Congressman Andrew may have caused the death of 800 sailors during WWII

I heard something about this a few years ago but just generalities that a congresscritter shot off his mouth during a press conference and released classified information that compromised operational assets.  No it wasn't the first time and yes it has happened since and funny that nothing seems to happen to those clowns.

     I saw this article chasing a car article...so I clipped it.

There is a reason certain military knowledge is classified: so it doesn't fall into the hands of the enemy. Congressman Andrew May didn't get the memo, as an ill-fated press conference led to the loss of an estimated 10 submarines and the deaths of 800 Navy crewmen.

The May Incident

The United States Navy was known for its successes following the country's entrance into WWII. Despite Japanese attempts to sink their vessels, the Allied forces managed to evade their attacks. This was because, at the time, the Balao-class of submarine could dive to depths of 400 feet, deeper than the Japanese set their depth charges.

Kentucky Congressman Andrew J. May, 1939. (Photo Credit: Harris and Ewing / Wikimedia Commons)© Provided by War History Online

In 1943, Andrew May, chairman of the House Military Affairs Committee, embarked on a tour of American military areas in the Pacific Theater, during which he was privy to a host of sensitive war-related information. When he returned that June, he held a press conference, where he revealed that American submarines only had a high survival rate because the Japanese charges were exploding at too shallow a depth 

The fallout of a blabbermouth

Not long after this news spread, the Japanese naval anti-submarine forces adjusted their charges to explode at a greater depth. This prompted Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, commander of the US submarine fleet in the Pacific, to estimate that May's breach cost the Navy 10 submarines and resulted in the deaths of some 800 crewmen.

"I hear Congressman May said the Jap depth charges are not set deep enough," he said. "He would be pleased to know that the Japs set them deeper now."

The USS Balao , a Balao -class submarine. (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons)© Provided by War History Online

The Navy's Pacific Submarine Fleet released a report following the press conference, in which it determined Japanese anti-submarine warfare (ASW) forces had failed to uncover the maximum depth the US submarine fleet could reach. However, it failed to state whether the Japanese had altered their depth charge attacks to deeper positions due to May's revelation.

Alleged war profiteering

The ill-fated press conference wasn't the only ding to Andrew May's career. During the early stages of the war, he became involved with two New York-based businessmen, Henry and Murray Garsson. Despite the pair having no prior arms manufacturing knowledge or experience, they sought to financially gain from the US involvement in the conflict by securing munitions contracts from the government.

Andrew May with Henry Stimson, Morris Sheppard and George C. Marshall as President Roosevelt signs the Conscription Bill, 1940. (Photo Credit: Topical Press Agency / Getty Images)© Provided by War History Online

On the pair's behalf, May used his position as chairman of the House Military Affairs Committee to contact Army ordnance and other government officials to obtain war contracts, favors, and draft deferments. For his efforts, he received substantial cash payments, information that was uncovered by a Senate investigating committee following the war.

This soon turned into a scandal, which only grew following testimony about the profit-taking of the Garssons' company and the defects in their munitions. It was found their 4.2-inch mortar shells had defective fuzes, leading to premature detonation. It's believed this resulted in the death of 38 American servicemen.

Paying for his actions... Maybe?

The fallout for Andrew May's many guffaws during the war included him losing re-election in 1946. He was then put on trial for federal bribery charges, and after less than two hours of jury deliberation was found guilty on July 3, 1947. Despite efforts to avoid incarceration, he was eventually sentenced to nine months in a federal facility.

Murray and Henry Garsson were also sentenced to prison terms.

Andrew May with Texas Congressman Maury Maverick, 1938. (Photo Credit: Harris and Ewing / Wikimedia Commons)© Provided by War History Online

Despite his be-smudged reputation, May continued to retain influence over politics within the Democratic Party. As such, he was able to secure a full pardon from President Harry Truman in 1952. He was, however, unable to revive his political career and thus returned to Kentucky to practice law until his death.

