MilAvHistory

Early Access: 2nd Episode Japanese Airpower (Four Part Series)

Following up from the previous episode launched last week, join Justin Pyke and me as we turn our attention from Japanese fighters to bombers. What was the Japanese combat experience in China? How did their conceptualise bomber strikes and why did they build the machines they had? This and more is just a click away, so join us as we embark on this quest for knowledge.

All episodes are already in early access, including the fourth episode.

Please post any comments, feedback or questions on the videos or directly here on Patreon. Justin and I have already answered a great number of them in the comments and marked down additional topics for videos.

Here are the link to all episodes (EP 4 now available):

• Episode 1 https://youtu.be/1ZwfZpGwvgA

• Episode 2 https://youtu.be/N0XQs7ZiQc8

• Episode 3 https://youtu.be/GwNSMCdZcW8

• Episode 4 https://youtu.be/VfLmaFVyt_8

Early Access: Japanese Airpower (Four Part Series)

Let's start 2025 off strong, shall we! Like four part series strong. Joining me is our resident Japanese Airpower expert Justin Pyke, to discuss the development of Japanese fighter and bomber tactics from China to Pearl Harbor, as well as the eventual results of key Japanese decisions in aircraft design and air operations.

Three episodes are already available with the fourth available soon (EDIT Jan 18): ALL EPISODES NOW AVAILABLE). Please do post your comments, feedback or questions on the videos or directly here on Patreon. Justin and I are very happy to continue this series in the future. Anything you say as a supporter could end up being answered in another episode or in the comment section.

Episode 1 https://youtu.be/1ZwfZpGwvgA
Episode 2 https://youtu.be/N0XQs7ZiQc8
Episode 3 https://youtu.be/GwNSMCdZcW8
Episode 4 https://youtu.be/VfLmaFVyt_8

Let us know what you think!

Season's Greetings!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, a plentiful holiday season and a full afterburner take-off into 2025!

It is the 24th December, thus as a German I am celebrating today. As I reflect on a hectic but rewarding 2024 with plenty of mulled wine, gingerbread, a roasted bird here and there, it is good to be with friends and family.

I am especially thankful for all the support you have given me in 2024 and in many cases, for quite a number of years. To be able to research military aviation thanks to all of you, produce videos on it and have people watch and support these mad ramblings, is an honour. I am really looking forward to the adventures 2025 will bring and the new content I am set to produce for you! Thank you for all the amazing support.

I wish you a joyful time with your loved ones, good health and plenty of success in the coming year. May your endeavours be plenty and bountiful!

Frohe Weihnachten,
Chris

EARLY ACCESS: Messerschmitt Bf 109 - The Unlikely Origin of The Famous German Fighter Plane

Today we will dive deep into the reasons why Germany built a single engine fighter like the Bf 109 even though they didn't think they were that important! With plenty of primary sources included, this video was made directly possible by you - as it is your support that allows me to make trips back to Germany to the archive. Thank you!

Let me know what you think :)

Chris

Early Access: Which German Ace Shot Down a Viewer's Granddad?

Recently I was contacted by a viewer. Laurie's granddad was shot down in August 1942 over the English Channel. Asking me if I had a way of finding out "who dun it", I jumped into investigation mode and ... I have a hit! Watch the above video for the whole story.

Big thank you to Laurie for reaching out and putting me on this fun quest and all of you for supporting my research!

Chris

Early Access - Kamikaze: Surprisingly Effective?

Here is a new video for your viewing pleasure, focusing on Kamikaze in the Pacific during World War 2

• Did more Kamikaze missions result in more hit and sunk ships?

• What were the most often striked targets of Kamikaze pilots?

• What countermeasures existed and how did they reduce the number of attacks?

 The answers to this and more are found in this video. Looking forward to your feedback and thank you for the support!

Early Access - The Downfall of Bayraktar

A few years ago, footage of Bayraktar TB-2 taking out air defense, radar sites, tanks and vehicles were everywhere. Yet since the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, far less footage has emerged. Let's analyse the proliferation of Bayraktar, the hype behind TB-2, the operational context and how social media helped generate the wrong image of the effectiveness of drone warfare.

Looking forward to your comments!

Early Access: How to Rearm a Fighter Jet

Did you ever want a crash course on how to rearm a fighter jet? I got talking with the Swedish Air Force at an air show and what started as a casual conversation ended in a full episode for you. Join me as Joel from F21 gives us a full rundown on how Gripen is rearmed on the ground in record time.

Short Bonus Video: https://youtu.be/8VFQIVOryLk

Early Access - NATO Air Assault

Are you ready for some voodoo magic? I joined the Army Aviation Brigade of the German Armed Forces on a ride. Find out what it's like to be part of a special NATO response force, what the NH90 helicopter is like, and then join me for a ride!

