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The Fisher FP-505 Skeeter is a Canadian single-seat, conventional landing gear, single-engined parasol-wing monoplane kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada. The FP-505 was designed by Fisher Aircraft in the United States in 1984 and was intended to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, with the category's maximum 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight. The 505's standard empty weight is 245 lb (111 kg) when equipped with a two-stroke 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277 engine. The design goal was to provide a nostalgic 1930s-style parasol similar in configuration to the Pietenpol Air Camper or Heath Parasol that would be easy to fly, with a high wing and an open cockpit. The construction of the FP-505 is of wood, with the fuselage built from wood strips arranged in a geodesic form, resulting in a very strong and light aircraft with redundant load paths. The wings, tail and fuselage are covered with doped aircraft fabric. The wings are strut-braced with both jury struts and cabane struts. The aircraft has no flaps. The conventional-configuration landing gear is bungee suspended. The company claims it takes an amateur builder 500 hours to build the FP-505. Early versions of the FP-505 were equipped with the 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277, and the aircraft reportedly flies well on that minimum power. Since the Rotax 277 is no longer in production, the 25 hp (19 kW) Hirth F-33 is specified along with the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 and 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 engines. By late 2011 over 45 FP-505s were flying.

The Fisher Youngster is a Canadian single-seat, conventional landing gear, single-engined, biplane kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. The aircraft was inspired by the German Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister aerobatic aircraft of the 1930s. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. The Youngster was designed by Fisher Aircraft in the United States in 1994 and was intended to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built category, although it qualifies as an ultralight aircraft in some countries, such as Canada. It also qualifies as a US Experimental Light Sport Aircraft. The Youngster's standard empty weight is 400 lb (181 kg) when equipped with a 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 engine and it has a gross weight of 650 lb (295 kg). The aircraft is stressed for +6 and -3.75 g and is suitable for sportsman category aerobatics. The construction of the Youngster is of wood with the fuselage built in a Warren Truss covered with a 1⁄8 in (3 mm) birch plywood skin. The fuselage employs longitudinal stringers to replicate the Jungmeister's shape. The wings and tail are covered with doped aircraft fabric. The wings feature interplane struts, cabane struts, bottom wing ailerons only and a NACA 2315 airfoil. Like the original Jungmeister upon which it is based, the Youngster has no flaps. The Youngster's main landing gear has bungee suspension. The cockpit can be left open or covered with an optional canopy for cold weather operations. The company claims an amateur builder can complete the aircraft from the kit in 500 hours. The specified engines for the Youngster include the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 two-stroke and the Great Plains Aircraft 65 hp (48 kW) four-stroke Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Subaru auto conversions of up to 85 hp (63 kW) and 160 lb (73 kg) can also be used. By late 2004 20 Youngsters were flying. Variants Youngster Original Rotax-powered design Youngster V Great Plains Volkswagen air-cooled engine 65 hp (48 kW) powered version

The Fisher Super Koala is a two-seat, high wing, conventional landing gear, single-engined, light kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. The aircraft was inspired by the design of the Piper J-3 Cub and strongly resembles that design. It can also be built wuth tricycle landing gear or floats. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, United States but the company is now located in Dorchester, Ontario, Canada. The Super Koala was designed by Fisher Aircraft in the United States and was first flown in 1983. It has two seats in side-by-side configuration. With its 400 lb (181 kg) empty weight and 830 lb (376 kg) maximum gross weight, the Super Koala was intended for the US homebuilt aircraft category. The construction of the Super Koala is unusual for aircraft in its class. The aircraft's structure is entirely made from wood, with the wooden fuselage built from wood strips arranged in a geodesic form, resulting in a very strong and light aircraft with redundant load paths. Like the Cub, both the wings and fuselage on the Super Koala are covered with doped aircraft fabric. The wings are strut-braced and utilize jury struts. The landing gear is bungee suspended and the tail wheel is steerable. The Super Koala has flaps, with brakes optional. The company claims it takes an average amateur builder 500 hours to construct a Super Koala. Engine options are the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 and the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine. With the Rotax 503 the gross weight is 740 lb (336 kg) and with the Rotax 582 is 830 lb (376 kg).