Mexican Airport Drama

 I clipped this from a 3rd party email from work, yes I have been working a lot of hours, I ain't complaining, OT is a good thing, LOL

    

Open photo in lightboxBenito Juárez International Airport is decreasing aircraft movements as the Mexican government tries to coax airlines to shift operations to the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport.BOARDING1NOW/ISTOCK

Writers of Latin American popular telenovela dramas, similar to soap operas but with more tension and twists, could look to Mexico’s air transport system if they run short of plot ideas. There’s plenty to work with, including a massive new hub airport that was killed well after construction began but before it was completed, and the revival of a defunct airline that will be operated by the military—if it ever gets off the ground.

The story began in 2014 when then-President Enrique Peña Nieto announced plans for a massive new mega-hub to replace Mexico City’s constrained, overcrowded and crumbling Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX). The vision for the new Texcoco Airport was for it to serve as a major international connector for Latin America. But in October 2018, well after construction had begun, then-Presidentelect Andrés Manuel López Obrador, popularly known as AMLO, organized a nonbinding referendum in which almost 70% of the 1 million voters rejected the new airport. Texcoco’s cancellation cost was pegged at over $6 billion.

 

 

“When the new government came in, they took [the new airport] as a symbol of corruption and shady interests. And that project needed to be scrapped to get rid of this corruption problem, which was mostly a fabrication,” IATA regional VP Americas Peter Cerdá told ATW.

López Obrador then converted a former Mexican Air Force Base into a commercial airport, Felipe Ángeles International (NLU), as part of Mexico City’s new three-airport system, including MEX and the much smaller Toluca Airport (TLC). NLU instantly became Mexico’s second-largest airport by territory but is located 30 miles northeast of the center of the city.

“You build this great airport; however, you almost have it on an island because it is so poorly connected to the city center. You don’t have a train or highway arteries that will connect a city of 27 million passengers,” Cerdá said.

“The idea of building a new airport in Mexico City is a good idea. They just put the cart before the horse,” said Fabricio Cojuc, an independent aviation consultant and a chief network officer at Mexicana before it went out of business. While Cojuc sees NLU’s potential as an LCC and spillover airport for the megasprawl of the capital, he has doubts. “It’s a big question mark whether people will be willing to spend time and stress to get there when a better-connected MEX serves 99% of the destinations,” he said.

Government-owned and military-operated NLU opened in March 2022 with a smattering of flights and overall numbers remain small. OAG data report just 2,359 flights per month and seven operators. ULCC Viva Aerobus has the largest market share at 41% and is aggressively expanding its presence at NLU while retaining its base at Monterrey Airport (MTY). Aeromexico’s mostly regional jet operation has the second-largest presence at NLU at 33%, followed by ULCC Volaris at 20%. Venezuelan carrier Conviasa, Dominican Republican new ULCC Arajet and Panamanian flag carrier Copa Airlines are the airport’s only non-Mexican operators.

The Mexican government is taking a carrotbut-mainly-big-stick approach to both coerce and force airlines to make the shift to NLU. It has made landing and facility fees cheaper than those at MEX, where aircraft movements will drop to 43 per hour from January 2024, a more than 30% decrease from the 61 movements an hour allowed as recently as 2022. The government claims the slot cuts are related to airspace restrictions, but IATA notes that a study in 2018 by the same government confirmed the feasibility of safely operating up to 72 movements per hour.

“The airlines have been able to manage deftly by upgauging their metal. But there’s going to come a point when the cutbacks are so deep that there’s only so much compensation you can do,” Cojuc said.

Latin American and Caribbean airline association ALTA says the slot reduction is detrimental because of “a significant increase in delays and cancellations of flights that were already scheduled and on sale. Furthermore, it is very likely that ticket prices will also increase as the supply of flights in the Valley of Mexico City will be reduced.”

Indeed, some airlines are looking elsewhere.

“We are reducing capacity in Mexico City International Airport and using that to fortify our USMexico capacity in the short term, away from Mexico City in other markets from Mexico to the US,” Volaris executives announced during their thirdquarter earnings call.

Passenger airlines aren’t the only carriers affected. Cargo operators were given four-month eviction notices in March to move from MEX to NLU, although this was extended to September after intense lobbying. The transition logistics have been a nightmare by many accounts.

