Kapil Kajal

Kapil is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience. Reported across a wide range of beats with a particular focus on air warfare and military affairs, his work is shaped by a deep interest in twentieth‑century conflict, from both World Wars through the Cold War and Vietnam, as well as the ways these histories inform contemporary security and technology.
64 Articles

Flight Test Files: Boeing 727 – The NASA Wake Vortex Trials of 1973

NASA Boeing 727 tests in the 1970s revealed how wake vortices affect smaller aircraft, shaping…

Kapil Kajal

Flight Test Files: C-141A Starlifter – The Birth of the Jet Age Cargo Giant

C-141A Starlifter supported NASA’s Project Eclipse, proving tow-launch concepts for reusable space vehicles and advancing…

Kapil Kajal

Grounded Dreams: Boeing XB-15 – The Giant That Outgrew Its Engines

Boeing XB-15, a 1930s “super bomber,” set payload records but was canceled due to low…

Kapil Kajal

Grounded Dreams: Cierva W.9 – The Jet Tail Experiment of 1945

Cierva W.9 tested a tail-rotorless helicopter concept during WWII, pioneering early NOTAR ideas before its…

Kapil Kajal

Boneyard Files: Douglas A-1 Skyraider – The Last Piston Powerhouse in the Desert

Douglas A-1 Skyraider served from Korea to Vietnam as a rugged close-support aircraft, later ending…

Kapil Kajal

Flight Test Files: Learjet 24 – Exploring the Cosmos from 50,000 Feet Above

Learjet 24 helped NASA pioneer airborne astronomy, enabling high-altitude infrared observations and laying the foundation…

Kapil Kajal

Aces: Charles Dawson Booker – The 29 Victories of Sopwith Triplane Master

WWI ace Charles Dawson Booker scored 29 victories at maritime fronts, rising to RAF command…

Kapil Kajal

Grounded Dreams: Bristol XLRQ – The Silent Glider of the Pacific

Bristol XLRQ aimed to give US Marines amphibious glider capability in WWII, but shifting doctrine…

Kapil Kajal

Grounded Dreams: Bernard H.V.220 – The French Speed King That Never Raced

Bernard H.V.220 aimed to compete in the 1931 Schneider Trophy, but engine failures and delays…

Kapil Kajal

Boneyard Files: Lockheed P-2 Neptune – The Cold War Sub Hunter in the Sand

Lockheed P-2 Neptune, a long-range maritime patrol aircraft, served in Cold War and Vietnam missions…

Kapil Kajal