Two years before WWII ended, the military re-purposed the PB4Y-1 Liberator into a Navy PB4Y-2. The U.S. Army Air Corp originally designed the plane for their use; however, the plane did so well in maritime patrol that engineers transformed it into a long-range patrol bomber. Naval officers initially called the plane the Sea Liberator, but [...]
The International Paris Air Show began on June 19 and will continue until June 26. The International Exhibition of Aeronautics and Space (SIAE) host the event, and it is the 52nd edition of the largest and longest-running aerospace trade show in the world. The show is held every odd year and welcomes the latest in [...]
Utopia: a place of ideal perfection. Tall, bright buildings between smooth highways surrounded by green grass. Driverless cars making seamless lane changes. Computers performing jobs better than humans ever could. Appealing as this may sound, real life is a bit more… messy. Pilotless planes seem like something taken out of a Utopian society that will [...]
Technology and budget made building the JetStar a challenge. In the 1950s, aeronautical engineer Kelly Johnson designed the Lockheed JetStar. The design was originally produced for the US Air Force, but it was eventually used for business. Four Pratt & Whitney JT12A6 turbojets powered the aircraft with a swept wing and cruciform tail. Inflatable rubber deicing [...]
“VintageAirRally attempt the almost impossible with vintage biplanes, because there’s no satisfaction in easy.” The Great Pyramid of Giza has seen it all. From decorated wall paintings to King Tutankhamun’s coffin made of 22 pounds of solid gold—now that’s a rich history. The only intact and original member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient [...]
“If you are in trouble anywhere in the world, an airplane can fly over and drop flowers, but a helicopter can land and save your life.” – Igor Sikorsky Do you know what Leonardo da Vinci and maple seeds have in common? The helicopter. That’s right, one of the most brilliant minds in history and [...]
Between aisles of herringbone suits and wool neckties sat the ERCO Ercoupe. The small, twin-tail metal plane with a bubble canopy caught everyone’s eye. The 1945 Manhattan department store advertisement read, “Macy’s the world’s largest store, within a matter of days, will bring you America’s first certified spinproof plane!” The World’s Safest Plane Ercoupe took [...]
