First Finalist Aussiewannabe
Air America - 1969
Air America was an American passenger and cargo airline covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1950 to 1976. It supplied and supported covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It's slogan was "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime, Professionally". This was not an exaggeration, as Air America aircraft, including the de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou and Fairchild C-123 Provider, flew many types of cargo to countries such as the Republic of Vietnam, the Kingdom of Laos, and Cambodia. It also on occasion flew top-secret missions into Burma and the People's Republic of China.
Flying for Air America was hazardous and the pay was better than for both normal civilian and military aviation. An Air America pilot could earn as much in a week as another pilot would in a month, and the pay combined with the promise of adventure attracted many pilots. But the work was dangerous; even without conflict, pilots had to deal with poorly charted mountainous terrain, few radio beacons for navigation, bad weather, and often overloaded planes.
AC from SimV, Scenery is VOZ with Andy Weir's Mesh for Australia
Second Finalist Spitfire Boy
February 1st, 2003
"Columbia"
The Space Shuttle Columbia breaks up during re-entry, killing all of its crew. In this shot, Columbia is depicted beginning its fateful descent into the Earth's atmosphere.
Third Finalist Specter177
...for a glimpse into the future...
Testing the F/A-37.
April 7th, 2027
Three prototype F/A-37 Talons get ready for flight testing at Edwards AFB. The Talon is the newest Advanced Tactical Fighter to come off the Lockheed-Boeing lines, designed to replace the aging F-22 for the Air Force and fill a niche in the Navy left open by the retirement of the F-14 in 2006. Military planners have said that this may be the last manned fighter in the inventory, with the rising use of advanced UCAVs. After the U.S. - EU war, America is now the unquestioned leader in military technology.
September 26th, 1939: THEY ARE SHOOTING AT US!
[size=36]Fourth Finalist Harold Kip
[size=36]Fourth Finalist Harold Kip
...for his (now trademarked) meticulous research....
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On September 26, 1939, while on its flight from Stockholm to Amsterdam, German fighters attacked the Mees, one of the 23 DC-3
