Air Force bringing back two prop planes for low-intensity conflicts
Two propeller-driven aircraft have been selected by the United States Air Force to fill a wide variety of combat roles. The Light Attack Aircraft Program has produced two winners for the USAF- the Sierra Nevada-Embraer A-29 Super Tucano and the Textron AT-6, two prop-driven aircraft that are ready, willing... Read more
Royal Thai King’s Guard sport gold plated bullpup rifles during coronation ceremony
Thailand is known for all things exotic (and a little strange), and their armaments seem to be no exception. Soldiers of the Royal Thai King’s Guard are carrying golden-plated and painted Israeli Tavor bullpup rifles, complete with Mepro 21 optics, which unfortunately appear to have been painted in such... Read more
Israeli Ace: How Ran Ronen became the pride of Israel’s Air Force
While fighter pilots are a special breed of people in their own right, the very best among them stand out even more vividly. Somewhere at the top of that list of “aces,” there is Ran Ronen. Born in 1936, Ran Ronen-Pekker was born in a Jewish settlement of what... Read more
Smuggled weaponry: How the Rhodesian FAL became a favorite for anti-communists
Throughout history, there have been a series of “last stands” that have given rise to myth-like status in regards to the weapons and equipment used at the time- the Spartan helmet, the Filipino Bolo, the Scottish Claymore and the venerable trench shotguns of World War I. In the battle... Read more
Final flight: How a Russian stole a MIG and defected to the U.S. during the Cold War
How far would you go for freedom? Would you betray your own countrymen? Risk life and limb? Bake a cake? Although it’s going to be hard to believe, a Soviet fighter pilot checked “all of the above” on his list of things to do before defecting to the United... Read more
Forgotten fighter in the sky: Remembering some historic moments of the F-82 Twin Mustang
To many fans of World War II aviation, there is nothing greater than the North American P-51 Mustang, the silvery, iconic warbird that dominated the air in every theatre it flew in. But what could be better than a P-51 Mustang? Well, at least according to one North American... Read more
Before there was Top Gun a RAF pilot once buzzed Parliament, flew through Tower Bridge
As the oldest air force in existence, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) has a reputation for being some, of the best and brightest the world has to offer. From innovation in aerial combat techniques to steadfast courage against all odds in Britain’s “finest hour.” The RAF is also... Read more
1950’s spy plane acts as modern day Indiana Jones with photos showing ancient European lands
What would happen if Indiana Jones had a spy plane? Ponder no more, as a declassified series of images from the cold war reveal archaeological sites viewed from tens of thousands of feet in the air. The photos, believed to have been taken in the 1950s and 1960s, reveal... Read more
Remembering James Howell Howard: Only P-51 Mustang pilot awarded Medal of Honor
World War II was a special time for combat aviation, a pivotal point in history when pilots and aircraft technology were forced into incredible transformations in order to keep up with the rapidly changing times. During this time, new plane designs made their way into the history books under... Read more
Nazi Commando Otto Skorzeny Continued His Life of Intrigue After the War
Otto Skorzeny was Nazi Germany’s most notorious commando. His missions included rescuing Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from imprisonment and sending German troops in American uniforms to conduct sabotage during the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler favored Skorzeny, though many of his colleagues disliked him. Admittedly a brave man, he... Read more