20th+: September 2020

The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns, also found in the Blackburn Roc of the Royal Navy.

In combat, the Defiant was found to be reasonably effective at destroying bombers but was vulnerable to the Luftwaffe's more manoeuvrable, single-seat Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. The lack of forward-firing armament proved to be a great weakness in daylight combat and its potential was realised only when it was converted to a night fighter. It eventually equipped thirteen squadrons in this role, compared to just two squadrons as a day-fighter. In mid-1942 it was replaced by better performing night-fighters, the Bristol Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito.

The Defiant continued to find use in gunnery training, target towing, electronic countermeasures and air-sea rescue. Among RAF pilots it had the nickname "Daffy".

Bristol Beaufighter - nightfighter of 219

.Most Underrated British Plane of WW2? - Spit, Beaufighter, Mosquito - Greg > .

Bristol Blenheim - nightfighters

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hipWoINtJX0 > .

Big Ego versus Dowding; nightfighters > .
? https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=secrets+of+war ?

A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time post-World War II) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility.

Bristol Blenheim
In the German night-bombing raid on London on 18 June 1940, Blenheims accounted for five German bombers, thus proving that they were better-suited for night fighting. In July, No. 600 Squadron, by then based at RAF Manston, had some of its Mk IFs equipped with AI Mk III radar. With this radar equipment, a Blenheim from the Fighter Interception Unit (FIU) at RAF Ford achieved the first success on the night of 2–3 July 1940, accounting for a Dornier Do 17 bomber. More successes came, and before long the Blenheim proved itself invaluable as a night fighter. Gradually, with the introduction of the Bristol Beaufighter in 1940–1941, the Blenheim was supplanted by its faster, better-armed descendant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Blenheim
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=293

Night Fighter Aircraft
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/nightfighter-aircraft.asp

Night fighters began to be used in World War I and included types that were specifically modified to operate at night.

During World War II, night fighters were either purpose-built or day fighters modified to be effective night fighting combat aircraft, often employing radar or other systems for providing some sort of detection capability in low visibility. Many WW II night fighters also included instrument landing systems for landing at night as turning on the runway lights made runways into an easy target for opposing intruders.

Avionics systems were greatly miniaturized over time allowing the addition of radar altimeter, terrain-following radar, improved instrument landing system (ILS), microwave landing system (MLS), Doppler weather radar, LORAN receivers, GEE, tactical air navigation system (TACAN), inertial navigation system (INS), GPS, and GNSS in aircraft. The addition of greatly improved landing and navigation equipment combined with radar led to the use of the term all-weather fighter or all-weather fighter attack, depending on the aircraft capabilities. The use of the term night fighter gradually faded away as a result of these improvements making the vast majority of fighters capable of night operation.

The Nazis invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, and by this time, the RAF were well advanced with plans to build a radar – then called 'RDF' in Britain – equipped night-fighter fleet. The Airborne Interception Mk. II radar (AI Mk. II) was being fit experimentally to a small number of Bristol Blenheim aircraft, having been selected for this role as its fuselage was sufficiently roomy to accommodate the additional crew member and radar apparatus; the first prototype system went into service in November 1939, long before the opening of major British operations. These early systems had significant practical problems, and while work was underway to correct these flaw, by the time the Blitz opened in August 1940, the night fighter fleet was still in its infancy.

Through this period, the RAF experimented with many other aircraft and interception methods in an effort to get a working night fighter force. One attempt to make up for the small number of working radars was to fit an AI to a Douglas Havoc bomber which also carried a searchlight in its nose. These Turbinlite aircraft were intended to find the targets and illuminate them with the searchlight, allowing Hurricanes adapted for night flying to shoot them down visually. This proved almost impossible to arrange in practice, and the Cat Eye fighters had little luck during the closing months of 1940. The Turbinlite squadrons were disbanded in early 1943.

By early 1941, the first examples of a production-quality radar, AI Mk. IV, were beginning to arrive. This coincided with the arrival of the Beaufighter, which offered significantly higher performance than the pre-war Blenheims; it was the highest performance aircraft capable of carrying the bulky early airborne interception radars used for night fighter operations, and quickly became invaluable as a night fighter. Over the next few months, more and more Beaufighters arrived and the success of the night fighters roughly doubled every month until May '41, when the Luftwaffe ended their bombing efforts. Although night bombing never ended, its intensity was greatly decreased, giving the RAF time to introduce the AI Mk. VIII radar working in the microwave band, and the de Havilland Mosquito to mount it. This combination remained the premier night fighter until the end of the war.

