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@RealAirPower1 • 150,158 subscribers

A military avgeek X-ing for military avgeeks

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Everyone talks about the B-29's size, range, or the atomic missions. But its defensive gun system might have been its biggest technological leap. Instead of sitting inside exposed turrets, the B-29 gunners stayed safely in the pressurized fuselage and aimed through optical sights. Behind the scenes, five analog computers calculated target speed, lead, gravity, temperature, humidity, and even parallax in real time. Those computers then pointed the guns where the bullets needed to go, not where the target was. All of this 1944! 1/2

Everyone talks about the B-29's size, range, or the atomic missions. But its defensive gun system might have been its biggest technological leap. Instead of sitting inside exposed turrets, the B-29 gunners stayed safely in the pressurized fuselage and aimed through optical sights. Behind the scenes, five analog computers calculated target speed, lead, gravity, temperature, humidity, and even parallax in real time. Those computers then pointed the guns where the bullets needed to go, not where the target was. All of this 1944! 1/2

337,426 views

I remember a time when the Cobra maneuver separated the elite from everyone else. It was the aviation equivalent of MJ's moonwalk. You knew you were looking at something special. Today, thanks to thrust vectoring and advanced flight controls, it's a far less exclusive deal. Here’s Chinese J-10 defying the laws of physics. Who's you favourite Cobra puller?

I remember a time when the Cobra maneuver separated the elite from everyone else. It was the aviation equivalent of MJ's moonwalk. You knew you were looking at something special. Today, thanks to thrust vectoring and advanced flight controls, it's a far less exclusive deal. Here’s Chinese J-10 defying the laws of physics. Who's you favourite Cobra puller?

236,904 views

#Breaking: CENTCOM just struck hardened Iranian anti-ship missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz. It is not yet clear which aircraft or weapons were used, but reports indicate that a massive 5,000-lb bunker buster (GBU-72?) bomb was employed. Now, to imagine the power and scale of a 5,000-lb bomb, watch this test footage of a 2,000-lb BLU-109 hitting reinforced concrete. Just imagine the impact of a bomb more than twice that size hitting its mark today. 💥

#Breaking: CENTCOM just struck hardened Iranian anti-ship missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz. It is not yet clear which aircraft or weapons were used, but reports indicate that a massive 5,000-lb bunker buster (GBU-72?) bomb was employed. Now, to imagine the power and scale of a 5,000-lb bomb, watch this test footage of a 2,000-lb BLU-109 hitting reinforced concrete. Just imagine the impact of a bomb more than twice that size hitting its mark today. 💥

439,795 views

A Luftwaffe Panavia Tornado testing the absolute limits of low-level flight. Btw did it actually nick the tree? 👀

A Luftwaffe Panavia Tornado testing the absolute limits of low-level flight. Btw did it actually nick the tree? 👀

139,655 views

On this day in 1989, the Soviet Union stole the show. At the controls of a brand-new Sukhoi Su-27, test pilot Viktor Pugachyov stunned the crowd at the Paris Air Show with a maneuver that would forever be known as the Pugachev’s Cobra. Raw, deliberate, and dare I say impossible, the move became an instant showstopper for the Su-27 and cemented the Flanker family’s reputation as one of the most maneuverable fighters ever built.

On this day in 1989, the Soviet Union stole the show. At the controls of a brand-new Sukhoi Su-27, test pilot Viktor Pugachyov stunned the crowd at the Paris Air Show with a maneuver that would forever be known as the Pugachev’s Cobra. Raw, deliberate, and dare I say impossible, the move became an instant showstopper for the Su-27 and cemented the Flanker family’s reputation as one of the most maneuverable fighters ever built.

