Category: Aircraft

The Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse was a German twin-engine heavy fighter and bomber destroyer operated by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Designed as an improvement upon the Messerschmitt Me 210, it was a highly successful aircraft against Allied bombers. However, it proved to be no match for smaller and lighter fighters.

Development of the Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse

Messerschmitt Me 210 flying over France, 1942. (Photo Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-363-2270-09 / Hönicke / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 de)

The Messerschmitt Me 210’s development began in 1939. However, the aircraft had significant issues and production was halted after just 90 had been delivered to the Luftwaffe, along with 108 Hungarian-built variants. Modifications were made, resulting in the Me 210C and 210D models, which brought about some improvements.

Despite this, the aircraft as a whole was still aerodynamically flawed. There was another attempt to improve upon the design with the Me 310, but this was in vain. In need of something that would work, the decision was made to develop a new aircraft: the Me 410 Hornisse.

Messerschmitt Me 210 vs. Me 410 Hornisse

Messerschmitt Me 210 flying over France, 1942. (Photo Credit: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-363-2270-18 / Hönicke / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 de)

The overall design of the Me 410 Hornisse was seemingly identical to the Me 210. The greatest difference came with the change to Daimier-Benz DB 603A engines. These provided the Me 410 with a significant increase in horsepower, allowing the aircraft to reach higher speeds, as well as achieve a greater rate of climb and a higher service ceiling.

Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse specs

Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse attacking a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress over Europe, 1943. (Photo Credit: US Air Force / Edward Jablonski, Flying Fortress / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The Me 410 Hornisse‘s overall design made for a less-than-attractive aircraft. A central tandem cockpit for a crew of two sat above the wings, with a canopy broken up into panels. The engines were positioned on either wing, reaching ahead of the main fuselage. The Me 410’s name was accurate, as the overall design does, in fact, look like some kind of insect.

Introduction as a night fighter

Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse attacking a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress over Europe, 1943. (Photo Credit: US Air Force / Edward Jablonski, Flying Fortress / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The Me 410 Hornisse initially operated as a fighter, proving successful in eluding Royal Air Force (RAF) own night fighters. The first Luftwaffe unit to operate the aircraft over the United Kingdom was V./KG 2, which lost its first one on the night of July 13-14, 1943, after being shot down by a de Havilland Mosquito flown by the No. 85 Squadron RAF.

No match for the Allies’ fighter aircraft

Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel investigate a downed Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse along the banks of the Sangro, in Italy, 1943. (Photo Credit: RAF / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

However, the Me 410 Hornisse couldn’t match the agile, light and fast Allied fighters, such as the Supermarine Spitfire and North American P-51 Mustang. In 1944, formations came up against large groups of Allied fighters escorting bombers. They usually took the form of fighters flying ahead of the bombers, clearing the skies of any Luftwaffe aircraft in their path. These encounters saw the Me 410’s success rate drop.

On March 6, 1944, 750 heavy bombers with the 8th Air Force and their fighter escort came up against Me 410s accompanied by Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s. The encounter concluded in the Americans’ favor. Eight Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses were downed, and four P-51s taken out by Bf 109s and Fw 190s. In comparison, 16 Me 410s were shot down by the American fighters.

Another example, on April 11, 1944, saw Me 410s down 10 B-17s while suffering no losses. Of note, however, was that there wasn’t any resistance from an escort. A second attack later that day saw the Luftwaffe aircraft intercepted by American fighters. Allied P-51s claimed eight Me 410s and three Bf 110s, killing 16 airmen and wounding three.

By mid-1944, the Me 410 was removed from defense duties and placed in a reconnaissance role, with some seeing service during the Battle of Normandy. Having fallen out of favor, production of the aircraft was ceased, in favor of heavy fighters.

While it had initial success against unescorted bombers, the Me 410 was ultimately no match for the faster Allied fighters.

In September 1942, Rachel and Eddie Jones were enjoying the warm weather at their home near Romsey, England. Rachel had formed a keen interest in aircraft recognition, thanks to her being a Brownie Guide. As the two played, they heard an unfamiliar sound in the sky.

