ARTICLES
The Last Mission of Lieutenant Noriyuki Saito
This article focuses on one pilot’s story—Lt. Noriyuki Saito, a Japanese fighter pilot who flew missions over Burma during WWII. Through his experience, we gain rare perspective and insight into the other side of the Burma air war. His story sheds...
Bennie Schriever and the Revolution in Military Technology and Procurement
Few figures loom as large in the transformation of American military technology as Bernard (Bennie) Schriever. More engineer than warrior, Schriever nonetheless helped reshape the U.S. Air Force's strategic posture during the Cold War—not through...
Lockheed P-38 Lightning – Icon of the Pacific Air War Part II
With January 1944’s campaign in full swing, P‑38J and H Lightnings—freed from their early teething troubles—joined Corsairs, Hellcats, and Kittyhawks in high‑altitude escorts and fighter sweeps from Bougainville to Rabaul’s Gazelle Peninsula. Yet...
Ultra-Long Range Reconnaissance/Attack Operations in early 1942
On February 5, 1942, a routine Japanese administrative order was issued: “13 Experimental large model Flying Boat is adopted and designated Type 2 large Flying Boat, model 11.” Administrative Ordnance Order (Naireihei) No. 8-42. The Shi 13...
XB-17 History – Reflections on Strategic Contracting & Bureaucracy
The XB-17 holds a significant place in aviation history, representing a turning point in military procurement and the evolution of strategic bombing. Its development was shaped by a complex web of government contracts, Army Air Corps policies, and...
The Mystery Japanese Twin-Engine Fighters in World War II
Many publications use Allied code names for Japanese twin-engine aircraft in ways that suggest that Allied pilots as well as the author knew what the aircraft was and correctly identified it. Authors have used code names for time periods when the...
Grumman Hellcat – Scourge of the Pacific
The superlatives about the Grumman Hellcat abound. The F6F was credited with over 5,000 victories in air combat. It was said to dominate the Japanese navy’s Zero fighter a key opponent. Some of its claims for success are amazing. The Hellcat...
Lockheed P-38 Lightning – Icon of the Pacific Air War
Next up in the How Great series is the P-38. “P-38 Lightning Might Have Been the Best Fighter of World War II” and “P-38 Lightning WWII’s twin engine wonder” or even “Unsung Hero of WW II” read headlines of articles on my computer homepage....
The Hankow Warhawks – Japanese Exploitation of Captured Aircraft
The story of captured Allied aircraft in Japanese hands offers a fascinating glimpse into the improvisation and ingenuity necessitated by wartime constraints. Among these tales, the saga of the Hankow Warhawks—a squadron of P-40Ks abandoned on a...
The B-24 Liberator in Chinese Skies – Summer 1943
Survived the Hankow raid 8/24/43The B-24 Liberator in China played a pivotal role in shaping the air campaigns of World War II, particularly during the summer of 1943. As one of the most versatile and far-reaching bombers in the Allied arsenal, the...