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Airplane Lover, Via ra**ra 19, Bergamo (2024)

13/12/2020

Aluminum Overcast, B-17G-105-VE, s/n 44-85740, civil registration N5017N, is one of only nine presently airworthy Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 48 complete surviving airframes in existence. It never saw combat, and it escaped the fate of many aircraft that were scrapped after World War II. It is owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and, as of 2019, it is still touring the United States and Canada offering flight experiences.

Through its association as the "flagship" of the EAA, Aluminum Overcast has become one of the most recognizable examples of the B-17, due to its extensive touring schedule with over one million flight miles accumulated. The overhaul and restoration of the airframe took more than 10 years and thousands of hours by staff and volunteers at EAA Oshkosh, Wisconsin, headquarters.Aluminum Overcast carries the colors of the 398th Bomb Group of World War II, which flew hundreds of missions over Nazi-held territory during the war. Aluminum Overcast commemorates B-17G AAF Serial No. 42-102516, shot down over France in 1944.

12/12/2020

An Amazing view of flying Beast into the Sky

07/12/2020

The Grumman C-1 Trader is a carrier onboard delivery (COD) variant of the Grumman S-2 Tracker.It was replaced by a similar version of the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound.

07/12/2020

The Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, nicknamed "Old Shaky", is a retired American heavy-lift cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California.

The C-124 was the primary heavy-lift transport for United States Air Force Military Air Transport Service (MATS) during the 1950s and early 1960s, until the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter entered service. It served in MATS-gained, later Military Airlift Command (MAC)-gained, units of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard until 1974.

06/12/2020

The de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada.It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, including as a bush plane, but is overall a larger aircraft.

06/12/2020

he de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a single-engined high-wing propeller-driven short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft developed and manufactured by de Havilland Canada.It has been primarily operated as a bush plane and has been used for a wide variety of utility roles, such as cargo and passenger hauling, aerial application (crop dusting and aerial topdressing), and civil aviation duties.

05/12/2020

The de Havilland DH.104 Dove is a British short-haul airliner developed and manufactured by de Havilland.It was a monoplane successor to the prewar de Havilland Dragon Rapide biplane. The design came about from the Brabazon Committee report which, amongst other aircraft types, called for a British-designed short-haul feeder for airlines.

The Dove was a popular aircraft and is considered to be one of Britain's most successful postwar civil designs, in excess of 500 aircraft being manufactured between 1946 and 1967. Several military variants were operated,such as the Devon by the Royal Air Force, the Sea Devon by the Royal Navy and the type also saw service with a number of overseas military forces.

A longer four-engined development of the Dove,intended for use in the less developed areas of the world, was the de Havilland Heron.A considerably re-designed three-engined variant of the Dove was built in Australia as the de Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover.

05/12/2020

The de Havilland DH.114 Heron was a small propeller-driven British airliner that first flew on 10 May 1950.It was a development of the twin-engine de Havilland Dove, with a stretched fuselage and two more engines.It was designed as a rugged,conventional low-wing monoplane with tricycle undercarriage that could be used on regional and commuter routes.A total of 149 were built,and it was also exported to about 30 countries.Herons later formed the basis for various conversions, such as the Riley Turbo Skyliner and the Saunders ST-27 and ST-28.

03/12/2020

The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a large, strategic airlift, four-engined aircraft that was designed in the 1980s by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukrainian SSR,then part of the Soviet Union (USSR).Until the Boeing 747-8F,the An-124 was,for thirty years,the world's heaviest gross weight production cargo airplane and second heaviest operating cargo aircraft,behind the one-off Antonov An-225 Mriya.The An-124 remains the largest military transport aircraft in current service.The lead designer of the An-124 (and the An-225) was Viktor Tolmachev.

02/12/2020

The Antonov An-32 (NATO reporting name: Cline) is a turboprop twin-engined military transport aircraft.

