Imagine holding a piece of an SR-71 Blackbird, F-14 Tomcat, or WWII Spitfire in the palm of your hand. That’s the idea behind Air Drops — trading cards created by Jet Eyes, each containing authentic pieces of aircraft or vehicles. Measuring the standard 2.5” x 3.5” but built into thicker 130pt sleeves, Air Drops merge aviation history with the collectible card hobby in a way no other set does.
What Are Air Drops?
Air Drops are fragments of aviation history, preserved and presented in a form any collector can appreciate. Every card contains a cut piece of genuine aircraft metal, fabric, or components. Some are painted skins, some are raw aluminum, and others are cockpit electronics or data plates.
Each piece is carefully cut and crafted in-house at Jet Eyes’ 5,000 sq. ft. workshop in Pensacola, Florida — a space located on a 17-acre aviation boneyard where history and preservation collide.
The creator, Jet Eyes, publishes photos of the aircraft pieces, raw materials, and the cutting process on their website to ensure transparency and guarantee that whatever you get is indeed a real piece of the actual aircraft. Here’s an example of the A-1H card.
The Evolution of Air Drops
When Air Drops first launched in Series 1, collectors were introduced to iconic aircraft like the B-58A Hustler, SR-71A, F-14A Tomcat, and Spitfire NH523. Early cards encased the metal inside clear capsules.
With Series 2, Jet Eyes made a couple of changes:
- Larger aircraft pieces, water-jet cut
- No capsules — collectors can now touch the material directly
- Thinner cards but more authentic feel
- Ability to use materials previously considered “too thick”
From that point forward, every series has pushed the limits of what an aviation trading card can be.
Spotlight on Series 5 (2025)
Fast forward to today, Jet Eyes kicked off Series 5 with some of the boldest releases yet:
- AD502 – RF-35XD Draken fuselage panels (green aluminum, with rare Data Plates).
- AD503 – F/A-18C Hornet leading edge flap (VFA-192 Golden Dragons colors).
- 1v1 Dogfight Special Edition – Draken vs Hornet, art by BVR.
- AD501 – U-2R/S Dragon Lady Windscreen (variants: Day fabric and Night frame metal).
- AD504 & AD505 – SR-71A Blackbird parts (from titanium fuselage and tertiary doors, some with red stenciling).
- AD506 – Black Boxes (Flight Data Recorder & Cockpit Voice Recorder housings, plus rare PCB circuit board variants).
- AD507 – F-117A Nighthawk bits — white, green, and titanium.
- SOLO B-2A Spirit – a standalone drop featuring America’s stealth bomber.
Collectors can also chase Full Sets and Full Series bundles, while special editions and serialized stacks (like the Apache Stack and B-1B Stack) keep the chase exciting.
You can view all Air Drops Series 5 cards here.
Beyond Series: SOLO & Stacks
In addition to numbered sets, Jet Eyes also creates:
- SOLO releases, like the B-2A Spirit Air Drop, reserved for special one-off projects.
- Stacks, which include one exclusive Air Drop plus a randomly fulfilled Drop. Notable examples include the B-1B Stack, P-61B Stack, and the new Apache Stack.
Who Makes Air Drops? – The Story of Jet Eyes
Jet Eyes was founded in 2019, born from a passion for aviation preservation. The founder began by collecting spare aircraft parts from desert boneyards, first turning them into custom furniture, then into collectible tags (called JETs), and eventually into Air Drops trading cards.
The mission is simple:
- Preserve aviation history by giving new life to retired aircraft.
- Use only material that can be fully processed on site — leaving no trace at boneyards.
- Work with top aviation artists to tell each plane’s story visually.
Every card is cut, assembled, and shipped from Pensacola, Florida, where Jet Eyes operates directly on an airfield rich with WWII history. Starting in late 2025, Jet Eyes plans to open their facility to visitors — an aviation sanctuary where enthusiasts can tour, shop, and even grab a coffee with the team.
Why Collect Air Drops?
- Own history: Each card is a genuine piece of legendary aircraft.
- Art & story: Collaborations with aviation artists like James Martin, BVR, and Ryan Quickfall bring each plane’s legacy to life.
- Scarcity: Many aircraft yields are extremely limited — once a run is gone, it’s gone forever.
- Innovation: From SR-71 titanium to fabric from a 1920s PT-1, no two Drops feel the same.
For aviation fans, military history buffs, and trading card collectors alike, Air Drops offer something unique: the chance to hold real aircraft material in collectible card form, so if you are curious, check out their website here.
