Plane Tales

February 1956 and the RAF is proud of it’s fine new jet fighter, the Hawker Hunter.  Of course the occasional loss is to be expected but this day’s work ends up with questions being asked in Parliament and a surprise for the people of Swaffham!

Images under Creative Commons licence, by Alan Wilson and UK Gov OS.

A hijacking of an Air France A300 ends up in Uganda which is ruled by the despot Idi Amin.  The Israeli Commandos mount a rescue that stuns the world.

The survivors disembark at Ben Gurion airport.

Images under Creative Commons licence by SRA Andy Dunaway – DefenseImagery.mil and the Government Press Office (Israel).

How something small and insignificant distracted a crew to the point of disaster.  The story of Flight 401.

The flight path of Flight 401 recreated for the NTSB accident report.

Images under Creative Commons licence by Jon Proctor and US Gov NTSB.

For most of the holidays around Christmas are a time to enjoy and celebrate but during the World Wars the fighting never stopped.  This is the story of three brave pilots, each holding their countries highest awards for valour and each killed during Christmas in pursuit of the same aims, victory.

The Victoria Cross.

The Air Force Medal of Honor.

The Knight’s Cross.

Images under Creative Commons licence, Crown Copyright Commonwealth War Graves Commission,

To survive falling thousands of feet from a disintegrating airliner is a remarkable feat but that was just the start of the story!

A similar Lockheed Electra L-749 to LANSA flight 501.

Title image under Creative Commons licence by Trotterjt.

At Kitty Hawk the Wright Brothers take their first hops into the air but elsewhere in the world others were striving to be first!

Image under Creative Commons licence by W. B. Robinson.

US Pilots Fly in the Eagle Squadrons During WW II