A big thank you goes to you for making this 100% community funded!

Early Access - Onboard Eurofighter

At RIAT 2024 I had the opportunity to talk to NOBLE from the German Air Force about Eurofighter and his Flight Display. Join us as we do a walk around the aircraft and then join NOBLE in the cockpit as he talks about you through his display!

Apologies for the "late" early access - videos like this have to go through a rigorous signoff procedure and this can take time.

Let me know your feedback!

Exclusive Supporter Video: Full F-35 Simulator Session

This is the unedited video of my F-35 simulator session including the elements I cut from the final release. Thank you for making this video 100% community funded and please let me know if you have any questions!

Early Access - The Most Advanced 5th Gen Cockpit? | F-35 Lightning

Jump inside the F-35! I recently managed to "talk my way into" the opportunity to access a behind the scenes F-35 cockpit and film the whole experience! Due to your support I could travel to this show, making this another 100% community funded video - thank you!

Under the expert introduction of a test pilot, I went through cockpit familiarisation and did some combat with air-to-air and air-to-ground. Join me on this adventure and let me know if you have any questions. I plan to collect these and then do a Q&A session with a test pilot. Also, additional bonus for you: the exclusive unedited video of this sim session will be released soon!

Early Access: Inside The Cockpit - P-47D Thunderbolt "Bonnie"

Here is a short and sweet reminder of the P-47D Inside the Cockpit episode. While in early access for a while, if you haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, you can now ahead of everyone else. A massive thank you from me to you for all the support - this trip to the US was 100% funded by community support!

All the best

Chris

Exclusive Video - C-130 Hercules: Crew Interview

You may have already seen the recent video on the Franco-German squadron operating the C-130 Hercules that I posted into early access some time ago. Back then I also released the full crew interview as an exclusive thank you video for you as a channel supporter. In case you missed it, I linked it here.

Let me know what you think of this episode and once again a big thank you for supporting the channel!

C-130 Hercules: The Plane That Lands Anywhere Anytime

Recently I meet the crew of a Franco-German squadron operating the C-130 Hercules, a perfect opportunity to explore how this 70y young legend is still kicking in 2024! As part of your early access, check out my introduction to this aircraft and listen to the crew of the C-130 talk about everything from cargo drops, over to combat offloads and air tanker duties.

Oh and if that has tickled your airlift soft spot, head on over to this exclusive video for you as a channel supporters featuring the full interview with the crew: https://youtu.be/9B8Y-8LSjKg

Let me know what you think of this episode and thank you for supporting the channel which funds content just like this one filmed at airshows!

Early Access: DeHavilland Mosquito - Why The Luftwaffe Was Scared

Which aircraft caused the most discussion amongst the brass of the Luftwaffe? The B-17, the P-51, the Spitfire, the Lancaster? Well, I may have spoiled it already with the video title - so lets talk about what made the DH Mosquito such a prominent issue!

Thank you for supporting the channel,

Chris

Early Access - When Ukraine gets the F-16: What Will Happen?!

Here is your early access to the full +40min interview with Prof. Justin Bronk on the question of Ukrainian F-16s. Though I shared this video last week as part of the "primer" video, if you haven't seen it yet - you can do so here.

Thanks for your support, let me know your comments, feedback and takeaways!
Chris

Early Access - Ukraine and F-16: What Can We Expect?

Wow, two Early Access releases in the same day? Wait! It gets even better - there are three! Join me on this early access as I chat to Prof. Justin Bronk from RUSI about what we may expect from the F-16 delivery to Ukraine. This is 'focused' cut, concentrating on a variety of main issues - you can also watch/listen to the full 45min interview here in another early access video:

• https://youtu.be/klSpOUDrP_8

Let me know your thoughts below!

Early Access: Bf 109 Pilot Talks About Flying the Messerschmitt !

Recently I met Volker Bau, a Bf 109 pilot at the Messerschmitt Stiftung in Manching. Yes, exactly the one I talked about when I asked you to submit questions for a Bf 109 pilot. With many of you submitting questions, I was well equipped to have a conversation with him about all the pressing matters concerning the Bf 109. Hope you enjoy and thank you for funding these filming trips!

Early Access - The Airpower Tour at RIAT24

Over the weekend I visited the Royal International Air Tattoo filming all the little and big highlights, plus a few things in between. Here it is for you in the usual early access before public release. Let me know your highlights from the show!

Thank you for supporting me over Patreon, this is what allows me to fund these trips!

Chris

Early Access: Messerschmitt Bf 109 - How TINY is the Cockpit Really?

I got the unique chance to check out a Bf 109 cockpit and sit inside. Many a story is told about this aircraft's cockpit, with it having a reputation of being on the more....claustrophobic side. Will I fit and what are my general impressions? Some of this may, as they say in a clickbait fashion, "surprise you".

