Aerial History

Steel and Memory: Inside the Crumbling Iraqi Aircraft Collections That History Is Racing to Save

Scattered across Iraq's desert interior and the edges of former military airfields, the rusting hulks of MiG fighters, Soviet-era helicopters, and Cold War transport aircraft represent one of the most overlooked preservation challenges in modern aviation history. These machines were once the instruments of a regional air power that commanded genuine respect—and genuine fear. What remains of them today tells a story that no official history has adequately captured.

Aug 24, 2026

Defectors in the Cockpit: The Iraqi Airmen Who Flew in America's Shadow War

Beneath the well-documented air campaigns of the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom lies a quieter, more personal story—one of Iraqi Air Force pilots who crossed enemy lines, shared their knowledge, and helped reshape American aerial strategy. Their contributions were invaluable, their fates largely forgotten. This is the story of the men who flew between two worlds.

Jul 14, 2026