The American F4U Corsair is widely acknowledged as the outstanding carrier-borne fighter of World War II. Its most distinctive feature was the inverted-gull wing. This was ingeniously designed to allow the undercarriage, fitted at the lowest point of the wing, to be short and sturdy and thus ideal for carrier landing – while still providing adequate ground clearance for the large-diameter propeller. […]
Commercial airliners underwent huge changes during the late 1960s and early 70s. The year 1969 saw the introduction of the world’s first wide-body jet, the Boeing 747, as well as the maiden flight of the supersonic Concorde. One proved much more influential than the other: Although few supersonic jets have been builtt wide-body carriers have become extremely popular. They include the Douglas […]
From 1914 to 1918, World War I resulted in the transformation of aircraft from slow, frail vehicles into agile, capable fighting machines. The governments of the world began to see the military potential of air power, leading to tremendous progress, particularly in the fields of engine technology and aerodynamics. Although Wright Aircraft had produced the first military airplanes in 1908, […]
The most famous Junkers aeroplane – the Tante Ju, as it became affectionately known – was produced in greater numbers than any other European transport aircraft. Evolved from the single-engine -Ju 52, the trimotor (3m) version was the last of the company’s designs to employ the distinctive corrugated-metal skinning originating from World War I. It was first flown in April 1932 with […]
The slow but dependable Farma III was the classic pre-World War I biplane,sold around the world. Its creator, Henry (or Henri) Farman, was of English parentage but lived all his life in France. He began his aviation career flying a Voisin hox-kite biplane. After modifying this machine extensively, including fitting ailerons, he used it to make the world’s first true crosscountry flight, […]
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Designed by Mario Castoldi, the MC.72 was the fastest piston-driven seaplane ever built, although it endured many setbacks before proving itself a world-beater. Macchi built this lean and deadly racer as Italy’s entry for the 1931 Schneider Trophy contest. It was powered by a supercharged Fiat AS.6 engine, comprising two lightweight 12-cylinder Fiat AS.5s combined in tandem on a common […]
Piloted by adventurer Steve Fossett, GlobalFlyer flew into the record hooks on March 2005 having achieved the first solo, non-stop, jet -powered, and unrefuelled flight around the world. It was designed specifically for the purpose by Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites and part-sponsored by Virgin Atlantic. GlobalFlyer is made entirely of composite materials and is extremely lightweight. Described as a “fuel tank with room for […]
The RAF retired its last three English Electric Canberras on 28 July 2006 after more than 55 years’ service. No wonder the Canberra is regarded as one of the most successful of all Britain’s military aircraft. Designed by E.W. Petter, the Canberra was the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) first jet bomber. In concept it resembled the famous World War […]
If any aeroplane Could be described as a stately galleon of the airways, it was Handle Page’s H.P.42.This extraordinary biplane was the first four-engine airliner in the world to go into regular passenger service. First Flown in 1931, it was used exclusively by Britain’s Imperial Airwais. The 38-passenger H.P. 42W (Western) version operated to Europe from Croydon Airport in Surrey, while the 24-passenger H.P.42E (Eastern) model […]
