#bomber aircraft design

[historyofguns]

The article "Convair B-36 Peacemaker" by Peter Suciu, published on "The Armory Life” on October 19, 2024, explores the significance of the B-36 Peacemaker, an imposing strategic bomber that played a vital role during the Cold War. Developed for long-range nuclear missions without refueling, it was the largest mass-produced piston-engined aircraft with a significant wingspan and length. Originally conceived to bomb Nazi Germany, its development pivoted towards counteracting the Soviet Union after World War II. Although seen as controversial due to concerns over its practicality in the modern military landscape and causing friction with naval aviation interests, it was a crucial asset in the Strategic Air Command (SAC), capable of carrying massive hydrogen bombs. Despite never being used in combat, the B-36 served as a deterrent to the USSR during its operational years, bridging the transition from propeller-driven bombers to the jet-powered age, until being replaced by the B-52 Stratofortress. Today, only four B-36 Peacemakers survive, including one at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, underlining its historical legacy as a deterrent rather than a combatant.

[ofri2005]

A separatist heavy bomber. After seeing the terrible resistance heavy bomber, I wanted to make one that made sense. So I came up with this design for a heavy bomber for the droid army!

[nooomeru]

*Armored Core 4

047AN is apparently based on the concept of a stealth bomber, according to the design materials. When you isolate just the head, it really does give off that military aircraft vibe.

By the way, I noticed that NEXT ACs don’t actually have particularly thick armor, huh?

The second image is a full-body sketch I had to abandon midway due to time constraints. I like this level of stylization, but simplifying the details is surprisingly tricky.

[usafphantom2]

Celebrating 60 Years of the XB-70 Valkyrie Mach 3 Super Bomber

September 16, 2024 Military Aviation

XB-70 60th anniversary

The lone XB-70 Valkyrie is photographed as it is moved to a new building at the Museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, on Oct. 27, 2015. Beginning in the late 1950s and continuing through the mid-1960s, tests were conducted at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., headquarters of Arnold Engineering Development Complex, in support of the XB-70 program. The now-retired aircraft made its first flight on Sept. 21, 1964. (U.S. Air Force photo by Will Haas)

The experimental legacy of the iconic XB-70 Valkyrie, which made its first flight on Sept. 21, 1964.

An article published on the U.S. Air Force website commemorates the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the legendary XB-70 Valkyrie, a supersonic bomber that captured the imagination of aviation enthusiasts and engineers alike. Known for its sleek and futuristic design, the XB-70 remains a symbol of the experimental and ambitious spirit of Cold War-era aircraft development. Despite only two prototypes ever being built, the aircraft has left an indelible mark on military aviation history.

The XB-70 Valkyrie was originally conceived in the 1950s as a high-speed, high-altitude bomber for the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command. At a time when technological advancements were rapidly accelerating, the U.S. Air Force sought a bomber capable of flying faster and higher than the B-52 Stratofortress, its workhorse of the era (as well as the backbone of the strategic bomber fleet today and for some more decades in the future…).

With a planned cruise speed of Mach 3 and an operating altitude of 70,000 feet, the XB-70 promised to outpace and outmaneuver Soviet defenses, which were a growing concern during the Cold War.

One of the most remarkable features of the XB-70 was its ability to “ride” its own shockwave, a design innovation that allowed it to maintain stability and performance at supersonic speeds. The Valkyrie’s iconic delta wing, combined with six powerful jet engines, gave it an exotic and striking appearance, making it one of the most visually distinctive aircraft ever built. Its outer wing panels were hinged, allowing them to be lowered during flight to optimize the aerodynamic performance at high speeds.

The XB-70 looks like an alien spacecraft from this angle. (Image credit: USAF)

The article highlights the crucial role played by Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in the development of the XB-70.

The testing of the Valkyrie’s engines, aerodynamics, and other key components began at Arnold Air Force Base in the late 1950s, well before the first prototype took shape. The AEDC’s facilities were instrumental in pushing the boundaries of what was possible in aviation at the time. One of the earliest tests involved the air-breathing engine nozzles proposed for the XB-70 in March 1958. This was followed by extensive wind tunnel testing of scale models of the Valkyrie, where the aerodynamic characteristics of bombs dropped from the aircraft were also studied.

A technician makes adjustments to a scale model of the XB-70 Valkyrie before aerodynamic characteristics related to the aircraft are evaluated in Tunnel A of the von Kármán Gas Dynamics Facility at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., headquarters of Arnold Engineering Development Complex, in 1959. Beginning in the late 1950s and continuing through the mid-1960s, tests were conducted at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., headquarters of Arnold Engineering Development Complex, in support of the XB-70 program. Only two Valkyries were built, with only one of the pair remaining. The now-retired aircraft made its first flight on Sept. 21, 1964. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Development continued into the early 1960s, with the YJ93 turbojet engines, designed specifically for the XB-70, undergoing rigorous testing at AEDC. These engines were critical to the Valkyrie’s ability to reach and maintain supersonic speeds. However, in 1961, before the first prototype was even completed, the bomber program was canceled due to budget constraints and concerns over the bomber’s vulnerability to Soviet surface-to-air missiles, which had rapidly advanced in capability.