02/12/2020

The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a military transport aircraft developed and manufactured by Leonardo's Aircraft Division (formerly Alenia Aermacchi until 2016).It is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's earlier G.222 (C-27A Spartan in U.S. service), equipped with the engines and various other systems also used on the larger Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. In addition to the standard transport configuration, specialized variants of the C-27J have been developed for maritime patrol, search and rescue, C3 ISR (command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), fire support/ground-attack and electronic warfare missions.

30/11/2020

The Xi'an Y-20 is a large military transport aircraft. The project is being developed by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation and was officially launched in 2006.The official codename of the aircraft is Kunpeng after the mythical bird that can fly for thousands of miles described in the ancient Chinese Taoist classic Zhuangzi.However,within the Chinese aviation industry itself,the aircraft is more commonly known by its nickname Chubby Girl,because its fuselage is much wider compared to other Chinese aircraft previously developed in China.

29/11/2020

The Shaanxi Y-8 or Yunshuji-8 (Chinese: 运-8) aircraft is a medium size medium range transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation in China, based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. It has become one of China's most popular military and civilian transport/cargo aircraft, with many variants produced and exported. Although the An-12 is no longer made in Ukraine, the Chinese Y-8 continues to be upgraded and produced. An estimated 169 Y-8 aircraft had been built by 2010.

29/11/2020

The Shaanxi Y-8 or Yunshuji-8 (Chinese: ?-8) aircraft is a medium size medium range transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation in China, based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. It has become one of China's most popular military and civilian transport/cargo aircraft, with many variants produced and exported. Although the An-12 is no longer made in Ukraine, the Chinese Y-8 continues to be upgraded and produced. An estimated 169 Y-8 aircraft had been built by 2010.

29/11/2020

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft originally designed and built by Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsized and oversized loads, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many similarities to the smaller Lockheed C-141 Starlifter and the later Boeing C-17 Globemaster III.The C-5 is among the largest military aircraft in the world.

The C-5 Galaxy's development was complicated, including significant cost overruns, and Lockheed suffered significant financial difficulties. Shortly after entering service, cracks in the wings of many aircraft were discovered and the C-5 fleet was restricted in capability until corrective work was completed. The C-5M Super Galaxy is an upgraded version with new engines and modernized avionics designed to extend its service life beyond 2040.

28/11/2020

The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of two previous piston-engined military cargo aircraft, the Douglas C-74 Globemaster and the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. The C-17 commonly performs tactical and strategic airlift missions, transporting troops and cargo throughout the world; additional roles include medical evacuation and airdrop duties. It was designed to replace the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and also fulfill some of the duties of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, freeing the C-5 fleet for outsize cargo.

26/11/2020

The Boeing 747 is a large, long–range wide-body airliner and cargo aircraft manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States. After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet 2½ times its size, to reduce its seat cost by 30% to democratize air travel.[9] In 1965, Joe Sutter left the 737 development program to design the 747, the first twin aisle airliner. In April 1966, Pan Am ordered 25 747-100 aircraft and in late 1966, Pratt & Whitney agreed to develop its JT9D, a high-bypass turbofan. On September 30, 1968, the first 747 was rolled out of the custom-built Everett Plant, the largest building in the world by volume. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969 and the 747 was certified in December of that year. It entered service with Pan Am on January 22, 1970; it was the first airplane dubbed a "Jumbo Jet".

17/11/2020

A top of speed twice the speed of sound, a ceiling of 50,000 feet, and an ability to pull nine times the force of gravity with just a single engine—all these features rocket the F-16 to its status as one of the most important planes ever built. The frameless bubble canopy gives pilots unprecedented and unrestricted visibility. A gently reclined seating position reduces the effects of extreme g-forces on the pilot, thereby allowing for more aggressive maneuvering.

17/11/2020

The Eurocopter MH-65 Dolphin is a twin-engined helicopter operated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for medevac-capable search and rescue (SAR) and armed Airborne Use of Force missions. It is a variant of the French-built Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin.

16/11/2020

By quitting his day job to build an airplane of his own design in the garage behind his house, Richard VanGrunsven quietly began the most successful aircraft kit-building company in history.