To Rachel’s horror, she recognized the outlines of enemy aircraft: a Heinkel He 111, a Junkers Ju 88 and a Messerschmitt Bf 110. As they drew nearer, it became apparent they were sporting Royal Air Force (RAF) insignia and being escorted by Supermarine Spitfires.

Rachel ran into the house, told her mother what she’d seen and was sent to bed early without supper for telling fibs. That being said, it was anything but. She’d actually seen aircraft belonging to No. 1426 Flight RAF – nicknamed the “Rafwaffe.”

Development of the ‘Rafwaffe’

Heinkel He 111 at RAF Duxford, 1941. (Photo Credit: Humphreys M / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The Rafwaffe was formed at RAF Duxford in Cambridgeshire on November 21, 1941. The purpose was to take captured enemy aircraft, evaluate them and demonstrate their capabilities to Allied personnel, exposing them to “the appearance, performance, and even the sound” of the aircraft they may come up against in the skies over Europe.

Those charged with flying the aircraft were test pilots with No. 41 Group RAF, who’d briefly been assigned to the Air Fighting Development Unit.

Operations throughout World War II

Messerschmitt Bf 110C-5 with No. 1426 Flight RAF, 1941. (Photo Credit: U.S. Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The Rafwaffe cooperated with the RAF Film Production Unit, which used the captured enemy aircraft in their productions – although, they had the RAF insignia removed and the Luftwaffe ones restored. The Rafwaffe also worked in conjunction with the Air Fighting Development Unit, which was dedicated to testing enemy aircraft abilities and the development of tactics to combat them.

Over the course of the war, some of the aircraft, which had already been rigorously tested in the United Kingdom, were shipped to the United States for further examination. Others were lost – some due to crashes, others cannibalized for spare parts. One issue that plagued the No. 1426 Flight RAF and similar units was a lack of parts, which necessitated the use of downed aircraft and even the manufacturing of newer bits.

Aircraft operated by the Rafwaffe

Focke Wulf Fw 190A-5 and Junkers Ju 88S-1 at RAF Collyweston, 1945. (Photo Credit: A Goodchild / Royal Air Force Official Photographer / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Over the course of the Second World War, the Rafwaffe operated eight types of aircraft, with a total of 21 donning the RAF roundel. The first that came into their possession was a Heinkel He 111 H, which crash landed in Scotland after being hit by a Spitfire in 1940; a Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 captured by the French in 1939; and a Junkers Ju88A-5, which landed at RAF Chivenor due to navigational difficulties.

These early aircraft were followed by six Messerschmitt Bf 109s, four Junkers Ju 88s, four Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, a Messerschmitt Bf 110, a Henschel Hs 129, a Messerschmitt Me 410 Hornisse and an Italian Fiat CR.42 Falco.

As tank warfare evolved and became a key strategy during the interwar period, the German Wehrmacht envisioned a new kind of blitzkrieg – one that would rain down from the skies. Spurred on by the Condor Legion’s success in the Spanish Civil War, the idea gave rise to the Henschel Hs 129, an aircraft designed to be Germany’s ultimate Panzerknacker.

The Hs 129 was intended to be a tank-hunting, close-support aircraft. Despite being flown by record-breaking aces, including Rudolf-Heinz Ruffer, who destroyed 80 tanks, the Hs 129 didn’t quite live up to its potential, struggling to make a significant impact during World War II.

Developing the Henschel Hs 129

Junkers Ju 87A with Condor Legion markings. (Photo Credit: Unknown Author / Biblioteca Virtual de Defensa: Guerra Civil. Tomo III / Wikimedia Commons CC0 1.0)

The Henschel Hs 129’s hurried introduction to the battlefield was plagued by problematic design choices and requirements. Its development was slow, production was filled with complications and it was never manufactured in sufficient enough numbers to decisively influence the war.

It wasn’t the best option, but it was the cheapest

Henschel Hs 129, with its wings removed, being towed by an Opel Blitz, 1939. (Photo Credit: tormentor4555 / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The first prototype of the Henschel Hs 129 took to the skies on May 26, 1939. Despite several modifications and surviving a crash landing, the aircraft was underwhelming with its low power and poor visibility. However, it was significantly cheaper than Focke-Wulf’s design, prompting the RLM to continue with the project.

