Learning to dance with a high-spirited lady By James H. Farmer By 1959, Major Ernest Craigwell, Tuskegee Airman and a current Air Defense Command fighter pilot, had already enjoyed his fair share of time flying hot jets and a certain modest measure of notoriety. Two years earlier, his role flying F-51s alongside Korean War legend [...]
Life magazine, with the help of the USN, commissioned the construction of an incredible series of gigantic dioramas that illustrated the various events and phases of the Battle of Midway. While preparing Barrett Tillman’s exhaustive article on that operation in this issue, our own Stan Piet stumbled upon what appears to be the entire file [...]
Ten years ago in Flight Journal In the April 2002 issue of Flight Journal, the multi-faceted Walt Boyne, known to the world as a familiar face on many TV aviation documentaries as the former Director of the National Air and Space Museum, and as the author of dozens of nationally recognized books and novels, steps [...]
B-17 crewmen remember the German missions By Mark Carlson Ex communi periculo fraternitas ‘From common peril, brotherhood’ board each of the thousands of B-17 Flying Fortresses that left the soil of England bound for targets in Europe were 10 young men. Outwardly, they were no different from any late-teen or early-twenties boy you’d meet anywhere [...]
In September 1939, while Europe was erupting for the second time in two generations, America slowly prepared for war. That month, the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama applied to the Civil Aeronautics Administration to participate in the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPT). Thereby, black males tentatively became eligible for government flight training—a revolutionary development in American [...]
There’s that wonderful word again: Free! This time we’re offering high- quality PDF downloads of William Wylam’s fabulous drawing of the B-17G Flying Fortress. The detailing is incredible and the PDF could be blown up to almost any size without losing quality. Enjoy! Click here.
Roger McCollester was a 21-year-old kid when he strapped on a B-24 and headed for a German town named Regensburg. And another nightmare mission was underway. Told as only a pilot in the middle of the bomber stream could tell it, readers will quickly understand why bomber pilots had a different kind of war than [...]
We became more than just a little excited when we discovered we had complete sets of the original pen- and-ink drawings of the very first, fixed-gear Model 17 (Staggerwing) Beechcraft from the master, William Wylam. These are superb collector’s items! Download it here
In a bizarre sequence of events, under orders, a P-61 Black Widow shoots down a B-29 Super Fort off of Iwo Jima. Arvid Shulenberger was at the controls of the night fighter turned Fort destroyer and in the October 2001 issue of Flight Journal, he tells, in his own words, how he came to shepherd [...]
The P-39 Airacobra, as featured in this issue, wasn’t the last in the line of the mid-engine Bell fighters. Its bigger brother, the Kingcobra, was never used in combat by the USAAF, but the Russians dearly loved its ground-pounding abilities. The Wylam drawing we’re offering is of killer quality and would frame beautifully. Enjoy! Click [...]
Aircraft ownership: Kurtis exploring the varied costs and entry points of flying for everyone from the weekend warrior to the rich and famous. Airpark living: When your driveway is a runway, life is good… and as airparks go, this place is Heavenly! Singles vs Twins: Are two engines really better than one?
Dream flight of a lifetime: Twenty pilots attend a T33 Silverstar ground school but only one will win a chance to actually fly it. Aeroshell Aerobatic Team: Raeleen goes flying with these rock stars of the air show circuit. Remote control aircraft: We visit the Joe Nall event, the “Oshkosh” of RC flying.
Triple Tree Aerodrome: A look at one of the most meticulously maintained grass runways anywhere at what we discovered to be a pure haven for lovers of aviation and the outdoors. Blue Angels’ Fat Albert: All aboard Fat Albert Airlines, the Blue Angels’ incredible USMC C130T. Yak 52W: Sara meets Peyton McCool and literally takes [...]
AOPA Summit: The annual event of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. LAPD: We take you inside the aerial unit of the Los Angeles Police Department to see how the world’s largest police fleet helps to catch bad guys. Red Bull Air Racer Pete McLeod: Jeff talks to the Red Bull Air Racer about life [...]
