5 Iconic Military Aviation Images

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26 Jul 2025

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A picture says a thousand words, and these pictures say plenty.

Aviation is pretty cool. In mere decades, we went from the biplane to the Jet Engine right through to the Saturn 5 rocket that would help land man on the moon.

Over this time, we would see some truly iconic images come to life, and some of these images remain super impressive, even to this day.

Here are five of the best that you might not have seen yet.

Also known as the BUFF, the B-52 would be the mainstay aircraft of Operation Chrome Dome. Thankfully, we have now decided against keeping nukes airborne with 24/7 readiness. Source: Wikipedia

The High Bank Angle, B-52 Refuelling

The 60s and 70s were a pretty tense time. With Cold War era tensions at a high and military budgets well funded, this was an era where the tit for tat concept would see aircraft cruising around, and close to, enemy airspace.
The United States would end up taking this a step further. Under Operation Chrome Dome, nuclear-armed B-52 Bombers would remain airborne for long periods of time, being available to prosecute a nuclear strike with little notice.

Chrome Dome would run for years but would eventually be scrapped in the wake of multiple accidents. Source: Wikipedia.

These were risky operations with multiple accidents over the years. A key part of being able to pull this off was the US tanker fleet. Rather than just flying straight and level, though, tankers and bombers would often fly quite aggressively. The high-bank turn while “plugged in” to the tanker is one of the most impressive.
In it, the B-52 is in a high-bank turn while still connected to the boom of the KC-135, which is a pretty impressive image. Strategic Air Command would be responsible for pushing the limits of strategic aviation, however, it would be made redundant in the 90’s at the end of the Cold War.

While plenty of Concorde images exist, few were taken while it was travelling supersonic. But, the Tornado would deliver. Source: Wikipedia.

RAF Tornado Snaps A Supersonic Concorde

The Concorde would have the unique distinction of serving for some time as the world’s only supersonic passenger aircraft. Fitted with four Olympus 593 turbojets, the Concorde could only carry around 110 passengers; however, it could do so with eye-watering performance figures.

While it wasn’t uncommon to see fighter jets travelling at Mach 2 and beyond, this would typically be for a limited period of time. Concorde, however, was able to fly across the Atlantic Ocean with speeds in excess of Mach 2 for the entire flight.

Concorde was a popular aircraft, and as such, many pictures would be taken over the years. However, this would typically be at “low and slow” speeds seen during takeoffs and landings.
In the late 80s, this would change. The Royal Air Force would send up a new Panavia Tornado fighter jet to intercept the Concorde as it returned across the Atlantic. The intercept window was short but successful, and as such, we see one of the only supersonic pictures taken of Concorde during her time in service. A truly impressive feat.

One heading for the nose, one aiming for the tail. This intercept was the first of it’s kind, signalling a thaw in relations.

MiG-29 Interception Over Canada

The end of the Cold War promised a thaw in tensions and an ongoing improvement in relations between once-hostile nation-states. While the late 2000s have revealed this to be less true than originally thought, there was a significant length of time where this new age of relations would lead to some truly interesting moments. This is one of those moments.

While the threat of Soviet aircraft over western soil would loom ominously during the Cold War, in 1989, when it actually happened, it was quite anticlimactic. Rather than being there for a nuclear strike or probing of borders, the Soviets (now Russians) were bringing an invited pair of aircraft to feature as the guests at a local airshow.

The final destination would be the Abbotsford air show in British Columbia, and to reach it successfully, the MiGs would have to transit via Alaska. As the MiGs approached Alaska, a pair of US F-15 Eagle fighter jets would rise up to meet and escort the aircraft to their destination.

Thanks to contrails, we can see this unfold in the image. Closest to the frame, the Eagles are moving to intercept the MiGs at the rear of the image. And, it’s a stunning shot.

This shot of Belenko racing over Japanese buildings at low level would be one of the most iconic images captured during the incident. Source: Wikipedia.

The MiG-25 Defects To Japan

When it was first revealed to the West, the MiG-25 would strike fear into the hearts of Western pilots the world over. Thought to have insane performance figures, paired with a big radar and the latest in Soviet air-to-air missile technology, the MiG was seen by most to be a legitimate threat.

Western analysts were so nervous about this new system that it would spawn an entirely new platform in response. This would lead to the US-designed F-15 Eagle, which would be the mainstay of the US fleet during the Cold War.

The Eagle, which was a truly impressive platform, shared what were thought to be similar performance figures to the MiG-25, however, after a defection, this was realised to be untrue.

Belenko would overrun the runway, but his aircraft would remain mostly undamaged. Source: Wikipedia.

It would be in September of 1976 when Soviet MiG-25 pilot Viktor Belenko would take flight and defect to Japan. After departing from Vladivostok, Belenko would use the long-range and high-performance of the aircraft to get him out of the area without being intercepted by other aircraft.

After a low and fast flight, Belenko would arrive at Hokkaido airport in Japan, where he would make an emergency landing on the main runway, giving the West its first look at the new, high-end soviet fighter.

With Belenko being accepted as a defector, Western analysts and designers would go over the aircraft, which would be studied in detail before being loaded into containers and returned to the USSR.

When this research was complete, it would be revealed that while the 25 featured some rather quick speed figures, it was more of an interceptor than a top-tier dogfighter like the F-15.

The Belonko defection would leave a lasting impression on the West and would give us these unique images of the MiG-25 arriving in Japan.

The Alraigo incident would lead to some red faces in the Royal Navy. Source: Wikipedia. The Harrier & The Freighter

An interesting application of Salvage law, the Royal Navy would find itself in a unique position in 1983 after one of its Sea Harrier aircraft ran low on fuel during an exercise.

What was known as the Alraigo incident would occur when Royal Navy Pilot Sub-Lt Ian Watson landed on a freighter after losing the position of UK carrier HMS Illustrious.

With bad weather approaching and an inoperative radio, Watson would complete his mission of finding a French aircraft however, in the process of doing so would end up losing track of his own ship. As the fuel gauge ticked down to mere minutes of fuel remaining, Watson would eventually sight the freighter Alraigo.

Thinking quickly, Watson would use the Alraigo as a makeshift carrier, landing his Sea Harrier on board shipping containers. While the landing was (apparently) pretty good, rough seas would eventually shift the aircraft, leading to the iconic image of it being photographed in the half-on, half-off position.

In one final twist, the crew of Alraigo would end up being paid a salvage fee by the Royal Navy in a unique and modern application of Maritime law.

What’s Your Favourite?

Got an iconic image of your own or feel like we missed one that should have made the cut?
Plane spotting is now a hobby in its own right, and as such, both military and civilian aircraft are now tracked both visually and electronically, the world over.

ADS-B would be responsible for opening up the world of aviation to non-fliers, and even today, it’s a great way to spot and keep track of unique aircraft.

If you enjoyed this article, then be sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming, exploring espionage feature article, where we take an in-depth look at the history and lifecycle of the MiG-25

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