The Briefing

Iron Squadron — we honor the men and women who served
We Ship a Briefing, Not a Box
Anyone can mail you a model. We do something different — and it starts with a card. Read more...
Iron Squadron F-35A Lightning II AF-01 die-cast model
AF-01: The First F-35 and the Start of the Story
There are thousands of F-35s in the story now. There is only one first — and it landed at Eglin in July 2011. Read more...
Iron Squadron F-22 Raptor Old Reliable AF91-4002 YF-22 die-cast model
Old Reliable: The YF-22 Prototype That Won the Future
Before the Raptor became the most dominant air-superiority fighter ever built, it was an unproven idea on a flight-test ramp. The test crews just called her Old Reliable. Read more...
Iron Squadron F-117 Nighthawk Edwards 85-831 die-cast model
The Aircraft That Made Stealth Real: F-117 Nighthawk
It flew only at night. It existed only in rumor for years. And officially, it retired in 2008 — except the sightings over the Nevada desert never quite stopped. Read more...
Iron Squadron P-51D Mustang Old Crow Bud Anderson die-cast model
Old Crow and the Man Who Flew Her: P-51D Mustang (Bud Anderson)
He flew 116 missions. He never lost a wingman. And in 2026, at 102 years old, Bud Anderson is still here to tell you about the airplane he called Old... Read more...
Iron Squadron F/A-18F Super Hornet Blue Angels die-cast model
The Show Doesn't Run Without #7: F/A-18F Super Hornet Blue Angels
Everyone watches the diamond. Almost nobody watches #7 — and without #7, there is no show. Read more...
Iron Squadron A-10 Warthog Tiger Shark die-cast model
Built Around the Gun: The A-10 Warthog "Tiger Shark"
Most airplanes are designed around an engine or a mission. The A-10 was designed around a gun — and forty years later, it's still the only aircraft the troops on... Read more...
Iron Squadron SR-71A Blackbird 64-17972 die-cast model
The Blackbird That Outran Everything: SR-71 Tail 64-17972
Eighty-five surface-to-air missiles were fired at SR-71s in operational service. None ever hit. The Blackbird's defense wasn't armor. It was speed — and the nerve to use it. Read more...
Iron Squadron F-14A Tomcat VF-2 Bounty Hunters die-cast model
The F-14 Tomcat: Why VF-2 "Bounty Hunters" Still Matter
When the last Tomcat trapped aboard a carrier in 2006, a generation that grew up watching it felt something close to grief. This is the story of the airplane —... Read more...