The Dassault Falcon 6X is a large, long-range business jet developed by Dassault Aviation in France. Its precursor, the Falcon 5X twinjet, was launched in 2013, rolled-out in 2015 and made its first flight on July 5, 2017, but its development was frozen as its Safran Silvercrest engine failed to meet performance objectives. In December 2017, the Falcon 6X was launched as a stretched version with PW812D turbofans, made its first flight on 10 March 2021, and entered service on 30 November 2023. It has the widest purpose-built business jet cabin at 2.58 m (102 in). Its 70.7 m2 (761 sq ft) wing allows a 35,135 kg (77,459 lb) maximum weight with 59.9 kN (13,460 lbf) engines, for a 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) range and a Mach 0.90 top speed. The Falcon 6X is largely based on the Falcon 5X aerodynamics and systems, validated during its preliminary flight test program, but it is optimized to take advantage of its 58–62 kN (13,000–14,000 lbf) PW812D engines for a longer cabin and a greater 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) range, a Mach 0.90 top speed and a Mach 0.85 cruise. Its cabin is 12.3 m (40 ft) long, is 1.98 m (78 in) high by 2.58 m (102 in) wide (the largest in a purpose-built business jet), and can accommodate 16 passengers in three zones with 29 windows, including a galley skylight. A front-fuselage extension makes its cabin 51 cm (20 in) longer.[30] The Falcon 6X reinforces the 5X new 70.7 m2 (761 sq ft) wing and keeps its digital flight control system and Honeywell Primus Epic EASy III flight deck. The new engine fans have a diameter of 110 cm (44 in), 15 cm (6 in) narrower than the Gulfstreams, with four low-pressure turbine stages instead of five, engine weight is reduced by 91 kg (200 lb). Its empty weight increases by 1,030 kg (2,270 lb) or 5.7%, from 18.1 to 19.2 t (40,000 to 42,300 lb), due to heavier engines, fuel system and structural reinforcements.[31] The Falcon 6X will be the first Dassault aircraft with a nitrogen inerting system.

The Cessna 190 and 195 Businessliner are a family of light single radial engine powered, conventional landing gear equipped, general aviation aircraft which were manufactured by Cessna between 1947 and 1954. The 195 model was also used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, and Army National Guard as a light transport and utility aircraft under the designations LC-126/U-20. The Cessna 190 and 195 were Cessna's only postwar radial-engined aircraft. The first prototype flew in 1945, after the end of World War II and both the 190 and 195 entered production in 1947. The 195 was the first Cessna airplane to be completely constructed of aluminum and features a cantilever wing, similar to the pre-war Cessna 165 from which it is derived. The wing differs from later Cessna light aircraft in that it has a straight taper from root chord to tip chord and no dihedral. The airfoil employed is a NACA 2412, the same as used on the later Cessna 150, 172 and 182. The 190/195 fuselage is large in comparison to other Cessna models because the 42" diameter radial engine had to be accommodated in the nose. There are two rows of seats: two individual seats in the first row, with a comfortable space between them and up to three passengers can be accommodated on a bench seat in the second row. The 190/195 has flat sprung-steel landing gear legs derived from Cessna's purchase of the rights to Steve Wittman's Big X. Many have been equipped with swiveling crosswind landing gear which allows landing with up to 15 degrees of crab. While the crosswind gear simplifies the actual landing, it makes the aircraft difficult to handle on the ground. The 195 is equipped with a retractable step that extends when the cabin door is opened, although some have been modified to make the step a fixed unit. The aircraft was expensive to purchase and operate for private use and Cessna therefore marketed them mainly as a business aircraft under the name "Businessliner". The engines fitted to the 190 and 195 became well known for their oil consumption. The aircraft has a 5-US-gallon (19 L) oil tank, with 2 US gallons (7.6 L) the minimum for flight. Typical oil consumption with steel cylinder barrels is 2 US quarts (1.9 L) per hour. A factory-produced floatplane version was equipped with a triple tail for improved yaw stability. The Cessna 195 produces a cruise true airspeed of 148 knots (274 km/h) (170 MPH) on a fuel consumption of 16 US gallons (61 L) per hour. It can accommodate five people. Including the LC-126s, a total of 1180 190s and 195s were built. The 190 was originally introduced at a price of USD$12,750 in 1947 (equivalent to $173,978 in 2023). When production ended in 1954 the price had risen to USD$24,700 (equivalent to $280,239 in 2023) for the 195B. This compared to USD$3,495 for the Cessna 140 two seater of the same period. Variants The main difference between the 190 and the 195 models was the engine installed. 190 Powered by a Continental W670-23 engine of 240 hp (180 kW) and first certified on 1 July 1947. 195 (Specifications below) Powered by a Jacobs R-755A2 engine of 300 hp (225 kW) and first certified on 12 June 1947. 195A Powered by a Jacobs L-4MB (R-755-9) engine of 245 hp (184 kW) and first certified on 6 January 1950. 195B Powered by a Jacobs R-755B2 engine of 275 hp (206 kW) and first certified on 31 March 1952. It featured flaps increased in area by 50% over earlier models. LC-126A Military designation for the Cessna 195, five-seat communication aircraft for the US Army, it could be fitted with skis or floats, 15 built. LC-126B Similar aircraft to the LC-126 for Air National Guard use, five built. LC-126C Variant of the LC-126A for instrument training/liaison, 63 built. U-20B LC-126B redesignated by the USAF after 1962. U-20C LC-126C redesignated by the USAF after 1962.

The Cessna Airmaster, is a family of single-engined aircraft manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company. The Airmaster played an important role in the revitalization of Cessna in the 1930s after the crash of the aviation industry during the Great Depression. Initial model 1936-built Cessna C-34 Airmaster at Blackpool (Squires Gate) Airport in 1950 In the mid-1930s, nearing the end of the Great Depression, the American economy began to slowly strengthen. Dwane Wallace (founder Clyde Cessna's nephew who was a recent college graduate in aeronautical engineering) decided to assist his uncle and cousin, Eldon Cessna (Clyde's son), in building more modern airplanes for Cessna Aircraft. The design of the first Airmaster is credited to Wallace, and the first flight of the C-34 model was in June 1935. Not long after introduction of the C-34, Clyde Cessna retired from the aircraft industry, leaving the company to his nephew. Later models Cessna C-37 on display at the Kansas Aviation Museum Cessna C-37 cockpit The original Airmaster, the C-34, evolved into more advanced versions of the Airmaster. The C-37 had a wider cabin, improved landing gear and electric flaps. The C-38 had a taller vertical tail, curved main gear legs and a landing flap under the fuselage. Changes common to both the C-37 and C-38 included wider fuselages and landing gear along with rubber engine mounts to hold the 145 hp (108 kW) Warner Super Scarab engine.The final revisions of the C-34 were the C-145 and the C-165, of which 80 were built. On these models, the belly flaps added on the C-38 were removed and the overall length of the fuselage was increased. The only difference between the C-145 and C-165 was the engine horsepower, with the latter having an upgraded 165 hp (123 kW) Warner engine. End of the line It was with the beginning of World War II that the Airmaster line came to an end. The welded tubular fuselage, fabric-covered body, extensive woodwork, wooden wings and radial engines, all characteristic of 1930s-era aircraft technology, became too expensive and slow to