World War I planes came in three main varieties, single-wing (monoplanes) , double-wing (biplanes), and triple-wing (triplanes). And a radial engine, by the way, it is called radial because the cylinders are arranged in a circle around the center point of the engine - that is, in the direction of the radius of the circle. By comparison, most automobile engines have their cylinders either in a V shape (V-6, V-8, V-10, V-12, or in a line (in-line, usually a 4 or 6 cylinder, sometimes an 8 cylinder). Some have horizontally opposed cylinders, as in a Ferrari flat-12 or boxer, Porsche flat-6, or Alfa Romeo flat-4 or flat-12.
After World War I the next war they had more modern planes like the Il2 Sturmovik a bomber that had a couple of nicknames, like The Flying Tank, or as the Germans call it, The Black Death. It was nicknamed The Flying Tank because of its armor that is as thick as a tank, which made it very nonmanuverable. The nickname The Black Death came from the almost impossibility of shooting it down therefor being bombed by it.
The AJ-1 attack bomber used two 2,400 horsepower piston engines to power four-bladed propellers for long-range cruise. It then fired a 4,600-pound-thrust turbojet engine for extra speed over the target. The AJ Savage had a crew of three and a single tail unit. Its folding wings allowed it to be stored on an aircraft carrier. After building three XAJ-1 prototypes and a static test model, North American began delivering the AJ-1.
The Savage entered service in September 1949 and carrier operations began in April 1950 on the USS Coral Sea. North American built more than 140 in the series. Later, some AJ models were converted into aerial tankers. Others, the AJ-2Ps, with a modified radium, carried 18 cameras. Their night shots were illuminated by a photo-flash unit in the fuselage. These models were standard equipment for the Navy heavy photographic squadrons until the early 1960s.
Both the AC-130U gun ship's All Light Level Television and the Infrared Detection System can scan a full 360 degrees, allowing the gun shipcrew to search for and find targets much faster. The television also incorporates a laser target designator and range finder that allows the AC-130U to designate targets for other aircraft armed with smart, laser-guided weapons. The AC-130U also incorporates Night Vision Imaging System, with compatible lighting throughout, to support use of night vision equipment by its crew. Its strike radar provides the first gun ship capability for all weather/night target acquisition and strike.
The Boeing 747-400, also know as the Jumbo Jet, is one of the biggest airplanes in the world. It is used for civilian transport, and cargo transport. It has four turbine engines, fueltanks in the wings and is made with over one million parts! It can
travel two thirds of the Earth without refueling. It has two floors so unlike the normal transport planes which hold about 343
people, the Boeing 747-400 can hold over 550 people!
The Boeing Company continues to support the aircraft for the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command. During 2001, it flew close air support missions over Afghanistan. The aircraft's will be modified with sensors to detect missiles like a V2 rocket or a nucular missile.