Category Archives: Video

Lockheed P-38 Lightning – the Plane that Could Warp Metal

Flak bloomed around him. Tracers lanced past like electric needles. Captain Robin Olds didn’t flinch; he was already lining up his next target. Scat II, his silver P-38 Lightning, screamed across the sky, twin engines snarling as it tore through Messerschmitts. Then, he saw movement below. A lone Mustang, twisting hard, two Bf 109s welded to its tail. No time to think. Olds flipped Scat II over and dropped like a sword from the clouds. Engines howled. Guns ready. But his controls were not working. Continue reading

Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech – So Loud it Made Ground Crews Sick

The Thunderscreech was an experimental American turboprop plane created to as an experimental variant of the the F-84 Thunderstreak fighter jet. Development began after the Navy issued a requirement seeking a carrier fighter that could take off without a catapult – a problem still facing jet powered aircraft at the time. Even though the Navy would cancel its order, the US Air Force would absorb the project for testing. Continue reading

Republic F-84 Thunderjet – Four Distinct Developments, All Designated F-84

Republic began with the F-84 as a straight-wing monoplane on tricycle undercarriage with a jet engine in response to a General Operational Requirement in the final year of WW2. While a straight-wing model was eventually produced for frontline service in the Korean War, it was outclassed by the MiG-15’s it faced. What seemed like a simple idea, change to a swept-wing design, that development proved more extensive than expected. Continue reading

Why the UK Never Made Another Harrier Jet

Dive into the fascinating history of the Harrier Jump Jet—a revolutionary VTOL aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing, reshaping aerial combat in ways the world had never seen. From its roots in WWII VTOL research to the Harrier’s iconic role in conflicts like the Falklands War, we explore how British and American engineering pushed aviation boundaries. Discover why, despite its unmatched versatility, the Harrier never received a successor. Continue reading