rec.aviation.military added. "Brash" wrote in message ... They should lease 24 F-15E's until JSF come on-line. JSF = F-35? The Air Force should lease F-16Es (http://tinyurl.com/2vdm7) as a replacement for the F/A-18...

I saw the new Thunderbird team at Moffett a couple weeks ago. These guys are good. They are very good. They have a hokey introduction with the "sharp young officer" act being overdone, but what the hell, the purpose is recruitment, so I guess the over-enthuiastic rah-rah is just part of...

THE FRENCH WAR FOR OIL By KENNETH R. TIMMERMAN ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Email Archives Print Reprint

My subscriptions are coming due on some of my aviation periodicals. Any recommendations for journals to keep current on world military aviation? I'll keep AWST, but find the UK magazines fairly expensive for the amount of information they provide - and I don't need endless lists of serial numbers.

I was talking with a colleague in my office in Belmont, California yesterday, when I a B-24 flew into view in my window, heading north towards SFO. "Jeez, Jeff, it's a B-24!" I assume it's in the San Francisco area for an airshow. Anyone know anything more?

I have been wondering why were so few WW2 aircraft designs "stretched" in order to get more performance or payload? I know of the FW 190D which was stretched in the aft fuselage section in order to compensate for the installation of Jumo V 12 engine. Could other designs have benefitted from the...

Does anyone know what airport in Ireland would have the most antique, classic or warbird aircraft? Would such aircraft be visible to a road bound visitor? Thanks to all, John Dupre'

OK I know a lot about Douglas Bader. I want to know more about a Soviet pilot named Alexei Maraslev or some version of that. Christophers old book Air Aces has a an intriguing story about this Guards Regiment Major who was shot down and spent 19 days crawling through woods on injured legs. ...

I hope I have the acronym written correctly. Does anyone know of a book written about the Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit, SouthEast Asia? This was a unit that tested captured Japanese aircraft in that region. I just saw a reference that indicates they were using Japanese pilots to test...

I have recently learned about Douglas Pitcairn a Luftwaffe pilot who flew with the Condor Legion in Spain. The article didn't describe how someone with such an English sounding name ended up in Spain. At first I thought he might be an English volunteer for Franco but since the Condor Legion was...

During the week of President Reagan's death and funeral I heard on one radio station that President Bush allowed the 747 carrying Reagan's body to Washington DC to be designated Air Force One for that trip. Does anyone know if this is true. I wasn't able to watch or read as much about it as I...

Yesterday May 7, 2004 a 1942 vintage Cessna T-50 popularly known as a bamboo bomber was lost near Sharon, MA. The pilot was killed and the aircraft destroyed. The pilot reported some kind of engine problem and was apparently planning to ditch in a nearby reservoir but crashed on land. Pilot was...

I have just recieved the one of the latest books in Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series, number 59 Israeli Mirage/Nesher Aces. I have only just begun reading it but in the captions and list of aces its states pretty clearly that the number two ace of the Israel Air Force is Avraham Shalmon with...

Just when did various nations adopt the various cross and cockade or roundel insignia? Was it after WW1 started and the need for recognition became apparent or did some nations adopt an insignia before WW1? When did the US adopt the Star with a dot insignia? I know that they used a roundel style...

I have been watching the DVD of Dark Blue World the film about Czech fighter pilots in WW2. In the first scenes of the movie the pilots are training in Czechoslovakia before the German invasion. Several of the aircraft are clearly Bucker Jungmann types but there is another that is different. The...

I have the basic information concerning a family friend who was KIA in Italy during WW2. The information comes from the American Battle Monuments Commission and includes his name, service number, squadron and group. How could I determine which aircraft he was flying in and whether it carried a...

I have read that Luftwaffe pilots were surprised by the ruggedness and armor of the Ilyushin 2 Stormovik and it took some time for them to understand and exploit its few weaknesses namely the exposed oil cooler. German ground troops are supposed to have feared the Stormovik more than any other...

Can anyone point me to a site with current photos of the Breuget 14A2 being restored in Finland. Only site I can find has photos from 2000. Thanks to all. John Dupre'

I'm looking for more info, manuals,... about a WWI military airplane "FARMAN F40" (approx. 1916). Can anybody help?! THX. Please reply to

Hi, Has anyone seen the current condition of the A-12 Blackbird residing at the Intrepid Museum? To my eyes, she is deteriorating rather badly. If you care to see current pictures please visit http://www.savetheblackbird.com. PLease be advised that the Intrepid has now moved her to the left side...