Category Archives: Video

Fairey Firefly – The Super Killer Plane Built to Fight Anywhere

In the perilous skies of World War 2, one British aircraft emerged as a true jack-of-all-trades, defying the conventional wisdom that specialized planes were the key to victory. Thanks to its unique design, the Fairey Firefly, a versatile warbird that refused to be boxed into a single role, would leave its mark on conflicts far beyond the war that birthed it. Continue reading

BAC TSR-2 – The UK’s $21BN Bomber that was a Total Nightmare to Build

In the mid-1950s, as the Cold War escalated, the Royal Air Force sought a new aircraft, leading to one of the most ambitious aviation projects in British history: the British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2. Designed to fly at supersonic speeds, carry a diverse array of weaponry, and operate from short, rough airfields, the TSR-2 would reposition Britain as a leader in aerial warfare. Continue reading

Grumman XF5F-1 Skyrocket – Grumman’s Ambitious Twin-Engine Carrier Fighter

The Grumman XF5F Skyrocket was a prototype twin-engined shipboard fighter interceptor. The United States Navy ordered one prototype, model number G-34, from Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation on 30 June 1938; its designation was XF5F-1. The aircraft had a unique appearance: The forward “nose” of the fuselage did not extend forward of the wing. Provisions were included for two 20 mm (0.787 in) Madsen cannon as armament. Continue reading