Despite its flaws, the Henschel Hs 129 was admired by pilots

By July 1943, with the fall of Tunis and subsequent withdrawal of German forces from North Africa, the Henschel Hs 129’s deployment in the region ended. Production constraints also meant the aircraft was never available in sufficient numbers to significantly impact any major campaign.

The Hs 129 was transferred to the Eastern Front, where it was expected to excel as a tank buster. There, it faced new challenges, with the Soviets’ aforementioned abundance of tanks and anti-aircraft guns posing a serious threat to the low-flying aircraft. Despite these obstacles, it performed well in its designated role.

The Hs 129’s potential was stymied by its inherent flaws and deployment circumstances. Even so, it was admired by many pilots. The aircraft, nicknamed the “German Warthog,” was commended for its near-indestructibility, thanks to its heavy armor and bulletproof glass. However, this safety feature also proved to be a performance hindrance. The Hs 129 struggled to ascend after a dive, had a slow climb rate and required an extended runway for takeoff.

Henschel Hs 129 variants

7,5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40 at the Atlantic Wall Open Air Museum, Belgium. (Photo Credit: ARTERRA / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

The Henschel Hs 129 underwent several iterations, each presenting unique features and challenges. The B-1, equipped with a MK 101 cannon, provided an effective tank-busting capability. However, it was the B-2 that became the most well-known. Despite its enhancements, it struggled to overcome the aircraft’s inherent performance and visibility issues. The only difference between the two was modifications to the fuel system.

Lack of impact

By the end of the Second World War, only a handful of Henschel Hs 129 aircraft remained operational. The majority were lost to enemy fire, mechanical failures, or were abandoned due to a lack of spare parts and maintenance.

Despite its troubled history and missed opportunities, the Hs 129 remains a remarkable chapter in the history of World War II aviation. It symbolizes the trials and tribulations of German wartime aviation, and is an embodiment of remarkable ingenuity, adaptability and perseverance under the duress of war.

The Bell X-1 was a rocket-powered aircraft designed by Bell for a supersonic joint research project between the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the US Army Air Forces (USAAF), later the US Air Force. Initially conceived during the Second World War and built in 1945, the X-1 became the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound in level flight.

Design and development of the Bell X-1

Bell X-1. (Photo Credit: Museum of Flight Foundation / CORBIS / Getty Images)

In 1942, the British Ministry of Aviation began working on a secret project with Miles to produce the world’s first aircraft capable of exceeding the speed of sound. The turbojet-powered M.52 could hit 1,000 MPH and reach an altitude of 36,000 feet in only one minute and 30 seconds.

In 1944, the Ministry of Aviation signed an agreement with the United States to share its research and data. Later that same year, engineers from Bell Aircraft visited Miles and were shown drawings and research pertaining to the development of the M.52. By this time, the American company had already begun designing a rocket-powered aircraft.

Bell X-1 specs

The Bell X-1 had an overall bullet-shaped fuselage with short, stubby wings. The design was optimized for high-speed flight, with low drag and a powerful engine. The aircraft was primarily made of aluminum alloy and fitted with a pressurized cockpit. As its sole purpose was speed, the pilot had a diminished view out of a significantly sloped windshield and didn’t have an ejection seat.

Short straight wings were used, instead of swept ones, due to a lack of knowledge of their efficiency at high speeds. Issues with the aircraft’s compressibility arose in 1947, and it was decided a variable-incidence tailplane would be added. This was similar to the variable-incidence wing seen on the Vought F-8 Crusader.

The X-1 was powered by a single Reaction Motors XLR11-RM-3 four-chamber liquid-fueled rocket engine, producing 6,000 pounds of thrust. Engineers at Bell had considered using turbojet engines, but they couldn’t reach the speed required at high altitudes, and an aircraft that used both turbojet and rocket engines would be far too large and overly complex.

The engine ran on ethyl alcohol diluted with water, with a liquid oxygen oxidizer. The chambers could each be turned on and off individually, allowing the X-1 to change its thrust in 1,500-pound increments. The fuel and oxygen tanks were pressurized with nitrogen, reducing flight time by about one and a half minutes and increasing landing weight by 2,000 pounds.