produce. The old-style aircraft was quickly replaced with aircraft constructed from aluminium with strut braced wings first seen in the Cessna 120. The design of the C-34 incorporates characteristics that were borrowed from previous models of Cessna Aircraft. These similarities include the high mounted cantilever wing and the narrow design of the cabin windows. The wings and tail surfaces were composed entirely of wood while the fuselage was structured with steel tubing coupled with wooden stringers and formers. Both C-145 and C-165 models were offered with floats. Variants C-34 Four-seat light cabin aircraft, powered by a 145-hp (108-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine; 42 built. C-37 Cabin widened by 12.7 cm (5 in), fitted with improved landing gear and electrically operated flaps; 46 built. C-38 Fitted with wide landing gear with curved legs, plus a taller vertical tail and a landing flap under the fuselage; 16 built. C-39 Original designation of the Cessna C-145. C-145 Powered by a 145-hp (108-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine. C-165 Powered by a 165-hp (123-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine. C-165D Powered by a 175-hp (130-kW) Warner Super Scarab radial piston engine. UC-77B Two Cessna C-34s impressed into service with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. UC-77C One Cessna C-37 impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942. UC-77D Four Cessna C-37s impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942. UC-94 Three Cessna C-165s impressed into service with the USAAF in 1942.

The Caudron Simoun was a 1930s French four-seat touring monoplane. It was used as a mail plane by Air Bleu, flew record-setting long-range flights, and was also used as a liaison aircraft by the Armée de l'Air during World War II. The aircraft later was used as an inspiration to the famous Mooney "M series" aircraft by Jacques "Strop" Carusoam. Variants C.500 Simoun I Experimental, one built. C.520 Simoun Experimental, one built. C.620 Simoun IV Experimental, one built. C.630 Simoun (Specifications below) Initial production version with Renault Bengali 6Pri engine, 20 built. C.631 Simoun Modified version with a Renault 6Q-01 engine, three built. C.632 Simoun Similar to C.631, one built. C.633 Simoun Modified fuselage with a Renault 6Q-07 engine, 6 built. C.634 Simoun Modified wing and take-off weight with either a Renault 6Q-01 or Renault 6Q-09 engine, 3 built. C.635 Simoun Improved cabin layout and either a Renault 6Q-01 or Renault 6Q-09 engine, 46 built and conversions from earlier versions. C.635M Simoun Military version with either a Renault 6Q-09 or Renault 6Q-19 engine, 489 built.

The Fairey Fulmar is a British carrier-borne reconnaissance aircraft/fighter aircraft which was developed and manufactured by aircraft company Fairey Aviation. It was named after the northern fulmar, a seabird native to the British Isles. The Fulmar served with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA) during the Second World War. The design of the Fulmar was based on that of the earlier Fairey P.4/34, a land-based light bomber developed during 1936 as a replacement for the Fairey Battle light bomber. Fairey had redesigned the aircraft as a navalised observation/fighter aircraft to satisfy the requirements of Specification O.8/38, for which it was selected. Although its performance (like that of its Battle antecedent) was unspectacular, the Fulmar was a reliable, sturdy aircraft with long range and an effective armament of eight machine guns; the type could also be put into production relatively quickly. On 4 January 1940, the first production aircraft made its first flight and delivery commenced shortly thereafter, while production of an improved model, the Fulmar Mk II, started during January 1941. Fairey produced a total of 600 Fulmars at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942. During July 1940, No. 806 Squadron became the