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• Squadron Leader Cwynar Michal DFC

  Michał Cwynar DFC was a Polish fighter ace of the Polish Air Force in World War II with 5 confirmed kills and one shared.

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• A-12 Blackbird (1) - High and fast

  If the key to the survival of the U-2 was access, which was beyond the capabilities of its generation fighters, another aircraft from "Skunk Works" was to have, in addition to fantastic access, a speed that designers had never dreamed of until then. In addition to increasing speed, the designers in the construction of the new aircraft for the first time ever purposefully focused on reducing the effective RCS. This miracle technique was called the A-12 Blackbird.

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• A-5 Vigilante 01 - at the forefront of progress

  Since the end of World War II, the US Navy has sought to build its own fleet of aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons - independently of the Air Force, which has instead sought to maintain a monopoly. When the sailors succeeded, it was time to attack the sound barrier.

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• A-5 Vigilante 02 - the bright eyes of the fleet

  When the USN gave up its ambition to own nuclear bombers in 1963 under pressure from the USAF, it was left with modern A-5A aircraft, which it incurred at considerable cost. Now it was necessary to figure out what to do with them in order to maximize the benefits and minimize the resulting financial loss.

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• A7V - The Emperor's new tanks

  While during World War II, German tank technology was on the rise, during World War I this was not the case. The Germans became interested in tanks relatively late - and in the end it turned out that the imperial army had more captured tanks of the treaty powers at its disposal than their own.

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• AH-1 Cobra - Norm of combat helicopter

  It is not so long ago that the term combat helicopter was associated with the name Cobra. Since then, combat helicopters of various designs have entered the arsenal of many states, for which the Cobras were a standard of quality. Since then, they have undergone a long evolution and the number of their variants has exhausted the alphabet.

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• AH-64D Longbow Apache

  The AH-64A embodied the knowledge bought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars by the blood of the pilots of the first armed and combat helicopters. For a long time, he became the standard of a combat helicopter, which was able to decimate the enemy's tank columns. But technology from the early 70's has some limitations. Therefore, it was necessary to develop the AH-64D Longbow Apache, which significantly expanded the capabilities of the original helicopter.

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• Action sets of books published by Naše vojsko

  On the occasion of broadcasting the series Aircraft Carrier Enterprise, the publishing house Naše vojsko prepared action sets of books at discounted prices. This offer is valid only for the duration of this ten-part broadcast of the series.

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• An-71 - Soviet mini AWACS

  Early warning aircraft represent a significant expansion of the Air Force's capabilities, as they are able to detect targets much earlier than ground-based radars. As a result, the Air Force itself has much more time to respond adequately. Deployment can be directly proportional to the threat, which increases the efficiency of managing dedicated forces.

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• Bartini VVA-14 - Amphibian plane with vertical takeoff and landing

  When you visit the VVS museum in Monino, you will definitely not miss the wreck of the machine, which does not resemble any known aircraft or even approximately. It stands on a tandem chassis, while it has massive floats and an incredibly thick centerplane. In the grass are wings with such a small depth of profile that they look as if they did not even belong to the aircraft, and a short sideways of an empty engine nacelle. The civil matriculation CCCP-10687 is also interesting. It is a seaplane wreck with a vertical takeoff and landing Bartini VVA-14

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• Beaufighter 01 - Successful emergency

  When German bombers began raids on London and other British cities, they had to do without a fighter escort, because the Bf 109 did not have the necessary range. Darkness was supposed to protect them. The British had to react - fortunately they already had a new weapon in their hands, which was called Beau for short.

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• Beaufighter 02 - Advances in technology

  Despite initial difficulties, Bristol Beaufighter finally proved that he could find and shoot down German bombers even in the dark. The first steps of the night fighter were shy, but the crews gradually gained experience and more victories. Heaven over Britain and not only over it ceased to be safe for the Germans at night.

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• Berjev R, R-1, R-2 - The first Soviet jet flying boats

  The first Soviet jet flying boat. Because the Soviet Union did not have aircraft carriers and did not own long-range bombers, some tasks had to be performed by flying boats. Their tasks were to include attacking enemy naval alliances, but the road to such an aircraft was long and the concept became obsolete before it went into production.

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• Lightnings in the sky 01 - P-38 Lightning - First Light

  Some fighters, especially in English-speaking countries, do not only bear the type designation, but have their own names. And what name represents speed and power, ie the qualities that a fighter should have, above all, better than lightning? Probably none. Let's see how it went with those Lightning bolts.

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• Lightnings in the sky 02 - P-38 Lightning - the girl for everything

  The P-38 Lightning was created as a long-range high-altitude fighter, but during its career it performed a number of tasks for which it was not originally designed. And he withstood almost all of them with honor.

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• Lightning in the sky 03 - P-38 Lightning - What was he like?

  There were many articles about aircraft P-38 Lightning. Some reviews weren't too flattering. Unfortunately, some of these allegations survive to this day.

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• Lightnings in the sky 04 - BAC Lightning - Across the border of the sound barrier

  The English Electric Lightning aircraft was born in the British Isles. Its construction was relatively specific, as were the country of origin and the nation that created it. He honored his name. It was the first aircraft that could exceed the speed of sound without the use of additional combustion.

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• Lightnings in the sky 05 - BAC Lightning - Twice as fast as sound

  In the last part, we learned the background to the development of the first and only purely British supersonic fighter aircraft. The boundaries of his performances kept moving forward. But there was not much missing and the phenomenal plane never had to get into regular service.

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• Lightnings in the sky 06 - BAC Lightning - Breeding of the genus

  In the early 1960s, the production of British Lightnings began to pick up. The number of units armed with them was growing. Improvements have been applied to the new versions, which have so far been tested on prototypes or pre-production aircraft.

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• Lightnings in the sky 07 - BAC Lightning - End of Career

  The single-seater variants of the Lightning aircraft became the basis for the development of other versions. Two-seater for retraining and training of new pilots as well as export machines, offered to traditional and some other potential customers.

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• Lightnings in the sky 08 - F-35 Lightning II - The birth of a new generation

  Tests of the new universal aircraft are currently underway, which should be unique in all respects. This is the largest contract in the history of the Air Force, in which many countries participate. It is assumed that after a long time, it will be an aircraft that will experience thousands of series. It has already received its combat name: F-35 Lightning II.

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• Lightnings in the sky 09 - F-35 Lightning II - JSF takes shape

  JSF is a program that includes so many conflicting requirements that have never been faced before by any team of designers. To meet them, it was necessary to carefully choose the basic configuration, so that after minimal modifications to suit all armed forces participating in the program.

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• Lightnings in the sky 10 - F-35 Lightning II - The first does not mean a winner

  The aircraft test program of the technological demonstrators of the JSF program was the battle of two groups associating the largest aircraft manufacturers. The results of the tests and the final decision of the commission depended on who won the contract of the century, probably one of the last piloted attack aircraft.

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• Lightnings in the sky 11 - F-35 Lightning II - Start of series production

  The JSF program had its winner, but it has not been won by far. The very start of series production was in danger several times and it was not at all certain how many F-35 Lightning II and which variants will be ordered in the end.

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• Lightnings in the sky 12 - He-70 - German Blitz according to the American model

  When I planned the Lightning in the Sky series, I assumed it would only include airplanes called Lightning. But after the last part was published, I received a number of e-mails warning that the "lightning bolts" also flew in other countries and how it is possible that they were not mentioned in the series, or how I intend to correct this wrong. So I put an imaginary shovel of ash on my head - and we go for them.

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• Lightnings in the sky 13 - Ar 234 Blitz - The first jet reconnaissance aircraft

  The development of fighter jets during World War II jumped a huge step forward. If at the beginning of the aircraft flew at a speed of about 500 km / h and they had enough engine with a power of about 1000 horsepower, at the end of the war fighters flew at a speed of 750 km / h, but the engine power had to double. Reciprocating engines have reached the limit.

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• Lightnings in the sky 14 - Ar 234 Blitz - The first jet bomber

  At a time when the invasion of the European continent was about to fall, the Germans tried to deploy the Arado 234 jet reconnaissance aircraft as quickly as possible. They only succeeded after the landing of Allied troops. Nevertheless, they are the leaders in the operational deployment of this category of aircraft. And what were the other fates of the plane?

