AirHistory Magazine

The Fleetwings Model 33 was one of many aircraft designs that came and went during the inter-war period. Using test pilot log books and other sources, an article has been written which will fill a small gap in aviation history.

A light utility aircraft from Czechoslovakia first flown in 1953, the Aero L-60 Brigadýr was produced by the Orličan company for military observation and liaison, agricultural spraying, and glider towing and parachuting with state aero clubs. It was dogged by its weak and unreliable Praga M208B Doris inline engine; however, fitting a robust radial has extended the lives of some airframes well into the 21st century.

Conceived for the US Navy on the eve of World War II, the enormous Martin JRM Mars flying boat was only built in token numbers. Saved from the scrapyard by Dan MacIvor, the Mars embarked upon a remarkable second career as an airtanker, fighting wildfires for over fifty years.

The Fleetwings Model 33 was one of many aircraft designs that came and went during the inter-war period. Using test pilot log books and other sources, an article has been written which will fill a small gap in aviation history.

The German counterpart of the Tiger Moth, the Stieglitz established its reputation as a top notch aerobatic aircraft in the mid-1930s, and was a successful export product for the Third Reich as well as one of the principal training aircraft of the Luftwaffe.

Pierre Robin, who passed away on 5 August 2020, will be remembered as a gentleman to those who knew him, and as a major manufacturer in the field of general aviation. Sticking mostly to the Jodel formula of wooden planes and crooked wings, Robin died with the last of a lineage, the DR400, still in production at 'his' airfield in Dijon - Darois.

This article delves into the serial numbers given to the aircraft of the US Air Force and US Army. The system is basically simple but a lot of confusion has been caused, ever since 1941, by a decision to paint the numbers on the tails of the aircraft in a truncated form. Our comprehensive article covers the quirky 'older than ten years'-prefix, buzz numbers, the 'AF' serial presentation and the alleged use of seven-digit serial format in today's US Army.

The ninth edition of the Iran Airshow saw a strong participation by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) and the air elements of the country's Revolutionary Guard, with rare sights such as F-14 Tomcats and the F-5 Saeqeh in the blue skies over Kish Island.

The greatest long-distance air race ever, the 1934 MacRobertson Trophy was held at a pivot point in aviation history, as rectractable landing gear monoplanes were starting to dominate the scene but before the threat of World War II triggered a dramatic acceleration in aircraft capabilities.

Hitler's invasion in Norway nearly ended in disaster for the Germans in the remote iron ore port of Narvik, high up beyond the polar circle. The Luftwaffe desperately attempted to deliver supplies and reinforcements, using flying boats, airdrops – and a squadron of Ju 52s flying in on a frozen lake.

Conceived as a submarine hunter, the Lockheed S‑3 Viking moved on to aerial refueling and surface surveillance duties during the second half of its 35-year long seagoing career in the United States Navy. Stephen de Bruijn witnessed the type's last carrier cruise under combat conditions, visiting Sea Control Squadron 32 'Maulers' in the Persian Gulf in 2007.

The post-war baby boom led to a sort of golden age of aircraft spotting where thousands of schoolboys took up the recording of registrations and the collecting of photos as a hobby. One such individual is the subject of this article, however his exact identity has been lost to time. Hopefully enough clues are provided so that somebody out there will recognize him and then be able to confirm the name by reference to his photo collection.