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
Imagine bomber aircraft being launched from Imperial Japanese Navy submarines at dawns early light or in total darkness, striking targets along the West coast of the United States and spreading chaos in their wake! That was what was intended with the design of the Aichi M6A1 Seiran (“Clear Sky Storm“) floatplane light bomber. The Seiran was… Read More The Survivors: The Last Imperial Japanese Navy Aichi M6A1 Seiran Floatplane Bomber
Designed during World War Two to provide air cover for Imperial Japanese forces deployed for amphibious beach landings in advanced locations that lacked prepared airstrips or aircraft carriers, the Kawanishi N1K Kyōfū (“Strong Wind” or “Mighty Wind” depending on the translation, Allied reporting code name “Rex”) floatplane fighter must have seemed a great idea to the Imperial Japanese… Read More The Survivors: Imperial Japanese Navy Kawanishi N1K Kyōfū Floatplane Fighter
The USAF Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) Program commenced in the 1970’s, then continued through the 1980’s and 1990’s, as a development, demonstration and evaluation program for a new USAF fifth generation fighter with stealth technology to complement and eventually replace the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter. Lockheed and Northrop proposals were accepted in October 1986 and the… Read More The Survivors: Northrop-McDonnell Douglas YF-23A Black Widow II Advanced Tactical Fighter
The Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden (“Violet Lightning“, Allied Code Name: George) and N1K2-J Shiden Kai (Modified) are regarded as the best land based fighter operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War Two. The George was reasonably fast (top speed 595 Km/h / 369 mph – a bit less than the planned 656 km/h /… Read More The Survivors: Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai – When Violet Lightning Strikes!
Aces Flying High - The Survivors 