History

On 1 May 1960, a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defence Forces while performing photographic aerial reconnaissance deep into Soviet territory. The single-seat aircraft, flown by pilot Francis Gary Powers, was hit by an S-75 Dvina (SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missile and crashed near …

Credits: US Gov Employee Via Wikipedia The Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird” is a long-range, high-altitude, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft that was operated by the United States Air Force. Each aircraft is 107.4 feet long, has a wingspan of 55.6 feet, and is 18.5 feet high (from the ground to the …

The so called Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident occurred on Apr. 5, 1968 when Royal Air Force (RAF) Hunter pilot Alan Pollock performed unauthorised low flying over several London landmarks and then flew through the span of Tower Bridge on the Thames. His actions were to mark the 50th anniversary …

The Luftwaffe is the aerial warfare branch of Germany’s military. When the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, the Luftwaffe was a new air force, having been established in secret and only officially formed in 1935. But it was rapidly expanding, and already in a position to help its …

James Maitland Stewart was an American actor and military officer who is among the most honored and popular stars in film history. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart had a film career that spanned over 55 years and 80 films. With the strong morality he portrayed …

On Mar. 6, 1990, SR-71 Blackbird S/N 61-7972 (tail number #972) made its final flight from Edwards Air Force Base, California, to Washington DC to be retired and put on display at The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. No reconnaissance aircraft in history has operated globally in more hostile …

The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, twin-engine stealth attack aircraft that was developed by Lockheed’s secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). The F-117 was based on the Have Blue technology demonstrator. The Nighthawk was the first operational aircraft to be …

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Streak Eagle is currently in storage at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. This aircraft can be viewed on the Behind the Scenes Tours. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock) The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, high performance, all-weather air …

The F-4 Phantom II entered the U.S. Air Force (USAF) inventory in 1963 and was the primary multi-role air in the USAF throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The F-4 flew bombing, combat air patrol, fighter escort, reconnaissance, and the famous Wild Weasel anti-aircraft missile suppression missions. It was also flown …

Pan Am Flight 103 was a regularly scheduled Pan Am transatlantic flight from Frankfurt to Detroit via London and New York. 31 years ago on 21 December 1988, N739PA, the aircraft operating the transatlantic leg of the route was destroyed by a bomb, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew …