spiral tracers?

[conio]

Back in those days, they where testing solar powered rail guns to take advantage of the sun light casting over the plane wings.
The idea was latter shelved as the wind speed would tear the solar panels from the wings.
After that, plasma guns where attempted being powered by a wind turbine fed by the plane speed on steep dives. This was also shelved due to the tendency of the plasma to jump to the plane propeller hence burning the electronic ignition system.

These two top secret trials are not recorded in history as they where too eccentric to be true.