Military Aircraft - From Balloons to Stealth Fighters

USS Shenandoah was the first rigid airship built for the US Navy. Finished in 1923, USS Shenandoah acted as a test platform for rigid airship technology and served as a scout for the fleet. The airship's brief career ended on September 2, 1925, when it crashed in Ohio.

USS Macon (ZRS-5) was a rigid airship built for the US Navy. Entering service in 1933, USS Macon conducted as variety of exercises and carried a complement of Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk fighters. USS Macon was lost during a storm off the coast of California in February 1935.

The MiG-15 was a key Communist jet fighter during the Korean War. Designed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich, the MiG-15 was designed for the Soviet Union and was one of the first swept wing jet fighters. Flying over North Korea, the MiG-15 routinely dueled American F-86 Sabres in "MiG Alley."

The F-86 Sabre was the iconic US aircraft of the Korean War. Introduced in 1949, the F-86 saw extensive service over the Korean Peninsula between 1950 and 1953. Able to achieve supersonic speeds in a dive, the F-86 is best remembered for dueling MiG-15s in an area known as MiG Alley. Retired in the late 1950s by the US Air Force, the F-86 was...

The MiG-21 Fishbed was introduced in 1959, and became the world's most produced supersonic fighter. Flown by over fifty countries during its long career, the MiG-21 Fishbed saw extensive use during the Vietnam War and various conflicts in the Middle East. Some variants of the MiG-21 remain in service to this day.

The F-8 Crusader was developed in the 1950s as a fighter for the US Navy. Entering service in 1957, the F-8 Crusader was the last American fighter designed with guns as its primary weapon. The F-8 Crusader saw extensive service during the Vietnam was and was not fully retired until 1999.

The F-105 Thunderchief was one of the US Air Force's primary fighter-bombers during the Vietnam War. Widely used for strike bombing over North Vietnam, the F-105 also was employed in a "wild weasel" role to suppress enemy surface-to-air missiles. The Thunderchief remained in use until 1984.

The F-4 Phantom II was originally developed for the US Navy, but also was used by the US Air Force and Marine Corps. A long-range fighter/fighter-bomber, the F-4 Phantom II saw extensive service during the Vietnam War. Replaced by the American military in the 1980s, the F-4 continued to see service with other nations.

The F-35 Lightning II is result of the multi-nation Joint Strike Fighter program. Spearheaded by the United States and Great Britain, the F-35 will be both nations' next generation close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air aircraft. The F-35 Lightning II will also be built in a carrier version for use at sea.

A comprehensive site that provides information on World War I aircraft and the men who flew them.

An illustrated list of aircraft used by Fascist and Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War.

A list and image gallery of aircraft used by US and United Nations forces during the Korean Conflict.