The SR-71 with its impressive & unorthodox appearance is the younger sister of the U-2 No 808 with the important difference that it is built to perform its duties at MACH 3 5 U S STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND has stated that the BLACKBIRD is still holding the world s speed record It can cross the United States in less than an hour The SR-71 s have been used in all the hot spots of the world flying over Cuba China Vietnam Middle East etc in times of international tension or of local conflicts even operating in Okinawa Thailand & the Philippines It is today s most sophisticated spy aircraft Size 45 1cm Scale 1 72 ...

British armoured divisions on all fronts up used various versions of the Valentine tank up until about half way through the Second World War Its thin armour made it vulnerable to mines & enemy anti-tank fire & its firepower was often inferior to that of its German counterparts Nevertheless when fleets of Valentines were coordinated properly they managed to obtain good results especially on the African front Length 7 9cm ...

The VW Typ 82 Knbelwagen won instant acclaim on account of its excellent all-terrain performance despite its lack of raw power & rear-wheel drive The original design dates back to December 1939 it was initially given a lukewarm reception being criticised on account of its rear-mounted air-cooled engine & lack of four-wheel drive However following successful trials in Poland the doubts were soon dispelled & its performance was deemed equal to that of any 4-wheel drive off-road vehicle ...

The Wellington was the most important British bomber of the initial war period Designed to meet the requirements of Air Ministry



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The idea of a flying wing was designed by John Northrop in the 1930 s with a series of flying models The project which would result in the XB-35 was confirmed thanks to a request for a very long range bomber by the USAAF It was a very complex project & the first prototype took flight only after the war was over on June 25 1946 By this time the number of orders had already been reduced & only two XB-35s & one YB-35 were constructed while others were converted to reaction motors Not withstanding several promising characteristics the formula unfortunately had several serious limitations & it was decided to concentrate with the construction of the more conventional B-36s Years later thanks to advances in the field of computer technology the flying wings would become successful with the Northrop B-2 whose wing span is practically identical to that of the XB-35 ...

The Bell OH-58 Kiowa, is not only one of the most famous helicopter in history but is also characterized by an extraordinary longevity & flexibility. The OH-58 has been in continuous product use by the U.S. Army, with several versions, since 1969. Derived directly from 206 Jet Ranger model, OH-58 Kiowa was used to perform reconnaissance, observation & advanced tactical support duties. OH-58D series was the result of several developments such as the adoption of a more powerful engine, the introduction of the 4-blade rotor, & the use of MMS above it. The latest version, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, is primarily operated in an armed reconnaissance role in support of ground troops thanks to the adoption of two side pylons capable of carrying different combinations of weapons such as AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, Hydra rockets or air-to-air Stinger missiles. The Kiowa Warrior was used, by U.S. Army, during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq & Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. ...

The F-84F Thunderstreak, powered by the Wright J-65 jet engine, became one of the most notorious jet fighters of the 1950s. Characterized by a swept wing, the single-seat fighter of the Republic was not only used by the U.S. Air Force, but also by the air forces of many NATO countries, including the Italian Air Force which used nearly 200 F-84 Fs to equip its flight units with fighters & fighter-bombers from the second half of the 1950s. The F-84F was also assigned to the 6th Wing, stationed at Ghedi, which, in addition to traditional operational uses, employed the aircraft for the establishment of the '' Red Devils'' aerobatic team. The livery of the acrobatic team ...

The Henschel Hs 126 entered service with the Luftwaffe at the end of 1937 with the purpose of carrying out reconnaissance tasks. It was powered by a 850hp Bramo 323 radial engine, & was characterized by high-wings, a large three-bladed propeller & fixed streamlined landing gear. The crew consisted of a pilot, & an observer who was seated in the rear. The aircraft was armed with two 7.92 mm machine guns, one of which was operated by the observer, & it was equipped with two cameras for aerial reconnaissance. It participated, although in limited numbers, among the planes of the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War & remained in production, also in enhanced versions, until 1941 when, due to its limited speed, it was no longer suitable for military use. It continued, in any case, to operate late into the war. as a reconnaissance & liaison aircraft. ...

The Hawker Hunter, which came into service in the mid-50s, was born from a specific Royal Air Force requirement, in the late 40s, highlighted the need for a jet fighter aircraft similar, in terms of performance, to the American F-86 Sabre & the Soviet Mi G-15. Featured by a strong structure, it was able to reach, thanks to its Rolls-Royce Avon engine, 1, 150 Km/h. Heavily armed with 4 30 mm. cannons, the Hunter reached the full maturity of the project only with the version F.6 with a better engine performance, reliability & flight autonomy. Later on FGA.9 version, dedicated to ground attack duties, was introduced & featured with four pylons to carry bombs, rockets & additional fuel tanks. The Hawker Hunter was also a commercial success & was used by the air forces of many countries. ...