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• Lightnings in the sky 15 - Ar 234 Blitz - Caesar and others

  The Arado Ar 234 aircraft became the first jet reconnaissance aircraft and the first jet bomber. However, its first deployment revealed some weaknesses in the design. One of the biggest was the low power of the power units and their poor reliability.

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• Lightnings in the Sky 16 - Macchi C.200 Saetta - Lightning of Mr. Castoldi

  Another company that named its products lightning was the famous Italian company Macchi. Her fighters were called Saetta and Folgore in Italian. Saetta means lightning or also an arrow in the sense of their speed, Folgore is a more literary term for lightning as a natural phenomenon or flash.

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• Lightnings in the sky 17 - Macchi C.200 Saetta - For the first time in combat

  Due to delays in the introduction of production and other difficulties, the C.200 Saetta aircraft did not fight in France, although Italy declared war on it. They had to wait until the next campaign, this time against the British. The target was Malta.

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• Lightnings in the sky 18 - Macchi C.202 Folgore - A dream come true

  The second Macchi aircraft, named Lightning - Folgore, was the successful C.202. The hand of the talented designer Mario Castoldi did not deny its design. This was finally a dream come true and a powerful liquid-cooled fork engine was available.

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• Lightnings in the Sky 19 - Macchi C.202 Folgore - Combat Spurs

  Macchi C.202 Folgore was together with the derived C.205 Veltro considered the best Italian fighter. His only weakness was light armament without cannons. Nevertheless, this aircraft allowed many Italian pilots to gain the status of aces and was deployed during several campaigns.

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• Fighting machines - F/A-18 Hornet

  The US military has a plane in its arsenal, which is a symbol of the will to win - because at first no one wanted the plane. The switching the switch can change it from a fighter jet to an attack aircraft. It is the first truly multi-purpose aircraft in the arsenal of the US Armed Forces.

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• Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1 - 01

  BMP-1 Bojevaja Mašina Pjechoty - infantry fighting vehicle was in our latitudes praised almost as a miracle of technology, which has no analogues in the world. At the same time, a number of legends arose around this vehicle, many of which survive to this day. But was it really a vehicle that outperformed the competition in every way?

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• Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1 - 02

  Despite initial difficulties, the BMP-1 was slowly entering the armament of the Soviet army's rifle divisions. It was gradually released for export to other countries of the socialist bloc and countries under the influence of the Soviet Union. There was also the first combat deployment.

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• Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2 - 01

  During the first combat deployment of BMP-1, all its shortcomings became apparent. Complaints from Arab users were mostly attributed to poor deployment, poor training and discipline. However, there were also voices from the Soviet army that the combat value of this vehicle was questionable.

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• Infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2 - 02

  The development of an infantry fighting vehicle that would not suffer the vices of its predecessor was a long and full intrigue on the part of the GRAU. In the end, the officials were convinced of the effectiveness of the new armaments. However, it was not won yet.

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• The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - viewed from the perspective of that time

  This year marks 73 years since the first nuclear bombs hit the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Some journalists claim that the Americans turned Japan into an experimental shooting range and that the bombing was unnecessarily militarily. Really?

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• BT-2 Birth in severe pain

  On July 18, 1929, the Soviet Military Council issued Protocol No. 29, in which it defined the requirements for new armament of tank and mechanized units of the Red Army. At the same time, in accordance with Lenin's theory of the "export of revolution," plans for offensive operations into the depths of the enemy's territory were developed. This required weapons. A lot of weapons.

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• BT-5 and BT-7 Continuers of the family

  The production of the BT-2 tank initially faced considerable difficulties, but gradually gained momentum. Nevertheless, it was clear that the new tank, as copied from the American model, was not the most suitable for service in the difficult conditions of the Soviet Union. It was necessary to make changes.

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• Casspir - Well-protected infantry

  Asymmetric conflicts impose different requirements on the construction of armored vehicles than the large ones envisaged during the Cold War. One of the countries that had considerable experience with them was South Africa, which has a powerful arms industry. An unfortunate experience was the losses caused by mines and booby-trapped explosive systems.

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• 33/5000 Caudron G.3 - Unexpectedly long-lived

  From a conceptual point of view, the Caudron G.3 was an obsolete aircraft at the time of the outbreak of the first world conflict. Nevertheless, it enjoyed great popularity and was produced long after the war. It was used by many countries and many pilots gained their first experience on it. He has a number of interesting events to his credit, including a landing on the roof of the Galeries Lafayette.

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• Czech students can help with securiry solutions for SAAB

  Saab AB, a global provider of military and security solutions, has partnered with the Technology Cup student competition to enable college students, PhD students and young technical and design professionals to showcase their skills and win one of the Best Work or Innovation Awards.

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• Chieftain - British heavyweight

  Opinions differ on what the ideal tank should look like on the battlefield. Everyone knows the three basic parameters, firepower, mobility and armor protection, but each design school has its own ideas about what their ideal ratio is and which one is more important. The British had a different view on the whole matter than the Soviets, the Germans or the Americans.

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• Chieftain - Manipulations with export

  The first FV 4201 arrived in Germany to verify how the new tank would withstand first line operations. Tank regiments were to express their opinion and propose possible changes so that the tank would be able to be included in series production as soon as possible. The program was already slipping against the plan anyway.

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• Crotale 01 - Big spread of rattlesnakes

  Some seemingly marginal projects may grow into unexpected international success. One of these was the development of the Cactus anti-aircraft system, which was ordered from the French company Thomson by the South African government. Although it was a foreign order, the system gradually came under the designation Crotale into the armament of the French Armed Forces.

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• Crotale 02 - Rejuvenation in the best years

  Originally a foreign order, a relatively successful anti-aircraft system emerged, which has found a number of customers around the world. But over the years, significant progress has been made in the field of electronics and miniaturization. Therefore, it was appropriate to develop a more modern version, corresponding to current requirements. Before that, let's look at an upgrade made in China.

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• Cruiser Tank Mk.III - Christie's chassis the english way

  Britain was the cradle of tanks. However, in the interwar period, it lost its leading position. The actively cooperating Germany and the Soviet Union came to the fore. Under pressure from growing armaments on the continent, Britain was forced to do something about the situation. Therefore, the development of new armored vehicles was started.

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• Cruiser Tank Mk.IV - Correction of deficiencies

  The new A13 Mk.I Cruiser Mk.III tank became the basis of a long line of armored vehicles. The use of the Christie chassis had a great deal of credit for that. However, before the British reached the successful tanks, they had to eliminate the childhood diseases that accompany every novelty.

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• Elbe Exercise 2011

  On 26 May, the Elbe 2011 exercise took place near Litoměřice, the main part of which was directed by the 15th Engineer Brigade , specifically the 151st Engineer Battalion . The topic was the construction of a pontoon bridge over the Elbe. This time, other units also took part in the exercise, especially the 25th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade , the 7th Mechanized Brigade and the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade . This is a short photo and video report.

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• Dassault MD.450 Ouragan 01 - new beginnings

  The French aviation industry was in ruins after World War II. However, the "land of the Gallic rooster" did not give up its ambition to restore it and return to pre-war prestige. The path was not easy, because France had a five-year failure in the development of jet engines.

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• Dassault MD.450 Ouragan 02 - when a hurricane strikes

  The MD.450 was the first French mass-produced jet aircraft. A number of variants were considered, but the rapid obsolescence of the first generation jets did not allow them to be implemented. For the same reason, the Ouragans were relatively quickly scrapped from the ALA ( Armée de l'Air ) and offered for export. They gained their combat fame mainly in the ranks of the Israeli Air Force.

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• Dewoitine D.520 01- Missed chance

  Probably the most elegant, but in any case the most powerful French fighter of World War II was the Dewoitine D.520. At first, it did not look nearly as good and the French Air Force command was not interested in it. But that was to change.

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• Dewoitine D.520 02 - With everyone - against everyone

  Due to the government's laziness, the most powerful French fighter got into production late. At the beginning of World War II, the units received only the first few pieces. After the defeat of France, the D.520 flew on various battlefields, under various insignia, on the side of the Axis and against it, against the Allies and on their side.

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• Dornier Do 335 Pfeil 01 - Elegant tandem

  Do 335 Pfeil was one of the fastest piston engine aircraft developed during World War II. Although the concept itself was older, the impetus for its completion was the deployment of fast British Mosquito aircraft and the deteriorating situation of Nazi Germany. The plane was to fulfill Hitler's vision of a fast bomber.

