Aviation
The MiG-23ML is an improved variant of the standard M version, developed in the mid-1970s. The primary and most impactful difference is the enhanced maneuverability due to the refined airframe (The L in the name stands for ‘’Lyogkiy’’, meaning lightweight). The MiG-23ML also received a more powerful engine, improving its flight characteristics even further. Overall the MiG-23ML is an agile and lethal aircraft, one which allows you to create a versatile loadout of air or ground weaponry to take on and defeat any contemporary enemy in the air or on the ground.
As they entered the Cold War, American attack aircraft consisted of lofting propeller aircraft that could carry enormous payloads to strike critical targets or support the troops on the ground. As such, when searching for the successor for the AD Skyraider attack aircraft, one could be surprised to see that such a small aircraft like the A-4 was chosen to continue the legacy. However, its tiny stature proved ideal for the confined aircraft carrier spaces of the US Navy and US Marine Corps and helped perform many strike missions into areas like North Vietnam.
The characteristics and capabilities of the TBD-1 Devastator are quite remarkable: like any other American bomber, it is well armed compared to its competitors: it can carry a large number of bombs of different calibers, has a defensive turret with good aiming angles and a large caliber Browning M2 machine gun. All this makes the plane not just an ordinary "bomb hauler", but an almost universal "predator" capable of destroying enemy targets on land, sea and in the air. However, its flight characteristics are not so good. You can read more about the TBD-1 in this article.
Like many successful aircraft, the story of the U-2 (short for ‘training aircraft 2’) began with its engine. In the 1920s, flight crews of the fledgling Soviet Union were training on outdated planes, and the lack of domestic engines forced the country to buy decommissioned engines from abroad. By July 1926, with the development of the excellent domestic M-11 engine, Polikarpov finally had the chance to design a new training aircraft. Drawing from his previous experience, he completed the design in just a few months. Just two years later, on January 7, 1928, the U-2 took its first flight. This was the plane we now recognize: a plywood biplane with a top speed slower than the stall speed of the Bf 109 fighter, yet free from many of the issues usually seen in new designs, and ready to show its capabilities.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a legendary fighter aircraft. This fast, light and agile jet with a distinct profile entered service in over twenty countries, becoming the most-produced fourth-generation fighter aircraft in history and setting new standards for the industry for years to come. Interestingly, just a few years before its development, aircraft engineers were considering a completely different approach.
The Mitsubishi J2M, designated Raiden (雷電), was a single-engine fighter aircraft developed for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. It was designed to intercept high-altitude bombers and had a powerful engine, heavy armament and good speed. The J2M had several variants and was used in combat against American bombers and fighter interception over Japan and performed well, but it suffered from reliability issues and production delays. The J2M was one of the more advanced Japanese fighters of the war, but it could not alter the course of the conflict.
The Kawanishi N1K, designated Kyōfū (強風), was a floatplane designed to operate from water bases where no airstrips were available. While the Kawanishi N1K-J, designated Shiden (紫電), was a land-based repurpose of the N1K, which was considered one of the finest land-based fighters flown by the Japanese and could match the best Allied fighters.
Aircraft are incredibly expensive to build. Not every country can afford to design, manufacture and maintain their own fleet of warplanes, especially if it wants to be always on top of its game. But what can you do if you're in constant need of new aircraft but lack the funds to regularly purchase the latest models on the market? Northrop Corporation faced this challenge and, as time has shown, found a highly successful solution.
Building your own warplanes was always prohibitively expensive, but it became even more difficult after WW2, with Europe being in a state of economic decline. Even though Italy, France and the UK were still capable of designing new vehicles on their own, creating a new, truly modern strike aircraft definitely required a joint effort across the continent. That’s the story of the Panavia Tornado multirole combat aircraft, developed by combined efforts of France, Germany and a number of other countries.