This is what the hangar bay of the USS Enterprise looked like 20 years ago today, on the eve of Operation Enduring Freedom. The next day, carrier-based aircrew would begin flying 6.5-hour sorties in and out of Afghanistan, non stop, attacking Taliban and Al Qaeda sites

 

Ta 152C-1/R14 variant, had a torpedo stowed under the belly for attacking enemy shipping. However, Focke-Wulf assembly plants were overrun before the Ta 152C-1 began rolling off assembly lines so it never actually saw combat in the hands of the Luftwaffe.

 

Stationed B-52 Stratofortress.

 

HMS Hood outbound from Plymouth Sound, watched over by Sunderland RB11. 1941.

 

The Royal Navy has tested a new missile designed to protect warships from attacks by swarms of small boats.

 

Qatar Emiri Air Force - F-15QA Heading Through RAF Lakenheath Today.

 

Texas National Guard P-51 Mustangs flying over battleship USS Texas.

Russian navy Il-38N with Novella upgrade on display in 2017.

 

The Vought SB2U Vindicator is an American carrier-based dive bomber developed for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in this role. Vindicators still remained in service at the time of the Battle of Midway, but by 1943, all had been withdrawn to training units. It was known as the Chesapeake in Royal Navy service.

 

The latest P-8 Poseidon, seven of nine, is due to be delivered to the Royal Air Force in Scotland The aircraft was recently named ‘William Barker VC’. “The UK’s seventh Poseidon MRA Mk1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft will be known as ‘William Barker VC’ in honour of the Canadian pilot awarded a Victoria Cross whilst serving with 201 Squadron in the First World War.

 

815 Naval Air Squadron 09 Oct Thank you for all the birthday messages, 82 years young today! Royal Navy - Fly Navy.

 

Jets from Israel, United States, Italy, Germany, India, Greece, United Kingdom and France, are currently in Israel for Exercise Blue Flag 21. The photo below shows those jets undertaking an "elephant walk" on the runway of an Israeli Air Force base.

 

Catapults on board the Omaha class light cruiser USS Milwaukee, Jan 1931. Planes are Vought O2U-1 Corsair, although introduced in 1926 many were still in service at the outbreak of WW2. Also known for being the planes used to attack King Kong in the original 1933 film.

 

A US Navy A-4E of VA-164 from USS Oriskany (CVA-34) over North Vietnam in November 1967.

 

British Typhoon fighters, currently in service with the 903rd Expeditionary Wing, joined the Egyptian Air Force F-16s during the BRIGHT STAR exercise. The RAF says this was the first joint maneuver with the Egyptian Air Force since 2001. The Typhoons were also joined by F-16s of the Greek Air Force, F-15s and F-16s, along with C-130 Hercules and B-52s of the US Air Force.

 

Hangar deck of USS Langley (CV-1), 1925.

 

RAF Avro Shackleton mr3, 1955.

 

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon (formerly Multimission Maritime Aircraft).

 

F4F-4 Wildcat of VF-41 “Red Ripper” taking off from USS Ranger, 48km NW of Casablanca, to assist in the invasion of Morocco during Operation Torch. 8 Nov. 1942.

 

Corsairs NZ5326, NZ5315 and NZ5307 of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in flight with the island of Guadalcanal in the background.

 

Colins class submarine of the RAN, practices with an MRH 90 Taipan multi role army helicopter.

 

It has emerged that Typhoon jets went into combat earlier this month to assist Iraqi ground forces under fire from Islamic State.

 

The fall of Saigon in 1975, and along with it the fall of South Vietnam and final end of the Vietnam War, is most remembered in the United States for the dramatic helicopter evacuation of the American embassy. Less known is the final chapter to the “Frequent Wind” story: how the aircraft carrier USS Midway, built to fight the Imperial Japanese Navy during WWII, ended up retrieving the remnants of the defunct VNAF (South Vietnamese air force) during the summer of 1975.

 

Sunderland Mk I flying boats escorting the Empress of Australia sailing on the English Channel with the King and Queen on board bound for Canada...

 

Boeing KC-135's v4 Stratotankers.

 

Dornier 24K Flying Boat. The Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s German three-engine flying boat designed by the Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol and search and rescue. According to Dornier records, some 12,000 people were rescued by Do 24s during its flying career. A total of 279 were built among several factories from 1937–1945

 

Mosquito IVs of 105 Squadron

 

The B-17 FlyingFortress was legendary for its ability to absorb punishment and keep flying. This B-17 managed to return back to England after a direct hit by flak killed two of his crew over Cologne, Germany in 1944. Even with the toughness of the airframe, though, 4,735 of the 12,732 B-17s made were lost during combat missions, especially early in the war. Just one small glimpse into the high price of war.

 

Eurofighter Typhoon.

 

W-class destroyer, HMS Wakeful tows an abondoned Grumman HU-16 Albatross rescue plane near Malta 15th July 1955.

 

Fifth and 4th generation aircraft assigned to Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG), with embarked Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2), and U.K. Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 21 conducted joint interoperability flights in the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet.

 

RAAF Dornier Do 24K A49-4. Powered by three 750hp Wright Cyclone engines.

Marine Corps F35B stealth fighter.