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• Dornier Do 335 Pfeil 02 - Too late

  Do 335 Pfeil with tandem engines had no path to series production strewn with rose petals. However, its unusual design attracted the attention of the Leader himself, and in the end several dozen machines were produced.

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• Dogfights

  Dogfights have always attracted attention. Since the First World War, their participants have been considered heroes, stories have been written about nothing, and they have become idols of generations. However, the reality of air combat is much more prosaic. Whatever the motivation of the pilots to fight, there was always a winner on one side and a loser on the other in a crippled or burning plane falling to the ground. This series deals with the struggle from their beginning to the modern age, when the sky is steadily ruled by jet engines.

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• Ground-effect vehicle (1) - Orljonok - Just above the waves

  Screen planes are a special type of vehicle that uses the ground effect. It is a machine on the border between an aircraft and a wing speedboat. The question is whether it is a low-flying aircraft or a ship "floating" just above the surface. Even users have been arguing for a long time where and under whose command they should belong. Whether under the Navy or under the Air Force.

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• Ground-effect vehicle (2) - Orljonok - Infamous career

  The service of the screen planes was not dazzling. The "treatment of childhood diseases" took a long time, and once they were eliminated, changes took place in the Soviet Union that buried the entire program.

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• Ground-effect vehicle (3) - Experimental planes SM-1 to SM-8

  In previous works, we dealt with the history of the Orljonok transport screen. Another branch of development was the project of an airplane plan armed with anti-ship missiles. We will focus on its development in the further continuation of the series, but before that we will get acquainted with the family of experimental screenplanes, without which the operationally usable ones could never have been created.

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• Ground-effect vehicle (4) - Kaspian Monster and Lun

  After a series of experimental planes, it was time to build full-scale planes, the potential of which would be higher than just the verification of new technologies. It is necessary to keep in mind that the main potential customer was VMF and this required a machine capable of combat deployment.

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• Eurofighter Typhoon

  The Eurofighter Typhoon is a highly agile aircraft, designed to be an effective dogfighter in combat.Later production aircraft have been increasingly better equipped to undertake air-to-surface strike missions and to be compatible with an increasing number of different armaments and equipment, including Storm Shadow, Brimstone and Marte ER missiles. The Typhoon had its combat debut during the 2011 military intervention in Libya with the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Italian Air Force, performing aerial reconnaissance and ground-strike missions. The type has also taken primary responsibility for air-defence duties for the majority of customer nations.

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• F-104 Starfighter - The phenomenon of speed

  Nearing the end of 1951, conventional fighters introduced into service flew at speeds of about 1 MACH, rather less. They reached supersonic speeds mostly only in dive flight or completely without weapons. Lockheed designer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson visited United States Air Force (USAF) pilots fighting in Korea to find out which aircraft would suit them. He received an unisono response from the fighters: a light aircraft, overcoming the enemy in speed, climbability, access and dexterity.

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• F-14 Tomcat vs Su-22 - Dogfight over the gulf of Great Sydra

  During the Cold War, pilots of fully armed aircraft of both major powers, their allies or satellites, met many times in the air. Most of the meetings went without conflicts, although the participants mostly ran what is called " irritating the rattlesnake with their bare feet ". If nothing else, at least they tried to take a more advantageous position over the opponent. But sometimes it turned out differently.

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• F-15A Baz versus the MiG-25 - Trap from a textbook

  The USSR developed a powerful MiG-25 fighter aircraft in the late 1960s. This aircraft was not originally to be exported, but after Lieutenant Viktor Belenko flew with one MiG-25P to the base of Hakodate in Japan, there was nothing to hide. The aircraft was released for export. Thus, although there was never a conflict between the great powers, the MiG-25 had the opportunity to fight, over Lebanon, with its counterpart, the American F-15. Although both aircraft flew under the insignia of other countries.

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• F-16 versus MTR 01 Operation Opera - overture

  In the summer of 1981, Israeli bombs dropped by F-16 planes plowed the Iraqi nuclear reactor in Al Tuvai. This prevented Saddam Husain from working for a working nuclear weapon for a long time. Israel has been blamed for killing one civilian in the raid. The question of how many people would be killed by a nuclear weapon in the hands of a dictator is preferred by most critics of the raid.

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• F-16 versus MTR 02 Operation Opera - main act

  Israel was and is a thorn in the side of the Arabs. They did not hesitate for decades to seek nuclear weapons to destroy it. At the forefront of these efforts was Iraq. Its reactor was nearing completion. The Israelis, but not only them, did not intend to wait with folded arms until he launched it and the omnipotent dictator Saddam Hussein had a nuclear weapon at his disposal.

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• F-16 vs Su-25 - the downing of the future vice president

  During the aggression in Afghanistan, the Soviet and Afghan government air forces were able to operate against the regime's insurgent units almost with impunity because they had no enemy in the air. Nevertheless, there were air battles over this battlefield. And the Soviet and Afghan air forces suffered casualties.

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• F-22 Raptor

  The one you don't see will take you down. Fighter alphabet. This is true even today in the age of the latest technologies. Perhaps even more than at a time when pilots had to rely only on their eyes. The growing emphasis on stealth technology only confirms this.

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• F-4C Phantom II versus Flak (1) - Raid on steel mills

  This is another of the stories that are so crazy that they just had to happen because no one normal can make up this. These are the stories of men who were willing to do the impossible and risk their careers and their own lives to save their friends. Stories that write aviation history.

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• F-4C Phantom II versus Flak (2) - How to push Phantom ...

  We left Capt. Amana when, in his Phantom, previously damaged by flak, he followed his leader to hell of fierce anti-aircraft fire from Vietnamese artillery stationed around the Thai Nguyen steelworks.

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• F-86F Saber versus MiG-15 (1) - Twentieth Ace

  When the car runs out of fuel just in front of the gas station, you can push it towards it. But what to do if the same thing happens to an aircraft in flight? Plus a jet fighter, the most modern creation of its time ... the same. Push.

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• F-86F Saber versus MiG-15 (2) - How to push Saber

  The best pilot Risner had ever met in his life was not an American, but a MiG-15 pilot with whom he had fought. To a duel that ultimately brought losses on both sides.

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• F3D-2N versus MiG-15 - the controversial fight

  Most Western publications state that the first night duel and the downing of jet fighters took place during the fighting in Korea, specifically on November 3, 1952. The other side, on the other hand, clearly denies the downing. A comparison of the available data reveals a number of ambiguities, which make this event a relatively controversial issue.

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• F4D Skyray – Ford

  Given that marine airplanes are subject to exceptional requirements regarding airframe strength and corrosion resistance, this cannot be affected other than by suffering from a mass handicap compared to their competitors intended to be operated exclusively from ground bases. This ultimately leads to poorer performance. Therefore, most of the world records were set by machines from the Air Force… With a few exceptions.

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• F4D-1 Skyray - Naval record holder

  The Douglas F4D was an aerodynamically fine and relatively light aircraft. Its only weakness was the not very powerful spare power unit. Although he eventually had to settle for a weaker engine than originally expected, his performance was great. The entries in the FAI record table speak for themselves.

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• Firefighting Off Road Day 2010

  On March 11, 2010, the first year of Firefighting Off Road Day 2010 took place in the Hummer Center in Prague Počernice.

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• GBU-28 Bunker Buster

  It might seem that bombs with a final guidance and a weight of over 1000 kg are a sufficiently effective means for all targets. Therefore, even military planners did not push manufacturers into the development of larger-caliber air bombs. When it turned out to be not entirely true, very little time remained for development. In the end, the GBU-28 weighing over two tons was made in an incredibly short time.

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• Hawker Hunter 01 - Cousin of the Sea Hawks

  It is said that an aircraft that looks good also flies well. One of the types that fully applies to this is the Hawker Hunter. Another truth is that many aircraft designed by designers based on their best experience met the requirements of pilots better than the ideas of ministry officials. This also applies to Hunters literally.

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• Hawker Hunter 02 - First generation

  Hawker's new arrow-wing fighter returned Britain to the modern jet manufacturers' club. In addition to being good, she was elegant and aroused deserved attention wherever she appeared. RAF pilots could not wait for the new machine, and buyers from abroad also showed interest.
  Serial production began at Hawker's parent plant in Kingston, where the F.1 version was produced, and at Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft (AWA) 's Coventry, where the F.2 version was produced. Both aircraft differed only in the power unit used. In the first case it was a Rolls-Royce Avon engine, in the second Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire.