His first attempt at aircraft design was a modified Sitts Pl***oy which he affectionately label RV-1. Hitting a plateau on performance, he tried a clean sheet design, but the RV-2 never reached completion. Still yearning for a fast and affordable aerobatic platform that could operate from very short runways, he headed back to the drawing board and created the RV-3. Able to reach 200 mph with only 150 horsepower, the single-seat taildragger was an instant success.

16/11/2020

The Predator was the first military "drone" (though the more accurate term would be "unmanned aerial vehicle"). It became famous famous for its role in fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Predator can be remotely piloted to fly over a 400-nautical-mile course, circle its target for up to 14 hours, and return to base. The extensive use of the Predator not only to gather intel but also to fire Hellfire laser-guided missiles marked the beginning of the modern era of extensive drone warfare by the U.S. military.

15/11/2020

The Airbus A320 family are narrow-body airliners designed and produced by Airbus. The A320 was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France. The first member of the family was followed by the longer A321 (first delivered in January 1994), the shorter A319 (April 1996), and the even shorter A318 (July 2003). Final assembly takes place in Toulouse in France; Hamburg in Germany; Tianjin in China since 2009; and in Mobile, Alabama in the United States since April 2016.

15/11/2020

The Rutan VariEze is a composite, canard aircraft designed by Burt Rutan. It is a high-performance homebuilt aircraft, hundreds of which have been constructed.The design later evolved into the Long-EZ and other, larger cabin canard aircraft.The VariEze is notable for popularizing the canard configuration and moldless composite construction for homebuilt aircraft.

14/11/2020

The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics–U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived during 1944 and designed and built in 1945,it achieved a speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour in 1948.A derivative of this same design, the Bell X-1A, having greater fuel capacity and hence longer rocket burning time, exceeded 1,600 miles per hour in 1954.The X-1, piloted by Chuck Yeager, was the first manned airplane to exceed the speed of sound in level flight and was the first of the X-planes, a series of American experimental rocket planes (and non-rocket planes) designed for testing new technologies.

14/11/2020

The Gulfstream G550 is a business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit in Savannah, Georgia, US. The certification designation is GV-SP. As of January 2016, there were 450 G550s in service.The final G550 commercially available unit is to be delivered in 2021.A version of the airplane with reduced fuel capacity was marketed as the G500.

13/11/2020

Aviation pioneer Louis Blériot was so inspired by the Wright Brothers' ability to use wing warping to fly an airplane that he modified his one-of-a-kind monoplane and set off to become the first person to cross the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft. His success resulted in an cultural epiphany that aviation wasn't simply a toy for rich playboys, but could be a valuable tool to shrink the world.

13/11/2020

Back in 1960, Bill Lear moved to Switzerland from his home in California to form the Swiss American Aviation Corporation, with the intention of redesigning the FFA P-16 ground attack fighter prototype. It failed, and Switzerland eventually cancelled its order for the SAAC-23 ExecutJet. But that didn't deter Lear, who built on its potential and moved back to the U.S. to manufacture his own executive version.

Lear's insight that there was an emerging market for executive business travel led to the development of the Learjet 23, which marked the dawn of a new world of fast and efficient business aircraft. With a new name and a new country, Learjet pumped out 104 aircraft from its facility in Kansas in just two years of production, ending in 1966. The plane could carry eight passengers at 560 mph and became the first mass-produced business jet. It was so popular that the term Learjet became synonymous with the idea of a biz jet.

12/11/2020

The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter, manufactured by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. The S-76 features twin turboshaft engines, four-bladed main and tail rotors, and retractable landing gear.

11/11/2020

The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter used in both military and civil applications.First flown in 1987,it was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta in Italy in response to national requirements for a modern naval utility helicopter.Several operators,including the armed forces of Britain,Denmark,and Portugal, use the name Merlin for their AW101 aircraft.It is manufactured at factories in Yeovil, England and Vergiate, Italy; licensed assembly work has also taken place in Japan and the United States.

11/11/2020

The Airbus Helicopters H145 is a twin-engine light utility helicopter developed and manufactured by Airbus Helicopters. Originally referred to as the BK 117 C2,the H145 is based upon the MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 C1,which became a part of the combined Eurocopter line-up in 1992 with the merger of Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm's helicopter division of Daimler-Benz and the helicopter division of Aérospatiale-Matra to form Eurocopter.

