Atlas Trail
Wings Over the Battlefield: Military Aircraft from the Sopwith Camel to the Su-27
Follow combat aircraft and helicopters across seven decades, from a First World War biplane to a Cold War air superiority fighter. Each stop shows what a new airframe was built to do, from fighting other aircraft to bombing, supporting troops on the ground and carrying them into battle.
Stop 1 of 9.
Weapons Systems
Introduced to the Western Front in 1917, the Camel packed most of its weight into its front two meters, which made it extremely maneuverable and demanding to fly. Its pilots are credited with 1,294 enemy aircraft, more than any other Allied fighter of the war.
Stop 2 of 9.
Weapons Systems
The Stuka, which first flew in 1935, carried automatic dive brakes that pulled it out of a bombing dive even if the pilot blacked out. It became a symbol of Blitzkrieg, yet the Battle of Britain showed it needed heavy fighter escort to survive.
Stop 3 of 9.
Weapons Systems
Entering Japanese naval service in July 1940, the Zero traded pilot protection and self-sealing fuel tanks for range and maneuverability. Early in the war it reached a kill ratio as high as twelve to one before Allied pilots found counter-tactics.
Stop 4 of 9.
Weapons Systems
A four-engine heavy bomber that joined RAF service in February 1942, the Lancaster had a 33-foot bomb bay. It flew 156,000 sorties, dropped the bouncing bombs of Operation Chastise in May 1943, and later carried the 22,000-pound Grand Slam.
Stop 5 of 9.
Weapons Systems
Entering service in 1959, this Soviet delta-wing interceptor combined fighter and interceptor roles in a light airframe. About 11,496 were built and some 60 countries have flown it, making it the most produced supersonic jet aircraft.
Stop 6 of 9.
Weapons Systems
The Huey was the first turbine-powered helicopter in United States military use. Roughly 7,000 served in the Vietnam War, where it carried troops, cargo and the wounded, and more than 3,300 of them were destroyed.
Stop 7 of 9.
Weapons Systems
Built around its 30mm GAU-8 Avenger cannon, the A-10 entered Air Force service in October 1977. It carries about 1,200 pounds of titanium armor around the cockpit and remains the only aircraft designed solely for close air support to serve with the Air Force.
Stop 8 of 9.
Weapons Systems
The Soviet answer to large American fighters such as the F-15, the Su-27 entered service in 1985 with the Soviet Union's first operational fly-by-wire flight controls. That system allowed the Cobra maneuver, and the type spawned the Su-30, Su-33, Su-34 and Su-35.
Stop 9 of 9.
Weapons Systems
Entering United States Army service in April 1986, the Apache pairs a 30mm chain gun with Hellfire missiles and about 2,500 pounds of armor. It first saw combat in Panama in 1989 and has been delivered in more than 2,700 examples.
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