Military Aviation in Brief

         The Boeing B-17 was developed for a 1934 US Army Air Corps proposal requesting a multiengine bomber to replace the earlier B-10.  The first prototype flew in 1935, where it was christened the "Flying Fortress," after a reporter commented on the number of guns bristling from its fuselage. Boeing often advertised the strategic bomber on its merits as a four engine aircraft, claiming it could complete its missions even after losing an engine. The B-17 starred chiefly in daylight raids for the Allied strategic bombing campaign, dropping over 640,000 tons of bombs on Nazi Germany and occupied territories. Across all variants between initial production and the end of the war, 12,731 B-17s were produced.      The initial run of the B-17 was rocky. The first prototype went up in flames during an altitude test shortly after takeoff, costing the lives of both test pilots. Modern written takeoff checklists are a direct result of this event. Sin...

         Yakovlev Design Bureau's Yak-3 was designed as an urgent upgrade and replacement to the previous Yak-1. Designed in 1943 after the Battle of Stalingrad, the Yak-3 was intended to increase engine power and maneuverability while improving the survivability. They served primarily with the Soviet Air Forces, but also armed the Normandie-Niemen Fighter Regiment, a group of Free French pilots that flew with the Soviets on the Eastern Front! Between the introduction of the Yak-3 to service in 1944 and the end of production in 1946, 4,848 Yak-3s were constructed.     Yakovlev's Yak-1 was a lightweight and maneuverable fighter constructed mostly of wood. It was intended to escort Il-2 formations to and from their targets, engaging enemy fighters when attempted to attack the ground strike aircraft. While the Yak-1 had better performance than German fighters at low altitude, it suffered at altitudes above 3,000 meters. Yakovlev had several projects vyin...

        The Supermarine Spitfire was designed for an Air Ministry contract by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works. The first prototype flew on March 5th, 1936, and the first production model entered service in 1938.  The Spitfire served a large role in the 1940 Battle of Britain, and would go on to see extensive development. The Spitfire saw combat in North Africa, over Britain, in the Pacific with the Australians, and in the skies above Russia. The Spitfire accounted for 20,341 of the combat aircraft constructed by Britain during World War II, more than any other in British history.     Mitchell's initial design for the Spitfire was robust, and over time proved immensely adaptable. Initially powered by a V-12 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine capable of producing 1,030 horsepower, late-war variants of the Spitfire were powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine, producing up to 2,340 horsepower. The airframe was slim and lightw...

       Today we'll cover the P-47, a fighter developed for the US Army Air Forces by Republic Aviation. The P-47 first flew on May 6th, 1941, and experienced its first combat sortie nearly two years later in April of 1943.  A continuation on the P-43 Lancer and XP-44 Rocket designs, the P-47 was intended to be a heavy fighter with capabilities for high-altitude escort, but later adapted to the role of fighter-bomber during service in Europe. Officially named the "Thunderbolt," pilots unofficially granted it the nickname of "Jug," either owing to its unflattering appearance or a shortening of the word "Juggernaut." During the war, the P-47 saw service with multiple countries in the Allied powers, including Britain, France, Mexico and Russia. One example was even captured and flown by the Germans for a time! Republic Aviation produced a hefty number of P-47s, weighing in at 15,636 aircraft.     When the P-47 entered service, it was a high-altitude escort...