Thank you for supporting these filming trips!

PS: Early Access to the Bf 109 pilot interview is here https://youtu.be/UyBaMjVjUfQ

Early Access: Eurofighter Typhoon - How Europe's Most Advanced Fighter Jet is Build

Early Access and this one is a rocker! Did you ever wonder how an advanced fighter jet gets built? Me too and I am happy to say, I've got you covered! As you can imagine, it's something that doesn't often get shown on camera.

After months of organising, countless calls, emails, scheduling meetings and getting permissions, I was given exclusive access to the Final Assembly Line of Eurofighter Typhoon by Airbus in Manching, Germany. That's not all, I was allowed to take a camera inside for you!

As supporters you fund these filming trips, so I am really looking forward to your feedback! Thank you for making this possible.

Chris

Early Access: German Fighter Aces - Are the Rankings Wrong?

Recently I was introduced to an interesting study looking into the verification of German fighter aces kill claims. The results show that there is a big difference between notable aces, including Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn, the number 1 and 2 respectively on the leaderboard.

Let me know what you think about this topic and if anything strikes you as surprising!

Thank you for the support,

Chris

Early Access: German Fighter Aces - Are the Rankings Wrong?

Recently I was introduced to an interesting study looking into the verification of German fighter aces kill claims. The results show that there is a big difference between notable aces, including Erich Hartmann and Gerhard Barkhorn, the number 1 and 2 respectively on the leaderboard.

Let me know what you think about this topic and if anything strikes you as surprising!

Thank you for the support,

Chris

Early access: Inside The Cockpit - P-38 Lightning ft. Scat III

Jump inside a P-38J Lightning and discover this magnificent aircraft like never before. A big thank you goes once again to you. As Patreons, you have made Inside the Cockpit community funded, with all travel and filming costs covered through your direct support!

Let me know your feedback and comments!

Chris

Filmed at the Fagen Fighters WW2 Museum: https://www.fagenfighterswwiimuseum.org/ 

Early Access - Jet Fighters: The Luftwaffe's Last Chance ?

A new video is in early access! Why did the Germans switch to jet fighters like the Me 262 and He 162 over the Bf 109 or Fw 190? In this video I talk about the main reasons for this decision.

Thank you for your support - looking forward to your feedback, insights and comments!

Chris

Early Access: How the Soviets Stole a Missile

How did Soviet spies steal an AIM-9 Sidewinder from a West-German Luftwaffe base during the Cold War? Find out all about it here!

Thank you for supporting the channel - these filming trips are 100% funded by you! Let me know what you think of this episode.

Chris

Early Access: ITC - SBD Dauntless

I released this video into early access some time ago yet as it launches for a public take-off tomorrow, I thought I'd share it again ahead of time for you. Join me as I jump inside the famous SBD dive bomber that turned the tide in the Pacific!

Big thank you to you as a crowdfunders for having made this filming trip possible. I also appreciate CAF Airbase Georgia for giving me access to their machine, check out their website to see learn where you could see this aircraft next: https://airbasegeorgia.org/ 

Early Access: Filming with the German Luftwaffe

Last week I had a chance to film at Neuburg with the Taktische Luftwaffengeschwader 74 in Germany (Also Airbus but that's something for another update). TaktLwG 74, as it is beautifully abbreviated, is a wing of the German Luftwaffe operating Eurofighter Typhoons. Their museum (rarely accessible) has a wealth of exhibits. Next to three Inside the Cockpits (F-4F Phantom II, F-80 Shooting Star and the F-104G), I also filmed an episode on a Cold War spy heist and a couple of shorter clips. Though YT shorts aren't every person's cup of tea, here is an early look at some of the things that you'll get to see in more detail in the future:

F-104G Starfighter Cockpit: https://youtube.com/shorts/FUOnF2uA4Mc

F-4F Phantom II Cockpit: https://youtube.com/shorts/4MDrFOmsj2g

Flugabwehr: https://youtube.com/shorts/YBIVjukfdtQ

Flares and Chaff:  https://youtube.com/shorts/8MUNGpdpXTg 

20mm Gatling: https://youtube.com/shorts/o4KM3GoZ-Pw

INS:  https://youtube.com/shorts/EtOSkwv0wn0

A big thank you goes to you for supporting the channel and thereby making these trips possible.

Early Access: B-29 Superfortress vs Japanese Fighter Tactics

Early Access: Towards the end of the Second World War, the United States mounted numerous B-29 air raids against Japan. Having found various files in the archives about Japanese fighter tactics and countermeasures, let's discuss how Japanese pilots tried to tackle the tremendous B-29.

Let me know what you think of this episode and thank you for supporting the channel!