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 twentiethโ€‘century conflict, from both World Wars through the Cold War and Vietnam, as well as the ways these histories inform contemporary security and technology.
493 Articles

Grounded Dreams: SNCASE SE-1010 – The Four-Engine Masterpiece That Never Saw Service

Franceโ€™s SE-1010 was a high-altitude photo-survey aircraft that showed promise but was cancelled after a…

Grounded Dreams: Macchi MB.323 – The Last Piston Echo

Macchi MB.323 lost Italyโ€™s trainer competition despite strong performance, paving the way for the later…

Aces of War: Marziale Cerutti – The Master of Nieuport 27

Marziale Cerutti, an Italian WWI ace with 17 victories, later served in WWII with Axis…

Flight Test Files: Bell 47 – The Chase Aircraft that Aided the Apollo Program

Bell 47 helicopter supported NASAโ€™s Apollo-era LLRV tests, providing chase support and helping train astronauts…

Aces of War: Edmond Thieffry – The Lawyer Who Took to the Skies

Belgian WWI ace Edmond Thieffry rose from a crash-prone pilot to a 10-victory ace and…

Grounded Dreams: PZL-230 Skorpion – The Small Agile Battlefield Mirage

PZL-230 Skorpion was a Polish STOL ground-attack aircraft concept with advanced features, but it was…

Aces of War: Alfred Heurtaux – The Leader of the Storks

French ace Alfred Heurtaux scored 21 victories in WWI, later joined the Resistance in WWII,…

Grounded Dreams: Convair Model 48 Charger – The Vision That Fell Short

Convair Model 48 Charger was a STOL light attack aircraft designed for close support, but…

Boneyard Files: Curtiss C-46 Commando – The Final Resting Place of the Curtiss Giant

Curtiss C-46 Commando, a heavy WWII transport, played a key role over the Himalayas and…

Flight Test Files: Convair CV-990 Coronado – A Journey Through Landing Gear Research

NASA used the Convair CV-990 Coronado to test space shuttle landing gear, tires, and braking…