In 1991 the US Navy Advanced Tactical Aircraft (ATA) program and the associated subsonic McDonnell Douglas/General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II two-seat stealth attack aircraft was cancelled. The program was plagued by delays and huge cost overruns. The design was simply way too ahead of its time! Unfortunately the “Flying Dorito” never took flight and all that… Read More The A-12 Avenger II “Flying Dorito” Has Wings Again!
Finding a Stealth Replacement for the Intruder The Grumman A-6 Intruder was a legendary long-range US Navy attack aircraft that could operate in all weather conditions, day or night. They served from 1963 through to the 1990’s with the US Navy and US Marine Corps and saw extensive combat in Vietnam during the 1960’s and early… Read More What Might Have Been – The A-12 Avenger II
Rare aircraft are a passion. If they are a bit of an oddity, then that’s even better and the Vought V-173 “Flying Pancake“, World War Two era experimental aircraft more than fits the bill! Ordered in May 1940, the wooden framed, canvas covered V-173 was completed in 1942 as the sole Proof Of Concept prototype for the… Read More The Survivors: Vought V-173 “Flying Pancake”
In 1972 the USAF Lightweight Fighter (LWF) Program was launched to develop a smaller, highly maneuverable, lower cost air combat fighter to complement and conduct roles not suitable for the highly capable but expensive McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle air superiority fighter. This program ultimately pitted two contenders in a fly off, the General Dynamics YF-16… Read More The Survivors: Northrop YF-17 Cobra – The Unwanted Fighter with Quite a Legacy!
SOPWITH CAMEL Designed by Herbert Smith of the Sopwith Aviation Company as a further development of the Sopwith Pup, the iconic British Sopwith Camel biplane was the most successful Allied scout fighter of World War One and became the steed of many Allied air aces. Introduced to the Western Front in 1917, the Sopwith Camel… Read More The Survivors: World War One’s Iconic Sopwith Camel
Aces Flying High - The Survivors 