“I can tell you that two months ago, they were trucking freight to Mexico City to clear customs, and then they were bringing it back to [NLU] for distribution,” Cojuc said.

The government’s strong-arm tactics continued, with it briefly considering allowing cabotage so that international airlines could operate domestically. This was written into the law, but López Obrador’s own party blocked it in Congress. Slot reductions initially also targeted international carriers servicing MEX, but the government relented under pressure from foreign governments, IATA and ALTA.

Another outcome of the MEX slot reductions was that the US Department of Transportation, irked by what it saw as a contravention of the US-Mexico air transport agreement, indefinitely postponed giving approval for a planned antitrust-immunized joint venture between Viva and US ULCC Allegiant Air.

FAA RATING UPGRADE

Meanwhile, FAA reinstated Mexico’s Category I safety rating status in September after downgrading it to Category II in May 2021. The rating is always targeted at a country’s aviation regulatory oversight, not the competence of its airlines, but it’s the carriers that bear the consequences because they cannot add new routes or frequencies to the US under Category II rules. The rating downgrade also forbids equipment changes, such as swapping in larger aircraft, and allowing newly delivered aircraft to operate into the US, which is Mexico’s most significant international air market at 85% of traffic.

“It’s a big irony that Category I was being restored in parallel to the additional cutbacks at Mexico City, which effectively neutralizes the Category I benefits in terms of adding frequency and routes,” Cojuc pointed out. Domestic carriers are being forced to send domestic flights to NLU to open slots at MEX for new US routes they can now begin, such as Aeromexico’s nonstops to Boston and Salt Lake City.

For all the upheaval, MEX remains Latin America’s busiest airport and the world’s 16th busiest, with 46.2 million passenger enplanements in 2022, and it is poised to remain the number one airport in the largest air traffic country in Latin America. But the lack of investment and renewal will make it increasingly difficult for MEX to keep pace with those numbers.

“We need urgent focus on improving the infrastructure, the terminals, runways, taxiways—a total overhaul,” Cerdá said.

“What’s frustrating here is Texcoco Airport was an airport that Mexico needed and was fully supported by the airline industry. We’re being asked as passengers and airlines to pay off the bonds through the user fees for the decommissioning of the airport, which we never wanted to occur.”

Meanwhile, plans announced in mid-December to hike MEX fees by an average of 77% in 2024 were condemned by ALTA and IATA, which warned this would lead to higher fares and put the country’s competitiveness at risk.

THE MEXICANA SURPRISE

Another twist in the Mexican aviation telenovela that nobody in the industry saw coming was a government plan to launch an airline under the name of Mexicana, which was spun off as a publicly owned carrier before shutting down in August 2010. In May, the government announced it had purchased the defunct Mexicana for $48 million. The deal includes the brand, three buildings and a flight simulator. And in a populist move, the financial proceeds from the sale would pay the more than 7,000 former employees who lost salaries and benefits when Mexicana was liquidated. In addition, the government said it would invest 233 million pesos ($13.6 million) in the new military-run venture.

Mexicana was envisioned to start as an LCC jointly controlled by Mexico’s army and air force and operating 10 737-800s leased directly from Boeing. There were promises of introductory fares to leading domestic destinations that would be around 20% cheaper than those of competitors, include free seat selection and beverages, and no charge for checked bags up to a certain weight.

Open photo in lightboxViva Aerobus made the first passenger flight into Felipe Ángeles International Airport on March 21, 2022. HECTOR VIVAS/GETTY IMAGES

With a planned Dec. 1 launch date, the government also said Mexicana would carry 8 million passengers and take a 6% market share during its first full year of operations, while breaking even financially by the end of 2025.

But more confusion than progress has resulted. Ticket sales have started, stopped and then started again, with refunds inexplicably given for delayed services.

At a press conference in late November, López Obrador said launch would be pushed back, possibly to Dec. 26, saying, “It’s going to fly soon, very soon.” The airline posted a bizarre message on its website saying that anyone who had booked flights to certain cities would receive an email with instructions about how to confirm their reservation. It then listed another set of cities, tickets for which it would send compensation while not being clear if those tickets had been sold.