Although the XB-70 bomber program was terminated, the Valkyrie found new life as a research aircraft.

Three drag chutes were needed to slow down the landing roll of the XB-70. (Image credit: Reddit edit The Aviationist)

The U.S. Air Force recognized the potential of the aircraft to serve in aerodynamics and propulsion research, particularly in the study of large supersonic aircraft. Consequently, two XB-70 prototypes were completed, and testing continued, including at AEDC, where a scale version of the XB-70 inlet, paired with a full-scale YJ93 engine, was tested in August 1962.

XB-70A number 1 (62-001) made its first flight from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, CA, on Sept. 21, 1964. The second XB-70A (62-207) made its first flight on Jul. 17, 1965. The latter differed from the first prototype for being built with an added 5 degrees of dihedral on the wings as suggested by the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, wind-tunnel studies.

North American XB-70A Valkyrie on the taxiway with a cherry picker. Photo taken Sept. 21, 1964, the day of the first flight. Note: the left main landing gear brakes locked during the landing causing two tires to blow. (U.S. Air Force photo)

While the 62-001 made only one flight above Mach 3, because of poor directional stability experienced past Mach 2.5, the second XB-70, achieved Mach 3 for the first time on Jan. 3, 1966 and successfully completed a total of nine Mach 3 flights by June on the same year.

However, the Valkyrie program suffered a devastating setback in June 1966 when the second prototype was destroyed in a midair collision with an F-104N Starfighter during a photoshoot. This tragic accident resulted in the loss of key personnel and diminished the future prospects of the Valkyrie.

North American XB-70A Valkyrie just after collision. Note the F-104 is at the forward edge of the fireball and most of both XB-70A vertical stabilizers are gone. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Despite this setback, the remaining XB-70 continued to serve as a valuable research platform. In 1967, the U.S. Air Force transferred the aircraft to NASA, where it was used in support of the National Supersonic Transport (SST) program. NASA employed the XB-70 to investigate supersonic flight operations, but the SST program was eventually canceled in 1971, marking the end of America’s efforts to develop a commercial supersonic airliner.

The XB-70 Valkyrie’s final flight took place on Feb. 4, 1969, when it was flown to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. There, the aircraft was placed on display at what is now the National Museum of the United States Air Force, where it remains a testament to the audacious engineering and design of its era.

A view of the six massive afterburners on the XB-70 Valkyrie as the aircraft is towed out of its display hangar temporarily for museum maintenance. (Photo: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force via YouTube)

Though only two XB-70s were ever built, their legacy endures: the aircraft’s pioneering advancements in aerodynamics, engine performance, and high-speed flight helped shape the future of supersonic aviation.

Pilots who were to perform the first test flights for the XB-70 Valkyrie operate the YJ93 engine, the powerplant of the XB-70, while the engine is tested under simulated flight conditions in May 1964 in the Rocket Test Facility at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., headquarters of Arnold Engineering Development Complex. This was done to help the pilots familiarize themselves with the performance characteristics of the engine prior to the first XB-70 flight, which occurred on Sept. 21, 1964. Beginning in the late 1950s and continuing through the mid-1960s, tests were conducted at Arnold AFB in support of the XB-70 program. Only two Valkyries were built, with only one of the pair remaining. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The first prototype made a total of 83 flights, amassing 160 hours and 16 minutes of flight time, while the second prototype completed 46 flights, totaling 92 hours and 22 minutes.

The XB-70 Valkyrie, with its daring design and groundbreaking capabilities, continues to captivate aviation enthusiasts and engineers. Its story, though short-lived in terms of operational use, highlights the relentless pursuit of innovation that defines the U.S. Air Force and its engineering partners. Sixty years after its first flight, the Valkyrie remains an iconic symbol of the bold ambitions of Cold War-era aviation.

XB-70 Night Take-off. (Photo via Air Force Materiel Command History Office)

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

@TheAviationist.com

[planesawesome]

How many bombs can the F-111 aardvark carry?

The F-111 Aardvark is actually a supersonic medium-range interdictor and tactical bomber aircraft, not a bomb-carrying device. It's a plane designed to carry out various missions, including ground attack, bombing, and reconnaissance.

