planes | War History

Newsreel Footage – The Famous Doolittle Raid over Tokyo – Revenge for Pearl Harbor

Often, war is no different than your average street fight regardless of how crude that might seem. When a man is punched in the nose,…

Admiral Kimmel: The Scapegoat of Pearl Harbor – The Man Who Opened the Door for the Japanese Attack

There have been few American military disasters that could ever rival what took place on December 7, 1941. The United States would see over 2400…

Battle of Taranto – A Precursor to Pearl Harbor

Out of all the battles that took place during WWII, there are some that have had a deep impact on both sides. The Battle of…

The B-17 seemed to be holding formation, he assumed that the pilot, at least, was alive. This American misfit saved his plane & was awarded The Medal of Honor

Maynard Harrison “Snuffy” Smith was such a screw-up, he joined the US Army to avoid jail. He earned the nickname, “Snuffy Smith,” because no one…

The Japanese Tried A Second Raid On Pearl Harbor – It Was Not A Success

Everyone knows about the first bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Less well known, however, was the second attack. And there was almost a third……

The Vultee Vengeance – The Allied WWII Dive Bomber Developed To Rival The German Stuka

When people talk about aircraft used in WWII, most remember the German Stuka dive-bomber used to great effect very early in the war, but both…

The Fateful Last Mission Of Jack Rittichier, Coast Guard Rescue Pilot In Vietnam

The United States Coast Guard is world-renowned for its excellence in helicopter rescue operations. Few people realize how effective this was used during the Vietnam…

The Eye In The Sky – Aerial Reconnaissance With Planes Was A Totally New Technique Which Became A Crucial Part Of The War Effort

WWI was the first occasion in which planes played a significant part in the fight. It began with reconnaissance aircraft, which remained relevant throughout the…

The Early Days Of Drones – Unmanned Aircraft From WWI & WWII

Unmanned aerial vehicles, popularly known as drones, are most often associated with airstrikes in modern warfare, but their history goes much further back than that.…

Air America – Run By The CIA, This Controversial Covert Airline Was Used Extensively During The Vietnam War

The United States has lots of airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, etc. One airline most people have not heard of is Air…

Ham & Jam – The Daring Glider Operation To Take Pegasus Bridge

On the night before D-Day, as part of the Allied invasion of Normandy, 181 men of the Glider Infantry of the British 6th Airborne Division…

VC: Despite Being Shot And With His Plane On Fire, This Pilot Refused To Bail Out Without Taking Down A German Fighter

On a bright sunny morning in August 1940, No. 249 Squadron, Royal Air Force, was patrolling near Southampton, in southern England. There was hardly any…