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• Hawker Hunter 03 - Bullseye

  Hunters were created at a time when development was moving forward by leaps and bounds. The aircraft became obsolete very quickly. However, there were many countries in the world for which simple and cheap jets came in handy. The first generation of arrow-wing aircraft received a long service - and the Hunters were no exception.

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• His Majesty Land Ship Centipede

  With the almost ingenious idea of how to solve the problem of trench crossing, came the resourceful Walter G. Wilson. Like most similar ideas, it was basically simple. Wilson combined the advantages of large-diameter wheels with the cab of the vehicle sandwiched between them and the advantages of a caterpillar track.

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• ILA 2004

  The International Luft und Raumfahrtausstellung is a trade fair held every two years at Berlin's Shonefeld south airport. More than 1,000 exhibitors from almost 50 countries, including representatives of the Czech Republic, presented themselves on an area of 150,000 m2.

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• Yak-36 - 1. Take-off from the place

  The vision of an airplane that would not need an airport has attracted designers since the first planes soared into the sky. During the entire existence of aircraft technology, so far only two countries, Great Britain and the Soviet Union, have been able to build aircraft with a vertical takeoff and landing and introduce them into service. This time we will focus on the Soviet type.

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• Yak-36 - 2. Changing of the guard

  The first Soviet aircraft with a vertical takeoff and landing had its first timid steps. Gradually, the biggest problems faced by the program were solved; however, in the end it turned out that the whole project is nothing more than a technological demonstrator. If the Navy wanted to get a truly usable aircraft capable of operating from the decks of aircraft carriers without a catapult, it was necessary to start from a clean slate using existing experience.

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• Yak-36M (1) - First advances

  The new generation of aircraft on board began to take shape on paper. The basic concept of the Jaku-36M was clear, so it was possible to proceed to the construction of a prototype. The work started just six months after the completion of the design work.

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• Yak-36M (2) - Moral support aircraft

  Starting vertically, the Yak-36M was included in the armament after a series of vicissitudes. Although great hopes were placed in it, in the end he did not represent a striking force that could jeopardize the dominance of Western countries at sea. Although its performance in a clean configuration surpassed the competitive Harrier, it lagged significantly behind in firepower. The Marines spoke of fire support rather than moral support.

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• Yenisei - Anti-aircraft system from the archive

  In 1955, the armament of tank units of the Soviet Army included anti-aircraft self-propelled gun ZSU-57-2 (Zenitnaya Samochodnaya Ustanovka). Even at a time when series production was just beginning, it was clear that a vehicle without radar, a fire control system and without ammunition with proximity lighters was hopelessly obsolete. Therefore, work on its modernization and replacement began the following year.

  15.183
• Ka-50 Black Shark

  For many years, M.L. Mil was the design supplier of helicopters for the Soviet army. Although N.I. Kamov's competition office participated in a number of competitions announced by the army, Mil's position was unshakable until the army announced a competition for a new combat helicopter in search of an equivalent counterweight to the American AAH program.

  73.845
• Karl-Gerät 040 - Cousin of Fat Berta - part 1

  Artillery was called the god of war. His concentrated fire was able to drown bold attacks in blood or disrupt enemy defenses. The construction of artillery technology reached its peak during the Second World War and just after it. Some types reached monstrous proportions. One such was the Karl-Gerät 040 weighing over 100 tons.

  49.270
• Karl-Gerät 040 - Cousin of Fat Berta - part 2

  The development of Karl-Gerät 040 took a long time, so he did not have time for the initial campaign for which it was designed, but now a new adversary has appeared. Although he was a former loyal ally, now there was nothing to prevent him from testing a new weapon in his territory, which many German officers had been familiar with from the time of close cooperation.

  49.401
• Landwasserschlepper LWS

  When the construction of the Wehrmacht began, the generals concluded that they would need a vehicle capable of carrying larger loads or larger units of soldiers over larger water obstacles to conduct combat operations. They were supposed to be large watercourses and lakes, but also deep sea bays or straits between the mainland and islands.

  31.983
• Leopard 1 - part 1

  Although Germany was to remain disarmed after the war, post-war developments did not allow this clause to be complied with. The Cold War, growing tensions between the Allies and the Soviet Union led Western powers to consider the possibility of creating new armed forces in Germany. On November 12, 1955, the Bundeswehr was formed, which had to be armed.

  10.430
• Leopard 1 - part 2

  After the German parliament approved the means for the production of new Leopard tanks, nothing prevented the start of series production. The light of the world was thus seen by the vehicle, which was to become the backbone of the armored forces of the Bundeswehr and other armies for the next few decades.

  9.874
• Leopard 1 - part 3

  In the early 1970s, a sufficient number of Leopard 1 tanks were produced to meet the basic needs of combat units. The oldest pieces have been in service for 10 years. Now is the time to modernize these tanks, because the opponents did not sleep and introduced more modern machines.

  9.872
• Air Fighters in Combat - Middle East

  The history of the state of Israel is a history full of wars to defend its own independence. Since its inception, the small state has been a thorn in the side of the surrounding Arab states, which have continued to try to erase it from the world map once and for all. Therefore, he had to fight many times, which was a struggle for survival. And the situation has not changed to this day.

  23.085
• Air Fighters in Combat - Hunt for Bismarck

  Hitler wanted to return the status of a naval power to Germany. He looted financial reserves and brought the German economy to the brink of collapse so that he could fulfill another of his crazy dreams - to build a strong surface fleet. But the reaction of the British Admiralty quickly brought him back to earth.

  27.552
• Air Fighters in Combat - Obituary of combat

  Air combat, like all fields of human activity, has evolved. As the design of aircraft changed and their performance grew, so did the nature of air combat. Today, a fighter pilot can destroy an enemy before he gets in sight.

  18.829
• Air Fighters in Combat - Brave bombers

  Fighter planes are intended for combat. They are fast, powerful and agile. But the fighter's blood circulates in the veins of virtually every pilot, whether it's sitting behind a glider, a bomber, or a transport plane.

  24.881
• Air Fighters in Combat - Hell over Hanoi

  Every fighter pilot's dream is to become an ace. To obtain this title, it is necessary to shoot down at least five enemy aircraft. Shooting down five planes and staying alive alone is not easy. Moreover, in modern times, there are fewer and fewer large-scale fights and it is increasingly difficult to get wiped off. American pilots had the last great opportunity in the skies of North Vietnam.

  21.063
• Air Fighters in Combat - Famous Aces

  The art of air combat did not arise by itself. Creating basic, generally valid rules of how to be successful cost a lot of blood and lives. There is a special group of fighter pilots that managed to shoot down more opponents than anyone else. Those who shot down five opponents had the proud title of fighter ace.

  21.270
• Air Fighters in Combat - Death of the Japanese Fleet

  During World War II, aircraft proved to be able to send any ship hundreds of kilometers away before it came within range of its cannons. The aircraft carriers thus pushed the massive battleships out of their hitherto unshakable post of queens of the seas. But what if aircraft carriers find themselves in front of the barrels of heavy surface units?

  22.452
• Air Fighters in Combat - Zero fighter killer

  Proper identification and knowledge of the opponent's performance decides victory or defeat, life or death. Those who make a mistake are usually not given the opportunity to think about where the mistake was made. And seasoned aces can also be mistaken. This is another part of the series Fighters in Combat.

  27.174
• Aircraft AEW - Airborne Early Warning - Eyes of the Air Force

  Early warning aircraft provide air force commanders with a constant overview of the air situation, far beyond the radar horizon. They are one of the key elements for winning information superiority on the battlefield and enable the effective deployment of their own forces. Their construction has undergone a long development and today they are an indispensable part of the modern air force. The number of air forces that operate early warning aircraft is constantly growing.

  20.252
• AEW - Boeing 737AEW & C (1) - Early Warning for Down Under

  Until recently, early warning aircraft were the domain of only the Big Four, ie the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. However, the new world has brought new dangers and it has been confirmed that information superiority helps the effective deployment of its own air force to such an extent that it is possible to significantly reduce the number of active units.