The X-1 would only take off from a runway once, due to the desire in its design leading to future fleet aircraft with the ability to reach similar high speeds. It was decided that it would be easier to deploy the X-1 via a Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

Putting the aircraft to the test

The Bell X-1 first took to the skies on January 19, 1946. With chief test pilot Jack Woolams at the controls, it completed a glide flight at Pinecastle Army Airfield, Florida. Another test involved the X-1 being dropped from a B-29 Superfortress at 29,000 feet.

Four additional glide tests were conducted at Muroc Army Air Field, California, with the first powered test taking place on December 9, 1946 by Chalmers “Slick” Goodlin. During the flight, only two engine chambers were ignited – however, the X-1 accelerated so fast that one was shut down. At 35,000 feet, it reached a speed of Mach 0.795. The engine was then turned off, and the aircraft descended to 15,000 feet, where all four chambers were tested.

On May 22, 1947, Alvin “Tex” Johnston, Bell’s chief test pilot and program supervisor, completed another test flight. During this, the X-1 reached Mach 0.72, and Johnston concluded that the aircraft was ready to be tested for supersonic flights. Bell wanted to be sure before advancing the program and another three flights were performed.

Breaking the sound barrier

Chuck Yeager with the Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The first supersonic flight of the Bell X-1 took place on October 14, 1947, conducted by Charles “Chuck” Yeager over the Mojave Desert. The aircraft, nicknamed Glamorous Glennis for his wife, was dropped from a B-29 and hit Mach 1.06 (700 MPH). After the engine burned out, the X-1 glided until it landed on the dry lakebed.

The supersonic flight was top secret. That being said, it leaked to Aviation Week and was headline news for the Los Angeles Times in December 1947. The US Air Force threatened legal action against the news agencies and the individual journalists involved, but this never occurred. On June 10, 1948, Air Force Secretary William Stuart Symington III publicly announced that the sound barrier had been broken by an experimental aircraft.

Bell X-1’s legacy

The Bell X-1 set a standard for all X-craft projects that followed, including four variants of the original aircraft. It also created invaluable research that set in motion American fighter design, with effects throughout the latter half of the 20th century.

The Ryan FR-1 Fireball was an American fighter designed by Ryan Aeronautical for the US Navy during the Second World War. It was a mixed-power aircraft, making it the Navy’s first to have a jet engine. By the end of the conflict, 66 had been produced, with none actually seeing combat. The FR-1 only served for two years before being forced into retirement.

Desire for a ‘composite’-powered fighter

Ryan FR-1 Fireball at Naval Air Station North Island, California. (Photo Credit: U.S. Navy / U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

In 1943, Adm. John S. McCain Sr. proposed the development of a “composite“-powered fighter, which would require a piston and a jet engine. Early jet power plants produced by the United States, Britain and Germany proved less reliable than radial engines.

On February 11, 1943, Ryan received a contract for three XFR-1 prototypes, as well as a single static test airframe, with the first two aircraft to be delivered within 14 months. The Navy was increasingly keen about it and placed an order of 100, way before it was even proven to be effective.

The Ryan XFR-1’s first test flight showed early issues

Ryan FR-1 Fireball flying over the Naval Air Test Center at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. (Photo Credit: U.S. Navy / Naval History and Heritage Command / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The XFR-1 conducted its first flight, without a jet engine, on June 25, 1944. This was followed by a second flight three months later. These confirmed what had been noticed in wind tunnel tests: that being the XFR-1 lacked longitudinal stability, due to a miscalculation of its center of gravity. The aircraft’s circular rear fuselage added to this.

To fix the problem, a new tail was designed with larger vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Early tests also found the double-slotted flaps to be less than satisfactory. However, before these could be changed, three prototypes and 14 production models had already been manufactured.

Several crashes during the prototype phase

Ryan FR-1 Fireball with Fighter Squadron 41. (Photo Credit: U.S. Navy / U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

The first XFR-1 prototype crashed at Naval Air Station China Lake, California on October 13, 1944. The accident was a result of the wing structure being too weak to resist compressibility effects. This was fixed by doubling the number of rivets in the other wing.

The second prototype crashed on March 25, 1945, when the pilot couldn’t recover from a dive from 35,000 feet. This, too, was likely due to compressibility effects. The third, unsurprisingly, crashed just under two weeks later, when the canopy blew off at Lindbergh Field.

