Extremely Rare Reverse Break Filmed from TBM Avenger Featuring Spitfire, Zero, and Corsair

Charles Lynch / YouTube

A rare aerial move took shape above the airfield when three historic warplanes executed a reverse break while filmed from a TBM Avenger. This event unfolded with a Spitfire, a Zero, and a Corsair trading position in an uncommon pattern. The scene offered a window into skill, teamwork, and respectful preservation of past aerial tactics.

Filming and Pilots

The view came from inside a TBM Avenger, an aircraft known for its simple layout and sturdy frame. The camera captured the spinning formations of three classic fighters shifting direction rapidly as one turned away, then another followed, and the third maneuvered in tight timing. That shift in direction, rare in any set of three such planes, showed how careful coordination and trust take flight.

Charles Lynch / YouTube

Historical Meaning of the Maneuver

A reverse break is a variation on what pilots call the โ€œbreakโ€ maneuver, where aircraft plotted to shift out of line and into pattern for landing or spacing. It traces back to early aerial tactics used by air forces to avoid collision or prepare for approach. The move relies on timing, quick judgment, and awareness of speed and angle. A run-and-break style like this allowed fast aircraft to join a field pattern cleanly without slowing too soon.

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