Plane Tales

A conversation with Sir Richard Johns KCB KCVO CBE and retired Chief of the Air Force about his love of military history.     Images by NickAndersonPhoto.co.uk

An explanation of some of the strange terms that we bandy about in aviation.   Image under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Raff.

The poppies were some of the first flowers to grow over the churned battlefields and freshly turned earth of war graves during the First World War and on 3 May 1915 they inspired the Canadian physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae after witnessing the death of his friend and fellow soldier the day before, to write the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae.   McCrae&#8217...

W E Johns wasn’t just a brave World War 1 pilot who survived being shot down over enemy territory but after the war he became an author who inspired generations of young people to become pilots.  Under the pen name of Captain W E Johns he wrote over a hundred adventure books featuring a fearless pilot and his trusty crew.  This is the story of Biggles and his creator!   Biggles fought i...

The tragic story of Southern Airways flight 242, a DC9 that lost both engines flying through severe weather and then performed a dead stick landing onto a road in New Hope with tragic consequences for both those onboard and those on the ground.   The approximate ground track of the stricken aircraft.   The accident aircraft.   Aircraft wreckage amongst the houses of New Hope.  ...

Its May 1942 and America has joined the Second World War, committing many of its combat resources to campaigns around the world.   On the East coast of America, vital shipping are being sunk by German submarines.   The losses had been so terrible that the figures were being withheld from the public and for a few humiliating weeks, all coastal vessels were ordered to stay in harbour until convoys c...

In a desperate gamble to encourage the USA to come to Britain’s aid during their most desperate of days of WW2, Churchill dispatched Sir Henry Tizard to America bearing a small metal box… Tizard’s Trunk.  Inside were some of the  most closely guarded technological secrets that Britain had to offer. John Cockroft (right) wearing his Medal of Freedom awarded for his services to the...

The life of a pigeon can be a little mundane unless you are drafted into the Royal Air Force and find yourself on bombing missions, accompanying submarine hunters or parachuting into enemy territory with spies!  This is the story of the humble homing pigeon, drafted into service! The Photo Recon pigeon.   An RAF bomber crew member heads off with his pigeons.   Not to be outdone, Coastal...

The tragic days following the demise of Monarch Airlines are recounted in this, the second and final part of an interview with Captain Al Evans. Captain Al Evans with his Monarch A320 at Gibraltar.   Images under Creative Commons Licence with thanks to Capt Al Evans.

On 5 June 1967, Monarch Airlines was established with a rather aged Bristol Britannia and I doubt that many people had any great hopes for its longevity but, when it was approaching its 50th year of operation, it fell foul of a poor economic situation and collapsed.  A year has gone by since then and Captain Al Evens recalls the events leading up to the demise of this much loved airline in this, t...

Many of us have past generations in our family who flew during the Second World War but few of us have a wonderful diary describing the lives they lived during the conflict.  Nick Kidd’s Uncle was one of the secretive pilots who flew agents into France and supplied the Free French Resistance and this is the fascinating story of his Uncle Geoff. The Wellington under construction showing its u...

He was the greatest fighter pilot that ever served with the United States armed forces. A quiet and unassuming man who, even when he had more kills than the fabled Eddie Rickenbacker, insisted on going back into combat.  A remarkable pilot whose life was brought to a sadly early end.   Images under Creative Commons Licence with thanks to US Gov, USAF and Mikejfm.

To the primitive tribes of the Pacific Islands the sudden arrival of flying machines disgorging tons of wonderful cargo is beyond their understanding.  Their attempts to make sense of what is occurring leads to the creation of a remarkable new religion.     Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the authors.

A gradual degradation of engine performance leads a Cathy Pacific crew into a dire situation, all due to Super Absorbent Polymer Spheres!  This is the story of Cathy 780 and the excellent job that the crew did to get their crippled aircraft onto the ground. The incident aircraft, an Airbus A330. Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to SA 4.0 and Aero Icarus.

During World War 2, for the bomber pilots, getting shot down over enemy territory was far from the only risk that they faced.  In England, Bomber Command and the Eighth Air Force suffered significant losses when returning to their bases only to find that they were fogged out.  This is the story of FIDO. A Lancaster comes to grief amongst the FIDO pipes.   Images under Creative Commons license...

The Chief Pilot of the British Registration Board, D P Davies, wrote THE definitive book for airline pilots moving to the the big jets of the 70’s and 80’s.  An acerbic, opinionated but incredibly talented pilot his life was full of fascinating stories.  

With the Chinese forces under Chiang Kai-shek keeping over a million Japanese troops occupied, once America joined the Second World War, they were keen to prevent those troops from becoming free to engage them in the Pacific theatre.  Supplying the 10th Air Force and the Chinese forces became a priority.  So began an enormous effort to air lift thousands of tons of supplies over some of the most t...

An American analyst poured over a satellite image of a vast and strange aircraft being built on the shore of the Caspian Sea.  What was this monster of a machine?  The Russians had delved into the world of ground effect vehicles and this is the story.   The KM (Korabl Maket) Ekranoplan.   The successor to the Caspian Sea Monster, the Lun Class missile carrier, NATO code name Duck!  ...

In the post WW2 era the Farnborough Airshow was a fabulous and exciting window into the amazing world of advanced jet fighters and in 1952 test pilot John Derry was flying one of the most advanced prototypes there.  This is his story.   Test Pilot John Derry.   The Sea Vixen with it’s unusual offset pilot’s canopy.   The aftermath of the DH110 crash. Images through Creat...

Following my previous story concerning the tragic murder of both pilots on the flight deck, the son of First Officer Ray Andress wrote and told me the story from his side.  Steve Andress went on to become a USAF pilot and is now flies for a major legacy airline.   He also tells us of the work his mother undertook to ban the use of flight insurance vending machines at airports to deter others with...

Two dramatic and awful incidents when unsuspecting pilots are attacked on the Flight Deck, enough to put shivers down the spine. The title image is of Francisco Paula Gonzales, one of the murderers.   The Pacific Air Lines F27 that was involved in the tragedy of flight 773.   An Eastern Air Lines DC9.   The Eastern Airlines Training Centre plaque. Images under Creative Commons licen...

The dream of flight began with makeshift wings bound to men’s arms which, like Icarus from Green mythology failed, often with deadly results.  This is the story of the pioneers who took to the air under their own power. Zaschka’s Human-Power Aircraft, Berlin 1934.   SUMPAC was the first successful human powered aircraft.   The Gossamer Albatross II is seen here during a test...

The Vickers VC10 was an aircraft that was ahead of its time.  Sleek, fast and powerful it was designed to please an airline which then turned its back on it.  However, the VC10 won the hearts of many. The RAF version of the VC10, the K3.   The VC10 flight deck including the ‘voice activated throttles’!   Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Bahnfrend, Steve Fi...

Despite being injured during a civil war and losing the sight of an eye,  Carlos Dardano became a B737 Captain for TACA.  On descent into New Orleans, he strayed into a thunderstorm with disastrous consequences.  The fate of the aircraft its crew and passengers now depended on the flying skills of the Captain.                                                          Images under Creative Commons l...

During the height of the Cold War, a most unlikely spy plane gathered intelligence over East Germany on behalf of the Western allies.  This is the little known story of the British Commander’s in Chief Mission to the Soviet forces in Germany! The BRIXMIS logo.   The de Havilland Chipmunk.   A Soviet BMP photographed whilst a soldier aims at the Chipmunk!   Images under Creativ...