As the German effort wound down, the RAF's own bombing campaign was growing. The Mosquitos had little to do over the UK, so a number of squadrons were formed within No. 100 Group RAF and fit with special systems, such as Perfectos and Serrate, for homing-in on German night fighters. The British also experimented with mounting pilot-operated AI Mark 6 radar sets in single-seat fighters, and the Hurricane II C(NF), a dozen of which were produced in 1942, became the first radar-equipped, single-seat night fighter in the world. It served with 245 and 247 Squadrons briefly and unsuccessfully before being sent to India to 176 Squadron, with which it served until the end of 1943. A similarly radar-equipped Hawker Typhoon was also developed, but no production followed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_fighter
http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/nightfighter-aircraft.asp .

Bristol Blenheim
https://youtu.be/KEx1UQJ5sec?t=4m

https://www.youtube.com/user/BohemianEagle/playlists

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Corsair

Boyington Proves His F4U Corsair Has What It Takes > .

On September 16, 1943, Gregory “Pappy” Boyington returned to base having successfully shot down five Japanese “Zeroes.” It was proof that his F4U Corsair fighter plane could more than hold its own in the Pacific.

https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/air-warriors/zero/1003487/3467273 .

Friday, September 25, 2020

Dornier Do. 335

Dornier Do. 335 - Hitler's Steel Arrow > .

One of WWII's strangest aircraft, the Dornier 335 was also one of its best.

The Dornier Do 335 Pfeil ("Arrow") was a World War II heavy fighter built by the Dornier company. The two-seater trainer version was called Ameisenbär ("anteater"). The Pfeil's performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique push-pull configuration and the lower aerodynamic drag of the in-line alignment of the two engines. It was Nazi Germany's fastest piston-engined aircraft of World War II. The Luftwaffe was desperate to get the design into operational use, but delays in engine deliveries meant that only a handful were delivered before the war ended.

Maximum speed: 763 km (474 mph, 412 kn) at 6,500 m (21,300 ft)
A-6 690 km/h (430 mph; 370 kn) at 5,300 m (17,400 ft)
Cruise speed: 685 km (426 mph, 370 kn) at 7,200 m (23,600 ft)
Economical cruise speed: 452 km/h (281 mph; 244 kn) at 6,000 m (20,000 ft)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_335 .

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

F-35

Is The F-35 Worth $115 Million? > .
F-35, Why is it the Best Fighter in the World Today? - CuDr > .

Future Of The F-35 And The U.S. Air Force Fighter Fleet - CNBC > .

History's Most Wasteful Military Spending - Side > .

22-4-20 F-35 & USN - Binkov > .

22-3-30 Why is the Rafale outselling even the F-35? (since 2021) - Binkov > .

20-7-3 Top 10 most numerous fighter jets in service today (mid 2020) - Binkov > .

Expensive F-35 Development (21st) ..

F-35 ..

F-35 failure? ..

Military R&D Dead Ends - 21st ⇼

F-35 failure?

.Has The F-35 Failed? Plans to build a new fighter to replace F-16 > .

History's Most Wasteful Military Spending - Side > .

22-4-20 F-35 & USN - Binkov > .

Expensive F-35 Development (21st) ..

F-35 ..

F-35 failure? ..

Military R&D Dead Ends - 21st ⇼

Fighter development

.The Insane Engineering of the Spitfire (vs BF-109) - Real Engineering > .

Supermarine Spitfire | Effective WW2 Fighter Aircraft - HiHi > .

Fighter development
The Evolution of the Fighter in World War II: The World War II period saw the development of the fighter aircraft from the biplane through to the introduction of the first jet fighter aircraft. Aircraft featured in this volume include the Mustang, Spitfire, Hurricane, Bf 109, Bf 110, P-40, P-38 and A6M Zero.

Clash of Wings - Discovery Channel - playlist
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCD409097FB2DA594

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clash_of_Wings .

Great Machines 1930s - Supermarine Spitfire > .

The Insane Engineering of the Spitfire - Real Engineering > .