135,937 views

The Gulf Air Forces are tearing through Iranian Shahed-136 drones by the dozens. But what if these “dumb” one-way drones could fight back? That’s exactly what Russia is testing in Ukraine. Some Shahed-136s, or Geran-2s, are now armed with air-to-air missiles to defend against Ukrainian fighters and helicopters! Yup, these drones are hunting the hunters! If it works, counter-drone warfare would get a lot more complicated. 1/4

The Gulf Air Forces are tearing through Iranian Shahed-136 drones by the dozens. But what if these “dumb” one-way drones could fight back? That’s exactly what Russia is testing in Ukraine. Some Shahed-136s, or Geran-2s, are now armed with air-to-air missiles to defend against Ukrainian fighters and helicopters! Yup, these drones are hunting the hunters! If it works, counter-drone warfare would get a lot more complicated. 1/4

207,541 views

Nap-of-the-earth flying. This is where the AH-64 really earns its reputation. Hugging the terrain and weaving through trees and valleys, the helicopter stays masked from enemy radar and makes visual detection far more difficult. Pop up. Scan. Engage. Destroy.

Nap-of-the-earth flying. This is where the AH-64 really earns its reputation. Hugging the terrain and weaving through trees and valleys, the helicopter stays masked from enemy radar and makes visual detection far more difficult. Pop up. Scan. Engage. Destroy.

72,546 views

Low, fast, and way too close for comfort. An Algerian MiG-29 buzzing the ground crew. Those folks won’t just have popped eardrums - they’ll be smelling those Klimov fumes all day long 😚 Talk about a day made...or ruined.

Low, fast, and way too close for comfort. An Algerian MiG-29 buzzing the ground crew. Those folks won’t just have popped eardrums - they’ll be smelling those Klimov fumes all day long 😚 Talk about a day made...or ruined.

117,946 views

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. So when CENTCOM’s Adm. Brad Cooper calls the new U.S. LUCAS drone “indispensable,” he is paying Iran and its cheap Shahed-136 a massive compliment. It is also a wild shift in perspective: the world’s most advanced air force, long obsessed with multi-million-dollar exquisites, embracing a $50,000 low-tech weapon. Incredible! To understand how a “lawnmower with wings” changed the game, we have to look back 40 years to a forgotten German project. 1/6

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. So when CENTCOM’s Adm. Brad Cooper calls the new U.S. LUCAS drone “indispensable,” he is paying Iran and its cheap Shahed-136 a massive compliment. It is also a wild shift in perspective: the world’s most advanced air force, long obsessed with multi-million-dollar exquisites, embracing a $50,000 low-tech weapon. Incredible! To understand how a “lawnmower with wings” changed the game, we have to look back 40 years to a forgotten German project. 1/6

112,543 views

Motionless, slow-mo. F-35 demos rarely disappoint.

Motionless, slow-mo. F-35 demos rarely disappoint.

25,410 views

The inner workings of turbojet, ramjet, and scramjet engines. Simplified but interesting. Enjoy #avgeeks. #aviation #aviationdaily #aviationlovers #USAF

The inner workings of turbojet, ramjet, and scramjet engines. Simplified but interesting. Enjoy #avgeeks. #aviation #aviationdaily #aviationlovers #USAF

249,501 views

The legendary John Farley, Harrier's chief test pilot, demonstrating his unique "Farley Climb" at Farnborough '82. Slightly grainy, but great video. #avgeeks #aviation #aviationdaily #RAF

The legendary John Farley, Harrier's chief test pilot, demonstrating his unique "Farley Climb" at Farnborough '82. Slightly grainy, but great video. #avgeeks #aviation #aviationdaily #RAF

316,067 views

A close-up view of Panavia Tornado’s distinctive “clamshell” or "bucket" thrust reverser system in action. Designed to rapidly slow the jet after landing, it proved invaluable for short/damaged runway ops! Classic Cold War pragmatism.

A close-up view of Panavia Tornado’s distinctive “clamshell” or "bucket" thrust reverser system in action. Designed to rapidly slow the jet after landing, it proved invaluable for short/damaged runway ops! Classic Cold War pragmatism.

85,668 views

A CH-46 Sea Knight, aka the “Phrog,” doing ship-to-ship cargo runs the hard way (Circa 1991 Gulf War). No fly-by-wire. No glass cockpit. Just twin rotors, brute lift, absurd handling margins, and pure, unadulterated skill.

A CH-46 Sea Knight, aka the “Phrog,” doing ship-to-ship cargo runs the hard way (Circa 1991 Gulf War). No fly-by-wire. No glass cockpit. Just twin rotors, brute lift, absurd handling margins, and pure, unadulterated skill.

