Military aviation
Engineering in its historical context, with room for the people and consequences behind the machines.
Read the purpose and the period
A piston fighter, a Cold War bomber and a reconnaissance aircraft were designed around different tasks. The interesting comparison is often the problem each designer faced, rather than a competition for the biggest performance number.
A responsible history
Aircraft histories include people who built, maintained and flew them, and people harmed by war. Our pages focus on recognition, design and historical context. Museum records and testimony can take that conversation further.
Supermarine Spitfire I
Recognise the wing; remember the people.
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Avro Lancaster I
An airframe, a crew and an industrial undertaking.
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Avro Vulcan B2
The delta wing on a monumental scale.
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Lockheed SR-71A
A reconnaissance aircraft shaped around extraordinary speed.
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Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4
A modern fast jet with a different wing-and-control layout.
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