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History

WWII fighter pilot who flighted the first P-38 Lightning gets a glimpse on the F-35 Lightning II

by Till Daisd April 8, 2023

The P-38 absolutely purrs out there with 1300 hp in each engine, making flying it feel like you were driving a Cadillac

On October 3, 2016, retired Maj. Earl Conrad Jr., a World War II (WWII) fighter pilot who flew the original P-38 Lightning, went to Luke Air Force Base (AFB) to see the F-35 Lightning II, which bears the name of the storied fighter jet that ruled the skies over the Pacific during his time in service.

The 62nd Fighter Squadron (FS) pilots welcomed Conrad during his visit and gave him a tour of the flightline to get a closer look at the aircraft. They also gave the 97-year-old veteran a briefing on the mission capabilities of the Lightning II and the experience, equipment, and training of present-day Lightning pilots in honor of the heroic service he and others like him rendered in the fight against Hitler’s Germany and Imperial Japan.

Conrad’s dedication to serving his country, like that of many other young people who joined in the armed forces at the time, was inspired by the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Conrad, who was enrolled in San Jose State University’s engineering program, interrupted his studies that same month to enlist in the Army Air Corps.

“Much better than being a gravel cruncher,” Conrad said.

Conrad had a private pilot’s license at the time, which he had purchased for $25 during his first year of college.

“I was kind of interested and my friends were all doing it so I did it,” Conrad said. “They threw a little Piper J-3 Cub at me and let me fly it around for a bit and then I had my license.”

Conrad completed his primary Army Air Corps pilot training in June 1942. After being chosen, he was dispatched to Tallahassee to begin training to fly the P-39 Airacobra, but the demands of the war slightly derailed his plans.

“They needed pilots over in the Pacific, so they cut the training short,” said Conrad. “We took a train over to San Francisco and then a boat over to Hawaii and checked out of there in old, beat-up P-40s for about two or three weeks before flying to New Caledonia and getting back into P-39s.”

Conrad and the other new pilots flew their Airacobras to Guadalcanal after receiving a brief substitute training course there to ensure they could take part in combat operations. There, they experienced their first taste of fighting before even landing.

“As we were coming around the end of the island, there were a whole bunch of ships parked in the water, and they all took a shot at us,” Conrad said.

Not only did he not know who they were, but neither did they.

“They couldn’t tell one plane from the other,” Conrad said. “Fortunately, we all landed safely.”

Retired Maj. Earl Conrad Jr., a World War II fighter pilot who flew the original P-38 Lightning, visited Luke Air Force Base on Oct. 3, 2016, to get a glimpse of the F-35 Lightning II, the namesake of the legendary fighter aircraft which dominated the skies over the Pacific during his time in service.

Conrad describes another episode in which American Navy ships took out a Japanese battleship just off the coast of the airfield where he was stationed. The ship was mostly operational, but it was immobile, and those on board must have realized it was doomed just as well as those ashore.

“We were going to sink it right there,” Conrad said. “That night, [the battleship] shelled all up and down the runway and knocked out almost all of our planes, both the Navy’s F-4Fs and our P-39s.”

One of Conrad’s friends and a colleague pilot rallied up a small four-ship to fly a protection detail after a couple of the least-damaged aircraft were promptly restored into flying condition the following day.

“They went out to fly and he mistook that same battleship as one of ours, and they ran protection cover for it all day,” Conrad said with a laugh. “You can tell how easily things got snafued.”

Even within the borders of “friendly” territory, the situation on the ground was not much prettier.

“There was a Japanese guy we called ‘Wash-machine Charlie’ who had a cannon,” said Conrad. “He would go up in the hills at night about three or four times a week and he would shoot down at us so you’d have to dive into the trenches to get away from him. He was awfully upsetting.”

Conrad flew about 130 missions throughout his roughly one year in the Pacific during four tours, initially in the P-39 with the 67th FS and then in the P-38 with the 39th FS. His squadron would strafe enemy ships, conduct close air support for charging Marines, and escort bombers on lengthy missions.

“It was just like you were driving along in a Cadillac,” Conrad said of the P-38. “It just purrs out there with 1300 horses in each engine.”

The P-38 was a unique twin-engine aircraft that excelled in performance, especially at high altitudes, and had an astonishing amount of speed and power. Because of how well it was designed, it was used continuously throughout the conflict.

Conrad talks about one specific flight he made in his P-38 on an aerial patrol. One of the few true “mano a mano” aerial engagements he claims to have seen throughout his time in the Pacific, his flight came face to face with the ultimate Japanese dogfighter, the Mitsubishi “Zero.”

“All of a sudden my element leader yells, ‘There are 30 or 40 Zeroes up here right above us, about a thousand feet!’” said Conrad. “They’d come down and fire at us and then go right back up. I don’t know why they didn’t stay on us, they could have taken us, but I said, ‘To hell with this,” and I went way out and circled back around and came back right up behind four Zeroes.”

Conrad instructed his flight leader to descend low and hit the deck while he and his wingman lined up a Japanese target because his flight leader couldn’t reach the same location without taking a significant risk.

“He was toast,” Conrad said. “We had eight 50-caliber guns on him and he just became spaghetti.”

Conrad gained many honors and decorations for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Air Medals. In 1946, he received an honorable discharge.

