The P-51B Mustang was the variant fitted with the British V12 Merlin engine, the aircraft had originally been fitted with the Allison V12 but it wasn’t up to the task and pilots were frequently outperformed by their German rivals. The Merlin gave the Mustang a whole new lease on life, it was now significantly better…
The Avro Lancaster is a heavy bomber developed by the British during the Second World War and built in very large numbers – 7,377 had taken to the skies by the time the Avro Lincoln replaced it. The overwhelming majority of Lancasters were powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines – arguably one of the best aero-engines…
Pistol Packin’ Mama was a B-17 Flying Fortress that saw use during the Second World War as a training aircraft for female pilots known as WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots), over 1,000 female pilots had been accepted into the program by the end of the war and they had flown every type of American military…
The NATO Royal Navy Sweater is a staple of the British military, the Army has an olive green version that many people are more familiar with, but the basic design of both has remained unchanged since before WWII. Due to the fact that the sweater is made from 100% wool, it’s fantastic at conserving body…
WWII in Colour – The Air War is a one and a half hour documentary covering the use of aircraft throughout the Second World War, as a bonus the footage is all in colour – which seems to bring it home in a way that black and white never really does. Recently I’ve been working my…
The USS Shenandoah was the first of the great American airships, it was closely based on the German Zeppelin bomber L-49, built just after WWI and still viewed as one of the most important dirigibles of the era. With a gross weight of 36 tons, a total length of 68ft, a cruising speed of 70mph and…
The Sopwith Camel is a remarkably important aircraft, it was first flown in 1917 when the pace of advancement in aircraft design was moving at breakneck speed and for time the Camel was the best fighter in the sky. Its odd name was coined from the side profile appearance of the hump that was built…
It isn’t everyday that an original World War II Enigma machine comes up for sale, most of the machines are now either in museums or private collections and owners are, understandably, exceedingly reticent to part with them. The story behind the Enigma needs no introduction, the small mechanical devices were ingenious and it took the…
The North American P-51 Mustang was a masterpiece of American engineering that was designed and built on an extremely short timeline – only 102 days passed from commissioning the project to delivery of the first prototype and the P-51 first flew 47 days after its initial roll out on the 26th of October 1940. What…
Flak – Evading Anti-Aircraft Fire is an official training film from the Second World War that taught pilots how to evade and otherwise deal with flak – from Europe to the Pacific and everywhere in between. Anti-aircraft weaponry has existed since very shortly after the first aircraft were militarised and WWII is widely considered the…
The Marder 1A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle is a German armoured personal carrier that’s been in development since 1960, the 1A3 version is the most common and includes a slew of improvements over the original 1A1 – not the least of which is the ability to withstand 30mm cannon fire. The Marder can hold 12 infantrymen…
The Willys Jeep is a vehicle that I’d love to see make a comeback, the relatively small form factor of the design coupled with its mechanical simplicity makes it a fantastic four-wheeler for all manner of off road escapades. Of course there’s no way an original specification Jeep could be manufactured nowadays with emissions regulations,…