52,766 views

While war rages across the Middle East and the world faces a severe oil and gas supply crunch, another conflict is quietly unfolding in the neighbourhood. Footage circulating online appears to show Pakistani F-16s striking fuel depots at Kandahar Airport. For landlocked Afghanistan, fuel supplies are limited and difficult to replace. Strikes on these already modest reserves could make an already difficult situation even harder.

While war rages across the Middle East and the world faces a severe oil and gas supply crunch, another conflict is quietly unfolding in the neighbourhood. Footage circulating online appears to show Pakistani F-16s striking fuel depots at Kandahar Airport. For landlocked Afghanistan, fuel supplies are limited and difficult to replace. Strikes on these already modest reserves could make an already difficult situation even harder.

32,451 views

Reports coming out of Bahrain suggest that a U.S. Patriot interceptor, not an Iranian drone, may have been involved in a blast over a residential area on March 9th, causing civilian casualties. Events like this are rare, but not unusual. SAMs are not designed to hit ground targets. When something goes wrong, they can unfortunately come down unpredictably. Now here’s where it gets interesting. Did you know that, in the past, one of Bahrain’s neighbours looked at a SAM… and tried to repurpose it to hit ground targets? Not an accident. A deliberate attempt to make it work. 1/2

Reports coming out of Bahrain suggest that a U.S. Patriot interceptor, not an Iranian drone, may have been involved in a blast over a residential area on March 9th, causing civilian casualties. Events like this are rare, but not unusual. SAMs are not designed to hit ground targets. When something goes wrong, they can unfortunately come down unpredictably. Now here’s where it gets interesting. Did you know that, in the past, one of Bahrain’s neighbours looked at a SAM… and tried to repurpose it to hit ground targets? Not an accident. A deliberate attempt to make it work. 1/2

31,380 views

You don't see an AH-64D from this angle often. Turns out, it looks unapologetically mean from every direction.

You don't see an AH-64D from this angle often. Turns out, it looks unapologetically mean from every direction.

31,900 views

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On December 1, 1984, NASA/FAA remotely controlled an entire Boeing 720 straight into the dirt at Edwards AFB to test a new fire retardant fuel additive. Unfortunately, the aircraft clipped its wing on landing and exploded into a gigantic fireball. The additive failed spectacularly! But, as per the test team, the crash gave them valuable data that helped make commercial aviation safer. But you know what I think? I've a sneaking suspicion that the boys just crashed the Boeing for the heck of it. 😄
0:25
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On December 1, 1984, NASA/FAA remotely controlled an entire Boeing 720 straight into the dirt at Edwards AFB to test a new fire retardant fuel additive. Unfortunately, the aircraft clipped its wing on landing and exploded into a gigantic fireball. The additive failed spectacularly! But, as per the test team, the crash gave them valuable data that helped make commercial aviation safer. But you know what I think? I've a sneaking suspicion that the boys just crashed the Boeing for the heck of it. 😄

Air Power

5,361,018 views • 1 month ago

Ever wondered what that little retractable sensor under the Su-34's belly does? This is the Platan electro-optical targeting system, normally used to find and track targets independently of the radar. It uses TV/low-light optics and a laser rangefinder/designator. And here it is doing something pretty cool: optically tracking another jet in flight 😗
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Ever wondered what that little retractable sensor under the Su-34's belly does? This is the Platan electro-optical targeting system, normally used to find and track targets independently of the radar. It uses TV/low-light optics and a laser rangefinder/designator. And here it is doing something pretty cool: optically tracking another jet in flight 😗

Air Power

59,579 views • 10 days ago

A USAF KC-135 has crashed over Iraq, possibly after a mid air collision. Aerial refueling has its perils. Pilots and crew make it look easy, but it is anything but. When things go wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic. Here is a clip from a few years back showing a near miss. Hair raising stuff!
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A USAF KC-135 has crashed over Iraq, possibly after a mid air collision. Aerial refueling has its perils. Pilots and crew make it look easy, but it is anything but. When things go wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic. Here is a clip from a few years back showing a near miss. Hair raising stuff!