Aviation Week Intelligence’s fleet data tracking can find no reference to the 737s being delivered and the launch fleet plan appears to have changed at least twice. A deal to wet-lease 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145s wet-leased from TAR Aerolineas seems to have fallen through, with local media reporting the airline would start service with two 737-800s and one -300. There was no confirmation of that or of a firm launch date as of mid-December.

Not surprisingly, people are skeptical. “They don’t have anything: no crews, no planes, no infrastructure, no agreements with the airports they want to fly to,” local aviation specialist María Larriva Sahd said. “They haven’t made any advancements. They’re just announcing things, but they haven’t established the procedures to create an airline.”

The airline’s leadership team is also raising eyebrows in the industry because it reportedly comprises retired Mexican air force personnel with little-to-no commercial aviation experience. Critical elements and services, including aircraft and flight crew procurement and maintenance services, were outsourced by the Secretariat of National Defense to SAT Aviation Holdings Inc., a little-known USbased company that was previously referred to as Petrus Aviation, according to Mexican business publication El Financiero.

“We are not sure we understand Mexicana’s rationale. Mexico already has two low-cost airlines that do very well, but it sends a message that prices shouldn’t go up. It’s also a jobs program for the government,” TD Cowen senior airline analyst Helane Becker wrote.

As Becker notes, Mexicana would directly compete with established Mexican LCC players Viva and Volaris, so the conditions being set for fair competition are being scrutinized even though Mexicana has yet to fly.

“Volaris has demanded equal treatment by the authorities and is closely monitoring the implementation process for a new entrant,” Volaris president and CEO Enrique Javier Beltranena said during the third-quarter earnings call.

Cojuc made clear the industry’s suspicions. “This is where we have the start of the makings of a very unlevel playing field situation. [Mexicana] is in a position to enjoy multiple biased cost advantages, such as cheaper fuel, landing fees, taxes, and the like, and having preferential treatment in gate allocation and air traffic control,” he said.

IATA’s Cerdá also noted there could be a backlash if preferential treatment becomes apparent.

“We are not against new airlines entering the market, but we will certainly be very vocal on unjust treatment towards [existing] Mexican carriers. You’re negatively impacting Mexican companies operating within your country,” he said.

Cerdá added that he and others believe the oversaturated Mexican domestic market is well served, and resources could be better directed. “Instead of focusing on a new airline, let’s focus on fixing the infrastructure,” he said.

BOOMING MEXICAN RIVIERA

With so many questions about how and even why Mexicana is being relaunched, some also point to the carrier’s planned inaugural route from its NLU base to Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TCQ), 85 miles south of Cancun and a pet project of the president. TCQ is located in the booming Mexican Rivera tourist zone near Playa del Carmen and is targeted to be Mexicana’s second base. Airlines are flocking to TCQ, which soft-opened on Sept. 21, 2022, and was formally opened on Dec. 1. When the airport opens to international traffic in March 2024, it will see American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Spirit Airlines start service from their US bases.

Meanwhile, for all the drama, Mexico’s domestic and cross-border US markets are mostly faring well, especially among the ULCCs that account for 71.4% of Mexican domestic capacity, according to OAG data. Market leaders are Volaris (39%) and Viva Aerobus (32.4%), whose business models are predicated on switching people from the bus in a country with no passenger rail links but a strong VFR market. Volaris and Viva also have some of the lowest costs and fares in the world, and, until recently, enjoyed very high operating margins. Both ULCCs are ratcheting down domestic capacity. The reduction could help raise yields while “purging their route network networks a little bit, mowing down the bad grass in certain markets where there’s overcapacity,” Cojuc said.

Open photo in lightboxMexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador oversaw the Dec. 1 opening of Tulum Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, which has attracted many carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Spirit Airlines. MEDIOS Y MEDIA/GETTY IMAGES

Legacy network airline Aeromexico, which delisted itself from Mexico’s main stock exchange and went private following its emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2022, is poised to return to public markets. With FAA Category I status restored, the nation’s largest international player, along with its Delta joint-venture partner, is rapidly growing in the US transborder market, with a joint 19% share closing in on market leader American’s 21% share.

