All Articles Tagged 'wwii' (271)

The Piaggio P.108 was the only four-engine heavy bomber used by the Regia Aeronautica during World War II.

In 1938 the Regia Aeronautica issued a request for proposal for a BGR (Bombardiere a Grande Raggio, long-range bomber); proposals came from Caproni with their Ca.204 and Ca.211 projects, CRDA with…

Given its origin, the Blenheim could be called "fast and spurious". The aircraft was initially envisaged as a luxury transport and wasn't a part of any military programme.

The often told story of the six-seat executive aircraft built for Lord Rothermere, proprietor of the aviation-supporting Daily Mail, usually misses the vital point. Why did…

When we say 'weird' we mean it. Definitely.

With the issue of a specification for a successor to the Potez 631 twin-engined fighter in service with the Armee del'Air, P-E Mercier and Jacques Lecarme of the Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques de Sud-Est (SNCASE) tendered the design of a highly innovative aircraft, the SE 100…

The annals of small arms designs are filled with near perfect, odd and/or unsuccessful weapons. The Czech tradition of innovative small arms designs began in the early 20th century and continues to this day. In the 1920s, however, there was a semi-automatic rifle that should have received more attention,…

The Japanese Nambu Type 90 flare gun is one odd looking pistol. Weighing in at almost four pounds, the Nambu flare gun was designed for the Japanese Imperial Navy. Called the Type 90 (for the Japanese calendar year it was created) it was a 28mm flare gun.…

Overshadowed by more famous and spectacular German aircraft, the Siebel Si 204 boasted a distinctive Dieselpunk appearance and played at least four different roles.

Used in substantial numbers by the Luftwaffe as a light communications aircraft and crew trainer, the Siebel Si 204 was essentially a scaled-up …

An outstanding mid-30s flying machine which became obsolete by the start of WWII

The two ANT-40 light bomber prototypes of Andrei N. Tupolev's design bureau, designed and developed by a team led by A. A. Arkhangelski, were years ahead of their time when they first flew in October 1934: the…

Meet alternate history fans' darling - an unorthodox Dutch warplane built too late to fight.

The Fokker D XXIII (or D.23) single-seat fighter was unusual in employing a fore-and-aft tandem engine arrangement, Slender booms carried the tailplane. The prototype powered by two 528hp Walter Sagitta I-SR engines made its first…

Allied airmen had to face every manner of threat when penetrating the skies over the Reich. From Focke Wulf fighters to deadly German "88s" the air over Europe was filled with threats a plenty. But as the Reich crumbled and the Allied moved deeper in the lands of Germany, a series of last ditch weapons were…

This is a Canadian Vickers-designed and built Velos:

The year 1912 marked the official beginning of Vickers in Canada and plans for shops, drawing offices, and the company's distinctive enclosed building berths were developed. 1913 was spent in site construction and by 1914 Vickers…

Meet one of the most stylish flying boats ever built: the Gabbiano!

The CANT Z.501 Gabbiano (gull) light reconnaissance flying-boat was serving in fairly large numbers with the Regia Aeronautica when Italy entered World War II in June 1940. Designed by Filippo Zappata in the early…

The Saturday Air Mail presents: another French biplane family.

The Lioré-et-Olivier Type 20 and its derivatives are probably less famous than the Farman F.22, but no less important - and their looks are even more…

CBS News has a photo essay of real life "Rosie The Riveter's"! There's 85 pics of women working in the factories during WWII...The amazing thing is that these photos are COLOR...Here is the link to the CBS site:…

This Saturday, the Air Mail is delivered to your doorstep by a small, elegant, and well-forgotten British aeroplane.

Meet the Spartan Cruiser!

This wooden-framed, low-wing tri-motor was originally designed in collaboration by Saro and Percival as the A-24 Mailplane in 1931. The consortium lost interest in the venture as…

It's Saturday, and your Air Mail is here again, delivered by a state-of-art flying Leviathan.

The following article was published on Boeing official website:

The Boeing Model 307 Stratoliner was the world's first high-altitude commercial transport and the first four-engine airliner in scheduled domestic service. With names like…

VICTORY!! 

V-E, V-J, any way you spell it, at long last this horrible war is over.

It has been a long, hard row, filled with unspeakable horrors.  No one has left this war untouched.  We can celebrate now a hard-won victory, and mourn the brave men and women who lost…

Christmas, 1944.  The Long War drags on amidst the snows of the Bulge and the fires of Luzon.…

A new day dawns over Europe!  The "impenetrable" Atlantic Wall has been breached by the mightiest invasion force ever assembled!

Knock, knock, Adolph!  Wake up and enjoy the sweet sounds of the Overlord Overture.

In what has to be the greatest assembly of land, air, and sea ever seen a new front has been opened up in Europe, breaking through some of…

This is a another in a series of Tank portraits.

This print represents a Char B bis in service with the French Army May 1940.

At the request of General Estienne and on the basis of previous studies worked out by Renault, Schneider, FAMH, FCM, and Delaunay-Belleville, a new battle tank was developed…