Meredith Effect > .

A prototype of Russia's prospective fighter jet was displayed at the MAKS-2021 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Zhukovsky, Russia, July 20, 2021.

The Sukhoi Su-75 "Checkmate" (Сухой Су-75; LTS, short for Light Tactical Aircraft in Russian), is a single-engine, fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft under development by Sukhoi for export and for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Sukhoi Design Bureau also designates the aircraft as T-75 with marked registration RF-0075.

A prototype was unveiled at the 2021 MAKS air show with President of Russia Vladimir Putin in attendance. The Checkmate's maiden flight is expected in 2023 and initial deliveries are planned for 2026-2027. The Checkmate is designed to be low cost and for export, and may compete with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and Shenyang FC-31 aircraft of the same light to medium-weight category. Production is forecast to be 300 planes over 15 years.

According to the chief executive of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, the LTS ‘Checkmate’ Fighter Jet is expected to cost US $25-30 million each. Rostec is anticipating that Argentina, India and Vietnam are primary export destinations of the aircraft, as well as some African countries could buy the aircraft.

The Sukhoi Su-57 (Сухой Су-57; NATO reporting name: Felon) is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth multirole fighter developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The aircraft is the product of the PAK FA (ПАК ФА, short for: Перспективный авиационный комплекс фронтовой авиации, Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, lit. ''prospective aeronautical complex of front-line air forces'') fighter programme that would form the basis for a family of stealth combat aircraft. Sukhoi's internal designation for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is the first fighter in Russian military service to feature stealth technology.

According to Sukhoi, the multirole fighter is designed to have supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and integrated avionics to overcome the previous generations fighter aircraft as well as ground and naval defences. The Su-57 is intended to succeed the MiG-29 and Su-27 in the Russian Air Force and entered service in December 2020. The fighter is expected to have a service life of up to 35 years.

Overhyped?
00:00 - Intro
00:38 - Expert: Justin Bronk
00:58 - Russian Air Power since Cold War
05:53 - Technical difference: East vs West
11:35 - Su57: Russian Stealth
15:06 - The Scary Stuff
21:31 - Major recent changes for Russian Aerospace
27:17 - Recommendations

Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8

Focke Wulf Fw 190 A-8 walkaround > .

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Pt. 1, design philosophy and features > .
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Pt.2 > .

A lot of the characteristics that make the 190 a deadly fighter are difficult to quantify. It's not the planes speed, maneuverability or any other easy to measure performance standard. In fact, for most of the war, it's performance was only about average as compared with other front line fighters. What made the 190 special was the designer Kurt Tank's design philosophy which was unusual at the time.

Focke-Wulf Ta 152 H-1 Extreme Speed At High Altitudes > .

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Gloster Gladiator (SS.37)

Gladiator - The Forgotten Battle of Britain Fighter - mfp > .

The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s.

Developed privately as the Gloster SS.37, it was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it was being introduced. Though often pitted against more formidable foes during the early days of the Second World War, it acquitted itself reasonably well in combat.

The Gladiator saw action in almost all theatres during the Second World War, with a large number of air forces, some of them on the Axis side. The RAF used it in France, Norway, Greece, the defence of Malta, the Middle East, and the brief Anglo-Iraqi War (during which the Royal Iraqi Air Force was similarly equipped). Other countries deploying the Gladiator included China against Japan, beginning in 1938; Finland (along with Swedish volunteers) against the Soviet Union in the Winter War and the Continuation War; Sweden as a neutral non-combatant (although Swedish volunteers fought for Finland against USSR as stated above); and Norway, Belgium, and Greece resisting Axis invasion of their respective lands.

The South African pilot Marmaduke "Pat" Pattle was the top Gladiator ace with 15 victories with the type.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloster_Gladiator

Surplus Power (Western Desert, Siege of Μalta)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpg2RML3ELA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrpWcm8V3k4 .

Monday, September 21, 2020

Hurricane

Sea Hurricane > .
The Only Surviving Sea Hurricane | Restoration Classics > .

Between 1936 and 1944, 14,231 Hawker Hurricanes were built of which about 20 remain. This is the story of the restoration of the oldest and rarest, the only surviving Sea Hurricane out of 700 converted during WWII.

Hawker Hurricane Heist - The Spy Who Stole an RAF Fighter > .