first FAA squadron to receive the Fulmar. It participated in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck, having acted as a spotter for the chasing fleet. The Fulmar was heavily used in the North African Campaign, flying convoy protection patrols to and from the island of Malta, and providing air cover for Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers during attacks such as the Battle of Cape Matapan. By autumn 1940, it had been recorded as having shot down ten Italian bombers and six enemy fighters. The Fulmar was also deployed to the Far East, where it proved largely incapable of matching the Japanese-built Mitsubishi A6M Zero. During the later stages of the conflict, it was relegated from the fighter role by single-seat aircraft such as the British-built Supermarine Seafire and the American-built Grumman Martlet fighters. While continuing service as a trainer and reconnaissance aircraft for a time, the Fulmar was withdrawn from front line service in February 1945. The Fulmar has its origins in the Fairey P.4/34, which had been developed in response to the issuing of Specification P.4/34 by the British Air Ministry. P.4/34 had sought a light bomber that would be capable of being used as a dive bomber; in addition to Fairey's entry, competing submissions came in the form of the Hawker Henley and an unbuilt Gloster design. Despite the P.4/34's relatively high maximum speed of 284 mph, the rival Henley, which was capable of attaining 300 mph, was selected and eventually ordered; in service, the Henley was largely used as a target tug. The Fulmar was basically a version of the P.4/34 which had been adapted for naval use. Fairey submitted their modified design as a response to Specification O.8/38, which called for a two-crew fighter capable of observation and fleet defence operations. As the prospective aircraft was not expected to encounter any major fighter opposition, as Nazi Germany, Britain's only foreseen enemy during this era, possessed no aircraft carriers of its own, factors such as long range and heavy armament were considered to be more important than a high level of either manoeuvrability or speed. As the type was intended to routinely perform lengthy flights over the ocean, the presence of a navigator / wireless operator was considered to be an essential element, especially when flying at nighttime or during poor weather conditions Possessing a substantial resemblance to the earlier Fairey Battle, the Fulmar prototype was an aerodynamically cleaner aircraft and featured a folding wing that was 16 in (41 cm) shorter. On 13 January 1937, the prototype P.4/34 serial number K5099 conducted its maiden flight at Fairey Aviation's Great West Aerodrome (this site has since been occupied by London Heathrow Airport), the Fairey test pilot Chris Staniland was at the controls. Shortly after the initial flight tests, the tail was elevated by 8 in (20 cm).[citation needed] During 1938, the name Fulmar was picked for the type, although this was not announced until deliveries of the type commenced during 1940. Variants Mk.I First production variant powered by a 1,035 hp (772 kW) (1,275 hp at take off) Rolls-Royce Merlin VIII; 8 × .303 Browning Mk.II (750 rounds per gun), 250 built. Mk.II (Specifications below) Updated variant powered by a 1,300 hp (970 kW) Merlin XXX with a new propeller and the addition of tropical equipment; 8 × .303 Browning Mk.II (1,000 rounds per gun) or 4 × 0.5 in (13 mm) Browning AN/M2 – part of the last batch (170 rounds per gun, in other sources specified 370 rounds per gun), some finished as night fighters, one prototype converted from a Mk.I and 350 built. NF Mk.II Mk.II night fighter with an Air Interception AI Mk. IV radar (1 aircraft) or AI Mk.X radar (other); 4 × 0.50 Browning AN/M2 – about 50 aircraft (other 8 × .303 Browning Mk.II), total were converted from the Mk.II nearly 100 aircraft. For details of further development and operational history, click here.

