Military Archives - Page 53 of 180

USAF: F-35 CAS Tactics in the Works

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter — a stealthy, high-tech, fifth-generation strike fighter — may also become a major player in close-air support (CAS) missions. Last week, Defense News-Intercepts talked with the U.S. Air Force general who is leading the testing and preparation for the CAS mission. Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way: the military aviation community […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1882 – Birth of Paul Albert Pierre Tarascon, French World War I flying ace; he was known as “l’as à la jambe de bois,” or “the ace with the wooden leg,” after having lost his right foot in a crash. 1931 – Vittorio Suster, flying a Caproni Ca.100 Limousine, wins a race against racing driver […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1897 – Birth of Alexandre Léonel Pierre “Lionel” de Marmier, French World War I flying ace and Nieuport test pilot; he also became a pioneering airliner and airmail pilot, as well as a test pilot for Air France, and flew in the Spanish War and World War II. 1914 – The German Navy forms its first […]

A-10 Retirement May Be Blocked

U.S. House and Senate negotiators have agreed on a Pentagon policy measure that blocks Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II retirements and greenlights plans to arm Syrian rebels, a measure that should hit the House floor this week. Senior aides from the House and Senate Armed Services committees told reporters Tuesday a compromise 2015 National Defense […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1888 – Birth of Roger Poupon, French World War I flying ace. 1925 – The sole Dobi-I, a Lithuanian monoplane built by Jurgis Dobkevicius and the first airplane of Lithuanian design, is damaged in accident beyond repair. 1984 – The Controlled Impact Demonstration (the “Crash in the Desert”) takes place; it is a joint project between […]

Israeli Cadets Get New Jet Trainers

Starting in January, Israel Air Force (IAF) cadets will take to the skies in new Lavi advanced trainers, the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 jets slated to replace A-4 Skyhawks by 2016 in Flying Tiger Squadron 102. Five of 30 aircraft on order arrived here in recent months, along with the first of four ground-based training systems […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1896 – Birth of Oliver “Stewpot” Stewart, British World War I flying ace and aviation journalist. 1911 – Charles Weymann pilots the Nieuport IVG monoplane to win the military aviation trials at Reims in France. 1957 – First flight of the Piaggio P.166 (shown), Italian pusher-type utility aircraft; it is a development of the P.136 […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1889 – Birth of Hugh Allport Hay, British World War I flying ace. 1917 – Zeppelin LZ59 (LZ-104) ends its first flight by completing a journey through Africa in 96 hours. 1944 – The first bombing attack (since the Doolittle Raid) against Tokyo, the Japanese capital, from the east and by land is carried out […]

Marines to Add Firepower to Osprey

The U.S. Marine Corps’ most unique aircraft is going to get a bigger punch. A Marine Corps planning document shows that officials want to arm the Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey with more weapons so the aircraft can support the service’s new crisis response forces that carry out missions like embassy evacuations. An “enhanced weapon systems is […]

On This Day in Aviation History

1891 – Birth of Alan Machin Wilkinson, British World War I fighter ace who also served in World War II. 1916 – First flight of the Breguet 14 (shown), a French biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft; it is the first aircraft in mass production to use large amounts of metal rather than wood in its […]