In late 1939, the Air Ministry were looking to replace the Blenheim as a medium bomber. Bristol Aircraft Company (BAC) initially came up with a bomber development of the Beaufighter, the Type 161. Due to specification changes and redesigns, the end result was the Type 163 Buckingham, a twin engined, twin tailed medium bomber.
The Flying Flat Iron and the Harmonious Dragmaster were just two names given to the Gloster Javelin. Designed from the outset as an all-weather day and night two seat fighter, its aim was to take on the large formations of Russian bombers that everyone thought would herald the start of WWIII.
The Blackburn Shark torpedo/spotter/reconnaissance biplane was thoroughly overshadowed by its competitor the Fairey Swordfish. In reality though, the Shark was more modern than the Swordfish and performed better, and had it not been bedevilled with engine trouble in its early service, might have gone on to great things.
Designed as an interceptor, when the Bell P-39 Airacobra appeared in 1941 it was acclaimed as one of the most advanced combat planes of the time. Elegantly designed and innovatively engineered (it featured...
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