  16.001
• AEW - Boeing 737AEW & C (2) - Late, but still

  When the Soviet Union fell and the bloc of socialist countries disintegrated, many people thought that most of the threats had fallen. It didn't fall. They just redistributed them. Australia was most concerned. The balance of power in the region has changed and the availability of some technologies has allowed arsenals to expand.

  18.027
• AEW aircraft - Erieye (1) - Swedish eye in the sky

  There are only a few states in the world that have been able to develop their own flying Airborne Early Warning (AEW) system. And even fewer are those who have successfully sold it to foreign users. Sweden has succeeded. Although the Erieye system was developed for a different world than it is today, it eventually became a successful export item.

  30.560
• AEW aircraft - Erieye (2) - First export success

  We abandoned the development of the Swedish early warning system at the time of the collapse of the communist bloc, a number of weapons systems were abolished, and surplus weapons were sold " for a buck ." Let's see how Erieye withstood the new conditions.

  31.193
• AEW aircraft - Erieye (3) - In different parts of the world

  As is well known, the best argument in the sale of weapon systems is the experience of their practical use, preferably in a region where there is " hot soil ". illegal flights in 2006 needs no further comment.

  27.720
• AEW aircraft - Tu-126 Moss (1) - Russian Attempt for AWACS

  After a while, we return to the aircrafts of early warning. This time we will dig further into history, to the time of the Cold War. To a country that, at the cost of ruining its own economy, kept spinning new rounds of arms races. One of the relatively expensive programs was the development of early warning aircraft and related AA systems.

  38.403
• AEW aircraft - Tu-126 Moss (2) - On guard of socialism

  After a relatively difficult period, when first looking for a suitable carrier and then debugged technical shortcomings, the "L division" got into service as the Tu-126. What was the service on the Tu-126 and what tasks the crews performed is the content of the following lines.

  36.346
• Lightnings in the air

  Some fighters do not only bear the type designation, but have their own names. And what name represents speed and power, ie the characteristics that a fighter should have, above all, better than lightning? Probably none. The series of following articles describes the planes that deserved the name lightning - more or less.

  31.258
• Little Willie

  One of the problems identified during the No.I Lincoln Machine tests was the problem of overcoming the trenches.

  4.012
• Lockheed U-2 - Legendary spy

  The U-2 has been flying since the mid-1950s. Although it will celebrate half a century since its first take-off next year, it is not yet going to "retire". The reason is simple. Although obsolete in the age of satellites, the construction from the last century may seem obsolete, the truth remains that the aircraft is a reliable platform for many reconnaissance systems. It is much more operative and cheaper against satellites.

  68.947
• M1 Abrams (1) - the whispering death

  Abrams. A tank that became famous during the first and second wars in the Persian Gulf. But its birth was not easy at all, and a long time passed before the armor received new armaments.

  90.265
• M1A1 - M1A2 Abrams (2) - New generation

  The introduction of a new tank did not just mean a new vehicle. The experience from the operation caused a practically complete reconstruction of the armored divisions, because the old organizational structure was unsatisfactory. Only then was the potential of the new tanks properly used.

  92.318
• M3 Stuart 01 - The difficult beginnings of American tanks

  When the war broke out in Europe in September 1939, American tank units presented a picture of misery and suffering. Even Poland, which was certainly not considered a tank power, was able to build about 700 tanks in the field. There were only about 400 of them in the entire United States, many of which still remembered World War I and were so worn out that they could only be kept in operation with all their might.

  27.623
• M3 Stuart 02 - On the road to success

  Although the development of the M3 tank was initially stalled and technically it was definitely not revolutionary, gradually one of the most widespread tanks in history was created. This was due to balanced performance, quality production and also the general shortage of combat equipment on the part of the Allies.

  21.185
• M42 Duster - the fire dragon

  The US military relied on air superiority during World War II. Anti-aircraft defense of the troops provided towed cannons, or. self-propelled anti-aircraft devices M16 MGMC on halftrack landing gear. Only at the end of the war did the anti-aircraft tanks M19 with a double cannon Bofors caliber 40 mm on the chassis of the M24 Chaffee tank get into production. However, the end of the war caused less than 300 pieces to be built.

  9.815
• M48 Chaparral - a temporary solution for 30 years

  Since the end of World War II, the US Armed Forces has relied primarily on its air force to gain air supremacy. The military air defense systems did not reach such numbers or the number of types as in the Soviet Union and in the countries of the Eastern bloc. The backbone type at the division level was the M48 Chaparral during the Cold War, using the proven Sidewinder missiles.

  15.364
• M5 Stuart - The peak of a career

  M3 tanks were initially forced to perform the tasks of medium or fast tanks, which for obvious reasons did not do well. With the growing number of real medium tanks, the Stuarts were able to be released for reconnaissance tasks, where they proved to be fully effective. Production grew and with it some unexpected problems that needed to be solved.

  20.611
• M551 Sheridan (1) - Hard beginnings

  Light tanks have been developed alongside their heavier counterparts for years, and their journey through history is varied and pretty winding. The last American light tank included in the service was the M551 Sheridan. It was a rather contradictory vehicle with exotic weapons.

  50.586
• M551 Sheridan (2) - Improved reputation

  The M551 did not gain a very good reputation at the beginning of its deployment, mainly due to its relatively complicated design and hasty deployment in combat. In addition, he found himself on a battlefield for which he was not designed and performed tasks that belonged to the MBT. During the later deployment, he improved his bad reputation and eventually lasted longer than the biggest optimists would expect.

  49.559
• M60 Patton - Gradual improvement

  The M60 tank was originally considered a transitional type, but in the end it was one of the most common American tanks. At the time of its creation, there was a rapid development of rocket technology and electronics, which led to the idea of replacing the classic tank with a more futuristic vehicle. However, after the experience from the operational deployment, the designers eventually gladly returned to the proven solutions.

  24.706
• M60 Patton - Universal tank

  The M48 tank became a standard tank in the armament of many armies. Its successor, the Main Battle Tank (MBT) M60 Patton, was considered a temporary solution. He has survived in the armament of a number of armies to this day, although it was still the original concept, preserving proven elements to the maximum extent.

  30.160
• MBT-70 - Too complicated solution (1)

  The development of this tank dates back to the early sixties. At the time, the US Army and Bundeswehr were looking for a replacement for their obsolete tanks. Joint development seemed to be the ideal solution. An unusual concept tank was created with an unmanned hull and a number of technical finesse, but it did not get into service.

  65.410
• MBT-70 - Too complicated solution (2)

  In this work, we will focus on the technical description of the rest of the tank and the conclusion of the project, which did not meet the high hopes placed in it.

  50.543
• McDonnell XF-85 Goblin - Jet parasitic fighter

  The XF-85 was a special aircraft. It was the only aircraft that was built from the beginning as a parasitic fighter, the first in this category with a jet engine and an arrow wing. He never operated from the deck of the aircraft for which he was intended. It was the smallest fighter ever flown. Yet it is almost unknown today.

  42.541
• MiG-17F versus F-105D - The hero easily and quickly

  So far, I have dealt with fights in my articles, in which the technique of western provenance was on the winning side. In order not to look biased, in this article I will focus on the duel in which the roles were reversed.

  75.827
• MiG-1: When the cat is not home ...

  In the early 1930s, representatives of the Soviet Air Force were satisfied. Modern I-15 fighter biplanes came into service, soon followed by the revolutionary I-16 monoplane with a retractable landing gear. The head of the design office, Nikolai Polikarpov, rightly enjoyed the reputation of the " king of fighters ." Then came the war in Spain and everything was different.

  32.915
• MiG-29 - a reaction to the demands of the market

  The MiG-29 was, like most Russian aircraft, created as a more or less single-purpose weapon. His primary task was air combat. But times are changing and those interested in single-purpose aircraft are like saffron. To survive, it is essential to meet the requirements of the market, and it wants universal aircraft. This also applies to the RSK MiG.

  92.243
• MiG-3 in the fight for survival

  At the time of the outbreak of hostilities between the Soviet Union and Germany, the MiG-1 and MiG-3, respectively, were the first and most numerous fighters of the new generation. MiG pilots had to fight to save the country and head of the design office to save production. After a series of crushing defeats, the country's free resources were limited and competition was high.

