No Highway in the Sky

No Highway in the Sky

The DH Comet was the first jet airliner and was going to be a world beater until there were unexplained and sudden losses.  The investigation that followed opened the eyes of the entire industry to the dangers of aircraft pressurisation and metal fatigue.

 

An enormous water tank was erected test the fuselage during repeated pressurisation runs.

 

The fuselage of G-AYLP which broke up in mid air.

 

Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to UK Gov, Imperial War Museum and Krelnik.

The Son of Zeus

The Son of Zeus

The C-130 Hercules; the longest continuously produced military aircraft in history!

An early version of the C130 lands at Kham Duc during the Vietnam war.

 

A C130 lands aboard USS Forrestal during trials.

 

C130 captures a satellite payload after reentry.

 

The Blue Angels C130 demonstrates a JATO takeoff.

 

The Hercules… a perfect all terrain work horse.

 

 

Images through the Creative Commons licence from US Gov.