by Frederick Johnsen | Aug 16, 2021 | Aviation News, General Aviation, Of Wings & Things, Opinion, Wright Brothers
An eagle-eyed reader caught an error from our resident historian about a photo of the Wright brothers. Read...
by Frederick Johnsen | Aug 9, 2021 | 20210812, Aviation News, General Aviation, Of Wings & Things, Opinion
Jerry Vultee’s all-metal single-engine V-1 of 1933 foretold the future, but federal restrictions killed its chance as an airliner and just 27 were built. Read...
by Frederick Johnsen | Jul 1, 2021 | 20210701, Aviation News, General Aviation, Of Wings & Things, Opinion
It took people to design, build, and fly the airplanes that are featured in Of Wings & Things. Columnist Frederick A. Johnsen takes a brief look at six of those aviation personalities – some you may know, others you may not. Read...
by Frederick Johnsen | May 31, 2021 | 20210603, Aviation News, General Aviation, Of Wings & Things, Opinion
The Army Air Services wanted a ground attack aircraft with heavy firepower and protected by armor plating to ensure its survival in low-altitude battlefield warfare. The GAX (Ground Attack Experimental) didn’t win any beauty contests, with its truncated nose and...
by Frederick Johnsen | May 6, 2021 | 20210506, Aviation News, General Aviation, Of Wings & Things, Opinion
At the time of its rollout, the B-19 was called the largest aircraft in the world. The XB-19’s wingspan of 212 feet was more than twice that of a B-17. With a range listed as greater than 5,000 miles and a ferry range of more than 7,000 miles, the XB-19 could...
by Frederick Johnsen | Apr 8, 2021 | 20210401, Aviation News, General Aviation, Of Wings & Things, Opinion
The Consolidated Fleetster series provided an elegant take on the needs of feeder airlines in the early 1930s. But the fortunes of Consolidated Aircraft lay elsewhere. Read...
