Destination's Journey Military Photos

A pilot and airfield staff during the gunnery adjustment of a Spitfire Mk I fighter from No. 602 Squadron RAF. 1940

The Mauser MK 214A, better known as the BK-5, was easily one of the most outrageous aircraft guns of #WWII. Fitted to a modified Me-262, the massive 50 mm cannon occupied almost the entire nose of the jet, with its barrel protruding nearly 10 ft ahead of the aircraft. Built to destroy Allied bombers from up to 1 km away, it looked terrifying on paper, but in practice, the cannon's heavy recoil, slow rate of fire, and the difficulty of hitting a maneuvering target made it far less effective than hoped. Only two Me-262 prototypes were ever fitted with the weapon before the idea was abandoned.

The primary user of the BK-5 was the Me-410 A-1/U4:

Mosquito FB. Mk XVIII:

"Hold my Molins"

British bomber Vickers Wellington Mk. II (serial number W5461, code R-EP) of No. 104 Squadron RAF in flight. 1941

Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket supersonic research aircraft being chased by an F-86 Sabre (circa 1953)

The impressive armament of the 1945 "Arsenal VB-10" heavy fighter, featuring four 20 mm cannons and six machine guns in the wings.

The prototype of the German long-range heavy bomber and reconnaissance aircraft Junkers Ju-390 (Ju-390) in flight

Stored or deployed configuration of the SNCAC NC-420, a French observation seaplane designed to operate from French Navy ships.

Although one prototype was completed, it never flew due to Germany's invasion of France in 1940.

Fw190: A masterpiece that stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Bf109 as Germany's twin banner carriers in World War II. A hardworking all-rounder that shone brightly in ground-attack roles too. Its flowing intake and exhaust system—sucking in air all at once from the nose, then expelling it from the sides with the force of engine exhaust—was so ingenious that even the US and UK improved upon it and copied it.

Republic F-84F Thunderstreaks, 164th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard.

A German Focke-Wulf Fw.200C-8/U4 "Condor" bomber captured by the Allies in Braunschweig. The FuG-200 "Hohentwiel" radar antennas are visible on the aircraft's nose. 1945