Lockheed D-21: Cold War Spy Drone

In October 1962, the C.I.A. and the U.S.A.F. requested that Lockheed study a high-speed, high-altitude drone concept for reconnaissance flights over particularly hostile territories to avoid endangering aircrews. Created during the height of the Cold War and following the shootdown of a U-2 spy p...

By Friedrich Seiltgen

Was the 1911’s Grip Safety a Mistake?

The 1911 has now been with us for a century and a decade. Throughout that lifespan, there’s been no point at which it was not beloved by huge numbers of soldiers, law enforcement agents, and civilian shooters. Astonishingly, perhaps implausibly, the 1911 remains a darling of serious pistol...

By Clayton Walker

POTD: S&W Model 50 Chief’s Special Target – 568 Made

Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a Smith & Wesson Model 50 Chief’s Special Target, one of 568 manufactured in the range 930J45-936J19. The factory letter states this shipped March 27, 1973 and confirms the Model 50 was manufactured as special orders with no standard...

By Sam.S

Triumph and Tragedy: The USS Indianapolis

No one on board the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) knew anything about the cargo they were carrying. What they did know was that the veteran cruiser (launched in 1931) made the trip from San Francisco to the island of Tinian in the Marianas in just ten days. The crew was proud of the “Indy”, and fo...

By Tom Laemlein

The Near-Death Moments That Nearly Finished Two Iconic American Gunmakers

OL's former shooting editor revisits the good times and bad of two legendary gunmakers who shaped the frontier and beyond: Remington and Winchester The post The Near-Death Moments That Nearly Finished Two Iconic American Gunmakers appeared first on Outdoor Life.

By Jack O’Connor

Evolution of the Flying Wing

From its earliest experimental roots to today’s cutting-edge stealth bombers, the flying wing has remained one of aviation’s most radical and enduring ideas. Stripped of traditional fuselage and tail structures, this design prioritizes aerodynamic efficiency above all else. The design reduces...

By Friedrich Seiltgen
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