The dream of flight began with makeshift wings bound to men’s arms which, like Icarus from Green mythology failed, often with deadly results.  This is the story of the pioneers who took to the air under their own power.

Zaschka’s Human-Power Aircraft, Berlin 1934.

SUMPAC was the first successful human powered aircraft.

The Gossamer Albatross II is seen here during a test flight at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Centre, Edwards, California.

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Madrid, Museo del Prado, Popular Science, Nimbus227 and NASA.

The Vickers VC10 was an aircraft that was ahead of its time.  Sleek, fast and powerful it was designed to please an airline which then turned its back on it.  However, the VC10 won the hearts of many.

The RAF version of the VC10, the K3.

The VC10 flight deck including the ‘voice activated throttles’!

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Bahnfrend, Steve Fitzgerald and Chris Lofting.

Despite being injured during a civil war and losing the sight of an eye, Carlos Dardano became a B737 Captain for TACA.  On descent into New Orleans, he strayed into a thunderstorm with disastrous consequences.  The fate of the aircraft its crew and passengers now depended on the flying skills of the Captain.

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to US Gov, NTSB and other sources.

During the height of the Cold War, a most unlikely spy plane gathered intelligence over East Germany on behalf of the Western allies.  This is the little known story of the British Commander’s in Chief Mission to the Soviet forces in Germany!

The BRIXMIS logo.

The de Havilland Chipmunk.

A Soviet BMP photographed whilst a soldier aims at the Chipmunk!

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to UK Gov (BRIXMIS) under Crown Copyright, Peter Farey, Adrian Pingstone and Roy Marsden.

A rookie B17 pilot on his first mission over Germany struggling home in his crippled aircraft and a veteran Me109 fighter pilot with 27 kills and over 400 combat missions flown, meet in the air.  The result should have been obvious but…

Boeing B-17F radar bombing through clouds over Bremen, Germany, on Nov. 13, 1943. (U.S. Air Force photo)

A B17 formation over Germany.

An Me109 of Jagdgeschwader 27.

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the US Gov and the Bundesarchiv.

Two tragic stories of aircraft losses that, in the most benign of circumstances, may well have resulted from letting a family member sit at the controls.

An EC135.

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Michel Gilland and the US Gov.

Hansard in the document that contains, what is referred to as, the substantially verbatim account of every speech made in the Houses of Parliament since 1909.  It’s pages reveal some remarkable stories such as these military aircraft that were stolen… they included the purloining of a USAF B45 Tornado nuclear bomber!

North American XB-45 cutaway drawing. (U.S. Air Force photo)

A pair of A4 Skyhawks.

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, nicknamed the Huey.

The missing B727 registration N844AA.

Photographs under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the US Gov and RuthAS.

Stories of aircraft that vanish without trace are bound to fascinate us.  The controversial disappearance of House Majority Member Boggs, seen in the title image with President Lyndon B Johnson, gave rise to much speculation as he was part of the Warren Commission which was investigating the assassination of JFK.  In another story we look at the life of the Flying Bandit… a gentleman Canadian gold thief!

A Cessna 310

The Flying Bandit

Images shown under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the US Gov, Rob Hodgkins and Skol fir.

The Modernist dream that was the Bijlmermeer had its problems and the last thing it needed was for a crippled aircraft to wreak destruction amongst its dwellers.  This is the tragic story of El Al 1862 and the fate of the Amsterdam neighbourhood it fell into.

Images made available under a Creative Commons licence and GNU Free Documentation Licence by Maaike98, D Frame and Torsten Maiwald.

The last of the 3 part interview with Sir Glen Torpy.  We chat about his work in some of the most demanding jobs to be found in the RAF, culminating with his appointment as the Chief of the Air Staff.  If you want to find out about the decision to remove the Harrier from service or what’s happening to the RAF Museums then this is one to listen to.