Featured Addon History - 2009

The T-45 Goshawk is a fully carrier-capable version of the Hawk Mk.60. It was developed for the United States Navy (USN) for use in training. BAE Systems manufactures the fuselage aft of the cockpit, the air inlets, the vertical stabilizer of the T-45 at Samlesbury, and the wings at Brough, England. Boeing manufactures the remainder of the aircraft and assembles them in St. Louis, Missouri.

The T-45 has been used for intermediate and advanced portions of the Navy/Marine Corps strike pilot training program with Training Air Wing ONE at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi and Training Air Wing TWO at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. The T-45's A and C models are currently in operational use. The T-45A, which became operational in 1991, contains an analog cockpit design while the newer T-45C, which was first delivered in December 1997, features a new digital "glass cockpit" design. All T-45A aircraft will eventually be converted to a T-45C configuration under the T-45 Required Avionics Modernization Program (T-45 RAMP).. (Source: Wikipedia.)

The Cessna Citation X is a long range medium business jet aircraft. The X is the fastest operative civilian jet with a top speed of Mach 0.92 (700 mph, 1131 km/h at 41,000ft ASL (12,700meters ASL). This also makes it the fastest business jet in history. Although based on the earlier Citation III, VI and VII models the Citation X is a significantly different airplane. It utilizes a totally new wing design, engines, and features a glass cockpit.

The first Citation X was delivered in June 1996 to golfer and long-time Cessna customer Arnold Palmer. Once in use, the Citation X continued to set speed records. Arnold Palmer set one of them in September 1997: 473 knots (876 km/h) on a 5,000 km closed course.

The aircraft incorporates a number of innovative design features. One attribute that is often first noticed is the large diameter of the engine intakes. This feature, related to the high bypass ratio turbofan, reduces the noise from the engines and improves fuel efficiency. Another obvious characteristic is the highly swept wing with a supercritical airfoil, used in order to increase the critical Mach number and therefore the top speed. The Citation X has 37 degrees of sweepback at the quarter chord, more than any other business jet. (Source: Wikipedia.)

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a 4.5+ generation[3] carrier-based Multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. Additional fuel can be carried with up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding an external air refueling system.

The Super Hornet is a larger and more advanced variant of the F/A-18C/D Hornet. An early version was marketed by McDonnell Douglas as Hornet 2000 in the 1980s. The Hornet 2000 concept was an advanced version of the F/A-18 with a larger wing, longer fuselage to carry more fuel and more powerful engines. The U.S. Navy currently flies both the F/A-18E single-seater and F/A-18F two-seater in combat roles, taking the place of the retired F-14, A-6 Intruder, S-3 Viking, and KA-6D. An electronic warfare variant, the EA-18G Growler, will replace the aging EA-6B Prowler. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Visually, the OV-10 has a central nacelle containing pilots and cargo, and twin booms containing twin turboprop engines. The visually-distinctive item of the aircraft is the combination of the twin booms, with the horizontal stabilizer that connects them. (Source: Wikipedia.)

In 2008 a new Baron costs roughly $1,000,000. Since its inception, the Baron has always been near the top of the light airplane hierarchy. As expensive to operate as it is to buy, the 'next step up' from a Baron is a very big one. Faster aircraft, with greater range and more load-carrying capability are generally turbine-powered and far more expensive. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Aero Vodochody (commonly referred to as Aero; Vodochody is a location) is a Czech (and Czechoslovak) aircraft company, active from 1919, notable for producing the L-29 Delfin, L-39 Albatros, L-59 Super Albatros and the L-159 Alca. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Over 1000 Dash 8s of all models have been built. he Dash 8-100 is no longer in production, with the last Dash 8-102 built in 2005. Production of the Q200 and Q300 will cease in May 2009. Bombardier has singled out the Q400 for more aggressive marketing, launching a website centered around the aircraft.[12] The aircraft is also being considered for a further stretched version (currently designated Q400X) to compete in the 90-seat market range. (Source: Wikipedia.)

A new-build version of what was known as the Mk IID started in 1942, including additional armor for the pilot, radiator and engine. The aircraft were initially supplied with a Rolls-Royce gun and carried 12 rounds, but soon changed to the Vickers S 40mm gun with 15 rounds. The weight of guns and armor protection marginally impacted the aircraft's performance.

The IID undertook an anti-tank role in limited numbers during the North African campaign where, provided enemy flak and fighters were absent, they proved accurate and highly effective, not only against armored vehicles but all motor transport. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Providing accommodation for ninety-two tourist-class or twenty-six first-class and forty-five tourist-class passengers, the Starliner entered service with TWA in May 1957. It was designed to fly Los Angeles-London and Paris-Tokyo in 20-plus hours non-stop. Other major operators included Air France and Lufthansa.

The Constellation's wing was effectively the same as that of the P-38 Lightning, differing only in scale. The distinctive triple tail kept the aircraft's overall height low enough so that it could fit in existing hangars, while new features included hydraulically-boosted controls and a thermal de-icing system used on wing and tail leading edges. The new plane could achieve top speeds of over 340 miles per hour, a cruise speed of 300 mph, and a service ceiling of 24,000 feet. (Source: Wikipedia.)

The Douglas F3D Skyknight, (later F-10 Skyknight) was a United States twin-engine, midwing jet fighter aircraft manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company. The F3D was designed as a carrier-based all-weather aircraft. It saw service with the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, downing several MiG-15s over Korea, and serving as an electronic warfare platform in the Vietnam conflict. (Source: Wikipedia.)