The F-111 Aardvark can carry a significant payload, but the exact number of bombs it can carry depends on the specific configuration and the type of bombs being used. Here are some general details:

The F-111A/B models can carry up to 18,000 pounds (8,165 kg) of ordinance, including bombs, rockets, and missiles.

The F-111F model can carry up to 24,000 pounds (10,886 kg) of ordinance.

The F-111G model can carry up to 27,000 pounds (12,247 kg) of ordinance.

The F-111 Aardvark can carry a variety of bombs, including Mk 84, Mk 82, and Mk 83 series bombs, as well as other types of ordnance. However, the specific bomb loadout would depend on the mission requirements and the configuration of the aircraft.

[judgemark45]

How powerful is a U.S. aircraft carrier?

A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier is a large warship designed to serve as a mobile airbase for naval aviation. It is the centerpiece of a carrier strike group (CSG) and plays a crucial role in projecting power, protecting maritime interests, and providing humanitarian assistance worldwide.

Key features of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier include:

Flight Deck: The carrier's flight deck is where aircraft take off and land. It is equipped with catapults for launching fixed-wing aircraft and arresting gear to catch aircraft on landing. The flight deck is one of the busiest and most dangerous places on the ship during flight operations.

Hangar Deck: Below the flight deck is the hangar deck, where aircraft are stored, maintained, and prepared for flight operations. It provides sheltered storage for aircraft and equipment, as well as maintenance facilities and workshops.

Air Wing: The carrier's air wing typically consists of a mix of fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, early warning aircraft, and helicopters. These aircraft provide offensive and defensive capabilities, including strike missions, air superiority, surveillance, and search and rescue.

Command and Control Center: Aircraft carriers serve as command centers for naval task forces, with advanced communication and information systems to coordinate operations. They have the capability to direct air, surface, and subsurface assets in complex operations.

Defense Systems: Carriers are equipped with a variety of defense systems to protect against threats such as enemy aircraft, missiles, and submarines. These include radar systems, anti-aircraft missiles, close-in weapon systems, and electronic warfare capabilities.

Overall, U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are among the most powerful and versatile warships in the world, capable of projecting power, maintaining presence, and providing support in a wide range of military operations.

[saphronethaleph]

Interservice Interstellar

“Would you look at that,” O’Neill said, shaking his head with a smile. “Hard to believe this is even something we’re putting together, huh?”

“I quite agree, sir,” Major Davis agreed. “First a fighter, and now this.”

“Exactly,” O’Neill nodded. “See, you get it, right? Six years ago we just had a big ring and no idea how to turn it on, and now we’ve got… this.”

He waved his hand at the under-construction X-303, a huge mass of alloy and heavy equipment, ensconced in its hidden hangar bay. “Our own all-up spaceship. And if Carter’s done anything like as well as she normally does, it’s going to be one hell of a ship, as well.”

Davis coughed.

“Bomber,” he said.

O’Neill glanced at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Bomber,” Davis replied.

“Bomber,” O’Neill repeated. “And what makes you say that, exactly?”

Davis raised a hand, then lowered it as O’Neill kept talking. “We are talking about six hundred feet of battlecruiser, with twelve missile tubes and sixteen railguns, eight fighters on board, a crew of over a hundred… the damn thing’s got a transporter ring station on it!”

“I don’t see how that makes it not a bomber, sir,” Davis replied. “There’s no actual maximum size on a bomber aircraft… I’m sure you’re familiar with, for example, the B-36?”

“Yeah, you know what they say about assumptions, but I’ve heard of it,” O’Neill conceded. “It wasn’t this big, though.”

“Whatever you say, sir,” Davis disagreed. “In addition, I should point out that there is no maximum size on what qualifies as a bomber crew, either. A crew of one hundred and fifteen is large, but the technical definition of bomber doesn’t have an upper limit.”

O’Neill shook his head.

“See, if you were Teal’c then I’d know if you were joshing me,” he said. “All right, then, if you’re going to insist… what about the weapons? If it’s a bomber, where are the… bombs?”

“I’ve been assured that the fighter bay doors open, and it’s possible to drop bombs out of them,” Davis said, with a slight shrug. “Early bombers didn’t have dedicated bomb bays-”

“-yeah, yeah, whatever,” O’Neill said, rubbing his temples. “I was going to get to those fighter bays, but first – doesn’t a bomber have to at least carry bombs?”

“First of all, there is precedent for designating an aircraft by a capability that isn’t the primary use capability,” Davis pointed out. “The F-117 is, by any reasonable definition, a bomber or an attack aircraft, but it can carry air to air missiles.”

O’Neill nodded.

“So, what, you’re saying this should be a fighter?” he asked. “The F-303?”

