It doesn’t get much better than this - A McDonnell F-4N Phantom II, assigned to the Sundowners of Fighter Squadron ONE-ELEVEN (VF-111), then flying off the USS Franklin D, Roosevelt (CV-42) - circa 1977. Photo: U.S. Navy via the National Naval Aviation Museum. Click HERE to stop by.
LOGBOOK MAGAZINE
Great Aviation History
LOGBOOK is a digital magazine that brings you the best in aviation history.
Please note that we a currently in the process of transitioning this site from a pay site to a free site. Give us a couple of days to complete the change.
Many Thanks and Fly Safe,
Dave
7 January 2026
THE INFINITE VARIETY OF AVIATION HISTORY
In the pages of LOGBOOK magazine we chronicle an almost limitless range of aviation history topics - from the first days of powered flight to history making events that happened just yesterday - everything from military flying to commercial and airline operations to general aviation and to just knocking around the sky. Over the years we have worked with some well known authors, but more importantly, we encourage the first-time fledgling writer who just has a great story to tell.
We get a lot of great stories this way.
So whether you are a pilot, aircrew, mechanic, ground pounder or simply a dedicated aviation enthusiast, we are certain to have stories that you will love to read.
Do you have a story to tell?
Sure, some folks may not be the best at putting pen to paper, and that’s where we come in.
Here at LOGBOOK, the story is much more important than the format in which the story is submitted. We truly enjoy helping folks who may not be seasoned writers to get their stories in print. If your article needs a bit of work, if it needs to be smoothed out for publication, well, that’s where we can help. Just think about how many great flying tales there are out there that go unpublished because the story teller may not be a professional writer. That’s where we come in - we love to help.
So, do you have a story to tell? Drop us a line - we look forward to a chat.
logbook magazine
great aviation history
You Are Cleared For Takeoff
New Articles
The Latest Uploads
2025 - 2026
he Latest and the Greatest. In this section you will find all the newer articles, published within the last few months or so, and uploaded to the LOGBOOK magazine digital website. These are in-depth, long-form articles covering a wide variety of aviation history. New articles will be posted on a regular basis, so check back often. As newer articles are uploaded, older articles will be moved to The Archives, so you can refer back them at any time.
Click on the button below, and enjoy some of the best in aviation history
The Archives
Volume 1
2000 - 2024
An ever-growing archive of aviation history, amassed over the 23+ years that LOGBOOK magazine has been in publication. From both the old print version of LOGBOOK to today’s digital version of the magazine, these articles chronicle the rich history of aviation in all its diverse forms - from military aviation, airline operations, civil flying, etc. No matter what your interests may be, you are sure to find an article or two in here that will grab your attention.
Stop in The ARCHIVES, we are always open.
The LOGBOOK
Volume 1
2000 - 2024
Have you ever been sitting around with a bunch of pilots, mechanics, and ground crew, maybe in the hangar on a day when the weather is bad, and everyone is just waiting for it to improve so you can take off. It is inevitable that on a day like this the story telling session will begin. Whether you call them sea stories, hangar tales, flying yarns, or just shooting the breeze, many of these anecdotes need to be recorded. In this section you will find short stories, historical snippets, gate guards, museums, preservation work, pilot bars, and just about anything that has to do with flying.
The Aviation Archives
An eclectic collection of aviation ephemera
Please note: The texts and manuals are presented here for the purpose of historic reference only. They are not to be used for the purpose of training for, or operation of, the actual aircraft. If you happen to be lucky enough to own and/or fly one of these great old birds you must refer to the current and approved texts and manuals.
Wow - it’s too bad that this image doesn’t have a sound track, it must have been glorious! A Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic medium range bomber making a dramatic rocket assisted takeoff. The fact that the rocket bottles are externally mounted indicates that this is an early example of the breed. Photo: U. S. Air Force
Ground School
A collection of manuals, training documents and texts covering a wide variety of well known, and some not so well known, aircraft. Some military and some civilian birds. No worries, this is for the enjoyment of learning only - there will be no tests. Come on in - class is about to start.