Despite these losses, testing continued at the Naval Air Test Center at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Further tests led to the discovery of additional problems: the engine overheated, the catapult hooks had to be moved and the nosewheel shock strut had to be lengthened by three inches.

With these problems fixed, the FR-1 Fireball was considered ready for carrier-based testing aboard the USS Charger (CVE-30). It conducted five takeoffs using the radial engine and another three using both types. No issues were noted during these trials.

In January 1945, contingent on the successful completion of the carrier trials, the Navy ordered another 600 aircraft. By that November, however, only 66 aircraft had been delivered. A few months prior, on V-J Day, the remaining orders had been canceled.

Ryan FR-1 Fireball specs

The FR-1 Fireball was a single-seater, low-wing monoplane with a tricycle landing gear. Its key design feature was its engines, being powered by a 1,350-horsepower Wright R-1820-72W radial one and a General Electric J-31 (originally designated I-16) turbojet capable of producing 1,600 pounds of thrust.

The radial engine was located in the aircraft’s nose, while the turbojet was in the rear of the fuselage, with air intakes in the wing roots. In an effort to create a simple fuel system, both used the same grade of avgas. Two fuel tanks were located in the fuselage, which could be supplemented with drop tanks.

The FR-1 provided pilots with excellent visibility, thanks to its large bubble canopy. It was also the first aircraft in the US Navy with a Laminar flow airfoil.

The FR-1 was armed with four M2 Browning machine guns, with 300 rounds each. These were located in pairs on the leading edge of each wing, just outboard of the air intakes. Four hard points were located under each wing and another two under the fuselage, allowing for various rockets, bombs and missiles to be carried.

Ryan FR-1 Fireball’s operational history

The FR-1 Fireball entered service in March 1945. Fighter Squadron 66 (VF-66), known as the “Firebirds,” received the aircraft, which never saw combat. On May 1, three were craned aboard the USS Ranger (CV-4). While seven pilots attempted to qualify on the FR-1, two were damaged upon landing when one missed the arresting wire, hitting the crash barrier, while the other’s nose gear collapsed.

Retiring the Ryan FR-1 Fireball

VF-41 was re-designated “VF-1E” on November 15, 1946. In March 1947, the squadron conducted carrier qualifications aboard the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), during which it became clear the FR-1 Fireball couldn’t endure repeated carrier landings.

Not everyone who serves with the Royal Air Force (RAF) is a pilot, as it’s equally important for crewmen to maintain the aircraft. This, however, almost proved lethal for engineer Walter Holden, who found himself in the cockpit of a completely unintentional flight in an English Electric Lighting; during routine maintenance on the aircraft, he found himself careening down the runway for takeoff.

Performing routine maintenance

No. 111 Squadron RAF with an English Electric Lightning, 1965. (Photo Credit: Peter Warren / Daily Mirror / Mirrorpix / Getty Images)

In 1943, Walter “Taffy” Holden enlisted in the RAF and studied mechanical engineering at university. Although he never intended to become a pilot, he was still given mandatory flight training on a de Havilland Tiger Moth and, later, a Harvard. He received his wings soon after, after which he flew a de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk.

Eventually, Holden stopped flying to focus on his RAF engineering career. He did well for himself, and by 1966 commanded the No. 33 Maintenance Unit RAF, out of RAF Lyneham. They worked on the English Electric Lightning, which the service planned to phase out, as well as Canberras and the Gloster Meteor.

Walter Holden accidentally takes to the sky

Members of No. 74 Squadron RAF walking past a row of English Electric Lightning at the Farnborough Airshow, 1961. (Photo Credit: Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

To officially wind down the fleet, Walter Holden needed a pilot to test aircraft XM135, but it would take over a week for one to arrive. Not wanting to wait, he decided to do it himself, since he only had to taxi the Lightning on the ground, to test different electrics – getting up to high RPMs, cutting the engine and, then, braking.

As he wasn’t going airborne, Holden donned no helmet or radio, instead communicating with his ground crew via hand signals. There was no canopy on the aircraft, the landing gear was locked in a down position and the ejector seat wasn’t functional.

