BAT 2023

During World War II, military engineers weren’t afraid to challenge conventional thinking. While fighters like the F6F Hellcat and P-51 Mustang dominated the skies, another aircraft was quietly being tested that looked like it belonged in science fiction: the Vought V-173, better known as the “Flying Pancake.” With its nearly circular wing and squat profile, […]

It sounds like something dreamed up on a napkin during a long winter night, but it was very real. In the middle of World War II, Allied engineers seriously considered building giant aircraft carriers out of ice and wood pulp. Not steel. Not concrete. Ice. The idea came from a very real problem. German U-boats […]

Conservation work stopped when engineers at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, United Kingdom, discovered a live bullet that had lain undisturbed for over 80 years. Workshop staff were surprised to discover the ordinance when a panel was removed inside a World War II-era tank during routine maintenance. Photo Credit: Geni / Wikimedia Commons CC […]

When Christopher Nolan announced his upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey, the film world buzzed with the anticipation of a return to grand myth and legend. However, Homer’s ancient tale of deception, intelligence, and survival is far more than a historical spectacle. In an era defined by cyber warfare, advanced spyware, and covert digital attacks, Christopher […]

On March 5, 2026, Boston is doing what it does best: turning history into a live argument. Revolutionary-era sites downtown are back in full “walk it, don’t just read it” mode—including tours that revisit how the Boston Massacre was remembered and retold, right as the city marks the anniversary. And outside the Old State House, […]

Military aircraft are built for the front lines, but few ever achieve the legendary ‘survivor’ status of Bureau Number 2106. This specific Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber managed to live through the two most consequential days of the Pacific War. It was sitting on the tarmac during the Pearl Harbor attack and six months later, […]

Tomorrow, 8th March, the world celebrates International Women’s Day. But long before the marches, the milestones, and the movements, women were already fighting — literally — in some of the most dangerous combat roles in modern warfare. Most of their stories were buried. Some were classified. Others were simply never told. The Night Witches: Women […]

In the closing months of World War II, the skies over the Pacific were a source of constant anxiety. The Japanese had unleashed a desperate new weapon: the Fu-Go balloon bomb. These high-altitude, hydrogen-filled spheres were designed to ride the jet stream across the ocean and rain fire on the American mainland. The threat was […]

In early 2026, the U.S.-Japan military alliance is described by officials as stronger and more united than ever, with the two countries deepening military coordination at every level. It’s one of the most important partnerships in the world. Photo Credit: Alex Wong/ Getty Images But exactly 80 years ago tonight, the United States did something […]

Life in the trenches of the Western Front was defined by mud, disease, and the constant threat of death. But amid the artillery shells and gas canisters, there was an unexpected presence: thousands of cats living in the front lines. While they started as a practical solution to a disgusting problem, these “trench cats” became […]

March 11 is commonly observed as Johnny Appleseed Day, and it is a good excuse to look past the folk tale. Johnny Appleseed was in real life John Chapman, and he was not just a cheerful legend wandering the frontier with a sack of seeds. He was an American missionary nurseryman who supplied apple-tree nursery […]

The Tank Museum has announced the latest update on its restoration of the King Tiger V2. The restoration project, which is one of the museum’s most ambitious engineering projects to date, is relying on supporters to raise £1 million to restore World War II-era tank to running condition. Photo Credit: The Tank Museum / Provided […]