The Avro Manchester was a disaster as an aircraft. But from inauspicious beginnings came a legend - the Lancaster.
The Avro Manchester; Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow
Playlist - WW2
The Belyaev DB-LK; How Many Ideas Can a Designer Sandwich into an Aircraft?
Combining a semi-flying wing – which were incidentally swept forward – an four crew sandwiched into engine nacelles, the DB-LK was unique.
The CAC CA-15 “Kangaroo’; Aussie Mega-Mustang
Often thought of as a beefed-up Australian version of the P-51D Mustang, in fact the CA-15 was inspired by the German Focke Wulf FW 190!
The Martin Baker MB.5; Best British Fighter to Never Serve?
Adored by the pilots who flew it, the Martin Baker MB.5 represents the prop fighter in it’s final – and arguably finest – form.
The Martin Baker MB.3; Heavy Hitting Fighter That Has Saved Thousands
A prototype fighter which had the heaviest armament in the world, the loss of the MB.3 led to developments that saved thousands of lives.
Swiss…Sturmovik? The EKW C-36
The Swiss, cut off from foreign designs during World War Two, created a unique multirole attack fighter that defended their skies.
The Koolhoven F.K.58; A Dutch Fighter Used by Poles Fighting for the French
Designed and built for the French by an obscure Dutch aircraft company, the F.K.58 ended up flying with a Free Polish Unit.
Americans Flying for Britain; The Eagle Squadrons
Americans keen to get into the war against Germany flocked to join the Eagle Squadrons of the RAF in World War Two.
The Blackburn Roc; A Terrible Fighter but a Good Idea?
The Blackburn Roc is rated as one of the worst “fighters” ever designed. But let’s look at the method behind the madness.
The Blackburn Skua; Fighting Dive-Bomber or Dive-Bombing Fighter?
Built to a be both a dive-bomber and a fighter, the Skua was outclassed from the start. Despite this, it did remarkably well in the first 18 months of World War Two.