  40.008
• MiG-3: Fast onset - short breath

  At the end of 1940, the newly established design office OKB-155 Mikoyan-Guryevich had its hands full with the start of production of the I-200 aircraft, better known under the military designation MiG-1. However, it did not warm up on the production line for a long time and was soon replaced by a modified aircraft marked MiG-3.

  34.648
• Minenräumer by Alkett

  There is one vehicle in the Museum of Tank Forces in Kubinka, near Moscow, which at first glance attracts with its dimensions and unusual construction. It is also interesting that there is little information about the surviving information about this monster, and even the Russians themselves do not really know where they came from.

  26.265
• Mirage IIICJ vs. MiG-21F-13 (1.)

  In this duel, two two-machine fighters competed - each representing a different design school. Nevertheless, their performances were almost identical. In the end, the fight was decided by better tactics and pilot training. The performance of the aircraft did not play a decisive role.

  20.320
• Mirage IIICJ vs. MiG-21F-13 (2.)

  In the last part, we got acquainted with the development of a pair of two-bomber fighters that fought in a duel in the Middle East. But the plane itself means nothing. His equipment is also important. How far did the form go in this case?

  20.657
• Mirage IIICJ vs. MiG-21F-13 (3.)

  In the last part, we got acquainted with the development and parameters of a pair of two-bomber fighters that fought in a duel in the Middle East. The situation in the area has been aggravated for a long time, so it was possible to assume with a relatively high degree of probability that the two competing machines would soon collide in an air battle. And winning the victory was not easy, because the chances were even.

  21.318
• At the Mercedes-Benz polygon

  On October 8, 2009, a presentation of military vehicles of all categories took place at the Mercedes-Benz test site in Wörth. It was gratifying that the owners of the relevant driving license were able to personally test the behavior of the vehicles in the field.

  32.396
• Are you bored? Go to SOG Defense training!

  Training with SOG Defense was an offer in which innate laziness fought in me with the same innate curiosity. In the end, curiosity prevailed. After all, you don't meet members of the Special Operations Group every day. You can find out how it turned out in the article. Warning: The article uses original shots that are not suitable for children, pregnant women and people with weaker mental resilience.

  28.117
• Operation Chastis - Dangerous Firecrackers (Part 1)

  Catastrophic floods in recent years have shown how powerful the water can be. During World War II, the British came up with the idea of using the power of the water masses in a targeted manner. It would be enough to break the dam and the water would complete the work of destruction. But it is easy to say, but much more difficult to do. Operation Chastis has proven that this is not impossible.

  23.525
• Operation Chastis - Dangerous Firecrackers (Part 2)

  One of the RAF's most daring actions during World War II was a raid on dams in the Ruhr. The raid required perfect planning and cooperation of the entire squadron. From start to finish it was dangerous and the result was uncertain. Until the last moment, the crews had no idea what the goal was. All they knew was that it would not be a common one, but some valuable goal, and the price they would have to pay would probably be high.

  17.730
• Operation Chastis - Dangerous Firecrackers (Part 3)

  The prospects for the successful completion of Operation Chastise were not great. Before the Lancasters of the first and second waves arrived to their targets, their ranks thinned considerably. Nevertheless, the crews had no choice but to try to complete the task with honor.

  18.168
• OV-1 Mohawk (1) - Last plane of US Army

  Grumman is best known for naval aircraft. Among the aircraft that are wrongly on the fringes of interest is the inconspicuous OV-1 Mohawk. An aircraft that did a lot of work for the army and civilian organizations and in 1989 there were over 200 of them in active service. Many of them are privately owned and unfortunately regularly take part in air days mostly across the ocean

  39.563
• OV-1 Mohawk (2) - Last plane of US Army

  The OV-1 Mohawk has become a platform for sophisticated reconnaissance systems during its career, but has proven itself in various other roles, including direct air support. He was popular with his pilots and members of the ground forces. With the elimination of the last OV-1, the army lost its last aircraft and only helicopters are in its inventory.

  41.961
• Panzerkampfwagen III Part 1 - model of a modern tank

  When we say "German tank and World War II", most people immediately remember a Tiger or Panther. But most of the big victories were won by a much more inconspicuous vehicle. Moreover, from a technical point of view, it brought more news than all its more famous followers combined. Some elements of his concept became the standard for many years to come with minor modifications.

  29.336
• Panzerkampfwagen III Part 2 - the end of fame

  During the occupation of France, the tanks PzKpfw III and their crews were at the height of their fame. But France was also the first warning - harder opponents were to come. What the tank lacked in performance, the crews had to catch up with tactics. It still worked for a while, but the limit of the vehicle was its small size, with which they could not do miracles.

  28.826
• Parasite aircrafts

  Ever since the first heavier-than-air planes appeared and began to compete with the reigning airships, designers have been flirting with the idea of using heavier aircraft (the term aircraft includes all flying machines, heavier-than-air aircraft and lighter air aerostats) to carry lighter ones.

  57.479
• Care under fire

  If a unit comes under fire, it usually has wounded, often severely wounded. The first seconds are crucial for saving lives. But the unit must immediately solve another task - to repel the attack. So who will help the wounded? Mostly nobody at first. He has to help himself. Warning: The article uses original shots that are not suitable for children, pregnant women and people with weaker mental resilience.

  36.546
• The first Morane-Saulnier fighters

  During World War I, the first fighter jets appeared. It is often said that the first fighter was the Morane-Saulnier N, but this is not the case - the first was the L-type from the same company. In addition to this championship, Morane-Saulnier aircraft are famous for the pilot, whose name is inextricably linked to the beginnings of the prosecution and, to this day, to the famous tennis tournaments.

  14.646
• The first successful rotorcraft (1) - PKZ-1

  Helicopters are a common sight in today's sky, but the journey to them was much more complicated than in the case of airplanes. It is gratifying that a number of men born in the territory of the future Czechoslovakia took part in the development of the first motor aircraft capable of steady hanging.

  35.426
• The first successful rotorcraft (2) - PKZ-2

  After the destruction of the PKZ-1 power unit, the engineer Žurovec decided to continue with the construction of the observation platform according to the original Petróczi design. In the meantime, large-diameter propellers were available - the results of the work of engineer Kármán at the propeller test institute. Nothing prevented the further development of the helicopter platform.

  33.611
• Rapier - a kit for everyone

  During the Cold War, the British Army needed to defend itself against Warsaw Pact aircraft. In the 1960s, the development of a successful short-range system was launched to defend the bases and areas of troop concentration. The whole world knows this system under the name Rapier.

  20.961
• Rapier - the possibilities are growing

  In the last part, we described the development and basic variants of the British Rapier system. However, the British constantly paid attention to improving its capabilities and tried to sell the system to foreign customers. They were successful in both of these activities.

  16.035
• Rooikat 01 - South African beast

  So far, we have dealt with the armored vehicles of traditional manufacturers, or the technology of some of the leading powers. However, interesting combat vehicles were also produced in other countries. The truth remains that their design differed significantly from the requirements of users in Europe or the United States at the time of their creation. But times are changing.

  18.715
• Rooikat 02 - another to the family

  The Rooikat combat vehicle was developed for specific conditions in the southern tip of Africa, yet the manufacturer used it as a basis for other vehicles, which it also offered on foreign markets. Unfortunately, none of these activities resulted in a real order.

  20.198
• BT fast tanks in combat

  The American tanks of the designer Walter Christie indisputably laid the foundations of modern Soviet tanks. Soviet designers, workers and the entire production base gained a lot of experience in their modifications and production. It's time to show what the new tanks can do in combat.

  41.960
• Schneider CA.1 - the first French tank

  The British were the first to deploy tanks in combat. Although the Germans built very late only a few pieces of the A7V tank, their construction went down in history with the first duel with British opponents. The creations of the French tank school remained somewhat out of focus. Needless to say, wrong.

  21.775
• Sea Harrier FRS.1 versus Mirage IIIEA (1)

  In this duel, a two-bomber fighter plane fought a subsonic enemy, whose design was based on an aircraft designed for direct air support of ground troops. The result was supposed to be seemingly clear. This was, however, quite different from what anyone would estimate by comparing the tables of their technical data.

  69.463
• Sea Harrier FRS.1 versus Mirage IIIEA (2)

  The whole war for the hitherto virtually unknown Falkland Islands, which belonged to the British Crown, began with their occupation by the Argentine army on April 2, 1982. The Argentines, let alone anyone else, could hardly assume that the few virtually uninhabited islands would be war expedition to the other end of the world.

