Profiles In Aviation Archives

9 min

Fighter Mafia: Colonel John Boyd, The Brain Behind Fighter Dominance

Fighter Mafia: A series of articles dedicated to Colonel John Boyd, Thomas P. Christie, Pierre M. Sprey, Chuck Myers, Colonel Everest Riccioni, Harry Hillaker, Dr. Raymond Leopold, James Burton, Colonel…

Naval Aviator Alan Shepard Became NASA’s First Astronaut in 1961

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10 min

Profiles in Aviation: Berlin Airlifter Gail Halvorsen Became “The Candy Bomber”

His Has Been a Lifetime of Compassionate Service With Some Incredible Plot Twists Along the Way This is the story of a man who was born in 1920 and grew…

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2 min

Marine Pilot Trades F-35B for Blue Angels F/A-18

PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Blue Angels newest pilot did not grow up dreaming about aviation. In fact, the first time he ever flew in an aircraft was as a junior in high…

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3 min

Akron Classmates Achieved High-Flying Careers as Astronaut, Blue Angel

AKRON, Ohio — Two high school classmates driven early by different goals found themselves a decade later working in similar career fields — one a top naval aviator and one a NASA…

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3 min

Patty Wagstaff: Aerobatic Champion and Air Show Legend

In an open hanger decorated with aged aviation artwork and maintenance tools sits an Extra 330SC aircraft poised to perform its next air show demonstration at the hands of the…

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3 min

Tora! Tora! Tora! Recreates Explosive Account of Pearl Harbor Attack

ROME, Ga. — December 7, 1941 — A date which will live in infamy. The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the…

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6 min

Frank Lorenzo Might Have Been The Real-World Airline Grinch

Francisco Anthony Lorenzo is a Harvard business school graduate who served as the head of several domestic airlines including Eastern, Continental, New York Air, Frontier and People Express during the…

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6 min

Breitling Jet Team Displayed Aerobatic Precision During North America Tour

DETROIT — Europe’s popular Breitling Jet Team took North America by storm during their historic inaugural tour in 2015 and 2016, exciting crowds as they performed at several of the…

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5 min

Profiles in Aviation: Al “Blackie” Blackman Has Been Fixing American Airlines Planes for 75 Years!

Azriel “Al” Blackman is a man who has had his talented hands in American Airlines (AA) aircraft for 75 years. This nonagenarian has seen entire generations of equipment, and the…

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5 min

Profiles In Aviation: John Walmsley Was the Only Air Force Bomber Pilot Awarded the Medal of Honor In Korea

John Springer Walmsley Junior was born on January 7th 1920 in Baltimore Maryland. He graduated from High School in Silver Springs in 1936 and attended the University of Maryland. In…

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6 min

Profiles in Aviation: James Howard Was the Only American P-51 Fighter Pilot Awarded the Medal Of Honor over Europe

You’ve no doubt heard of many heroic American fighter pilots who flew Mustangs over Europe during World War II; men who flew Thunderbolts and Lightnings and even Spitfires too. Gabreski.…