Military Aviation History

Perfekt Studios

From the archive of the Australian Military Aviation History video collection comes the audio-only versions of our popular documentaries. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raafdocumentaries

  1. 17h ago

    The Unrealized Potential of the MiG-29

    Find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSOHKxEIwCQ MiG-29 Fulcrum – The Dogfighter That Never Reached Its Potential Designed at the height of the Cold War, the Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum was once considered one of the finest dogfighters in the world. Compact, fast, and highly agile, it was the Soviet answer to the American F-16 — and for a time, it was arguably superior in close combat. But despite its promising debut in the 1980s, the Fulcrum's evolution stalled, overshadowed by the more versatile and heavily invested Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. This video explores the full arc of the MiG-29's development, operational use, tactical strengths, and the political and economic circumstances that led to its diminished role in modern Russian air power. In this episode: • The origins of the MiG-29 within the Soviet Advanced Tactical Fighter program • Early performance vs. F-16: agility, haptic feedback, and pilot control philosophy • Comparative turn rate data and dogfight capabilities • Helmet-mounted sight and R-73 missile advantage in the mid-1980s • Limitations in radar, range, and beyond-visual-range combat • The MiG's slow development post-USSR collapse versus rapid evolution of the Su-27 • Efforts to modernize: MiG-29M, MiG-29K, and the latest MiG-35 variant • Reports of Fulcrum use in the Ukrainian conflict • Strategic shift toward Su-30/35 dominance in Russian doctrine Despite its troubled journey, the MiG-29 remains a symbol of Cold War-era air combat philosophy — prioritizing maneuverability, short-range dogfighting, and raw pilot input. Its story is one of untapped potential and missed opportunities, shaped as much by politics as by engineering.

  2. 2d ago

    The X-Factor

    Find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qv8YvlXB-4 During World War II the Douglas Aircraft Company in California was approached by Air Technical Service Command, US Air Force, for a design proposal under Materiel, Experimental Project MX-656 to explore the transonic speed regime. A contract for a design study was signed just before war's end, marking the beginning of a remarkable series of experimental aircraft (the X-Planes) that would push the limits of flight.

  3. 4d ago

    Through The Sound Barrier

    Find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYHXF69oc3M We go back to the beginnings of supersonic flight where the groundwork was laid for future aerospace programs. This story is by Michael Nelmes from the Spring 2022 issue of Wings Magazine - Australia's premier military aviation magazine.

  4. 6d ago

    Top Fighter Squadrons of WWII

    Find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh7XQaksGuU As you can imagine, Materiel losses during world war 2 were massive. According to one source, Germany produced a staggering 119,907 aircraft of all types and most were destroyed or damaged during the war. The United States lost 52,951 of their 95,000 aircraft in operations over Europe and the Pacific. The Soviet Union lost 46,100 of their aircraft in combat, and the incredible statistics go on and on. In the middle of all this carnage in the air, were the fighter squadrons of the Allied and Axis powers. In this video we take a look at a dozen remarkable fighter units of world war 2.

  5. Oct 22

    Top Aces of the Vietnam War

    Find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPn_jKpQtPY Find the transcript here https://militaryaviationvideos.com/top-vietnam-war-aces/

  6. Oct 20

    TSR-2: Britain's Lost F-111 Rival

    Find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x0VpEyh2Us From the early 1950s, there was a fixation by military establishments, in both the East and West, for supersonic bombers. Missile technology was still in its infancy, and the pointy end of a strike force was still conventional bomber aircraft. By the 1960s, however, supersonic bombers were increasingly coming into play. Large designs such as the British V-bombers were already showing their age, and American designers had a keen interest in moving towards smaller, multirole designs, eventuating in the famous F-111 Aardvark. Yet during this same period, the British were also working on a similar medium sized design, known as the BAC TSR-2. Although it has largely been forgotten, this design - had it not been cancelled - may have been Britain's competitor to the F-111.

  7. Oct 18

    Turkey's TF Kaan 5th Generation Fighter

    Find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lH7pAjE4O4 On the 21st of February 2024, a new 5th-gen fighter took to the skies. The Turkish Aerospace Industries TF Kaan is Turkey's first domestically built modern fighter, and as we shall see, it marks the beginning of an ambitious program to refit Turkey's military with nationally produced equipment. So, what is the TF Kaan, and what is it likely to be capable of?

  8. Oct 16

    Vampire: Britain's strangest jet

    Find the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chum9Gj2eHM Designed during World War 2, the de Havilland Vampire would go on to become a strange looking but effective single engine jet. A multirole aircraft, it would eventually serve with the RAAF, produced at home by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation

See All (55)

About

From the archive of the Australian Military Aviation History video collection comes the audio-only versions of our popular documentaries. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raafdocumentaries

Information