Living History

If you listen to many of our political leaders, they frame many of the serious political issues we face today as “new.” Yet, if you look back at our history , after the American Revolution, many of these “new” problems were faced and solved by our Founding Fathers. This presentation is about 10 key topics…

In Part 1, Marc covered the evolution of the aircraft carrier flight deck from the first carriers up until World War II. Part 2 covers the evolution of the Essex– and Midway-class carriers and the three technologies that dramatically changed carrier aviation – the angled deck, the Fresnel lens and the steam catapult. All were…

This video traces the evolution of the landing surface, a.k.a. the carrier deck from H.M.S. Argus, completed near the end of World War I, to the Essex-class fleet carriers of World War II. You’ll learn about how the arresting gear evolved from wires attached to sandbags, cross-deck and fore-and-aft pendants and when the tailhook was…

Way back when the first airplanes were designed to operate off ships, the pilot was lucky to have some instruments to give him data on the health of his engine and the heading and altitude at which he was flying. His primary sensor was the seat of his pants and the Mark I eyeball.  Fast…

When the Martin B-26 Marauder first entered service, the Army Air Corps had a new design, but like others, it had issues. Propeller control issues and engine problems led to many fatal crashes. The Marauder earned a reputation as being hard to fly and a raft of uncomplimentary nicknames such as The Widow Maker and…

Anytime a Naval Aviator flies off a ship in either a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft, the most important thing in his or her mind, other than executing the mission, is returning to the ship on which they are based. Aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and any aviation-capable ship all move. How far often depends on…

During the 1930s, three countries, Germany, Japan, and the United States began to study at dive bombing as an effective weapon. Dive bombing had been tried during World War I by the British and the U.S. Army Air Service, and their experience was that it wasn’t worth the effort. However, both the Imperial Japanese and…

When the Continental Navy was formed in October 1775, the Royal Navy had 350+ rated ships and another 150 in its fleet. The Continental Navy had none. In fact, our Founding Fathers had just decided to rebel against the wealthiest, most powerful nation in the world. At the time, England was the world’s only super-power….

The landings in France wouldn’t occur until June 1944 when the United States captured 12 almost brand new A6M52 fighters along with a hangar full of spare engines and parts in April 1944. The war in Europe would rage on for 13 more months, while in the Pacific, the fighting would continue for 16 months. …

By 1943, the variants of the FW-190 were in many Luftwaffe units. When the type was first introduced in the spring of 1941, it outclassed the Spitfire Vs flown by the RAF. In June 1941, FW-190s shot down 15 Spitfire Vs without a loss and then again in August, 25 more Spitfire Vs went down…

There are many misconceptions about how the dogfight in World War II evolved after what we call today the “merge.” By definition, the merge is when two (or more) airplanes from opposing sides begin to maneuver in close proximity to shoot the other side down.  In the days before air-to-air missiles, to shoot down the…

On November 18th, 1952, the Korean War had been going on for two and half years. On the ground, the war was stalemated along a line that would ultimately become the Demilitarized Zone that, to this day, separates North and South Korea.  In the Sea of Japan, the carriers and escorts comprising Task Force Task…

Some say helicopters beat the air into submission so they can fly. While this is not true, the helicopter flies differently than an airplane. In many ways, it is much more difficult to fly because if you move one control, you must move the other two. In this YouTube video, Marc provides a brief history…

Winston Churchill once said that “democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have been tried….” Looking at history, Churchill is (or was) right. If one studies American history and the path taken by this country’s Federal government, it appears as if the government is following a winding road through…

The P-51 is considered by many experts to be the best piston-engine fighter of World War II? But was it? Barring the Me-262, which was the first operational jet fighter, were there any other piston engine fighters that offered better all-around performance? Is the P-51 the king of the hill? Many Navy and Marine Corps…

Conventional wisdom says that the performance of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen (Zero) was far superior to the Grumman F4F Wildcat. However, if that is truly the case, why is the exchange ratio – number of F4Fs vs. Zero’s shot down – significantly in favor of the Wildcat? From the attack on Pearl Harbor until the…

The squadron that became the original Thunderbirds started as the 34th Aero Squadron during World War I. After the war, they became the 34th Pursuit Squadron, and in 1932, the War Department approved their distinctive logo based on an American Indian design and the squadron became the Thunderbirds. At the time, they were flying Curtiss…

What the attendees will learn: The stories of American Jews not named Rickover who made significant contributions to the American military. Overview: Most Americans (and American Jews) do not realize the significant contribution their fellow congregants made to American military history. Mr. Liebman introduces you to men and women, starting with the American Revolution and…

What the Attendees Will Learn: Four naval lessons were valid in 1775 and are more so today. Overview: When the Continental Navy came into existence in 1775, the Royal Navy had 350+ rated ships with 20 guns or more and another 150 smaller ones. At the time, the Royal Navy was the most experienced, best…

What the attendees will learn: How a multi-national task force used helicopters during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Overview: During Desert Shield/Storm, Marc was responsible for tasking and operational control of 140+ helicopters flown from pilots from 14 nations. This is his “Grandpa, what did you do during Desert Storm?” talk. Navy and Army helicopter…

What the attendees will learn: What and where the Navy’s combat search and rescue operations were conducted during the Vietnam War. Overview: The common perception is that the Air Force made all the combat rescues during the Vietnam War.  The truth is that 50% of the combat rescues (based on the DOD definition) were made…