“No,” Davis said. “Because the bomber classification includes aircraft equipped with cruise or even ballistic missiles as primary weapons. For example, Skybolt was intended to be launched by the B-52 and that didn’t make it not a bomber, and the AGM-86 is launched from the B-52.”

O’Neill looked at him suspiciously.

“How long have you been preparing for a conversation like this?” he asked.

“I couldn’t possibly comment, sir,” Davis answered, with a shrug.

“Whatever,” O’Neill decided. “But what about the fighter bays? If anything they should make this a carrier.”

Davis made a face.

“Not at all,” he said. “It’s more esoteric, but the XF-85 Goblin was a parasite fighter design intended to be launched from the B-36, and-”

“And that didn’t make them not a bomber,” O’Neill parroted, making an opening-and-closing gesture with his hand and rolling his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. And I guess you’re going to say that bombers have defensive turrets, too. But enough of that. Tell me why this isn’t a battlecruiser.”

“Because, sir,” Davis replied, quite matter-of-factly. “We’re the Air Force, not the Navy.”

O’Neill considered that for about five seconds.

“Good point,” he said, snapping his fingers and pointing at Davis. “Good point, well made. B-303, then.”

“Actually, we’re considering giving it the Tri-Service designation of Bomber, Cargo, 303,” Davis stated, deadpan. “Since it can carry so much materiel… BC-303, that is.”

O’Neill chuckled.

“Just make sure someone gets a photo of the Secretary of the Navy when he hears about this,” he requested.

[qsycomplainsalot]

Re: Pervertin or how German Supersoldiers High on Crack travelled through Space and Time Buy my Book

I came across a post on the bird site yesterday calling into attention the use of pervitin, more or less adderall, among German troops during WW2. For context pervitin tablets were indeed issued to a lot of military personnel back in those days, specifically to aircraft pilot and sometimes tank crews on long missions. The drug as some of you may have heard keeps you awake and alert, along with a slew of side effects and a non negligible chance of addiction. In a discussion that brought to view just how willing people are to buy into Nazi propaganda in the year of our f*cking lord 2023, I pointed out a few things, uphill and having to indulge a lot of sidetracking. The use of pervitin has always been a little overstated ever since it came to the internet's attention, and I certainly would never call it a key component of the Blitzkrieg when, in the theaters of war where actual Blitzkrieg was employed, its success was more due to a combination of innovative doctrines, intact fuel supplies and a big fat helping of dumb luck. It was a bold move highly relying on capturing enemy fuel depots with fast, surprise deep strikes supported by a lot of armored and air forces, and it was only sustainable in neighboring, industrialized countries. One can argue if the USSR was industrialized at the time, but it stopped mattering when the Russians removed their entire industry from the West to beyond the Ural mountains. The Blitz stalled there.

"But if it didn't work, then why did the Nazis do it so often ?" Well the answer to that is twofold. The first, longer answer is that Nazis were a bunch of f*cking morons. Maybe not one by one, but as a government in charge of military procurement, they were one bunch of goofy motherf*ckers. Gaggle of functional shit-for-brains really. The Nazis gave every one of their tanks in the middle of the war two coats of anti-magnetic paint, which took almost a full day to cure, despite being the only major nation to use magnetic antitank mines. The Nazis kept using slave labor drawn from their prisoners of war, including in the manufacturing of their overengineered armored vehicles, resulting in poor quality products or, you know, a few rivets in your magnificent Tiger tank being replaced by a cigarette butt. The Nazis spent more than half the cost of a strategic bomber on every V2 rocket, not including design costs, for less than half the payload. It ended up killing more Germans and slave workers than British people in London, for literally no strategic or tactical result with 0.4 person killed per every rocket. The second, shorter answer is that pervitin was not used that much. A lot of the arguments trying to boost its importance come from a single book, "Blitzed" by Norman Ohler, now available in twenty languages apparently, where grand claims are made by a historian who was probably more than a little tired of seeing Buzzfeed rack in the big bucks instead of him.

End note; I was called out by a bird siter after the conversation that inspired this post for even beginning to fact-check this, which they considered, and I quote, "fangirling over nazi stats". I cannot stress this enough, learning the 'bad' parts of history does not make you bad person, it is how you interact with the resulting knowledge. Unlike what they implied, I had to look for those supporting evidence. I had a hunch that such a grabbing headline about super-drugs would be fake, I knew offhand that V2 rockets killed more blues than reds, but when I had to research all that jazz about Nazis and their superweapons it was to dunk on them, not make another History Channel documentary about a time-travelling bell. Stay critical, fascists can eat shit.