Though Delta’s post-Chapter 11 ownership in Aeromexico, a fellow SkyTeam alliance member, has decreased from 49% to 20%, Delta president Glen Hauenstein says the Mexican market represents “a great source of strength.” Transborder capacity in December 2023 will be 14.8% higher than in December 2022 and 35% higher than in December 2019, according to OAG.

“The Category I recovery is already allowing Mexican carriers to add capacity in the transborder market, as evidenced by a 15% YoY published seat increase in Q1 2024,” Cojuc said.

VFR dominates Mexican carrier’s US-bound traffic, while leisure sun-and-sand travel powers Mexico-bound traffic. Mexican carriers are shifting capacity from the saturated domestic markets internationally to meet pent-up demand for international expansion. OAG filings show 22 new US-Mexico routes are confirmed for 2024. This could flip the domestic versus international yield dynamics.

“We expect yield improvement in the domestic market as capacity moves north into the US market, where we expect yields to decline. We think there will be overcapacity in the Mexico-US market,” TD Cowen’s Becker noted.

Just how all this transpires through 2024, however, will at least partially hinge on Mexican politics. So many of the swings and changes in the country’s air transport industry over recent years have been connected to politics and 2024 will see a presidential election in June. López Obrador is term-limited, but in another crowd-pleasing move meant to rally his base, his government is looking to reduce privately operated airport usage fees by 8%-12%. In addition to the lower usage fees, Mexico’s transportation ministry has said it will almost double what it charges operators for concessions to run the airports. Airlines say the move could stimulate demand via lower rates but will be a neutral pass-through on profitability. Opponents say it only hurts the potential for investing in badly needed infrastructure upgrades and expansions, and they point out that government-controlled airports aren’t subject initially to the same fee decreases.

Another chapter in the Mexican aviation telenovela seems poised to play out.

The 12 Oldest War Vehicles still in Service.

A MiG-17 in flight© Kletr/Shutterstock

M

ilitary spending can amount to hundreds of billions of dollars annually as new technologies are sought, and systems are updated to ensure the world's best fighting forces stay one step ahead of their competition. However, those countries that lack spending power often resort to tried and true technology from previous generations. In some cases, this means using relatively antiquated vehicles that, in some instances, call[ back to the Cold War or even World War II. 

While, on the face of it, this may sound desperate or even downright dangerous, military technology is by its nature highly robust, and some examples, such as the Tupolev TU-95 long-range bomber or the Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter, have not as yet required replacing. Some older designs, such as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane and the Type 209 submarine, have received regular updates to keep them consistent with modern military requirements.

For this article, we have chosen vehicles that remain in fighting forces today. For example, some individual ships and submarines are still used as training vessels or for reconnaissance purposes. These include the USS Constitution, a square-rigger sailing frigate from 1797, and the last remaining Hai Shi Class submarine from 1944, which are still technically in service with the United States and Taiwanese navies, respectively, but pose no significant military threat. The following are the oldest war vehicles that are still in active service today.

Read more: 10 Most Impressive Supersonic Bombers Of All Time

Sikorsky Black Hawk

A Sikorsky Black Hawk© Soos Jozsef/Shutterstock

Many of us remember the Black Hawk helicopter as the subject of Ridley Scott's 2001 film "Black Hawk Down," based on a novel of the same name. However, that near-disastrous mission into Somalia in 1993 is just one episode in the long and storied history of this multipurpose helicopter, which has been in service since 1979.

The Black Hawk is a medium-lift helicopter crewed by four, usually consisting of a pilot, co-pilot, and crew chiefs. It can also carry 11 troops or six stretcher patients plus medical attendants, as well as various combinations of personnel and cargo, making it a highly versatile and valuable vehicle. It cruises at an average speed of 174 miles per hour, with a top speed of 222 mph, making it one of the world's fastest helicopters. It also has a range of more than 350 miles, but it can go longer thanks to external fuel tanks.

In over 40 years since the Black Hawk first entered service, it has been used for casualty evacuation, combat assault, aerial firefighting, search and rescue, and special operations. It can be armed with rockets, guns, and missiles. There are currently over 4,000 units in operation worldwide, of which more than 2,000 are used by the United States, and the Black Hawk shows no sign of retiring any time soon.

