Flying the P-38, the same fighter his father flew in WW II, was a dream come true for Jeff Ethell. In this article, Ethell, one of the world's foremost military aviation historians, takes to the sky in the P-38; much like his dad had done years earlier.

Perhaps no plane used during WW II is better known than Japan's Zero. Starting out impressively swift and strong, the Zero, in one form or another, remained Japan's primary aircraft throughout the war, despite constant advances by the Allies that rendered the once-dominant Zeros nearly obsolete. Grumman test pilot Corky Meyer was given the opportunity to fly the vaunted Zero at the Joint Services Fighter Conference in 1944. Having additionally flown many of the U.S. fighters of the era, Meyer breaks down the similarities and differences between American and Japanese warplanes.

Ron Kaplan and photographer John Dibbs look at three fighting members of the North American Aviation family tree; the P-51 Mustang, F-86 Sabre, and F-100 Super Sabre - crafts that saw extensive action in WW II, the Korean War, and Vietnam.

It is one of the oldest debates in aviation history: which is the better airplane, the Chance Vought Corsair or the Grumman Hellcat? Each was designed soon after America's entry into WW II, and each had its own structural strengths and weaknesses. In the frantic climate of the time, the Navy decided that the most effective way of tweaking utmost performance out of its fighter planes was to let rival manufacturers test and improve upon each other's products. It was this decision that gave Corky Meyer, a Grumman test pilot, the opportunity to fly both planes and offer a comparison of the two.

Mark Hanna takes us into the cockpit of the WW II German fighter, and challenges its “difficult reputation,” by detailing his smooth, exciting flight. Capt. Eric Brown then puts the plane into historical context by delving into its development and the role this speedy single-seat fighter plane played in the war. Despite their heroics for the Germans during the war, Brown details how the Bf 109's deficiencies almost outnumber its assets.

Designed during WW II to serve as a long-range escort for the B-29s, the F-82 was not yet operational when the War ended. When the Korean War began, the F-82 was one of only two long-range-capability aircraft available at a time when older planes were being phased out and replaced by a new “all-jet” Air Force. Serving as a fighter and a reconnaissance vehicle, the F-82s helped curb the tide of Communism when newer technology couldn't get the job done.

Work began on what would become the F-100 Super Sabre in 1949, when the USAF was in need of an advanced version of the F-86 that was capable of supersonic speed in level flight. Although the F-100 encountered several serious problems during its development, it managed to survive, and eventually flew many of the early combat missions in Vietnam. Jack “Suitcase” Simpson recalls what it was like serving as a test pilot for this groundbreaking, and at times deadly, aircraft.

The stunning history of the Viper is presented here in words and pictures, which detail the rise of “one of the world's most capable fighting machines,” with particular attention paid to the many different forms the plane has taken during its evolution.

Few, if any, airplanes have captured the imagination of the public as thoroughly as the Spitfire has. The small, single-person aircraft is known not only for its beauty and smooth handling, but also for the pivotal role it played in the Battle of Britain. The late Jeffrey Ethell takes to the skies in the Spitfire, and describes the flight and controls of one of WW II's most enduring flying machines.

Lt. Bruce Carr was stranded alone, behind enemy lines, and was just about to surrender himself as a POW to the Germans in exchange for some food, when good fortune struck. In the end, Carr became the only pilot known to have left for a mission in a Mustang and returned flying a stolen Focke-Wulf. Budd Davisson sat down with Carr, and this was just one of the exciting and humorous anecdotes he had to share.

The Air Force's distinguished 348th Fighter Group won fame fighting in the Western Pacific late in WW II. The fighter group was able to convert to P-51Ds, the latest in Mustang technology, in order to help their cause in the fight for freedom.

The late J. Leland Atwood attempts to explain why the P-51 Mustang's aerodynamic features enabled it to become possibly the most valuable aircraft of WW II. Looking at the issue with an engineer's eye, Atwood pays extra-close attention to the “small details,” such as laminar flow and the radiator's design.