Northrop MQM-57B Falconer

Radioplane BTT

CountryUSA
RoleTarget drone
First flyUnknow
Built7300+

The Radioplane BTT, known as RP-71 by the company, as WS-426/2 by the United States Navy, and as WS-462/2 by the US Air Force, is a family of target drones produced by the Radioplane Company (later a division of Northrop).

MQM-57 Falconer: A variant of the BTT designated the RP-71, also known as the SD-1 Observer and later redesignated MQM-57 Falconer, was built for battlefield reconnaissance, with first flight in 1955. The Falconer was similar in appearance to the Shelduck, but had a slightly longer and stockier fuselage. It had an autopilot system with radio-control backup, and could carry cameras, as well as illumination flares for night reconnaissance. Equipment was loaded through a hump in the back between the wings. Although it only had an endurance of a little more than a half-hour, making it of limited use, about 1,500 Falconers were built and the type was used internationally with several different military forces, remaining in service into the 1970s. Over 73,000 BTT targets were built in all, and the type was used by at least 18 nations. Some may still be lingering in service.

Source: Radioplane BTT on Wikipedia

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Views : 1262

Intelligent Whale Submarine

Intelligent Whale

CountryUSA
RoleSubmarine
Laid down1863
Built1

Intelligent Whale, an experimental hand-cranked submarine, was built on the design of Scovel Sturgis Merriam in 1863 by Augustus Price and Cornelius Scranton Bushnell. In 1864 the American Submarine Company was formed, taking over the interests of Bushnell and Price and there followed years of litigation over the ownership of the craft. When title was established by a court the submarine was sold on 29 October 1869 through a contract made by owner Oliver Halstead and Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson to the United States Navy Department, with most of the price to be paid after successful trials. In September 1872 the first trial was held and was unsuccessful, whereupon the Department refused further payments and abandoned the project.

Source: Intelligent Whale on Wikipedia

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Views : 1636

Aichi D3A Val Replica

Aichi D3A

CountryJapan
RoleCarrier-based dive bomber
First flightJanuary 1938
Built1495

The Aichi D3A Type 99 Carrier Bomber (Allied reporting name “Val”) is a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber. It was the primary dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and was involved in almost all IJN actions, including the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Aichi D3A was the first Japanese aircraft to bomb American targets in the war, commencing with Pearl Harbor and U.S. bases in the Philippines, such as Clark Air Force Base. Vals sank more Allied warships than any other Axis aircraf.

Source: Aichi D3A on Wikipedia

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Views : 3100

Convair YF-2Y Sea Dart

Convair F2Y Sea Dart

CountryUSA
RoleSeaplane fighter
First flight14 January 1953
Built5

The Convair F2Y Sea Dart was an American seaplane fighter aircraft that rode on twin hydro-skis during takeoff and landing. It flew only as a prototype, and never entered mass production. It is the only seaplane to have exceeded the speed of sound. It was created in the 1950s, to overcome the problems with supersonic planes taking off and landing on aircraft carriers. The program was canceled after a series of unsatisfactory results and a tragic accident on 4 November 1954, when test pilot Charles E. Richbourg was killed when the Sea Dart he was piloting disintegrated in midair. The four surviving planes were retired in 1957, but some were kept in reserve until 1962.

Source: Convair F2Y Sea Dart on Wikipedia

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Views : 2498

Fokker D. XXI

Fokker D. XXI

CountryDutch
RoleFighter
First flight27 March 1936
Built146

The Fokker D.XXI fighter was designed in 1935 by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker in response to requirements laid out by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force (Militaire Luchtvaart van het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, ML-KNIL). The D.XXI was designed as an inexpensive, rugged, and compact fighter aircraft that would possess respectable performance for its era. Entering operational use in the early years of the Second World War, it provided yeoman service for both the Luchtvaartafdeling (Dutch Army Aviation Group) and the Finnish Air Force. Additionally, a few examples were constructed by the El Carmolí factory before it fell into rebel hands during the Spanish Civil War. Following the invasion and occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, several captured Dutch D.XXIs were subsequently placed into service with the Luftwaffe.

