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A “Wonder Weapon” Against Japan? The American V-1
Posted on Aug 19, 2020
The V-1 cruise missile was not the war-changing weapon Nazi leaders hoped it would be but the American military set out to copy it for use against Japan prior to an invasion.
Topics: Military aviationMissilesWar and ConflictWorld War II
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Curtiss SB2C Helldiver: The “Big-Tailed Beast”
Posted on Aug 17, 2020
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver could have been the U.S. Navy’s frontline carrier-based dive bomber for much of World War II, but problems with its development delayed its introduction and saddled it with a bad reputation.
Topics: AviationAircraftNaval aviationWeaponsWorld War II
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Beneath the Surface: Audrey Flack’s Photorealism
Posted on Aug 14, 2020
Viewing the painting Spitfire, 1973, by photorealist painter Audrey Flack is like looking at a plane spotting puzzle.
Topics: ArtWorld War II
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Building the U.S. Air Force: The Legacy of World War II Aces
Posted on Aug 13, 2020
Curator of U.S. Air Force History Mike Hankins looks at the post-World War II careers of three Air Force aces.
Topics: Military aviationPeopleWorld War II
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Defending the Superbomber: The B-29’s Central Fire Control System
Posted on Aug 12, 2020
Aeronautics curator Christophere Moore explores one important advancement on the B-29 Superfortress: its central fire control system.
Topics: AviationAircraftWar and ConflictWeaponsWorld War II
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Japanese Wonder Weapons
Posted on Aug 11, 2020
Aeronautics curator Bob van der Linden discusses the last-minute "wonder weapons" planned by Japan in the final days of World War II.
Topics: AircraftWar and ConflictWeaponsWorld War II
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75 Years Ago: The Flight of the Enola Gay
Posted on Aug 05, 2020
On August 6, 1945, the crew of a modified Boeing B-29 Superfortress named Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb used in warfare, called “Little Boy,” on the city of Hiroshima, Japan.
Topics: AviationAircraftWar and ConflictWorld War II
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Felice Figus, Regia Aeronautica Pilot
Posted on Jul 30, 2020
Curator Alex Spencer tells the story of Felice Figus.
Topics: AviationPeopleWorld War II
Story
Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden Kai GEORGE
Posted on Jul 27, 2020
Curator Russ Lee discusses the lesser-known Japanese fighter aircraft Shiden Kai.
Topics: AviationAircraftMilitary aviationWorld War II
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Better Propellers for “The Few”: Desmond Cooke’s Legacy in the Battle of Britain
Posted on Jul 10, 2020
Curator Jeremy Kinney explores the contribution of Royal Air Force leader Desmond Cooke to the improvement of Supermarine Spitfires prior to the Battle of Britain.
Topics: AviationAircraftTechnology and EngineeringWorld War II