Dornier Do-X Flying Boat

Massive for its day and, with a greater wingspan than a Boeing 757, airliner-sized even today, the Doriner Do-X flying boat served as a luxurious means of interconental travel for up to 100 passengers in the early 1930s. Powered by twelve 600-horsepower V-12 piston engines, the 108,000-pound Do-X cruised at 110 mph for up to 920 nautical miles. Were it not for the effects of the Great Depression in 1929, it might have seen success as a trans-Atlantic airliner, but ultimately, only three were built and none survive today.

Dornier Do-X Flying Boat
Northrop HL-10 Lifting Body Aircraft
June 2, 2026

Northrop HL-10 Lifting Body Aircraft

To help study the science of spacecraft reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, NASA flew and evaluated various lifting-body aircraft.
Air-to-Air Artistry: The Story Behind an Iconic Aviation Photo
May 16, 2026

Air-to-Air Artistry: The Story Behind an Iconic Aviation Photo

In the 1970s, Paul Bowen broke the air-to-air photography formula to capture the Cessna Citation over the California coast. This is how he did it.
Rent-a-Plane: The Hertz Experiment That Vanished Into Thin Air
May 5, 2026

Rent-a-Plane: The Hertz Experiment That Vanished Into Thin Air

In the late 1950s, Hertz rented planes to anyone with a pilot’s license. Four years later, the program vanished. Here’s why.