[pinturas-sgm-aviacion]

1942 10 24 Daylight over Milan - Graham Turner

After attacks on Genoa on 22/23 and 23/24 October, which were designed to coincide with Montgomery's El Alamein offensive, Harris at the morning conference at HQ Bomber Command on 24 October decided to switch targets to Milan. Unlike Genoa, with its ports and shipyards, or Turin, with its war industries, the attack on Milan - the political and commercial centre of northern Italy - was for morale purposes and the effect on the civilian population. As a result, this attack was unusual in not being one single night raid. Instead, Harris chose to split the attack: 5 Group's Lancasters by day - perhaps to highlight British air superiority over a major Italian city - and the other Groups' 'heavies' at night. This battle scene features the daylight attack, which saw 88 Lancasters take off to bomb the aiming point of 'Milan "A"' - the city centre - though this caused controversy afterwards when it became public that the Duomo had been the aiming point . Seventy-four aircraft dropped 51.8 tons of HE bombs and 81.5 tons of incendiaries on Milan. As cloud over Milan was down to 3,000 ft, and since the bombs dropped included a good number of 4,000-pounders, release from below this height was in some cases avoided so a number of Lancasters stayed above the cloud, bombing at between 8,000 ft and 12,000 ft. A number went below the cloud and down to 2,000ft to identify the aiming point, however, and this is depicted in this battle scene. One Lancaster even got down to 50ft, where, the Italian authorities claimed, it strafed buildings and machine-gunned people in the streets; indeed, the Lancaster of Wg Cdr J. M. Southwell, 9 Squadron's CO, admitted later to having 'used 7,000 rounds machine-gunning two trains on the Milan-Novara railway and strafing what he said was Novara'. Nonetheless, photographic evidence - taken both during the bombing and later on by a reconnaissance aircraft - revealed that a large amount of damage was inflicted - mainly by fire - on industrial premises all over Milan, and the railway lines to Bologna,Genoa and Venice and along the St Gothard route had been severed. The main railway station had been particularly damaged, as were areas around the Porto Novara Station and the Parco Solari and many industrial premises, such asthe GEC Engineering Works, Municipal Tramways and the Caproni aircraft factory. Mussolini publically admitted damage to nearly 2,500 houses, with 450 completely demolished. For the British, the losses were three Lancasters(3.4 per cent), one having crashed over Milan and two others shot down by Luftwaffe night-fighters around Caen in France. These were light considering this had been a risky long-distance run in daylight across Axis-dominated Europe.Damage to aircraft was another matter, however. Several bombers had been damaged either by flak over Milan or enroute, by colliding with a seagull over the target, by a Macchi C.202 Folgore, by hitting high-tension electric cables,or by crash-landing at an emergency airfield in Sussex. A total of ten aircraft (11.45 per cent) were damaged, half ofthem seriously. While the day raiders were landing at their bases in England, another force of 71 aircraft, comprising the Stirlings,Halifaxes and Wellingtons from the PFF, 1, 3 and 4 Groups, was already over Milan. Although thick cloud covered the target, they could see the glow of the fires started by the Lancasters five hours earlier, and proceeded to bomb those. Further destruction to Milan, although not extensive, was caused

[nocternalrandomness]

Lockheed XF-90 prototype photographed in 1949

The Lockheed XF-90 was built in response to a United States Air Force requirement for a long-range penetration fighter and bomber escort. Lockheed's design proved under powered, it placed second to McDonnell's XF-88 Voodoo which won the production contract in September 1950, before the penetration fighter project was abandoned altogether. Only two aircraft were built and both were used non flying testing roles and were tested to destruction.

[historyofguns]

The article by Peter Suciu on "The Armory Life" discusses the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin, a prototype "parasite" fighter jet developed during the Cold War by the U.S. Air Force. Intended to provide protection for bombers beyond the range of conventional escorts, it was designed to deploy from bombers mid-flight, such as the Convair B-36 Peacemaker and initially tested with a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The Goblin's design included innovative features like foldable wings and a trapeze deployment system, but the project faced critical challenges, including difficulty in recovery due to turbulent air and limited flight endurance. Only two prototypes were built before the program was canceled, and the article explores the project's historical context, its technological ambitions, and subsequent efforts in developing parasite fighters, emphasizing the rapid advancement of Soviet fighter technologies and the transition to more promising aerial refueling techniques. The article also reflects on the legacy of the XF-85 Goblin and the potential future of unmanned collaborative combat aircraft concepts.

[gremlins-hotel]

alfred rocking some different flight jackets (nerd stuff under cut)

The flight jacket, an iconic piece of any aviator's outerwear. Before they ever became symbols of fashion and the 'exalted' place that came with the occupation of pilot, the flight jacket as we know it was first made for function. Aircraft of World War I and the earliest designs were open cockpit machines, and many would remain that way in the Interbellum. All that to say this paramount paraphernalia's original purpose was to keep an aviator warm in the sky.

