The Vulcan was part of the RAF's V bomber force, which fulfilled the role of nuclear deterrence against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Avro Vulcan XH558 was the first Vulcan B2 to enter service with the RAF in July 1960, and the last to fly (with the RAF Vulcan Display Flight in 1992). The Vulcan to the Sky Trust is labouring to restore this historical aircraft, get it air-worthy and keep it that way. www.tvoc.co.uk
The Lightning was an all-British Mach 2 capable supersonic Cold War fighter/interceptor. RAF pilots described it as "being saddled to a skyrocket". Designed as an air superiority fighter, it's role was to defend mainland Britain against bomber attacks. The Lightning served RAF and the Royal Saudi Air Force between 1957 and 1988.
The BAC TSR-2 was to be the RAF's foremost combat aircraft for the 1960's onwards, replacing the Canberra in the Tactical Strike/Reconnaissance role. The aircraft was to have supersonic capability at tree-top height and was the first aircraft in the World to be equipped with a Head-Up-Display (HUD). The TSR project was subsequently murdered in 1964 by a short-sighted Labour government, and all project material and prototypes ordered destroyed. A decision motivated mostly by pressure from the US to not compete with their F-111 Aardvark in the global market. Music: Gary Jules - Mad World.
Developed for the USAF as reconnaissance aircraft more than 40 years ago, SR-71s are still the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft. The aircraft can fly more than 2200 mph (Mach 3+ or more than three times the speed of sound) and at altitudes of over 85,000 feet. As research platforms, the aircraft can cruise at Mach 3 for more than one hour.
14/10/1947, Captain Charles "Chuck" Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than sound. Yeager breaks the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 "Glamorous Glennis", named after his wife. He was able to reach 670-mph or Mach 1.015 at Muroc Dry Lake, California.
The A-10 was designed for high-survivability with a titanium cover surrounding both the cockpit, ammunition and fuel tank. Placement of the engines decreases the infrared signature lowering it's vulnerablity to heatseeking missiles and ground fire.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was a 4-engine American bomber, primarily employed in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets. In the Pacific, the planes earned a deadly reputation with the Japanese, who dubbed them "four-engine fighters." The Fortresses were also legendary for their ability to stay in the air after taking brutal poundings. They sometimes limped back to their bases with large chunks of the fuselage shot off.
A compilation of exploding rockets
One of the world's worst airshow disasters. Seventy-two spectators as well as three pilots were killed and 346 were seriously injured in the resulting explosion and fire. The event took place in front of an audience of 300,000 on 28/08/1988 at the Ramstein Air Base in the US.
Free daily horoscope for Sagittarius August 18, 2008
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