The English Electric Lightning was the first British jet aircraft to enter service, and like all early jets it suffered from severe airframe buffeting. This was caused by the shockwaves produced as the air rushing past the rear of the aircraft created a ‘wake’, or disturbance in the airflow behind the aircraft. The Lightning was also highly fuel inefficient.
Despite these disadvantages it was a very capable aircraft. It had excellent range, payload and climb rate, and could operate from short,...
Sukhoi T-4 Sotka was a prototype Soviet aircraft, the first operational strategic bomber to be built in the USSR. It was developed as an interceptor during World War II and evaluated as a strategic bomber. The project was cancelled after the war due to its high cost and complexity.
The T-4 was a Soviet attempt to develop a strategic bomber that could serve as an interceptor and a bomber. It started out as a "research...
The DB 600 Series of V12s- the Backbone of the Luftwaffe
The DB 600 series was a series of inline air-cooled, 6-cylinder aircraft engines produced by Daimler-Benz, then a German automotive company. The series was introduced in 1935 and featured various improvements over previous models, including improved reliability and reduced weight. During World War II, the DB 600 engines were used in a variety of aircraft such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter plane.
The DB 600 engine was an air-cooled inline...
Tupolev ANT-20 Maxim Gorky – Once the Largest Aircraft in the World
By the early 1930s, the question of how to build an aircraft that could fly faster than the speed of sound was a pressing one. It was especially important for both military and commercial aviation because it would make it possible for aircraft to travel long distances in a short amount of time.
In October 1929, Tupolev presented its ANT-20 to the Soviet government. This was an improved version of...
Edgley EA-7 Optica – The Flying Eye | Plane Historia
The Edgley EA-7 Optica is a small, agile, and heavily armed series of spacecraft for reconnaissance and fighter escort duties.
The EA-7 started out as the F-7A and F-7B, the successor to the A-7 Corsair II and B-7 Avenger respectively. The F models were intended to fill the role of an all-weather, low-cost strike aircraft, while the B model was designed to fulfill the requirements of a fleet replacement for the A...
General Dynamics F-16 – The Rebirth of the Dogfighter | PlaneHistoria
Do you know the General Dynamics F-16 – the rebirth of the dogfighter? This is the fighter that took air combat to the next level. This is the fighter that redefined the art of the possible. This is the fighter that made you king of the skies. The F-16 was the product of a group of maverick pilots and engineers who were unafraid to think outside the box. They were...