Standard Aircraft Characteristics
Standard aircraft characteristics (SAC) are a diverse series of short, but highly detailed, documents published by the individual branches of the u.s. military. While documents covering aircraft performance and capabilities had been published, under various titles and for years, the SAC format became standard around 1948. virtually all airborne craft, later including missiles, were covered by an sac. as such, most were Classified - many up to the secret level - when first printed.
while a multi-purpose document, one of the primary uses of an sac was to give military planners - who may not be familiar with the aircraft in question - a concise idea what he could expect out of the aircraft. For example, a surface warfare admiral may want to know what kind of radius of operation and firepower he could plan on if a certain aircraft was available for use. By consulting an sac, the admiral would quickly know what he had to work with.
Presented here a just a hand full of the hundreds of sac documents printed. Check back every now and then as we add more. Enjoy!
There is an age old question - Why are there mirrors on the canopy rails of fighter planes? Many think it is so the fighter pilot can see the enemy behind. The real answer is so the fighter pilot can see just how cool he or she looks. From Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-FOUR (VF-84) - the Jolly Rogers - circa 1979. Photo: U. S. Navy
Databases
Just the facts, please. This is an ever-expanding collection of databases - from fleet lists, to manufacturer’s catalogs, to aircraft model production lists.
Acknowledging the fact that some aircraft are well covered in other databases around the interweb, here we try to covers some of the more esoteric types. Updated often, so check back often.
National Advisory Committee For Aeronautics
- Aircraft Circulars -
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was established by the the U.S. Government on 3 March 1915, with the mandate to conduct all manner of aeronautical research. Among the vast library of reports produced under the auspices of NACA’s charter were pamphlets called “Aircraft Circulars,” which were short monographs examining individual aircraft. Well over 200 Aircraft circulars were produced in the 1920s and 1930s.
NACA was replaced by the National aeronautics and Space administration (NASA) on 1 October 1958.
Presented here is an ever-growing collection of these documents. More will be added in the future.
One sleek ship - the Beechcraft Staggerwing - considered a classic executive transport of the 1930s. Seen here - photo taken in 1983, at the old Coastal Airport, in Pensacola, Florida - is Beechcraft C17B Staggerwing (msn 133, and registered as N 17078). Powered by a 300 horsepower Jacobs R744 - a Shakey Jake - radial engine, this aircraft is still airworthy and flying today. Photo: A.A.S.
The Reference Library
Please come in - the Librarian will be with you shortly.
In the reference library you will find a growing number of little known aviation documents and texts. Also, you can find a link or two to other websites that are particularly useful to the aviation history enthusiast.
The Librarian is here - how can we help?
1927 - The Greatest Year in aviation history
In the December 1927 issue of Aero Digest there is an article titled:
A Victorious Year in American Aeronautics - 1927
In the 2 January 1928 issue of Aviation magazine there is an article titled:
-Looking Back at 1927-
A Resume of Airplane Activities During The Greatest Year in
the History of American Aeronautics
Although it can be argued that many other years could also be considered “Great Years,” the aviation events of 1927, perhaps more so than any other year, can be deemed the “Greatest.” By some analysis, events of 1927 began what has been termed the “Golden Years of Aviation,” which, regardless of when it actually began (some date this beginning back to the end of World War One), generally came to an end with the onset of World War Two.
That article in Aero Digest began with the following observation: “The twelvemonth that is now drawing to a close will go down in history as the great years of American Aviation.”
Presented here is an ever-growing, chronological catalog of aviation events that were logged in 1927. This includes both the well known and the obscure, both the large and the small, and both the famous and the infamous.
Do you have an event that needs to be added to this list, please drop us a line at:
contact@logbookmag.com
An outstanding image - via the great folks at the Lockheed Martin Archives, out in Palmdale, California - of Western Air Lines new Lockheed L188A Electra. MSN 1946, with the registration N7135C, this Electra was delivered to Western Air Lines on 20 April 1959, and flew with the company for the next decade. After that, it was in the fleet of a few various companies, including Zantop Airline, before being bought by Reeve Aleutian Airways in August of 1983. In 1986, it was withdrawn from use and used as spare parts. Photo: Lockheed Martin