Air Power

998,331 views • 6 months ago

Born from the brutal lessons of Vietnam, the Bell Cobra gave troops something they had never truly had before: a fast, heavily armed helicopter built for one thing, and one thing only: killing. Here's a vintage newsreel that explains why the Cobra was created and how it changed the battlefield forever. The period footage is an absolute treat. Enjoy, guys! 😀
5:56
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Born from the brutal lessons of Vietnam, the Bell Cobra gave troops something they had never truly had before: a fast, heavily armed helicopter built for one thing, and one thing only: killing. Here's a vintage newsreel that explains why the Cobra was created and how it changed the battlefield forever. The period footage is an absolute treat. Enjoy, guys! 😀

Air Power

241,184 views • 3 months ago

"The Raptor makes you feel like King Kong - you can do stuff in it that no one else can do and there is an exclusivity in the F-22 that is not shared by any other airplane in the world." - Lt. Col. David "Chip" Berke USMC. Enjoy 50 seconds of unfiltered Raptor going full Kong. Sound on.
0:50
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"The Raptor makes you feel like King Kong - you can do stuff in it that no one else can do and there is an exclusivity in the F-22 that is not shared by any other airplane in the world." - Lt. Col. David "Chip" Berke USMC. Enjoy 50 seconds of unfiltered Raptor going full Kong. Sound on.

Air Power

322,925 views • 8 months ago

Ain't nothing like watching a Tornado GR4 ripple fire MBDA Brimstone fire-and-forget AGMs. Multiple missiles, multiple targets, single aircraft. Fantastic! #avgeeks #aviation #aviationdaily #aviationlovers #RAF
0:21
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Ain't nothing like watching a Tornado GR4 ripple fire MBDA Brimstone fire-and-forget AGMs. Multiple missiles, multiple targets, single aircraft. Fantastic! #avgeeks #aviation #aviationdaily #aviationlovers #RAF

Air Power

1,075,190 views • 2 years ago

Nothing beats watching a Raptor wake up. ​Just look at those nozzles cycle, the wings flex, and listen to the low whine of those F119s; it feels less like machinery and more like a predator finding its rhythm.
0:27
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Nothing beats watching a Raptor wake up. ​Just look at those nozzles cycle, the wings flex, and listen to the low whine of those F119s; it feels less like machinery and more like a predator finding its rhythm.

Air Power

123,016 views • 4 months ago

That viral fighter drifting reel from Netflix had everyone talking. But how does it compare to a real Rhino going full send sideways? 😗
0:20
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That viral fighter drifting reel from Netflix had everyone talking. But how does it compare to a real Rhino going full send sideways? 😗

Air Power

35,433 views • 1 month ago

A short clip of a Convair XFY-1 Pogo taking off; if you think this looks difficult, imagine landing an aircraft in reverse, with the pilot literally looking back over his shoulder to judge height above the ground! Man, test pilots are ballsy people 🫡
0:47
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A short clip of a Convair XFY-1 Pogo taking off; if you think this looks difficult, imagine landing an aircraft in reverse, with the pilot literally looking back over his shoulder to judge height above the ground! Man, test pilots are ballsy people 🫡

Air Power

14,480 views • 19 days ago

A remarkable British WWII training film showing the evolution of airborne scan radar. Crude by modern standards, but these early AI sets laid the foundations of all airborne sensors that followed.
1:53
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A remarkable British WWII training film showing the evolution of airborne scan radar. Crude by modern standards, but these early AI sets laid the foundations of all airborne sensors that followed.

