A lot of records were set by the Convair B-24 Liberator heavy bomber of World War II. But for all its records, the B-24 Liberator faded quickly from the post-war U.S. Air Force equipment roster. Newer machines and newer strategies prevailed.
Of Wings & Things
Giant Antonov AN-225 destroyed in Ukraine
The one and only An-225 has become a casualty of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Remembering Bill Larkins
Friends will gather March 20, 2022, to remember aviation photographer and historian Bill Larkins.
The mighty Mars miracle
It’s nothing short of a miracle on so many fronts that a huge 1940s flying boat in flyable condition is offered for sale in 2022. And it can be yours — for $5 million.
It takes a crooked tail to fly a straight line
Some airframe designers have built in offset for the vertical fin to help compensate for the phenomena that move an airplane’s direction of flight to the left.
A time capsule of American aviation
A 1924 issue of the magazine “Aviation” is a microcosm of the post-World War I aviation scene in America. The air-minded segment of the population was impatient for aeronautical advancements, yet in some ways those advances were held back by a glut of war surplus Jennies and OX-5 engines that were offered to civilians on the cheap.
On track: Finding the right landing gear for giant bombers
On the way to finding the best landing gear for giant bombers, some looked to using a track mechanism, similar to a tank.
On seven wings and a prayer
The ultimate path was illuminated by the failures, as well as the successes. That’s the year [1916] a patent was filed for the Johns Multiplane, a seven-winged whopper ultimately powered by three Liberty engines.
What engines could the B-17 use?
The melodious Wright Cyclone motors of a stock B-17 confirm their ability to power this classic bomber. But the airframe proved capable of adapting other engines for other purposes.