  63.913
• Sea Harrier FRS.1 versus Mirage IIIEA (3)

  It was late evening, the first of May, but the evening of May 1982 in the South Atlantic was anything but love time as once tried to recite a classic to his readers. The planes of two enemy states had been flying in the sky since morning, and Death was slowly grinding its tools. Today comes to work … but we are ahead of it.

  69.476
• The first Hawker jets

  During World War II, Supermarine and Hawker were the "major" suppliers of fighter planes for the Royal Air Force. Due to their complete workload of mass production of aircraft, which were swallowed by dozens of operational units, the development of the first jet fighters was entrusted to companies that had "freer hands". After the war, it was time to catch up.

  17.397
• Sea Hawk - undemanding and reliable

  At the turn of the 1940s and 1950s, Hawker caught up with the delays it had in developing jet aircraft. The first P.1040 project saved only the FAA's interest because the RAF lost interest. Nevertheless, he was almost buried by his younger brother with an arrow wing.

  17.991
• North Korea and its nuclear carriers

  North Korea has started harassing weapons several times. This time, however, she went a little too far. In addition to declaring combat readiness to the rocket troops, it re-entered a state of war with its southern neighbors. In addition, the North Korean military received permission to strike the United States. But what options does Kim Jong-un and his army actually have?

  28.774
• SPAD VII versus Albatros D.III (1) - The end of old times

  Kill or be killed. The golden rule that guarantees pilots survival in air combat. The enemy does not tolerate any distraction or minor deployment. He can use every piloting error or defect on the machine. Otherwise, he would become a victim himself. But this was not always the case.

  18.028
• SPAD VII versus Albatros D.III (2) - Gentlemen did not die out ...

  I have assembled you to pay a posthumous tribute to Captain Guynemer. We are not standing here in front of his hearse or over his grave. At Poelcapelle, no remnants were found of his remnants, as if the sky, jealously guarding his hero, did not want to allow him to remain on earth what he himself claimed. Guynemer disappeared from us forever and completely, as if he had been abducted by miraculous forces into heaven, into the realm of glory ...

  17.562
• SR-71 Blackbird (2) - Out of range of air defense

  The famous performance of the A-12 aircraft led USAF representatives to order the most famous variant from the Blackbird family, the strategic reconnaissance aircraft SR-71. These aircraft then provided good services to the USAF for three decades and brought a lot of valuable intelligence to the commanders of air and ground units.

  79.125
• SR-71 Blackbird (3) - High requirements

  SR-71 aircraft were the pinnacle of technological possibilities of their time. This corresponded to the demands on flying and ground personnel and the overall security of air traffic. There was nothing that could be compared to the aircraft of previous generations.

  68.452
• Stalin's Ground Cruisers (Part 1)

  In the 1920s and 1930s, several types of multi-tower tanks with various armaments were created. This concept quickly became obsolete, but at the time it was created, it was not as meaningless as it might seem at first glance, seen through the lens of today.

  20.009
• Stalin's Ground Cruisers (Part 2)

  Although the SMK and T-100 tanks were visually similar, the overall concept had some fundamental differences that may not be obvious at first glance. Although the combat significance of both tanks was episodic, it is definitely an interesting branch of development, although doomed by further development.

  21.195
• Fighters in combat II

  After the successful broadcast of 13 episodes, Czech Television comes up with the second series in the series Air Fighters in Combat. The second series will contain 14 sections devoted to different periods of aerial combat. The individual parts deal with the development of technology and tactics from the First World War to the present day.

  35.793
• Fighters in combat II - 01 The first blood

  The first air battles took place during the First World War. At that time, the fragile aircraft, which could barely carry a pilot, became machines armed with machine guns and had sufficient power to be able to perform basic acrobatic maneuvers.

  30.097
• Fighters in combat II - 02 Kamikaze

  Kamikaze - Desperate attempts to reverse the course of the war by consciously sacrificing the lives of one's own soldiers. For fanatical Japanese - fulfillment of the Bushido Code, for allies - an act of utter madness.

  27.702
• Fighters in combat II - 03 Desperate mission

  A desperate situation requires desperate solutions. And the air situation over Germany in 1945 was not rosy at all. The Allies bombed selected targets at will. Therefore, a special commando Elbe was formed, which was to destroy the bombers with a taran.

  34.058
• Fighters in combat II - 04 Bloody day

  May 10, 1972, a seemingly ordinary day of the protracted war. But it was not completely common - that day most of the North Vietnamese planes were shot down during the whole war.

  26.319
• Fighters in combat II - 05 Night hunters

  For a long time, bomber pilots took advantage of the limitations of human vision and attacked at night. The darkness was a reliable hiding place and guaranteed relatively high security. But with the development of technology, everything has changed. The electronic eyes of the radars saw as well at night as they did during the day.

  28.461
• Fighters in combat II - 06 Mustang

  Each fighter is a compromise between the requirements for high performance and strong armament, solid protection of sensitive parts and long range, which declassify performance. Successful designs are a balanced compromise of conflicting requirements. One such aircraft was the legendary P-51 Mustang.

  40.469
• Fighters in Combat II - 07 Desert Storm Fights

  Operation Desert Storm was a duel between the Allied and Iraqi air forces. Men in the cockpits of Allied aircraft, mostly with no combat experience, were to face an enemy seasoned from many battles.

  32.549
• Fighters in combat II - 08 Just above ground

  During a duel, aircraft usually gradually lose altitude. When they are just above the ground, another factor threatens both pilots - the proximity of the ground. Whoever makes a mistake will die.

  27.561
• Fighters in combat II - 09 Thunderbolt

  In 1940, Republic's chief engineer, Alex Kartveli, studied reports of air combat in Europe and designed an aircraft that fundamentally changed the way we look at air combat and what a fighter should look like.

  36.256
• Fighters in combat II - 10 Speed as a weapon

  One of the key parameters of a fighter is speed. Speed means safety. Slower planes are almost always the prey of faster opponents. That's why designers have always tried to give their pilots the fastest possible aircraft.

  36.083
• Fighters in combat II - 11 Secret weapons

  Weapons are designed so that after shorter or longer training can be operated by moderately trained soldiers. But in all countries, weapons that were extremely destructive or designed to destroy special targets were also designed. Weapons entrusted to a handful of the chosen ones. Secret weapons.

  36.614
• Fighters in combat II - 12 Tuskegee pilots

  The African American population did not have it easy in the pre-war United States. Even when they wanted to lay down their life for their ungrateful homeland. A handful of pilots called the Tuskegee Airmen changed their view of the whole thing.

  39.326
• Fighters in combat II - 13 Cannon kills in Vietnam

  At the turn of the fifties and sixties, a number of technical industries developed rapidly, including electronics and missile technology. A number of designers in both the East and the West have concluded that the main armament is a survival. Nothing could be further from the truth.

  38.748
• Fighters in combat II - 14 Defeat the Luftwaffe

  Although the Luftwaffe was on the defensive at the end of 1944 and the defense of the empire was beyond its power, it rose to desperate action on New Year's Eve. Virtually all usable fighters flew into the sky with a single goal - to inflict a crushing blow on the Allies.

  36.085
• Strv m/37

  A variant of the AH-IV tank from ČKD made for Sweden.

  6.098
• Suchoj T-4 Sotka - Aircraft carrier hunter

  The USSR tried to cover the absence of aircraft carriers in its fleet by developing submarine forces and aircraft designed to fight the American CVBG ( Carrier Battle Group ). Suchoj T-4 was supposed to be a specialist in aircraft carrier hunting, but in the end it turned out completely different ...

  87.950
• T-34 - Infamous namesake of the famous tank

  When you say T-34, everyone is equipped with a medium tank with which Soviet troops went through the entire Great Patriotic War and which formed the backbone of the tank units of many states long after the end of World War II. A little-known fact is that it was not the first tank to bear such a designation.

  66.216
• T-62 - Unwanted tank

  It is surprising how little has been written about the tank, which in terms of the number of pieces produced is among the most numerous in post-war history. The descriptions usually begin with the Soviets realizing that the T-54 tanks are obsolete, and decided to rearm them with a 115 mm cannon. But it was a little different.

