Designed by the Aero Vodochody team under chief designer Jan VlÄek, the prototype Aero L-39, actually the second aircraft built, first flew on November 4, 1969. Full scale production began in 1971 to equip the
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The success of the Bell Huey family is an astounding achievement in rotary winged design; some of the first helicopters built in the 1960s are still in regular use today. Firstly, I have to apologise
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Few aircraft have the ability to radiate menace like the Focke-Wulf Fw 190. Its angular canopy, sharp fuselage, bulging radial-engined nose and heavy weaponry all say ‘threat’ and they do not say it very quietly.
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With a unique design that caused the first RAF engineer who saw one to question if it had been delivered the right way up, the F-4 Phantom – or ‘Toom’ as it is popularly known
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As all of you know who read this page it’s the hardest thing in the magazine for me, this one doubly so because this is a subject that means a great deal to me. I
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Funny old thing, but here I am stuck on this page again, it’s 04.00 (What’s the O stand for? O my God it’s early!) and I have too much to say as usual for the
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One thing I have learned is that each subject of Aviation Classics presents its own unique difficulties. What is there to say about the DC-3/C-47 that has not already been said many times? I would
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As anyone who reads this page knows, it’s the one I have trouble with. Yep, this is the 24th draft, so I am not doing well. As usual, it was an influence completely outside the
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In 1978, one of the finest minds of the 20th century, philosopher, historian and scientist James Burke, wrote and presented a television series called Connections; An alternative view of change. As a teenager I watched
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Welcome to the second edition of Aviation Classics supported by the aviation industry. Joining Saab, we would like to thank RUAG Aviation, the Swiss aerospace group that maintains, upgrades and supports the Swiss Air Force
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