Aircraft | War History

80 Years After It Crashed, Renewed Search to Begin for Richard Bong’s Missing ‘Marge’

Richard Bong standing with his Lockheed P-38 Lightning 'Marge'

Eight decades after it crashed in the Pacific Theater, a renewed search is scheduled to get underway for Richard bong’s Lockheed P-38 Lightning Marge. The…

US Air Force Orders New $13 Billion ‘Doomsday Plane’

Doomsday plane parked on the runway with other aircraft

The US Air Force has given Sierra Nevada a $13 billion contract to develop a new “Doomsday plane” – essentially, a successor to the Boeing…

The Soviet MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ Gave the North Vietnamese An Edge Against American Aircraft

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 in flight

Developed by the Soviet Union in the 1950s, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 quickly became a symbol of advanced aerial warfare technology. A successor to the famous…

Jimmy Buffett Anonymously Donated Two WWII-Era Aircraft to a Museum Before His Death

Jimmy Buffett standing in aviation gear

Jimmy Buffett’s passing on September 1, 2023 was a shock to music fans across the world. The “Margaritaville” singer’s death was attributed to an aggressive…

Forward-Swept Wings Gave the Sukhoi Su-47 ‘Berkut’ a Unique Appearance

Sukhoi Su-47 'Berkut' in flight

Continued advancements are the norm when it comes to military aviation, and some designs stand out for their unique features and designs. The Russian Sukhoi…

Retired ‘Lancelot’ B-1B Lancer Being Returned to Active Service

Rockwell B-1B Lancer 'Lancelot' taxiing down a runway at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma

The US Air Force has made the decision to reactivate a Rockwell B-1B Lancer it put into storage three years ago. The strategic bomber, nicknamed…

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23: The Most-Produced Variable-Sweep Wing Aircraft in History

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 taking off

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 “Flogger” is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft designed for the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It was introduced in the 1970s, with 5,047…

Northrop Grumman RQ-180: The US Air Force’s ISR Aircraft That’s Shrouded In Secrecy

Artist's rendering of the RQ-180

When it comes to aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, the Northrop Grumman RQ-180 holds a unique position. Developed in secrecy following the retirement of the Lockheed…

A Man Bought All the Excess B-2 Spirit Windshields and Used Them to Build His Daughter a Treehouse

Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit in flight

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is among the most advanced aircraft ever developed. Designed to blend stealth with strength, it’s capable of performing tasks other…

Sukhoi Su-30: The Russian Air Superiority Fighter That Rivals the American F-15E Strike Eagle

Sukhoi Su-30SM in flight

The Sukhoi Su-30 (Flanker-C) is a testament to the advancements made in contemporary air combat technology, offering pilots an incredible blend of agility, speed and…

The B-17 Flying Fortress Saw Use As An Airliner?! 12 Facts About the Iconic American Heavy Bomber

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress in flight

When asked what they think the most iconic Allied bomber of the Second World War was, the majority of historians and aircraft enthusiasts will likely…

Wreckage of WWII-Era Douglas SBD Dauntless Discovered In Pacific 80 Years After It Went Missing

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless in flight

In the jungle of Papua New Guinea, a relic from the Second World War has been discovered. The artifact, a downed Douglas SBD Dauntless, went…