The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of the Second World War. The disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as aircraft became available. With a top speed of 318 mph (512 km/h), the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster 331 mph (533 km/h), more maneuverable, and longer-ranged Mitsubishi A6M Zero. US Navy pilots, including John "Jimmy" Thach, a pioneer of fighter tactics to deal with the A6M Zero, were greatly dissatisfied with the Wildcat's inferior performance against the Zero in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. The Wildcat has a claimed air combat kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for the war. Lessons learned from the Wildcat were later applied to the faster F6F Hellcat. While the Wildcat had better range and maneuverability at low speed, the Hellcat could rely on superior power and high speed performance to outperform the Zero. Wildcat production continued throughout the remainder of the war, with Wildcats serving on escort carriers, where the larger and much heavier Hellcat could not be used. Grumman fighter development began with the two-seat Grumman FF biplane. The FF was the first U.S. naval fighter with a retractable landing gear. The wheels retracted into the fuselage, leaving the tires visibly exposed, flush with the sides of the fuselage. Two single-seat biplane designs followed, the F2F and F3F, which established the general fuselage outlines of what would become the F4F Wildcat. In 1935, while the F3F was still undergoing flight testing, Grumman started work on its next biplane fighter, the G-16. At the time, the U.S. Navy favored a monoplane design, the Brewster F2A-1, ordering production early in 1936. However, an order was also placed for Grumman's G-16 (given the navy designation XF4F-1) as a backup in case the Brewster monoplane proved to be unsatisfactory. It was clear to Grumman that the XF4F-1 would be inferior to the Brewster monoplane, so Grumman abandoned the XF4F-1, designing instead a new monoplane fighter, the XF4F-2. The XF4F-2 would retain the same, fuselage-mounted, hand-cranked main landing gear as the F3F, with its relatively narrow track. The unusual manually-retractable main landing gear design for all of Grumman's U.S. Navy fighters up to and through the F4F, as well as for the amphibious Grumman J2F utility biplane, was originally created in the 1920s by Leroy Grumman for Grover Loening. Landing accidents caused by failure of the main gear to fully lock into place were distressingly common. Note: All photos show the RN Marlett variant. For more details on development, operational history and 15 variants, click here.

The Socata TB 30 Epsilon is a light military trainer aircraft produced by SOCATA (then part of Aérospatiale). It is a tandem two-seater with a metal airframe. The first prototype flew on 22 December 1979. In 1978, the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) published a requirement for a new basic trainer aircraft to partially replace the Fouga Magister in the early parts of the syllabus for pilot training. The new aircraft was expected to have tandem seating, be powered by a 224 kW (300 hp) piston engine and have a three-hour endurance. Similar designs were proposed by the SOCATA subsidiary of Aérospatiale (based on their TB 10 Tobago light aircraft) and by GEPAL (the GEPAL Mk II). The SOCATA proposal, the TB 30B, was chosen in February 1979. The first of two prototypes flew on 22 December 1979, but testing showed that the Epsilon had poor handling and it was redesigned with a new swept back fin supplemented by a ventral strake and a larger tailplane, while the wing was fitted with elliptical tips increasing the wingspan from 7.40 m (24 ft 33⁄8 in) to 7.59 m (24 ft 113⁄4 in). The first prototype flew again with these changes on 31 October 1980, and it was soon found that the handling problems had been fixed. The Epsilon is a low winged cantilever monoplane of all metal construction. It is powered by a Lycoming O-540 flat-six piston engine driving a two-blade propeller, and is fitted with a retractable nosewheel undercarriage. The pilot and instructor are sat in tandem under a sliding Plexiglas canopy, with cockpit layout designed to aid transition to the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet to which French students graduate after completing the Epsilon part of their training syllabus. The first prototype was modified into a testbed for the Turbomeca TP 319 Arrius turboprop engine, flying in this form on 9 November 1985. The testbed was then modified into a dedicated turboprop trainer, the TB 31 Oméga, powered by a 360 kW (483 shp) Arrius 1A2 and fitted with ejection seats, returning to flight on 30 April 1989. While it was offered for the United States Air Force/United States Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition to replace the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor and Cessna T-37 Tweet, it was rejected, with no sales resulting. The Armée de l'Air placed an initial order for 30 Epsilons in 1981, with further contracts following with a total of 150 ordered. First deliveries started in 1983, with the first training courses based on the Epsilon starting in September 1984. Export orders were received from Togo for three armed Epsilons in 1984, delivered in 1986 (with a fourth supplied later to replace a crashed aircraft) and from Portugal in 1987 for 18 aircraft, to be assembled in Portugal by OGMA. Variants TB 30 Epsilon: Military trainer aircraft TB 31 Oméga: Proposed turboprop powered version of the TB 30 Epsilon. Only one aircraft built