A touchy landing

Once Walter Holden was in the air, he was able to turn off the afterburner and think about landing. He twice tried, but couldn’t get the Lightning’s position right. He was successful on his third attempt, but his inexperience saw him land the aircraft how one would a taildragger. This resulted in the tail smashing into the runway and breaking off the drogue parachute, which would have helped him slow down.

Even without it, Holden was able to get XM135 to stop – with only 300 feet of runway left. His total flight time was around 12 minutes.

Despite the way he landed, the Lightning was repaired and returned to service until 1974, when it was put on display at Imperial War Museum Duxford. Holden emerged without a scratch, but was put on leave in Italy after the media caught wind of the story. He wasn’t punished, and only had to admit that he should have left the test to a pilot familiar with Lightnings.

With this small slap on the wrist, he continued serving with the RAF until the early 1980s.

The V-1 flying bomb was an early cruise missile developed by Germany as part of its V-weapons (Vergeltungswaffen) program. Starting on June 13, 1944, V-1s were launched against Britain, raining terror down on London and other cities. Flying faster than most Allied fighters, there was little that could be done to stop these incoming weapons.

The Gloster Meteor was the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) first jet fighter and the first Allied operational jet-powered aircraft. Being such a closely-guarded secret, it was retained for home defense, where it came up against the V-1 with tremendous success.

Gloster Meteor

Gloster Meteor, 1943. (Photo Credit: The Print Collector / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

Development of the Gloster Meteor began in 1940. However, the turbojet engine that powered the aircraft had been in the works since 1936. Frank Whittle had begun developing a jet engine and was looking for a manufacturer to build a fighter that could use it. In April 1939, he visited the Gloster Aircraft Company, where interest was shown in his ideas.

V-1 flying bomb

V-1 flying bomb, 1944. (Photo Credit: PK-Lysiak / Transocean-Europapress / Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1975-117-26 / Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA 3.0 de)

The V-1 flying bomb, known as the “buzz bomb” or “doodlebug,” was an early operational cruise missile. The first was launched toward London on June 13, 1944, with over 100 being sent out per day at one point, totaling 9,521 flying bombs before October 1944, when the Allies captured the final launch site in range of Britain.

The overall design of the V-1 had the appearance of a pointed torpedo, with two small straight wings and a pulsejet located above the main body, at the rear. An Argus As 109-014 Pulsejet powered the bomb, pulsing 50 times per second. This allowed the flying munition to reach 400 MPH between 2,000-3,000 feet. The engine produced a buzzing sound, hence the “buzz bomb” nickname.

Gloster Meteor versus V-1 flying bomb

An incoming V-1 flying bomb, at speeds of up to 400 MPH, was too fast for most Allied fighters to intercept – however, when the Gloster Meteor entered service, its turbojets bridged this gap, allowing for easier interception. On August 4, 1944, a month after the aircraft entered service, the aircraft scored its first two kills against the V-1.

Its first kill wasn’t scored as most would have assumed. Approaching the V-1, a Gloster Meteor pilot squeezed the trigger to fire his four cannons. Nothing happened; the guns had jammed. With the primary armament inoperable, the fighter used its speed to come alongside the flying bomb and tip it with its wing. This threw off the gyrocompass that the V-1 used to maintain level flight and crashed.

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter. Developed in the 1980s and ’90s, the fighter was the product of disagreements with allied nations during the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Rafale was introduced in 2001, and serves with the Armée de l’Air and Marine Nationale, as well as the air forces of Egypt, Qatar, India and Greece.

A new fighter and multinational cooperation

German Eurofighter Typhoon with a French Dassault Rafale. (Photo Credit: John MacDougal / AFP / Getty Images)

In the 1970s, the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) and Navy (Marine Nationale) began looking for a multi-role aircraft. Due to similar requirements, and in an attempt to reduce costs, it was decided the services would receive the same aircraft.

In 1975, the Ministry of Aviation decided that key to this would be the aircraft’s ability to work with – and complement – the Dassault Mirage 2000. Four years later, Dassault-Breguet partnered with BAe and MBB for the European Collaborative Fighter project, later renamed the European Combat Aircraft (ECA) program. This collapsed in 1981, following disagreements between the three nations.