Keep in mind that the images above may not reflect every specimen of their type. Jackets differed in design by manufacturer, production block, and even by the military branch (Navy jackets also often have a different name) & unit ordering them. A great example is the wide range of looks for the quintessential B-3. My apologies in advance for them being all American designs. I would love to show off some of the British flight jackets, but I would rather do a little more research (and practice drawing Arthur more)!

A-1 (1927-1931) A thin leather jacket designed for lower altitudes and made with a flattering fit high on the waist, the A-1 was the kickstart to the wide variety the Army Air Corps would come to know. The A-1 had differing designs between the Navy and the infant Air Corps, and early A-1s are distinguished by having seven buttons and a knit collar, which later models did not keep. However, later models did retain the knit waistband and cuffs.

A-2 (1931-1943) The direct successor to the A-1, the A-2 quickly replaced its older brother. This is one of the more recognizable jackets from the States after becoming the standard for the Air Corps in the early 1930s. The quality of the jackets would fall due to wartime rationing, with early designs of horsehide and silk becoming goatskin and cotton, however, the general look remained. The A-2 was still primarily for open cockpit designs, lower altitudes, and warmer climes. Identifiable from the A-1 by its snap-down leather collar, zipper, and varying shapes and sizes of a hook-and-eye clasp at the collar to close it.

G-1 (1938-present) This looker would replace the A-2 in form and function during the 1940s, first becoming popular with the Army and Navy before being adopted by USAAF. Originally named the ANJ-3/AN-J-3 the jacket gained its new designation by the time the Air Corps caught on. The G-1 came with a mouton collar and a bi-swing back to allow for greater arm movement, meanwhile, it lacked the over-zipper 'wind flap' of its predecessors. A keen eye for pop culture might realize that this is the jacket from the 1986 hit Top Gun.

B-3 (1934-1943) Ah, the B-3! Commonly known simply as the "bomber jacket," the B-3 was made with a high-altitude bomber in mind, unlike previous designs. Incredibly bulky and lined with sheepskin the B-3 was made to keep crews at 25,000 feet above from freezing in their unpressurized cabins, with many such as the early B-17 Flying Fortresses possessing open waist gunner ports. The wide collar could be closed with two leather straps and the jacket did not come with the famous knit waistband or cuffs that others did. "The General" was a B-3 design made specifically for General George S. Patton, who popularized the B-3 outside of the Air Corps. (The B-3 had a slimmer cousin - the B-6 - designed as the 'quality of life' inside bombers improved, such as pressurized cabins.)

B-7 (1941-1942) Short-lived, the B-7 Parka was manufactured for pilots operating in the brutal cold of Alaska. However, not much is known of it due to its limited production. In fact, the B-7 was discontinued swiftly due to its high manufacturing cost. Either way, the B-7 is a funky one-off that is easily distinguishable from the lineup by its three-quarter length and coyote-lined hood.

B-15 (1944-1954) The infamous green flight jacket that many today typically know as the "bomber jacket". The B-15 quickly replaced its older brother, the B-10 (1943-1944). Like other designs it had many variations. Similar to the G-1, the B-15 shared the same pocket design and lack of a wind flap, yet the B-15 was cloth with a mouton collar and a knit waistband and cuffs. The shell was produced in a range of materials including nylon and cotton-rayon. It was lighter weight and far less warm than its sheepskin predecessors and spoke to the advancements in aviation technology. A quirk of its design that soon became standard was the designated pen pocket on the upper left arm.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[greatworldwar2]

• Fokker D.XXI Fighter

The Fokker D.XXI fighter was designed in 1935 by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker in response to requirements laid out by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, ML-KNIL). The D.XXI was designed as an inexpensive, rugged, and compact fighter aircraft that would possess respectable performance for its era.

On November 14th, 1934, design proposals for a new fighter aircraft were submitted by Fokker to the Luchtvaartafdeling (Dutch Army Aviation Group). Fokker's design team, led by Erich Schatzki, and based at the firm's newly completed plant in the southern district of Amsterdam, had sought to incorporate and combine various new concepts and recent features from successful fighter aircraft, including the previous C.X and D.XVII aircraft. The proposed aircraft was a low-wing monoplane which adopted an entirely enclosed cockpit; initial design work had been conducted in cooperation with British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, and it had been originally envisaged that the type would be powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel IV. Projections of the aircraft's performance included a maximum speed of 420 km/h at an altitude of 4,350 meters, a range of 888 km, and an altitude ceiling of 10,000 meters. The planned armament included rifle-calibre machine guns or 20mm cannons, which were to be embedded into the wings and fuselage.