Air Power

109,398 views • 7 months ago

Since its combat debut in 1991 Gulf War, the BGM-109 Tomahawk has heralded the start of almost every major U.S. air campaign. It’s the "first door-knocker" - the signature opening move designed to dismantle integrated air defense systems, before manned aircraft ever cross the border. From Desert Storm to Epic Fury, the "TLAM" remains the ultimate tool for high-stakes, low-risk power projection. 1/2
0:30
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Since its combat debut in 1991 Gulf War, the BGM-109 Tomahawk has heralded the start of almost every major U.S. air campaign. It’s the "first door-knocker" - the signature opening move designed to dismantle integrated air defense systems, before manned aircraft ever cross the border. From Desert Storm to Epic Fury, the "TLAM" remains the ultimate tool for high-stakes, low-risk power projection. 1/2

Air Power

98,856 views • 7 months ago

TWZ says the USMC is testing a ground-effect aircraft called the "Squire." It’s high-tech, but let’s be honest: it’s a flying potato compared to the OG Soviet KM "Caspian Sea Monster." #avgeeks, if you want to see what peak Ekranoplan engineering looks like, watch this short clip of the 500-ton beast in action. Engineering has never looked this terrifying!
1:29
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TWZ says the USMC is testing a ground-effect aircraft called the "Squire." It’s high-tech, but let’s be honest: it’s a flying potato compared to the OG Soviet KM "Caspian Sea Monster." #avgeeks, if you want to see what peak Ekranoplan engineering looks like, watch this short clip of the 500-ton beast in action. Engineering has never looked this terrifying!

Air Power

66,346 views • 5 months ago

FPV GoPro footage of an A-10 Warthog absolutely pummeling the range with just about everything. Enjoy 😀
2:10
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FPV GoPro footage of an A-10 Warthog absolutely pummeling the range with just about everything. Enjoy 😀

Air Power

121,113 views • 1 year ago

On this day in 1966, a routine photo op turned into one of the most devastating tragedies in military aviation history. Here's a short video of what happened to Prototype No. 2 of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie.
2:58
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On this day in 1966, a routine photo op turned into one of the most devastating tragedies in military aviation history. Here's a short video of what happened to Prototype No. 2 of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie.

Air Power

42,216 views • 3 months ago

On March 2, 2026, the third day of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, a KAF F/A-18 shot down three USAF F-15Es over Kuwait in a blue-on-blue encounter. Not Iran. Not a SAM battery. A friendly Hornet, flying air defense in a crowded airspace, misidentified a formation of Strike Eagles as hostile and fired three missiles in quick succession, at least one of which looked like a Sidewinder. Miraculously, there were no fatalities. This wasn't a dogfight in the traditional sense, the F-15Es weren't fighting or maneuvering to avoid the attack. It was more of a confused F/A-18 pilot making a split-second call under pressure. But strip away the tragedy and you're left with a hard fact: modern jets, flying real combat sorties in 2026, ended up close enough for a visual-range, heat-seeking engagement! 2/3
0:29
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On March 2, 2026, the third day of Operation Epic Fury against Iran, a KAF F/A-18 shot down three USAF F-15Es over Kuwait in a blue-on-blue encounter. Not Iran. Not a SAM battery. A friendly Hornet, flying air defense in a crowded airspace, misidentified a formation of Strike Eagles as hostile and fired three missiles in quick succession, at least one of which looked like a Sidewinder. Miraculously, there were no fatalities. This wasn't a dogfight in the traditional sense, the F-15Es weren't fighting or maneuvering to avoid the attack. It was more of a confused F/A-18 pilot making a split-second call under pressure. But strip away the tragedy and you're left with a hard fact: modern jets, flying real combat sorties in 2026, ended up close enough for a visual-range, heat-seeking engagement! 2/3

Air Power

11,476 views • 1 month ago

The mother of all asymmetric loadouts! A #USNavy FJ-4 Fury practising free-fall nuclear bomb delivery via toss bombing (Circa 1957). Notice the tiny counterweight under the right wing? 😀
1:09
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The mother of all asymmetric loadouts! A #USNavy FJ-4 Fury practising free-fall nuclear bomb delivery via toss bombing (Circa 1957). Notice the tiny counterweight under the right wing? 😀

Air Power

116,717 views • 2 years ago

30 seconds of pure adrenaline. Experience a carrier trap, aka a “controlled crash,” from the cockpit of an F/A-18. Watch till the end… but like and RT only if you love the soundtrack 🔊
0:30
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30 seconds of pure adrenaline. Experience a carrier trap, aka a “controlled crash,” from the cockpit of an F/A-18. Watch till the end… but like and RT only if you love the soundtrack 🔊

Air Power

44,004 views • 7 months ago