Friday pictures: Blaze of Glory

The Portland Airport is home to the 142nd Fighter Wing, which is part of the Oregon Air National Guard. Equipped with McDonnell Douglas, er, Boeing F-15 Eagles, the Redhawks provide air defense for the Pacific Northwest. They also attract a dedicated group of photographers on Flickr, who chronicle the unit’s operations in wonderful detail. Chief

Friday pictures: Vulcan into a stormy sky

Back in July, I featured a whole series of pictures of the Avro Vulcan that returned to flight for this summer’s airshow season. Vulcan XH558 delivers amazing performances by all accounts, and I very much wish to see it in person, but until then I rely on the photographers at Flickr to capture its appearances, and

Friday pictures: Supermarine Spitfire

Any collection of pictures that seeks to capture the beauty and grace of aircraft will eventually include a Spitfire. This plane is one of the most iconic machines ever built, with delicate lines that ensured recognition even by those whose eyes are never turned skyward. This week’s specific Spitfire is a Mk. XVI owned by

Friday pictures: F-86 & MiG-15

Fifty-eight years ago, the North American F-86 Sabre and the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 fought remorselessly for control of Korea’s skies, giving no quarter as they tangled in MiG Alley. Even though the skies over the Yalu River remain unwelcome to American aircraft today, times have changed sufficiently that these former foes now find themselves reunited

Friday pictures: Vulcan reborn

After World War II, Great Britain developed a trio of jet bombers called the V-bombers. The Vickers Valiant, the Handley Page Victor, and the Avro Vulcan. First flights for these planes were in 1951 and 1952, and in 1964 the Royal Air Force fielded nearly 160 modern jet bombers. The Valiant served from 1955 until