Development of the Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale A. (Photo Credit: Dick Gilbert / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0)

Now on their own, the French proceeded with their own plans. The Dassault Rafale was developed not only to perform these roles, but also to replace other aircraft flown by the Air Force and Navy, including the SEPECAT Jaguar; the Dassault Mirage F1 and 2000; the Étendard IVP/M; the Vought F-8P Crusader; and the Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard.

Single or two-seater?

The Dassault Rafale C (chasseur, meaning “fighter”) and B (biplace, meaning “two-seater”) were destined for service with the French Air Force. Initially, the C was to take on the fighter role, while the two-seater would be a trainer. However, the Gulf War showed a second crew member was a useful addition for certain operations.

The Rafale M and N were the naval versions of the aircraft, although the latter was ultimately canceled. While it had the same look as the others, it featured a reinforced structure for carrier landings, as well as the addition of a tail hook and a built-in ladder.

Production began in 1992, with the first aircraft entering service in ’95. The first Rafale B underwent its first flight in 1998, while the first M took to the skies in ’99. The French Navy received the first two production Ms in 2000 and the Air Force received their first Bs in 2005.

Dassault Rafale specs

Dassault Rafale. (Photo Credit: Airwolfhound / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Dassault Rafale’s design is characterized by a large delta wing with active close-coupled canards, which help maximize the aircraft’s maneuverability. The canards also reduce landing speeds to 132 MPH, and allow the aircraft to fly at airspeeds as low as 17 MPH.

Dassault Rafale with the Aéronavale

Dassault Rafale M takes off from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), 2016. (Photo Credit: Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan T. Beard / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

In December 2000, the first two Dassault Rafale M fighters were delivered to the aviation arm of the French Navy, the Aéronavale, replacing the service’s aging F-8P Crusader fleet. Interestingly, the M is also completely compatible with the US Navy’s Nimitz-class carriers, with one becoming the first foreign aircraft to have an engine replaced aboard an American aircraft carrier.

Dassault Rafale with the Armée de l’Air

Dassault Rafale B. (Photo Credit: Capt. Jason Smith / US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

In April 2005, the French Air Force received its first Dassault Rafales. On March 12, 2007, they were deployed on their first operations, supporting Dutch troops in Southern Afghanistan. From 2009-11, at least three were stationed at Kandahar International Airport, participating in NATO operations.

On March 19, 2011, Rafales began conducting reconnaissance and strike operations in Libya during Opération Harmattan. Initially, the targets were artillery pieces, but, later, the fighters directly attacked Benghazi.

Current and future operators

Qatar Emiri Air Force Dassault Rafale, 2019. (Photo Credit: Dylan Agbagni / Wikimedia Commons CC0 1.0)

In addition to France, the Dassault Rafale is also flown by the Egyptian Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Hellenic Air Force and the Indian Air Force. The fighter has also been ordered by the Croatian Air Force, the Indonesian Air Force and the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

The Rafale is currently being considered by Bangladesh, Columbia, Iraq, Malaysia, Saudi Arabi and Serbia. There were also many failed bids with nations, including Belgium, Canada, Finland and Switzerland, who chose the Locheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, instead.

If you look at photographs captured during the mid-20th century, odds are you’ll come across some that feature US Navy aircraft covered in graffiti. The majority of the phrases and tags are rather tame, while others are more risqué and inflammatory. You might assume these acts of vandalism were the work of enemy forces, but they were actually painted by American naval aviators who wanted to make light of a pilot accidentally landing their aircraft on the wrong vessel.

During the 1950s and ’60s, radar and GPS technology were still in their infancy, meaning it wasn’t uncommon for naval aviators to become turned around or lost, resulting in them landing on the wrong aircraft carrier. Innocent as their errors may have been, crewmen liked to pick on these pilots by covering their jets with graffiti, so they wouldn’t soon forget their mistakes.

As a 2018 tweet from the US Naval Institute explains, “Navy [tradition] holds that pilots who make a navigational error and land on the wrong carrier get mocked by the crew who ‘decorate’ the plane with graffiti. Adding @USAirForce markings is the ultimate insult to an already embarrassed naval aviator.”