WWI | International Aviation HQ

What Was Barnstorming? The History of Barnstorming Explained!

27Jul

By Alya KulikovaNo Comments

History

What Was Barnstorming? The History of Barnstorming Explained!

At air shows today, you may see pilots perform all sorts of crazy maneuvers, from high-G stunts, to creating shapes and symbols with the help of other aircraft to drawing pictures in the sky with smoke from their engines. But none of this can rival the thrilling display of barnstormers. Barnstormers were out-of-work military pilots who used the supposedly useless Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" biplanes of the First World War to perform dangerous air stunts to entertain the many Americans who had never seen an aircraft before. Barnstorming made heroes of many of the former military men who embraced it. From doing remarkable acrobatic maneuvers while parachuting to doing unbelievable stunts on a plane, barnstormers did not just become heroes but inadvertently set the pace for civil aviation...

Sopwith Pup: Britain’s Best WWI Fighter?

23Jan

By Charles YongzhengNo Comments

Aircraft Digest

Sopwith Pup: Britain’s Best WWI Fighter?

The introduction of the Sopwith Pup into service in 1916 was an immediate game changer. Even today, over 100 years later, most historians generally consider the Pup to be one of the most important aircraft of WWI. Arguably, the Pup is one of the most important aircraft ever built! The tactics that the Pup was built around was copied by Britain's allies and enemies alike during the war. These tactics would then be used in WWII, and even partly in the Cold War and today! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Sopwith Pup On June 28 1914, Gavrilo Princip shot and killed the Archduke of Austria and his wife. This would set off a chain reaction that would lead to the largest war in modern human history (at the time). What was then-called the G...

What is a Warbird? A Brief History of Warbirds

3Oct

By Alexander PaskNo Comments

History

What is a Warbird? A Brief History of Warbirds

Warbirds are some of the most favored airshow acts. Their ability to combine the aircraft of the past and the technology of the present attracts thousands of spectators from all around the world! Aircraft such as the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Grumman F8F Bearcat, North American P-51 Mustang and Yakovlev Yak-3 are also considered to be warbirds. But what exactly makes a warbird so special? And why are they so prized (and expensive)? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); What Are Warbirds? Warbirds are any type of former military aircraft that are now in the hands of private individuals. They are commonly used as airshow display as well as airworthy museum displays. The term originates in the 1950's when WWII-era aircraft had be...