Free Republic

This may be the single greatest aviation story ever told, it’s about the iconic SR-71 Blackbird whose full operating specs are still classified to this day. The story, from the now out-of-print book Sled Driver by former SR-71 jockey Brian Shul (available used on Amazon for just $700). Here’s the ultimate aviation troll: There were a lot of things we couldn’t do in an SR-71, but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun...

Earlier this year we talked about some of the initial flight testing of the new F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter which was largely completed between January and April. After more than a trillion dollars in development costs and constant questions from critics both inside and outside the aerospace industry, the early look by the military was promising. The testing lined the fighter up against some of the current fleet of similar planes and tested basic operations and “basic fighter maneuvers.” With a few minor exceptions the plane seemed to be getting a thumbs up.But there was a second, more...

WWII fighter plane hailed the 'aviation equivalent of Tutankhamun's Tomb' found preserved in the Sahara A Second World War aeroplane that crash landed in the Sahara Desert before the British pilot walked to his death has been found almost perfectly preserved 70 years later. Most of its cockpit instruments are intact and it still had it guns and ammunition before they were seized by the Egyptian military. There are also signs of the makeshift camp the pilot made alongside the fuselage. No human remains have been found but it is thought the pilot may lie within a 20 mile radius...

Russia has grounded all of its Su-27 fighters. At least until it can be determined what caused one to crash on January 14th, 30 kilometers from its airbase at Dzemga (in the Far East). The pilot died in the crash, but the flight recorder was recovered. Last year, two Su-27s crashed. The Su-27, which entered service 25 years ago, is showing its age. It's still a first line fighter, but is fading fast. Last year, the U.S. bought two Su-27 fighters from Ukraine, to be used to help train American pilots to cope with the growing number of Su-27 and...

A TV frame shows spectators looking on as a SU-27 fighter plane crashes while performing maneuvers at an airshow near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, July 27, 2002. The Ukrainian fighter jet hurtled to the ground and cartwheeled into a ball of flame during an airshow at Lviv on Saturday, killing around 40 and injuring dozens of spectators, officials said. REUTERS TELEVISION