  61.842
• T-62 - For the first time in combat

  The T-62 tank was considered a transitional type. But because he had this sticker from the beginning, it was made a respectable number of pieces. He served in many countries around the world and had a more varied fighting career than most of his " more media-famous " predecessors or followers.

  46.071
• T-62 - In the rest of the world

  The T-62 tank was soon used in combat. It wasn't so much the fault of the construction itself that the result was what it was. The modernization program tried to correct the biggest shortcomings. At that time, the T-62 tank was being replaced in the Soviet Army by more modern types.

  30.699
• Patton tanks - Special versions

  For decades, the M47 / M48 / M60 Patton tanks formed the backbone of the armed forces of the United States and other countries around the world. However, the operation of tank units requires a number of support vehicles. With the gradual replacement of older versions, loose chassis were used to build similar vehicles.

  21.836
• Tu-128 Fiddler - Heavy weight among fighters

  One of the aircraft that affected the appearance of a whole generation of Tupolev aircraft was the Tu-98. Although it did not get into series production, it was at the beginning of the development line of the Tu-128 fighter aircraft (NATO code Fiddler). It has remained the largest fighter in the world to this day. Its maximum take-off weight was a quarter greater than that of four-engine heavy bombers from World War II.

  65.293
• Tu-22 - Beauty with many vices

  Tu-22 bombers are currently being destroyed in Ukraine and Russia. It is a remnant of the Cold War and a representative of the long-extinct category of medium bombers, which disappeared from service in the late 70's. The Tu-22 survived in service for a surprisingly long time, despite the fact that it was a structure that did not work very well and the crew and ground staff did not have much love for this aircraft.

  82.835
• Tu-22 versus CVBG (aircraft carrier battle groups)

  Aircraft carriers demonstrated their striking power during World War II. They have become the core of the fleets of all naval powers and are rightly considered the strongest surface units. The only exception was the Soviet Union for many years. To fight combat groups of aircraft carriers had to use the Air Force from ground bases and submarines.

  82.402
• Tu-22M - M3 Backfire - Just "modernization"?

  In the Soviet Air Force, aircraft were abbreviated as the name of the designer and the number. Odd fighters and other even aircraft. The individual variants were distinguished by letters after the designation. However, these were always aircraft with the same design basis. The only exception was the Tu-22M. According to the designation, it might seem that it was a variant of the Tu-22. But it was a completely new design. Why did he bear the name of his predecessor?

  85.072
• USS Enterprise - 00 (Interactive Guide) Interactive guide

  An aircraft carrier is a real floating city. As a terrestrial nation, we usually do not have many opportunities to walk on board. On the occasion of the broadcast of the Aircraft Carrier series, we have prepared an interactive tour, which allows us to get to know the basic armaments and equipment deployed on board the USS Enterprise (CV-6).

  44.308
• USS Enterprise - 01 Pearl Harbour

  The United States was drawn into World War II by attacking the largest Pacific base with Japanese aircraft. At the time of the first bombs, treacherous Japanese diplomats were discussing the details of the peace treaty with Secretary of State Hull. Such insidiousness is not forgotten. In the Pacific, a naval war began that the world did not see… the war of aircraft carriers.

  28.203
• USS Enterprise - 02 Retribution at Midway

  After the battle fleet was massacred at the Pearl Harbor berth, the Americans were left with virtually only aircraft carriers. The Japanese began a successful victorious campaign in the Pacific. One bastion of resistance after another fell, and nothing seemed to stop the Japanese expansion.

  26.162
• USS Enterprise - 03 In the clutches of the enemy

  The Battle of Midway fundamentally changed the pace of forces in the Pacific. By sinking four large aircraft carriers, the Japanese fleet lost a substantial part of its attack potential. The Americans, who had just retreated until then, decided to try what it was like to attack territory occupied by the enemy. The first invasion was directed at the island of Guadalcanal.

  24.329
• USS Enterprise - 04 Bloody Islands of Santa Cruz

  The USS Enterprise was hit several times near Solomon Islands and had to undergo the inevitable repair. The repairs could not last long, because together with the sister USS Hornet, they were the only two aircraft carriers left to the Americans in the Pacific. The Japanese superiority was threefold.

  33.402
• USS Enterprise - 05 Alone against Japan

  After the sister aircraft carrier USS Hornet was sunk at the Battle of Santa Cruz, the USS Enterprise was left alone in the Pacific. American industry has begun, but the production of an aircraft carrier is not a matter of weeks or months. Until newly built aircraft carriers were available, the Enterprise was the only operational aircraft carrier the US Navy had in the Pacific.

  27.782
• USS Enterprise - 06 Gray Ghost

  In early 1943, the USS Enterprise again faced the Japanese and again in the waters surrounding the island of Guadalcanal. It was then sent to the United States for a well-deserved overhaul, which definitively repaired the provisionally repaired damage. She returned to combat at the head of a strong operational alliance.

  26.233
• USS Enterprise - 07 Hell's hammer

  The USS Enterprise was sent to Truk Atoll after the fighting off the Gilbert Islands. One of Japan's largest naval bases. The miserable period of fighting alone was over. It now sails as the flagship of a strong operational alliance.

  23.151
• USS Enterprise - 08 Day D in the Pacific

  In June 1944, American forces attacked the island of Saipan in the Marianas. It was another of the islands that American forces needed to begin further progress toward Japan. The noose began to pull slowly.

  24.317
• USS Enterprise - 09 Battle of Leyte Bay

  In the Battle of the Mariana Islands, the Hellcats massacred the Japanese air force in action, which the Americans called Turkey shooting. The Japanese's ability to act seemed limited. Few could have imagined that it was heading for the largest naval battle in the history of World War II.

  29.390
• USS Enterprise - 10 The last attempt of the Japanese empire

  The USS Enterprise has received several nicknames. One of them was "Lucky E", she was in big danger couple times, but she always managed to survive enemy attacks. Will the proverbial happiness last her until the end of the war?

  25.882
• USS Enterprise - The story of the most famous aircraft carrier

  An aircraft carrier is a real floating city. As a terrestrial nation, we usually do not have many opportunities to walk on board. On the occasion of the broadcast of the Aircraft Carrier series, we have prepared an interactive tour, which allows us to get to know the basic armaments and equipment deployed on board the USS Enterprise (CV-6).

  20.106
• USS Laffey versus Kamikaze 01

  Until now, I've only dealt with plane versus plane combat. However, the fights also took place between other types of weapons. This time we will aim for a duel of planes with a ship. And not just any aircraft - most of them were driven by suicidal pilots, determined to send the ship to the bottom at all costs.

  9.057
• USS Laffey versus Kamikaze 02

  8.529
• Command car type 26/30

  The vehicle was built on the chassis of a Tatra 26/30 light truck.

  3.412
• Training with the best

  There are several opportunities on the market to go through training more or less imitating military standards, starting with amateur offers from various enthusiasts through airsoft units, their members usually also saw the army only in the picture, to retired soldiers and veterans. But even the offer of former professionals is not balanced. It depends on the experience. The SOG Defense program definitely belongs to the top, if it is not the best.

  16.957
• From Ascension to the end of the world

  On April 2, 1982, units of the Argentine army occupied the hitherto virtually unknown Falkland Islands, which belonged to Great Britain. It probably didn't have occurred to the Argentine that the few almost uninhabited islands would be worth the British expedition to the other side of the world. But there should not be an oil field in the Falklands with a yield of two million barrels a day, and there should be no " iron lady " Margaret Thatcher in power.

  21.796
• ZiS-5 - American foundations of Soviet legend

  Only tanks and armored vehicles are often considered when assessing WWII technology. Trucks remain a bit of an interest, but they have done most of the ungrateful work without which combat operations would have stopped. In truth, the two most numerous armies, the Wehrmacht and the Red Army, were not really that well equipped.

  22.344
• 30/5000ZiS-5 - hard worker in combat and in civilian life

  The inconspicuous ZiS-5 truck did a great deal of work building the Soviet economy. After solving the first technical problems, it became the basis for a number of superstructures, including military ones, and was the first Soviet truck to be exported abroad. Equally indisputable are his merits in securing combat operations of the Soviet army during World War II.

  22.376
• "Taran" in the Slovak sky

  In September 2006, an unintentional " taran " took place at Bratislava - Vajnory Airport, in the article you will find a photo report and a short description of this event, with almost tragic consequences.

  26.424