Source: Fokker D. XXI on Wikipedia

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Views : 4227

USS Albacore

USS Albacore

CountryUSA
RoleResearch submarine
Launched1 August 1953
Decommissioned9 December 1972

USS Albacore (AGSS-569) was a unique research submarine that pioneered the American version of the teardrop hull form (sometimes referred to as an “Albacore hull”) of modern submarines. The revolutionary design was derived from extensive hydrodynamic and wind tunnel testing, with an emphasis on underwater speed and maneuverability. She was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the albacore. Her keel was laid down on 15 March 1952 by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard of Kittery, Maine. She was launched on 1 August 1953, sponsored by Mrs. J. E. Jowers, the widow of Chief Motor Machinist’s Mate Arthur L. Stanton, lost with the second Albacore (SS-218), and commissioned on 6 December 1953 with Lieutenant Commander Kenneth C. Gummerson in command

Source: USS Albacore on Wikipedia

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Views : 3052

Fairchild Argus Mk.III

Fairchild 24

CountryUSA
RoleSTOL bush plane
First flight1932
Built2232

The Fairchild Model 24, also called the Fairchild Model 24 Argus/UC-61 Forwarder or Fairchild Model 24 Argus, is a four-seat, single-engine monoplane light transport aircraft designed by the Fairchild Aviation Corporation in the 1930s. It was adopted by the United States Army Air Corps as UC-61 and also by the Royal Air Force. The Model 24 was itself a development of previous Fairchild models and became a successful civil and military utility aircraft.

Source: Fairchild 24 on Wikipedia

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Views : 1512

USS Pampanito

USS Pampanito (SS-383)

CountryUSA
ClassBalao-class diesel-electric submarine
Launched12 July 1943

USS Pampanito (SS-383/AGSS-383), a Balao-class submarine, was a United States Navy ship, the third one named for the pompano fish. She completed six war patrols from 1944 to 1945 and served as a Naval Reserve Training ship from 1960 to 1971. She is now a National Historic Landmark, preserved as a memorial and museum ship in the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association located at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Source: USS Pampanito on Wikipedia

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Views : 2016

FFV J22

FFVS J 22

CountrySweden
ClassFighter
First flightSeptember 1942
Built198

The FFVS J 22 is a Swedish single-engine fighter aircraft developed for the Swedish Air Force during World War II. At the onset of World War II, the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) was equipped with largely obsolete Gloster Gladiator (J 8) biplane fighters. To augment this, Sweden ordered 120 Seversky P-35 (J 9) and 144 P-66 Vanguard (J 10) aircraft from the United States. However, on 18 June 1940 after the German occupation of Norway, the United States declared an embargo against exporting weapons to any nation other than Great Britain.

Source: FFVS J 22 on Wikipedia

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Views : 2855

de Havilland DH.60M Moth

de Havilland DH.60 Moth

CountryUK
ClassTrainer
First flight22 February 1925
BuiltUnknow

The de Havilland DH.60 Moth is a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. The DH.60 was developed from the larger DH.51 biplane. The first flight of the Cirrus powered prototype DH.60 Moth (registration G-EBKT) was carried out by Geoffrey de Havilland at the works airfield at Stag Lane on 22 February 1925. The Moth was a two-seat biplane of wooden construction, it had a plywood covered fuselage and fabric covered surfaces, a standard tailplane with a single tailplane and fin. A useful feature of the design was its folding wings which allowed owners to hangar the aircraft in much smaller spaces. The then Secretary of State for Air Sir Samuel Hoare became interested in the aircraft and the Air Ministry subsidised five flying clubs and equipped them with Moths.

Source: de Havilland DH.60 Moth on Wikipedia

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Views : 2720