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.
385 Articles

Grounded Dreams of a Mach 2 Future: The Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-8 Chronicles

The Ye-8 sought to replace the MiG-21 with radar, missiles, and Mach-2 performance, but engine…

Flight Test Files: Republic F-105 Thunderchief – The Quest for Low-Level Supersonic Dominance

How brief studies at the Edwards Air Force Base helped shape the F-105 Thunderchief, a…

Italy’s Second Ace: The 26 Victories of Silvio Scaroni

Silvio Scaroni, Italy’s second-highest WWI ace, scored 26 victories through steady combat flying rather than…

Grounded Dreams: Inside the XF5U, the Navy’s Strangest Fighter That Never Flew

The Vought XF5U “Flying Pancake” was a radical Navy fighter that promised extreme performance but…

Flight Test Files: Grumman OV-1C Mohawk – Pioneering the Art of Multi-Sensor Surveillance

A detailed look at how the US Army’s OV-1C Mohawk evolved from a low-altitude battlefield…

Flight Test Files: The Bell XV-15 Tiltrotor and NASA’s Quiet Revolution in Lift

A Flight Test Files deep dive into NASA’s Bell XV-15 program, explaining how careful flight…

Grounded Dreams: McDonnell XF-85 Goblin, The Fighter That Lived Inside a Bomber

The XF-85 Goblin was a tiny jet fighter designed to fly inside a bomber, but…

Flying Aces: Captain Alexander Beck’s 11 Victories Above the Western Front

Captain Alexander Beck became a World War I flying ace at just 18, scoring 11…

India’s Lone Ace: Indra Lal Roy’s Ten Victories Over the Western Front

Indra Lal Roy was India’s first flying ace, scoring ten victories in weeks during World…

Francesco Baracca: The Italian WWI Ace Who Gave Ferrari Its Horse

Francesco Baracca, Italy’s leading World War I ace with 34 victories, rose from cavalry officer…