No matter what you call it— Stearman Biplane, Boeing-Stearman Model 75, PT-17, or Kaydet—one thing remains the same: it’s one of the best-known biplanes in history. The Stearman Aircraft Co. manufactured the Stearman Model 75 from 1934 through 1945 in Wichita, Kansas. During this time, they produced around 10,000 aircraft. 8,584 aircraft were completed while [...]
Part of the Musketeer family, the Sundowner is a low-winged, single-engine, light aircraft produced by Beechcraft. The line of aircraft was produced from 1963 through 1983, with over 4,300 having been made. Design and Development The Sundowner was originally the Model 23 Musketeer until it was renamed the “Sundowner” in 1972. This aircraft (the 23B [...]
As one of the largest airplanes ever built, the Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" played a key role in preserving peace during the Cold War. Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee Aircraft merged in 1943 to form Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, universally known as Convair after 1943. The American aircraft manufacturing company produced wartime planes and moved into making [...]
Sometimes, you want an aircraft that is all sleek and modern—a plane that might as well transport you into the future while it takes you to your destination. If that’s you, then the Cessna 195 is certainly not the plane you are looking for. Rather, this classic bird is the embodiment of retro nostalgia. The [...]
Our plane of the week today features the winner of our #AOOFlightClub, a Nanchang CJ-6A. This round of the fight was tough and we had some great submissions from people around the country, but the Nanchang CJ-6A came out on top! This aircraft is indigenous to China, and its owner flies it in airshows. Learn [...]
The British Hawker Hurricane was one of the most important fighters for the Royal Air Force early on in WWII. It, along with the Supermarine Spitfire, earned victory laurels during both the Battle of Britain and the defense of Malta. While the Spitfire was the more popular of the two, the Hurricane served in all [...]
Starting out as a WWII aircraft for the U.S. Navy, the Grumman G-21 Goose evolved into a recreational and commercial transport aircraft. This flying boat embodies a lot of firsts for the Grumman manufacturing company. Design and development of the G-21 It all started in 1936 when a group of wealthy Long Islanders was looking [...]
The Aichi D3A was a carrier dive bomber primarily used in WWII that played a role in almost every Imperial Japanese Navy mission. The D3A replaced the D1A biplane in the mid-1930s as a faster plane that was able to handle the same tasks. Aichi, Nakajima, and Mitsubishi submitted designs to the Japanese Navy for the [...]
Designed as a successor to the Grumman F4F Wildcat, the F6F Hellcat became America’s dominant fighter during the second half of the Pacific War. The highly successful Grumman F4F Wildcat had its first flight in September 1937 and began its service with the US Navy and British Royal Navy in December 1940. As early as [...]
In 1955, the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) introduced the first supersonic plane to Western Europe--the Saab 35 Draken. The highly-adaptable plane was initially produced for interceptive duties and took to the sky for the first time in 1955 before joining the Swedish Air Force in 1960. Saab manufactured 651 of the aircraft between 1955 and 1974. [...]
