Late into the night of February 27, 1943, Obit. Heinz Knocke and Lt. Dieter Gerhard of 5./JG 1 sat up discussing how best to combat the B-17 bomber formations that were beginning to increasingly menace the German homeland. Gerhard eventually came up with a brilliant suggestion: Why don’t we try using Our own aircraft to drop bombs on the American formations”
The concept works andis revived
After taking time to try out their idea using Messerschmitt 109 Gs carrying 250-kilogram 550-pound) bombs, Knocke undertook the first such operation on March 22. He recalled: I fused the bomb, took final aim, and pressed the release button on my stick. My bomb went hurtling down. I watched it fall and banked steeply as I broke away. Then it exploded, exactly in the center of arow of Fortresses. A wing broke off one of them, and two others plunged away in alarm. There's no sign of fire. It's followed by the torn wing fluttering down like an autumn leaf. The bomb registered a hit—not only on the Fortresses, but also, it seems, on our own higher brass."
Although initially successful, the advent of American long-range fighters rendered the bomb-carrying Bf 109s and Fw 190s extremely vulnerable to attack, and the idea was abandoned. Then, in December 1944, the idea was revived at the Rechlin test center, using the Me 262 jet fighter. It was thought that this revolutionary aircraft would be able to evade interception and again scatter the USAAF formations, rendering them more vulnerable to conventional Luftwaffe fighter attack.
Kommando Stamp and the Me 262
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Keeping 'em Flying!- The new generation of warbird pilots, restorers and mechanics
The new generation of warbird pilots, restorers and mechanics. Nearly 80 years after the end of World War II, the fighters, bombers, and trainers that defended freedom continue to enthrall and inspire audiences at airshows, thanks to generations of warbird pilots, maintainers, restoration specialists and collectors. In our September, 2022 issue we introduced you to the young warbird pilots, maintainers and restorers who are already beginning to displace more "experienced" warbird fliers and fixers.
The Corsair Maker- Bringing the Vought Corsair to the fleet was a daunting challenge that spanned nearly three years.
When the first production Corsairs exited the Stratford factory in June 1942, Guyton, as seen here, was tapped to manage the flight and production test program. Armament was improved to six wing-mounted .50s, displacing the wing fuel tanks now placed forward of the cockpit which necessarily was moved rearward by 32 inches. Overall length was increased, armor plate added, landing, arresting and tail gear improved, aileron control enhanced, and a new version of the R2800 engine was incorporated. But those significant improvements unearthed numerous idiosyncrasies that would take an extended period to make the Corsair acceptable for carrier operations
STARFIRES Over Korea
F-94 pilots tangle with MiGs
Training Mission
BY THE TIME THIS TRAINING SCENE WAS RECORDED in Canne, Italy, in July 1944, Allied Yugoslavian airmen had several years of experience working side by side with the RAF.
KC-46A PEGASUS
Next generation aerial refueler
"SATAN'S ANGELS" ACE - Tales from a P-38 pilot in the South Pacific
\"AS A KID GROWING UP on the bow of my father's tugboat, hauling oil from Seattle to Alaska, I had a lot of time on my hands.
WACO YKC - Stunning and Ultra Rare Golden Age Cabin Flier
BETWEEN THE IMPLEMENTATION of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 and December 31, 1948, all U.S. registered flying machines sported an N-number, much as they do today, the \"N\" being an internationally recognized identifier for the United States. During that period, however, an additional letter-identifier followed the \"N.\" Depending on their category, they were registered in the NC (Commercial), NG (Glider), NL (Limited), NR (Restricted, usually meaning race airplanes), NS (State government), and, finally, NX (experimental).
BADER'S HURRICANES
Double amputee fighter ace Douglas Bader and his Battle of Britain Hurricanes
Scourge of the Allied Fighters
IT HAD TO BE THE MOST HELPLESS FEELING in the world: you're at 25,000 feet over Europe knowing that your primary function is to drop bombs-or flying escort for the bombers while being a slow-moving target for some of the world's finest shooters. However, you have John Browning's marvelous .50 caliber invention to give some degree of protection. Unfortunately, you're absolutely helpless against flak. Piloting and gunnery skills play no role in a game where sheer chance makes life and death decisions. For that reason, the Krupp 88 mm Flak 18/36/37 AA cannon could be considered WW II's ultimate stealth fighter. You never saw it coming.
ZERO MYTH, MYSTERY, AND FACT
A test pilot compares the A6M5 Zero to U.S. fighters