Type 209

A Type 209 submarine© Archaeonavall/Shutterstock

Germany is known for many exports, including pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics, luxury automobiles, and ... Albert Einstein. Diesel-electric attack submarines are not usually included in this list, yet the Type 209 is  success story of a military vehicle created exclusively for sale to other countries.These vessels have been sold to 12 navies, as aging World War II and Cold War-era submarines have gradually required replacing. Germany, spotting this looming gap in the market, was quick to respond with this robust and versatile submarine, although, curiously, it doesn't operate any itself.

While specifications vary due to the adaptable nature of the Type 209, it is crewed by roughly 40 people and has a submerged displacement of between 1,200 tons. All use diesel-electric propulsion, which provides a surfaced speed of around 11 knots and a submerged speed of around 22 knots. It can dive to a maximum of 500 meters and has a range of about 430 miles when submerged.

Five variants of Type 209 exist in various militaries, from South America to the Mediterranean, to South Africa, to Asia, as evidence of the versatility and adaptability of the original vessel. Modifications can include an increased air supply, escape hatches, taller masts, overhauled engines and systems, and even an increase in length. While each country assigns its own class names to the submarine, they are all unmistakably the Type 209, based on the original German design and incorporating the European nation's renowned technological prowess and build quality.

Victor Class

A Victor Class submarine© Sergei Fokin/Shutterstock

Predating the Type 209 is the Victor Class submarine, which is still operational in its native Russia, where it was first commissioned in 1967. Codenamed "Project 671", it is one of the earliest nuclear-powered attack submarines, which produced two quieter versions, the Victor II and Victor III, in later years, the latter of which is still in service today. This remnant of the Cold War was the Soviets' answer to the U.S. Sturgeon Class sub, and it is characterized by its teardrop-shaped hull and the large sonar pod on its stern plane.

The Victor Class submarine is a worrying reminder of just how dangerous the post-World War II global situation had become, as nations equipped their aircraft and submarines with nuclear warheads in preparation for the outbreak of all-out war. The Victor Class was one such vessel that carried two 200-kiloton Novator torpedoes or two S-10 Granat cruise missiles, each capable of devastating an entire city. They were also powered by a nuclear reactor, which drove a steam turbine, providing 22.7 megawatts of power to a single propeller shaft as a highly efficient, albeit risky, energy source.

Thankfully no boats ever suffered any severe damage during their long tenure, and the Victor Class has gradually been retired, with the first Victor III subs being taken out of service in 1998. Just two, the "Tambov" and "Obinsk," remain operational and are used by the Russian Navy as testing vehicles for new weapons and other technology.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook

A Boeing CH-47 Chinook© Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is one of the most recognizable helicopters in history, with its dual rotors and bulbous profile. Its versatility as a medium to heavy-lift vehicle and consistent updates have ensured that the design will remain in service until at least 2060, and the latest CH-47 boasts advanced technological features to rival any of its modern equivalents.

This versatility is evidenced by the fact that the Chinook is operational with many militaries across the globe, as diverse as Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Egypt, and the Netherlands, as well as its native United States. Having first entered service in 1962, it has been used in Vietnam, the Iran-Iraq conflict, the Falklands War, and Afghanistan. It features two powerful gas turbine engines, capable of lifting up to 24,000 pounds, and has many new advanced capabilities that maintain its usefulness in modern military practice.

These include a digital cockpit management system, autopilot functionality, a digital flight control system with hover and landing assists, and advanced cargo capabilities. The CH-47 Chinook embodies the term, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, the modern machine is highly sophisticated compared to the original vehicle from over 60 years ago.

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

A C-130 Hercules© Paul Hanley/Getty Images

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules could be called the fixed-wing transport plane's answer to the Chinook helicopter, as a tried-and-true design that hasn't needed replacing since entering military service in 1956. This reliable, versatile workhorse is capable of transporting large payloads from runways that are high in altitude and poorly surfaced. The latest C-130J iteration is used by 21 countries, with other variants employed by tens more nations worldwide.

