The Mirage F1 was built to replace the preceding & notorious supersonic delta-wing Mirage III, which, thanks to its characteristics, allowed the French aircraft industry to achieve great technological superiority in the 1960s & 70s. The fighter version of the F1 Mirage entered service with the French Air Force in late 1973, &, within a few years, replaced all of the preceding Mirage III aircraft. Over the years the F1 has evolved due to the availability of new weapons & electronic equipment, which allowed it to remain in service until only a few years ago when, at least in France, it was replaced by the Mirage 2000 series. This elegant aircraft achieved major commercial success when it was exported in order to equip the air forces of several countries including Spain, Greece, South Africa & ten other nations in the Middle East & Africa. ...

The beginning of the Cold War, with the gradual evolution of naval & submarine military technology, made necessary to adopt, by the United States Navy, an aircraft able to meet the needs of long-range maritime patrol & antisubmarine warfare platform (ASW). The Grumman S-2 Tracker, which entered in service in the mid-'50s, was the operational response to this new dem&. The configuration of the aircraft with two Wright R-1820 radial engines guaranteeing a range of more than 2, 000 km. This range, considering its ability to take off either from airport or from carriers, was absolutely able to satisfy its sea patrol duties. Its internal bay & the under wing pylons could also ensure the transport & use of a variety of anti-submarine & anti-ships weapons as torpedoes, naval mines & conventional bombs. The Tracker was also a commercial success for Grumman company. It was bought by the U.S. Navy & by a lot of air forces of several countries all over the World. ...

The Spirfire is certainly the most famous & best known fighter aircraft of World War II. Winning many dogfights of this conflict, the plane was first developed in the 1930s. It underwent a continuous evolution & improvement of its aerodynamic features as well as its engine & armament made it last with numerous airforces until after the appearance of the first jets. The Mk. IX version was first produced in large numbers at the end of 1942. Over the course of its long operational use, this fighter aircraft was used to ''transport'' beer to lift up the spirits of English troops right after the landing in Normandy in the summer of 1944. This was actually a very limited operation, though it was to have a great impact in terms of propaganda on the spirits of the soldiers. ...

The Lockheed AC-130 Spectre is an armed tactical support version of the C-130 Hercules. The AC-130 initially replaced AC-47 & AC-119 in the supporting role during the war in Vietnam. USAF used the AC-130 for close support, area interdiction & force protection. Close air support roles include supporting ground troops, escorting convoys, & flying urban operations. Air interdiction missions are conducted against planned targets & targets of opportunity, whereas force protection missions include defending air bases & other facilities. The AC-130 Gunship arrived in South Vietnam on 21 September 1967 & began combat operations that same year. After the conflict in Vietnam, the U.S. Air Force designed a new range of these aircrafts basing on the C-130 H version, equipped with far more powerful engines, with four-blade propellers & upgraded versions of the navigation & night vision. The AC-130H called '' Spectre'' were used in all the conflicts involving the U.S. Force of the last decade &, after further upgrades, they are still used in the conflict in Afghanistan. ...

The North American B-25 Mitchell was probably one of the best medium bombers of World War II. The first flight of the twin-engine North American plane was done in 1939. Powered by two 1750 HP Wright R-2600 Cyclone engines, the B-25 was characterized by an extraordinary operational flexibility. It took its nickname in honor of General Billy Mitchell considered, in effect, the father & the founder of United States Air Force. From the first versions, used for the main task of medium bomber in level flight, were progressively develop & implement further variations. In particular, following the specific need for a ground attack & close support aircraft, was made the B-25G. It was equipped with a closed nose, instead of the transparent one, with two. 50 machine-guns & an heavy 75mm cannon inside which made it a real ''piece of flying artillery''. ...

The new multi-role EF-2000 fighter is being developed by a consortium of German, British, Italian & Spanish industries. After a series of delays of economical & technical nature, several prototypes have been built in the late nineties. Besides the singe-seat version the twin-seat variant was designated for pilot training & precision missiles attack missions. The twin-seater will basically feature the same air-to-air combat features of a fighter, but will be equipped with specialized electronic gear. ...

The F4 Corsair is considered to be one of the most successful carrier-based fighter aircraft to be developed during the Second World War, although, when it first came into service, the technical experts of the U.S Navy considered this large cantilever wing aircraft to be unsuitable for use on aircraft carriers. The Corsair obtained many outstanding aerial victories. In the Pacific Ocean theatre alone, the F4U shot down over 2, 000 Japanese aircraft, with a loss of only 189 Corsairs, resulting in a kill / loss ratio which has never been equaled throughout history. This aircraft was produced for ten years, until December 1952, a fact which established the Corsair as the American aircraft to remain in production for the longest period of time after the Second World War. The F4 was also used extensively by the French Naval Aviation during the war in Indochina & the Suez campaign of 1956. ...

The Hellcat can be regarded as the best carrier-based fighter aircraft to be used by the Allies during World War 2. Despite its ponderous appearance & considerable weight, it possessed outstanding handling qualities, which were guaranteed by the powerful PW R-2800 engine. Combined with its robust structure, this enabled it to face the various types of Japanese fighters which were present in the Pacific Ocean theatre. The Hellcat entered service in 1943 & quickly became the standard fighter of the American Navy. Although initially used only as a fighter, it was later used an as air support aircraft for troops, using various size bombs & air-to-surface rockets. The F6 was used by the Royal Navy in Asia & the north Atlantic, while the French Navy, who received it after the war, used it until the mid 50s. ...