw Nazi aircraft. Since the Normandy invasion, Royal Air Force and U.S. Army Air Forces fighters had largely driven the Luftwaffe from the skies.
The Missile With a Man In It
The breathtakingly sleek Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was designed for a purpose that was too far ahead of its time.
KAL 902 is Down: When the Soviets Attacked an Airliner
In a controversial Cold War incident, a Korean Air Lines 707 was downed by a missile from a Soviet fighter, killing two passengers and touching off a diplomatic firestorm.
Why Pilots Loved the F-105 ‘Thud’ Despite its Vulnerability
A fast mover designed to carry a nuclear weapon, the F-105 Thunderchief became the Vietnam War’s most important conventional fighter-bomber.
Sad Saga of the B-29 Kee Bird
When a B-29 crew got lost in weather over the Arctic and came down on a frozen Greenland lake, it led to an ill-fated recovery attempt 48 years later.
When Lindbergh Tested His Spirit of St. Louis
Recently discovered photos of the Spirit of St. Louis test flights shed light on the “Lone Eagle’s” preparations for his celebrated transatlantic flight.
What Happened to America’s First Passenger Airship?
Roy Knabenshue’s dirigible offered sightseeing flights around Los Angeles and Chicago, garnering frequent press coverage, then disappeared without a trace.
The Wacky Wing on This 1910 Airplane Actually Worked
At a time when the basic elements of aircraft design were still being sorted out, this forgotten airplane sported a different sort of wing.
Operation Spring High: Thuds vs. SAMs
The first attack against North Vietnamese SA-2 missile sites devolved into a debacle of dummy targets and downed aircraft, but it forced military leaders to find ways to counter the new threat
