Experimental

The last time we saw Charles Hamilton he was tracking down American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss with the hopes of learning the difficult art of flying from one of the masters. Although the pair did not met until October 1909, it was rumored that Curtiss kept a close eye on the flying prodigy, probably because of his association with the New York... 

The Savoia-Marchetti S.55 has to be one of the most distinctive airplanes ever to take to the skies. The S.55 was conceived to meet a Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) requirement calling for a long range, heavy carrying flying boat capable of delivering a lethal combination of free fall bombs and/or torpedoes. The aircraft first took to the... 

During the afternoon hours of September 23rd 1916, one of the ‘next generation’ super-Zeppelins, the L33, took to the air for its first operational mission: the bombing of downtown London. Just a few months before, the L33 was on the ground, getting its final fittings and adjustments. It was truly a remarkable piece of engineering. She was... 

There are few fighters that capture the imagination in the same way that the F-15 Eagle does. Almost all the pilots who flew the Eagles in peace and in war, acknowledge that it was a completely ‘different beast’. Its handling capability and its sheer power will be difficult to duplicate in a platform-era base. To resume, the F-15 will most... 

When the famous Spanish inventor, Juan de la Cierva, was only fifteen, he designed and built his first glider. Three years later, in the summer of 1918, he was able to develop a three-engine aircraft. The goal of his experiments was to achieve the creation of an air platform that could sustain lift and land safely after an engine failure. With the development... 

The Flying Pulpit, as it was nicknamed back in early devlopment was a small, light weight Vertical Take Off and Landing System (VTOL) devloped by Williams International. The Williams X-Jet was powered by a F107 Turbofan engine, obviously highly modified for this particular application. The unit was designed to be operated by one sole individual. Steering... 

Some footage taken on site where the  Read More →

During the early days of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union commenced research programs looking into the feasibility of utilizing nuclear power to propel a long range, heavy bomber. Each country invested vast amounts of human, as well as financial resources into their respective programs. Much was achieved, and in the end, each program... 

Are these planes of the future? I doubt it but it certainly makes you think twice.  Read More →

Many airlines today are experimenting with alternative fuels (biofules)as a means to reduce their fuel costs. The fuel was a 50:50 blend of jatropha plants and A1 Jet Fuel. It is believed that converting over the airline industry into a biofuel environment will be easier to do than the auto industry as there are far less planes to convert compared to...