In early 1935, the Luchtvaartafdeling signed a contract for a single prototype of the proposed fighter to be constructed for an evaluation to be performed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. This prototype, designated FD-322, which was powered by a single Bristol Mercury VI-S radial engine which drove a three-blade, two-pitch propeller, performed its maiden flight at Welschap Airfield, Eindhoven, on March 27th, 1936. According to aviation author G.H. Kamphuis, the prospects for series production of the new fighter looked doubtful shortly after the first flight was performed due to a high level change in Dutch defence policy; Minister for Foreign Affairs Hendrik Colijn informed the Ministry of War that, in response to the changing international situation, a higher priority would be placed on building up a substantial bomber capability over new fighter aircraft. In addition to the Luchtvaartafdeling's interest in a trainer aircraft, the service had also attached great importance to the concept of a heavily armed 'cruiser' aircraft capable of performing multiple mission types. Further doubts and confusion were added by the emergence of a competing aircraft proposal in the form of the Koolhoven F.K.58, which had also been designed by Ir. Schatzki. It was decided that the D.XXI and F.K.58 should participate in a series of comparative tests against one another, leading to the D.XXI prototype being dispatched to Soesterberg Air Base, Utrecht, in November 1936. However, head-to-head testing between the two types was delayed by the F.K.58, which did not perform its first flight until September 1938.

During 1937, the Dutch government gave funding and its approval for a limited expansion of the Army Aviation Group, which resulted in an order being placed for 36 Fokker D.XXI fighters, to be powered by the 830 h.p. Bristol Mercury VII or VIII engines. According to Kamphuis, Dutch interest in the D.XXI had been revived, in part, due to an examination of the first aircraft by an evaluation board, which itself had been conducted due to interest expressed by the Finnish Air Force, which itself would result in export sales being made to Finland. On July 20th, 1938, the first Luchtvaartafdeling D.XXI conducted its first flight, after which it participated in test flights prior to deliver to Soesterberg. On September 8th, 1939, the final aircraft of the first batch of 36 was delivered. Even as the domestic demand for the D.XXI was being questioned, the type had attracted the attention of a number of foreign governments. In 1937, the Finnish government decided to place an order for an initial batch of seven aircraft, further negotiations were also conducted towards the acquisition of a manufacturing license, under which Finland proceeded to domestically produce further aircraft as well. Throughout 1940 and 1941, the Finnish State Aircraft Factory set about reconditioning the aircraft that had been used in the Winter War for continued service; an additional 50 D.XXIs were ordered in 1941, which were powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin Wasp Junior engine, acquired via Sweden. The Danish government ordered a pair of D.XXI fighters along with arrangements for its own manufacturing license. The Danish D.XXI fighters were powered by a 645 h.p. Bristol Mercury VI-S radial and carried a Madsen 20 mm cannon under each wing. Ten aircraft were completed by the Royal Army Aircraft Factory in Copenhagen prior to the German invasion of Denmark in April 1940. The Second Spanish Republic also acquired a manufacturing license for the D.XXI. Reportedly, a total of 50 fuselages were manufactured on the Spanish production line; however, the Spanish plant in which the fighter was being produced was overrun by Nationalist forces before any of the Spanish-built aircraft were completed.

The Fokker D.XXI was a low-wing monoplane fighter aircraft. Following standard Fokker design practice of the period, it featured a welded steel tube fuselage that was largely covered by fabric, including the flight control surfaces; element forward of the trailing edges of the wings were covered by detachable aluminum panels instead. The wings were of a wooden construction, being composed of two box spars attached to ribs made of plywood. The aircraft was outfitted with a fixed spatted undercarriage with cantilever legs; braking was provided by independently-operated pedals using compressed air. The cockpit of the D.XXI was fully enclosed by a plexiglas hood featuring large sliding sections, and was entirely jettisonable in an emergency situation to enable pilots to bail out. Pilots were protected against turnover injuries by means of a pylon built into the structure of the aircraft set behind the seat. Fuel was housed in a 350-litre (77 imp gal) tank located aft of the engine. The main armament consisted of two pairs of 7.92mm M36 FN-Browning machine guns, one pair housed within the wings, carrying 300 rounds of ammunition each, and the other pair within the forward fuselage and shooting through the propeller blades, carrying 500 rounds each. Upon its entry to service in 1938, the D.XXI represented a significant leap forward for the Dutch Army Aviation Group, whose fighter force had until that time consisted of aging biplanes with open cockpits. The new Fokker quickly proved to be an extremely sturdy aircraft, being capable of attaining a speed of 700 km/h in a dive.