10/11/2020

The Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (English: Super Toucan; About this soundpronunciation), also named ALX or A-29, is a Brazilian turboprop light attack aircraft designed and built by Embraer as a development of the Embraer EMB 312 Tucano. The A-29 Super Tucano carries a wide variety of weapons, including precision-guided munitions, and was designed to be a low-cost system operated in low-threat environments.

In addition to its manufacture in Brazil, Embraer has set up a production line in the United States in conjunction with Sierra Nevada Corporation for the manufacture of A-29s to many export customers.

10/11/2020

The Grob G 120TP is a two-seat turboprop training and aerobatic low-wing aircraft with a composite airframe, built by Grob Aircraft. It is based on the Grob G 120A training aircraft and has been developed for military and civil pilots training. It has a retractable tricycle landing gear and a low tailplane.

The first customer was the Indonesian Air Force. EASA Part 23 type certification was completed in May 2013.

09/11/2020

The Boeing C-135 Stratolifter is a transport aircraft derived from the prototype Boeing 367-80 jet airliner (also the basis for the 707) in the early 1950s. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717.Since the first one was built in August 1956, the C-135 and its variants have been a fixture of the United States Air Force.

09/11/2020

The Dornier 328 is a turboprop-powered commuter airliner. Initially produced by Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH, the firm was acquired in 1996 by Fairchild Aircraft. The resulting firm, named Fairchild-Dornier, manufactured the 328 family in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, conducted sales from San Antonio, Texas, United States, and supported the product line from both locations. A jet-powered version of the aircraft, the Fairchild Dornier 328JET, was also produced.

08/11/2020

The Gulfstream IV (or G-IV or GIV) and derivatives are a family of twinjet aircraft, mainly for private or business use. They were designed and built by Gulfstream Aerospace, a General Dynamics company based in Savannah, Georgia, United States, from 1985 until 2018. Aircraft power is provided by two Rolls-Royce RB.183 Tay turbofans.

Upon delivery of the last G450, over 900 GIV/GIV-SP/G450 units had been produced. The last G450 was delivered on 19 January 2018 after 365 deliveries over 12 years, ending a 30-year production run, to be replaced by the G500.

08/11/2020

The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargomaster freighter variant was developed for FedEx. The 4 ft (1.2 m) longer 208B Super Cargomaster first flew in 1986 and was developed into the passenger 208B Grand Caravan.

The strutted, high wing 208 typically seats nine passengers in its unpressurized cabin, is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A tractor turboprop and has a fixed tricycle landing gear, floats or skis. By November 2017, 2,600 have been delivered and 20 million flight hours logged. Caravans are used for flight training, commuter airlines, VIP transport, air cargo and humanitarian missions.

07/11/2020

The Pilatus PC-12 is a single-engine turboprop passenger and cargo aircraft manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland, since 1991. The main market for the aircraft is corporate transport and regional airliner operators. The PC-12 is the best-selling pressurized single-engine turbine-powered aircraft in the world and has been for several consecutive years,with 1,700 deliveries as of October 2019.

07/11/2020

The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop fixed-wing aircraft that was manufactured by Beechcraft. It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner. It is also used as a freight aircraft and corporate transport, and by several governmental and military organisations. With customers favoring larger regional jets, Raytheon ended production in October 2002.

The aircraft was designed to carry passengers in all weather conditions from airports with relatively short runways. It is capable of flying in excess of 600 miles (970 km), although few operators use its full-fuel range. In terms of the number of aircraft built and its continued use by many passenger airlines and other users, it is one of the most popular 19-passenger airliners in history.

06/11/2020

The Gulfstream G550 is a business jet aircraft produced by General Dynamics' Gulfstream Aerospace unit in Savannah, Georgia, US. The certification designation is GV-SP. As of January 2016, there were 450 G550s in service.The final G550 commercially available unit is to be delivered in 2021.A version of the airplane with reduced fuel capacity was marketed as the G500.