what-if

IOW - earlier & greater cooperation with SAAB and the British companies, while the cooperation between the later and the French and other European NATO is much smaller? Draken was powered by the British engine, Viggen was supposed to be powered by the Medway, while the Gripen should've been just...

As any deeply invested Spitfire fan knows, the intended major developments never eventuated and the history of the Spitfire was one of interim variants that did very well. The dead ends are as follows: SPITFIRE III: Merlin 20 development with four cannon and major airframe revisions; abandoned...

I saw a B58 Hustler for the first time the other day, I was surprised by how small it was. I also finally understand what the combination fuel-weapon store is and does. Was the design too specific and limited to remain in service beyond 1969? Could it have carried SRAMs or other advanced...

Like those of most countries, US Army tanks have relentlessly increased in weight since the M4 Sherman in World War 2. As you have heard, for decades now voices have advocated entirely replacing the M1 Abrams with a much smaller, lighter tank, even a wheeled vehicle. The lighter tank would have...

I found this photograph on tvd.im, a website that covers militaria and sundries. The entry and caption were for a Curtis SC Seahawk. Obviously, this ain’t it, but what is it? I did a cursory look at Luft’46 didn’t come up with anything that looks like this seaplane. The tail looks like it came...

Excerpt from i need to get pictures, real pictures of this beauty

In 1960 some 64 Canberra B2 & B6 in 4 sqns based in Britain and assigned to SACEUR were replaced by 24 Valiants in 3 sqns. Despite the significant decrease in numbers this was considered a net benefit because of the Valiant's all weather capabilities. By 1964 the RAF still had 9 sqns of Canberra...

Pretty sure this is the right place on the forum to post this kind of topic. If not, please move and let me know where I should have posted it, please! "The reason that Space Force became naval culture, and not Air Force." I have an idea for a short story, it involves at least a total crew...

Did Canada ever consider the A4 Skyhawk for its carrier aviation and Norway reinforcement role (instead of F5)? Would have been able to operate with USN/USMC.

In the very first Thnunderbirds Episode "Trapped in the Sky" the London Airport building features the letters BAOC (based on the British Airways predecessor BOAC) as a rival to the Air Terrainean company who flew the Fireflash. As a BOAC fan I always hoped to see the BAOC version. So 50 years...

The RAF wereallocated three Concordes from the so-called white tail fleet at Filton by the Callaghan Government in 1980. This surprise decision was nearly as much of a shock as the Labour Party's 1978 victory. One of the aircraft was re-painted in the distinctive colours of the Queen's Flight...

Hello there, long time lurker, first time poster as they say, so my first post is a spot of a challenge. The Cold War instead of ending when it did thanks to Mr Gorbachev being a realist, has continued through to 18th October 2012, NATO forces are now in the process of being reduced, so think...

Well, don't forget Iran... it's a well-known fact that some upgraded Arrows found their way to Iran in 1972. The Shah was exasperated by Soviet Mig-25RB overflying its country... Phantoms were not powerfull enough, F-14 and F-15 were prototypes five years from export... Iranian Arrows scared...

Over many years I have gathered together brochures and artwork (cards ads etc) for the Boeing SST So far I have artwork for the following: Airlift (photo of broken model from ebay) Alitalia (drawing in brochure) Braniff (image from Internet site) Continental (photo of model in brochure-meatball...

American studies into a supersonic transport go back to the 1950s when various versions were proposed by Convair based on the B-58 Hustler. Things remained paper studies until John F. Kennedy moved plans ahead in July of 1961 with the formation of a presidential committee made up of members of...