The Fokker D.XXI was first used in combat by the Finnish Air Force during the 1939–1940 Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland. Upon the war's outbreak, a total of 41 aircraft were in Finnish service, all powered by the Mercury VIII engine. On December 1st, 1939, the D.XXI achieved its first victory with the shooting down of a Soviet Tupolev SB. The Fokker was evenly matched against the aircraft of the Soviet Air Force, and its rugged design with a radial engine and fixed undercarriage made it well suited for Finnish conditions. As the Winter War continued and newer models of Soviet fighters appeared, the Fokker D.XXI proved to be increasingly underpowered and too lightly armed to compete; plans to arm the Fokkers with 20 mm cannons were dropped, and only one fighter was armed with two 20 mm cannons and two 7.92 mm/.312 in machine guns. The conflict between Finland and the Soviet Union was resumed in the Continuation War (1941–1944), the D.XXI was again a key element of the Finnish Air Force. During the first air battle, six Mercury-engined D.XXIs shot down a pair of Soviet Ilyushin DB-3 bombers. Several Finnish Air Force pilots became fighter aces with the Fokker D.XXI.

Although the order by the ML-KNIL was cancelled, the Luchtvaartafdeling (Dutch Army Air Force before World War II) placed an order of 36 aircraft, which were all delivered in time to participate in the war against the Germans in May 1940. On May 10th, 1940, the day that Germany launched its invasion of the Netherlands, 28 D.XXIs were serviceable and ready for operations. That first day, six D.XXIs escorted a formation of Fokker T.V bombers to attack the Meuse bridges to hinder the German advance; they were intercepted by nine German Messerschmitt Bf 109s, and during the ensuing dogfight, one Bf 109 was shot down and two more damaged for the loss of one D.XXI and two T.Vs. That same day, a flight of D.XXIs intercepted and shot down 37 out of 55 inbound Junkers Ju 52 transports which had crossed the border during the early morning. Due to many aircraft becoming unserviceable as a result of battle damage after the first day, it was decided to regroup at Buiksloot, north of Amsterdam, on May 11th. For the following four days, missions out of Buiksloot were flown by D.XXIs flying in both solo and small formations to escort friendly units as well as in the search-and-destroy role. Sorties against the numerically superior German forces continued until the middle of May 14th, at which point news of the Dutch capitulation reached Buiksloot, upon which both the remaining aircraft and the airstrip were destroyed to prevent their use by the Germans. Out of the original force of 28 D.XXI aircraft, eight fighters had remained airworthy. The D.XXI, although much slower and more lightly armed than the Bf 109, performed surprisingly well in combat due to its manoeuvrability. It was also one of the few aircraft that could follow a Stuka bomber into its dive. Nonetheless, the numerical superiority of the Luftwaffe led to the destruction of most Luchtvaartafdeling D.XXI fighters during the campaign. The LVA (Netherlands Air Force) scored a total of 38 victories against the Luftwaffe during their struggle against the German juggernaut. 16 of those went to Fokker D.XXI pilots.

A Mercury-engine Finnish-built Fokker D.XXI, FR-110, is on display at the Finnish Air Force Museum, Jyväskylä, Finland. This is the highest scoring (10 victories) D.XXI airframe. It was the mount of Lt. Viktor Pyötsiä during the Winter War. In 2022, a flyable replica was completed at Hoogeveen Airport by veteran aircraft restorer Jack van Egmond. A number of original parts was used and the plane was built according to original Fokker build specifications as Jack van Egmond is in possession of 397 out of 416 Fokker blueprints.

[usafphantom2]

17 Dec 1947 – First flight Boeing B-47 Stratojet six-engined, turbojet-powered strategic bomber designed to fly at high subsonic speed and high altitude to avoid enemy interceptor aircraft. primary mission was nuclear bomber capable of striking targets within the Soviet Union.

@CcibChris via X

[enriquemzn262]

Gotta love it when military aircraft manufacturers decide to make passenger aircraft in the laziest way possible, by taking a bomber design and just adding a wider fuselage, for example:

The Soviet Tupolev Tu-104

Comes from the Tu-16 medium bomber

The Tu-114

From the Tu-95

And the Tu-70 prototype

Comes from the soviet copy of the American Boeing B-29 bomber, which also had an official airliner derivative

The Boeing Stratocruiser.

And since we’re outside the iron curtain

The British Avro York

Is a heavily modified variant of the iconic Avro Lancaster heavy bomber.

[look-sharp-notes]

Lockheed P-38 Lightning. American heavy twin-engine fighter. The P-38 is designed in accordance with the concept of a heavy high-altitude fighter put forward by the US Army Air Corps in 1937. It was used as a long-range escort fighter, attack aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft.

#P-38 Lighting #usaf #RAF #Aircraft #Combat aircraft #Fighter #Bomber #WWII #remember #respect #sky #wings #old time #aviation #look sharp #elegant notes #allies #history #Sky #flight #sortie #look sharp #elegant notes #Gallery Inspiration