The Making of a Lockheed Signature The Lockheed Model 10 Electra represented a shift in aircraft technology. It was Lockheed's first all-metal, twin-engine monoplane airliner developed in the 1930s to replace the wooden, single-engine Orion. Not only was it a giant leap in airliner technology but it was also a precursor to the future of Lockheed [...]
Usually, a double “F” is a bad thing, but this Grumman FF fighter biplane was a winner if I ever saw one. Between its bulbous, tear drop-shaped body and its nickname “Fifi,” this plane is sure to capture your hearts—if it hasn’t already. Design and Development The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation was formed in late [...]
The Lightweight Fighter Mafia contributed to the F-16 Fighter Falcon design used today. As founding members of the Fighter Mafia, John Boyd and Tom Christie did more than attract controversy by advocating for a new US air combat doctrine. The informal group wanted military reform in one way—do more with less. Boyd made his mark [...]
Not all vampires suck, you know. Not all vampires can fly, either. In both American and European folklore, only some can. But Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Little Vampire, and The Lost Boys all could fly. So could this de Havilland Vampire. And fly it did. Britain’s Second Jet-Powered Aircraft Post-WWII In 1941, the de Havilland [...]
This British biplane was designed in the 1920s and led to the design of many similar airplanes. With over 1,000 built, the Hawker Hart was the most widely used light bomber aircraft of its time. Design and Service Sydney Camm designed this plane after the Air Ministry stated a requirement for a high-performance day-bomber with [...]
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 [...]
When the United States Army Air Forces wanted an operational jet fighter of their own, the War Department's wish was Kelly Johnson's command. They sure wished upon this shooting star. The Lockheed P-80 was the first jet fighter used operationally by the USAAF. The aircraft was designed and built by Lockheed in [...]
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 [...]
Experimenting--it's a perfectly normal phase in every aircraft's life. Some just never quite grow out of it. If ugly ducklings could fly (they can't until 12 weeks of age, by the way), they might be called Stipa-Caproni. At least if they were Italian ducks. What's a little more certain is for many, this aircraft is [...]
Today, we’re wishing Henri Farman—French aviation pioneer of the double-decker airplane—a very happy birthday! Born in 1874, Farman originally trained to be a painter but soon became interested in mechanics and sports. He bought his first plane in the early 1900s, set many flying records, and founded his own flying school in 1909. He soon [...]