Built by Lockheed-Martin, the modern Hercules is impressive for a plane with such a long service history. It has four Rolls-Royce turboprop engines producing 4,700 hp each. It will fly at a top speed of 417 miles per hour at an altitude of 22,000 feet, but it can climb to a ceiling of 28,000 feet while carrying its maximum 42,000-pound payload. It is large at almost 98 feet in length and 39 feet tall, with a wingspan of 133 feet.

The Hercules is as powerful as its name suggests, but it is also versatile and used for many different roles, including meteorological services, medical operations, disaster relief, and firefighting duties, as well as airlift support. It is also large and can carry all sorts of cargo, including other helicopters, armored vehicles, palleted goods, and personnel. Given that a larger version, the C-130J-30 "Super Hercules," is also in production, it looks likely that the Hercules will be flying for many years to come.

Tupolev TU-95

A Tupolev TU-95© Sharkovski/Shutterstock

During World War II, three Boeing B-29 Superfortresses were forced to land on Soviet territory and duly appropriated by the Russians. From these, they created their own almost-carbon-copy prototypes, the Tupolev TU-80 and TU-85, which evolved into the Tupolev TU-95. Codenamed "The Bear" by NATO, this long-range bomber was Russia's answer to the B-52, and it entered service in 1956.

Like the B-52, the TU-95 is a formidable and sizable machine capable of carrying a nuclear payload. It underwent several different redesigns for various military applications, including flight training, reconnaissance, and transport duties, as a launcher for hypersonic aircraft, and for recovering space modules for Russia's cosmonaut program. Few aircraft can claim to have had such a storied career as the TU-95.

A lot has happened since 1956. The Cold War that created a requirement for the TU-95 has long passed, and Russia has been involved in many other conflicts. Despite still being in use, this aircraft may be showing its wear. After two accidents, they were briefly grounded in 2015.

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

A B-52 Stratofortress© Allenjmsmith/Getty Images

Boeing and the U.S. military have enjoyed a successful partnership dating back to World War I when the company first trained flight instructors for the Army. Since then, it has won many contracts to produce military aircraft for various purposes. These include tactical fighter aircraft, helicopters, transport planes, reconnaissance planes, uncrewed combat planes, and long-range bombers, such as the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-29 Superfortress, and the B-52 Stratofortress.

The specifications of the B-52 are impressive, to say the least. It is so large that it requires a unique set of skills and specially designed landing gear to attempt a takeoff and landing. It has eight Pratt and Whitney turbofan engines, each providing around 17,000 pounds of thrust. It has a colossal 185-foot wingspan, is 159 feet long, can fly at a maximum speed of 650 miles per hour, and has a range of 8,800 miles. Despite its vastness, the modern B-52 requires a crew of just five to operate, including its commander, pilot, navigator, electronic warfare officer, and radar operator.

This now-legendary bomber is still operational in its native United States, having been in service since 1952. It is yet another testament to the enduring design qualities of some post-war military aircraft that finds them still eminently usable over a half-century later. Originally intended as a high-altitude bomber, its new primary function is to provide the United States with an immediate global strike capability for nuclear and non-nuclear precision weapons. Modern machines offer a maximum payload of 70,000 pounds, which will soon be upgraded by approximately 50%, making this aircraft unrivaled within its segment. As such, the B-52 is expected to remain in service until well after 2040.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17

A Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17© BlueBarronPhoto/Shutterstock

Codenamed "Fresco" by NATO, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 has had an eventful history, having served in more than 20 military forces since production began in 1951. It is notable for its snub-nosed profile, with its tapered afterburner to the rear that gives it a cigar-shaped silhouette.

Its predecessor, the MiG-15, served successfully in the Korean War, and this updated jet was more agile, with an extended fuselage and more acutely-angled wings. Its armament includes three cannons and 16 rockets, and it can reach speeds of up to 711 miles per hour.

The MiG-17's first major conflic t was the Vietnam War, as flown by the North Vietnamese Air Force, where it was dubbed the "Silver Swallow" and pitted against the F-105s and F-4s of the United States. While not as maneuverable, these had the speed advantage over the MiG, ultimately downing 105 of the aircraft throughout the conflict.

