DroneScapes

The massive Martin XPB2M-1 Mars, the original prototype of the legendary Mars flying boat series.
Giant Seaplanes: https://youtu.be/laJ9OAT1n7s

This specific aircraft is easily distinguishable by its unique twin-tail design, a feature replaced by a single large tail in later production models. Nicknamed "The Old Lady," this behemoth of the skies was one of the largest flying boats ever built, first taking flight during World War II.

2 days ago | [YT] | 603

DroneScapes

The P-38 "On Steroids" That Failed Miserably.
The Lost Giant: Lockheed’s XP-58 Chain Lightning.
The Lockheed story: https://youtu.be/MME2jmNBJWc

The XP-58 was a heavy fighter concept that pushed the boundaries of WWII aviation engineering but ultimately fell victim to its own ambition. This detailed restoration brings the sole prototype of the XP-58 back to life, showcasing the massive profile and unique design features that set it apart from its smaller cousin, the legendary P-38.

#aviation #lockheed #avgeek

3 days ago | [YT] | 1,323

DroneScapes

When Giants Ruled the Earth: The Pan Am Stratocruiser Over LAX (1951).
How We Flew, Full Documentary: https://youtu.be/fodxYjw8nlw

Step back into 1951, a pivotal moment in aviation history captured in stunning detail at Los Angeles International Airport. This fully restored and colorized imagery brings to life the sheer scale and majesty of the Pan American World Airways Boeing 377 Stratocruiser as it taxis across the famous Sepulveda Boulevard bridge.
#aviation #boeing #aviationhistory

1 week ago | [YT] | 1,452

DroneScapes

Mach 2 Monster: RVAH-5 "Savage Sons" on the Catapult.
The A-5 Vigilante Story: https://youtu.be/eC2g-Svmnss

It's the late 1960s aboard the USS America. The engines are roaring, the Jet Blast Deflector is up, and the Skipper is ready to fly.

This is the North American RA-5C Vigilante. Originally designed to deliver nuclear weapons, it found its true calling as a high-speed reconnaissance platform.
#RA5C #NavalAviation #ColorizedHistory

1 week ago | [YT] | 1,059

DroneScapes

The "Flying Ship" that Conquered New York (1931)

Imagine looking out at New York Harbor in 1931 and seeing this behemoth taxiing by. This is the Dornier Do X, the largest, heaviest, and most powerful flying boat of its time.

Watch "Flying Leviathans": https://youtu.be/YHhEqPxHf8o

Powered by twelve Curtiss Conqueror engines mounted in six tandem push-pull nacelles, this wasn't just a plane—it was a luxury liner with wings. It featured a smoking room, a wet bar, and dining areas for 66 passengers.

While it never entered mass production due to safety concerns and fuel consumption, its arrival in New York after a transatlantic flight was a global sensation. It represents a fascinating "dead end" in aviation evolution: the era when we thought the future of travel was giant flying boats rather than sleek jets.

1 week ago | [YT] | 1,070

DroneScapes

Pilots of VMF-214 'Black Sheep' scramble toward their F4U-1 Corsairs at Turtle Bay Fighter Strip, Espiritu Santo. September 11, 1943.
Black Sheep: The Squadron That Changed The War. Boyington's War. RARE RESTORED FOOTAGE & INTERVIEWS
https://youtu.be/sEQt3agNxiU

1 week ago | [YT] | 1,505

DroneScapes

Dornier Do 217 E-2 acting as a flying testbed for advanced propulsion systems during World War II.
"Death Of the Luftwaffe": https://youtu.be/hyjxpxyhnXE
The massive tube mounted above the fuselage is a Lorin-Sänger ramjet engine (specifically a Škoda-Kauba ramjet design).
This aircraft was used to test very large ramjet engines intended for future high-speed aircraft.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,281

DroneScapes

P-47 Thunderbolt Launch from the Manila Bay.
P-47 documentary: https://youtu.be/hCp5-zTuGqE
Launch from the Manila Bay.
A restored color photograph of the P-47D Thunderbolt "Spittin' Kitten" (No. 404). Assigned to the 73rd Fighter Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, the aircraft is pictured preparing to launch from the escort carrier USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) on June 23, 1944, to support operations in Saipan.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,588

DroneScapes

YF-17 Cobra: The Incredible Loser That Became the F/A-18 Hornet [RARE FOOTAGE]

www.facebook.com/share/v/1AKHy6NWsp/

The Northrop YF-17 "Cobra" stands as one of the most influential prototype aircraft in the history of military aviation. Born from the heated Lightweight Fighter (LWF) competition of the 1970s, this twin-engine marvel was designed to counter the rising threat of agile Soviet MiGs, marking a departure from the heavy, missile-dependent interceptors of the previous era. While it famously lost the US Air Force contract to the General Dynamics YF-16, the design philosophy and aerodynamic breakthroughs of the YF-17 laid the direct foundation for the F/A-18 Hornet, a carrier-based fighter that would dominate naval aviation for decades.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,581

DroneScapes

F4U-1 Corsair of VMF 222, Solomon Islands, January 1944.
THE BLACK SHEEP SQUADRON: https://youtu.be/sEQt3agNxiU
Pacific Theater Grit: Corsair Operations.
The Vought F4U Corsair was designed around the massive 2,000-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engine, the largest available at the time of its design. To accommodate the enormous 13-foot, 4-inch propeller required to harness this power, designers utilized the distinctive inverted gull wing. This design allowed the landing gear struts to be shorter and stronger while still providing necessary ground clearance for the prop.

The F4U was the first American fighter to exceed 400 mph in level flight. Its characteristic "whistling" sound, which earned it the nickname "Whistling Death" from the Japanese, was caused by air rushing into the wing-root oil cooler intakes at high speeds.

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,416