B-24 Liberator Bomber Cutaway Drawing, 1943

B-24 Liberator Bomber Cutaway 1943

Naturally, in the popular press of the time, Consolidated Vultee’s B-24 Liberator bomber would be hailed as a magnificent fighting machine, capable of plowing down any obstacle like cutting through butter. While the B-24 did have its strong points, crew members had a different angle on the craft. Lately, I have been reading Laura Hillenbrand’s… Continue reading B-24 Liberator Bomber Cutaway Drawing, 1943

Atomic Airplane Cutaway, 1951

Atomic Airplane Cutaway 1951

Even though I like Ray Pioch, his 1951 cutaway drawing of this fanciful atomic airplane really isn’t very good.  It’s got the typical middle-of-magazine two-color scheme, and the perspectives within this so-called atomic airplane are all wrong. That said, it was predicted that, by 1980, atomic-powered jets would already be in use.  However, more realistically,… Continue reading Atomic Airplane Cutaway, 1951

Soviet TU-10 Two-Jet Bomber Cutaway, 1951

Soviet TU 10 Two Jet Bomber 1951

This is the Tupolev TU-10 bomber.  I have not been able to find information on this aircraft.  If anyone has leads, please leave information in the comment section. Click to Enlarge Image to 1375 x 745 px: Source:  Popular Science August 1951

Douglas Skymaster C-54M “Flying Hospital” Cutaway, 1951

Douglas Skymaster C54M Flying Hospital Cutaway 1951

You’re looking at a Douglas Skymaster C-54M that has been converted into a 32 litter (bed) “Flying Hospital.” At the time this cutaway was drawn, the Korean War was in full force.  Rather than taking wounded soldiers home by ship or rail, Military Air Transport Service’s (MATS) C-54M took them home far faster and in… Continue reading Douglas Skymaster C-54M “Flying Hospital” Cutaway, 1951

U.S. Air Force XC-99 Cargo Plane Cockpit Cutaway, 1951

US Air Force XC-99 Cargo Plane Cockpit Cutaway 1951

Only the cockpit of the XC-99?  Well, this plane was so freaking huge, we can barely show more than this. Based on a B-36 bomber, the XC-99–built by Convair–flew 7,400 hours over the span of about 10 years. Click to Enlarge to 786 x 742 px: Source:  Popular Science March 1951