Having been built in its native Russia, as well as Poland, China, and Czechoslovakia, more than 9,000 units were produced in the short time before discontinuation in 1958. While it is something of a relic today, this aging high-subsonic fighter jet is still operational with the military of Tanzania.

M47 Patton

An M47 Patton tank© Mtcurado/Getty Images

After World War II, the U.S. military saw a requirement to update the Patton, Pershing, and Sherman tanks used throughout the conflict. The result was the M47 Patton unit, which was commissioned in 1950 and named after the legendary General George S. Patton, who had died five years previously.

The M47 Patton was expectedly robust, with four-inch armor plating, and powerful with its twin-turbo V12 engine that produced 810 horsepower. With a top speed of 37 miles per hour, it was a whole seven miles per hour faster than its predecessor, the M46 Patton, and it was well-armed, with its 90-millimeter cannon and dual 30 and 50-caliber machine guns with anti-aircraft capabilities.

While the M47 Patton tank was still in its early years of production, the United States was already working on its successor, the M48, which was far superior in many ways and entered service in 1953. Having only been active with its native U.S. military for around a decade, the unit was later adopted by various countries, including South Korea, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Spain, and Pakistan, and a modernized version is currently operational with the Iranian army.

T-54/T-55

A T-54 tank© Brandon Fike/Shutterstock

As the successor to the legendary World War II-era T-34 tank, the T-54 had some big shoes to fill. Its prototype was developed in 1946, immediately after the war, and it entered production in 1947. Along with its sibling, the modified T-55, they are among the most widely-used tanks in history, having been manufactured until 1981. they went on to serve in the Arab-Israeli War and the Vietnam War and saw action in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The T-54 has a 100-millimeter main cannon, a 7.62-millimeter turret-mounted machine gun, and a 520-horsepower V12 engine. Notable additions on the T-55 include a snorkel that allows it to ford depths of over five meters, additional armor, engine upgrades, an anti-radiation lining, and radiation detection equipment, the latter a reflection of the looming threat of the Cold War at the time of production.

Given its vintage status, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the T-54 would have been retired by now. However, it is still operational with multiple militaries, including those of Afghanistan, Cuba, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Nigeria. Lately, Russia has also had to put many units back into service as artillery on the Ukrainian front line, as its tank force has been depleted by as many as 150 units per month.

M3 Stuart

An M3 Stuart tank© Roberto Galan/Shutterstock

Before entering World War II, the U.S. offered the Allies a helping hand by way of lend-lease equipment, which included the M3 Stuart tank. The British debuted these in the North Africa Campaign under Gen. Bernard "Monty" Montgomery and were admired for their reliability, speed, and robust build.

While the M3 Stuart tanks were hardy little units, they were no match for the German Panzer tanks, and their high turrets stood out, making them vulnerable to attack. They featured armor of up to 1 1/2 inches thick and up to four machine guns in addition to the main 37-millimeter anti-tank gun.

The M3 Stuart tank was manufactured in large numbers by the American Car and Foundry Company, and many variants were produced, including turretless configurations that were used as personnel carriers and the ominously-named "Satan" that incorporated a flame thrower. It is still operational as a training vehicle with the Paraguay military, having been in service since 1941.

T-34

A T-34 tank© Jaroslav Moravcik/Shutterstock

Developed in the late 1930s, the T-34 was instrumental in Russia's success on the Eastern Front, ultimately helping to turn the tide of World War II in the Allies' favor. The combination of its mobility, rugged build, and firepower made it a formidable opponent for German tanks like the notorious Panzer units. It was produced in factories in Kharkiv and Stalingrad, the latter becoming the main theater where it would prove its value as a formidable fighting machine.

Throughout the war, the T-34 underwent various modifications and improvements to its design, resulting in different models and variants. There were changes to its armor thickness, engine upgrades, and turret design, but its principal features remained the same. These included the powerful 7.62-millimeter main gun, wide tracks that allowed for improved weight distribution and off-road mobility, and its sloped armor, which proved effective in deflecting enemy shells.

The T-34 is still in service today, a testament to the legacy and robust nature of this World War II relic, which was highly influential in modern tank development. It remains a valuable asset to the armies of North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Yemen, and Guinea, among others.