P-38 Lightnings on Carrier Deck
Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and North American P-51 Mustangs are transported aboard a US Navy escort carrier enroute to Europe during WWII. While neither of these types were capable of operating from a carrier, they were commonly disassembled and loaded onto lighter escort carriers for long-distance transport. Wings, propellers, and control surfaces were removed and engines and canopies were covered for protection from the elements during the transport.
Topics Related To: AVIATION HISTORY
The McDonnell XP-67 “Moonbat” Represented Ambition Outpacing Engineering
The McDonnell XP-67 “Moonbat” combined cutting-edge technologies, including a blended-wing body and Continental XL-1430 engines, in pursuit of 472 mph performance. Engine overheating and aerodynamic instability ended the ambitious program before it could reach production.
From Business Jet to Spy Plane: How a Civilian Jet Design Nearly Became a Military Surveillance Platform
Grob’s G600 concept would have converted a business jet into a 65,000-foot spy plane with 33 hours of endurance.
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.
