Recently in Historical Category

Courtesy of user Sharpshot on Flightglobal's Airpspace image gallery, here's a great picture of a slightly neglected Boeing 747SP. It began its life as a test aircraft for Boeing as it looked at the possibility of offering a 747SP Combi, before entering service with China Airlines in 1977. It wound up with Kinshasa in 2003 - registration 9Q-CWY - and was then acquired by Capital Asset management in 2007. It now sits waiting for oblivion at Sharjah airport in the United Arab Emirates, where it appears to have been for the past four years...

Credit: user Sharpshot on Flightglobal Airspace

Two aircraft dating from the Cold War era have arrived from the Ukraine to take part in the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire this weekend.

The Russian-built Sukhoi Su-27 'Flanker', in the livery of the Ukrainian Air Force, landed at RAF Fairford today to take part in the static display. 

The Ukrainian Air Force made its debut at the event in 1996.

Flightglobal: dedicated RIAT page  

Flightglobal archive: Flanker goes into production 

Picture copyright Rex Features 

Pilot lands Fokker Dreidecker aircraft on its nose at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK on 12 July 2011.

Upon landing, the WW1 fighter aircraft was forced onto its nose after a sudden gust of wind.

Philip Tyler, an aircraft enthusiast and photographer said: "The Dreidecker did a display to show the sort of fighting that would have taken place during a typical dog-fight in the First World War.

"The plane has triple wings so develops a lot of lift and appears to float in the air when it is flying, which allows for some impressive manoeuvres in the air.

"But all that lift has a downside when coming into land as the slightest breeze can play havoc.

"On this occasion the plane landed when it must have caught a breeze which was just enough to unbalance it."

So, this is what happened, but what caption would you add?

oOo

Links

Flightglobal archive: Fokker search term 

Flightglobal archive: Anthony Fokker obituary

I break with our norm of only featuring one aircraft/photo to feature four aircraft who bear the connection of being the types involved in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that killed their crew and passengers, civilians in the buildings three of the jets were crashed into, and averted additional deaths from courageous actions of the passengers and crew on the four aircraft.

Paying tribute to the victims of 9/11 mastermind planner Osama bin Laden--who on Monday morning Pakistan time was killed in a United States military operation--extends beyond those who lost their lives on that cloudless Tuesday morning. The tribute extends to victims of other attacks throughout the world before and after 9/11, those who became injured, those who have lost family, friends, and acquaintances, and those whose lives were altered without consent.

It may be impossible to fully pay tribute. Indeed, the following variants and paint schemes do not match exactly. Nonetheless, I hope you will find this is a start.

American Airlines flight 11

Boeing has released these two photos, one showing the 747-8 Intercontinental above clouds and the other of the aircraft above snow-capped mountains in Washington state. They were both taken during the aircraft's maiden sortie on Sunday 20 March. During the 4h and 26min flight, the aircraft reached an altitude of 6,096m (20,000ft) and a speed of 250kts (463km/h). Read more about the first flight...

For photos and video of the first flight and landing, go here.

Our AirSpace photographers were out and about Sunday morning in Everett to capture the Boeing 747-8I's first flight. Here are some of their photos. UPDATE: Below the photos find video from Boeing showing the aircraft's takeoff and landing. There are also pics here showing the aircraft in-flight over Washington state.

For a report on the first flight and what is next for the 747-8I and the other aircraft Boeing is looking to certify this year, read our article of the first flight and follow our correspondent Jon Ostrower for all the developments.

From Jon Ostrower:

AirSpace photographer Biggles71 won the General Stars category for his photo of a Yak 52 over the White Cliffs of Dover, taken during a ferry flight from the UK to Belgium.

Who doesn't have appreciation for bygone jets? That is why we have our Old Flyers category, which AirSpace photographer Akoolsbergen placed first in for his picture of a Fairey Firefly Mk V, flying in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy. He took his photo with a Canon 50D.

Space Shuttle Discovery has safely reached the launch pad at Cape Canaveral in anticipation of its final launch before retirement. A Terminal Countdown Demonstration dress rehearsal is scheduled for 12-15 October, before mission STS-133 lifts off on 1 November. Continue reading...