“I’m proud of him,” said Jarolyn Allen Jerry, Conrad’s daughter. “I’m proud of all that he’s done. I’m proud of the man that he’s been, the service member that he’s been, and the father that he’s been. He’s our hero.”

Conrad heard it and disputed the story.

“Oh, there were a thousand guys who did just what I did!” argued a grinning Conrad.

“Not everyone could do what you did,” Jerry argued back, eyes rolled. “He’s got a lot of medals to prove it.”

Jerry’s point of view is shared by Maj. Jondavid Hertzel, the 62nd FS F-35 pilot.

“It was an honor to meet with such a great Airman from the past,” said Hertzel. “Even with the incredible accomplishments and the stories of fighting that are hard to imagine in today’s world, men like Maj. Conrad carried themselves with humility and dignity. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have shared with him his legacy in what we do here at Luke and in the F-35.”

As for the legacy of the Lightning, Conrad left Luke’s flightline impressed.

“They picked the right name,” Conrad said of the F-35. “My goodness, I sure wish I could’ve flown it.”

Photo by Staff Sgt Staci Miller and Senior Airman Marcy Copeland / U.S. Air Force

April 8, 2023 0 comment

History

How a college student scored the first gun kill for an Israeli F-4 Phantom II

by Till Daisd April 7, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Aviem Sella returned from missions over Egypt three or four times a week, flying low over Haifa to let his lecturers know he would soon be attending their classes

The astonishing story of the Israeli Phantom’s first gun kill. The McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II, which Israel purchased in 1969, immediately established itself as the mainstay of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) due to its payload, range, and bombing precision.

The 69 Squadron Hammers, which used its F-4s extensively for the first time in combat during the so-called Operation Blossom, a series of missions that targeted headquarters, logistical hubs, and training facilities throughout Egypt with the aim of convincing the nation to renounce the attrition war policy, was the second IAF unit to receive the Kurnass (as the Phantom was known by the Israeli Air Force).

When on February 8, 1970, after a strike against a logistical facility at Helwan, a pair of MiG-21s took off to pursue a pair of Kurnass piloted by Avihu Ben-Nun with Achikar Eyal and Aviem Sella with Shabtai Ben-Shoa, the 69 Squadron achieved its first-ever air-to-air kill.

It’s a fascinating story of how Aviem Sella managed to shoot down the first enemy fighter in the Hammers’ history by being in the right location at the right time. A narrative that starts prior to the IAF Phantom purchase, as recalled by Sella in the book Hammers Israel’s Long-Range Heavy Bomber Arm: The Tale of 69 Squadron by Shlomo Aloni & Zvi Avidror:

“Circa 1968 I was planned for conversion to the Mirage, but I already realized that flying was not enough. I initiated academic studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, immediately after the Six-Day War. The Mirage conversion course was at Ramat David, and the implication was that I would have had to discontinue my studies, so I turned down this offer. A fighter pilot turning down an offer for Mirage conversion was an unheard-of event, and I was summoned by the IAF Commander. The general attitude at the time was that a pilot did not need to study any further than he did during his flying training. I insisted upon studying, renounced the opportunity to fly the Mirage, and for this reason I was later assigned to 69 Squadron.”

The IAF acquired the Kurnass and reactivated the 69 Squadron while Aviem Sella was still pursuing his studies, which had the effect of allowing Sella to fly throughout the Attrition War while still attending his academic classes. Working as Deputy Commander, he returned from missions over Egypt three or four times every week, flying low over Haifa to notify his lecturers that he would soon be attending their classes. After landing in Ramat David, he traveled an hour to Haifa to attend class.

Sella completed his first Kurnass conversion course at Hatzor after which he was assigned to the 69 Squadron. On December 25, 1969, with a little over 30 flying hours under his belt, Sella launched an attack on a SAM battery.

When he shot down the first MiG in 69 Squadron history in February 1970, he only had 20 more hours left on the type: “In February 1970 I shot down my first MiG. I am not sure if I practiced air-to-air gunnery prior to that combat. I launched the first AAM – the wrong missile, as I confused the switches; instead of launching a heat-seeking missile, I launched a semi-active radar-homing missile. I launched the second missile beyond the effective range. I had only flown some 50 flying hours in the Kurnass until then and I hardly knew the cockpit, but luckily for me the Egyptian pilot had plenty of patience for me to do all possible errors until I shot him down.”

The Egyptian pilot actually flew slowly over the Nile Delta, and Sella was able to shoot him down with his seventh cannon burst after coming into cannon range. During that sortie, he finished his air-to-air training, and he undoubtedly created history when he achieved the first gun kill for an Israeli F-4 and the first air-to-air kill in the history of the 69 Squadron. Also, after the Attrition War was completed, Sella was granted nine months of leave to complete his studies.

Photo by Bukvoed via Wikipedia and Israeli Air Force

April 7, 2023 0 comment

History

The “Black Jet” finale, when the USAF retired the F-117 Nighthawk

by Till Daisd April 5, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The F-117, which was hailed as the first airplane in the world to deploy stealth technology, never ceases to amaze and confound anybody who sees it

The first six examples of the renowned F-117A Nighthawk were decommissioned by the United States Air Force (USAF) on March 13, 2007.

The F-117 was scheduled to be retired by the service in 2011, however, due to expected budget cuts, early retirement was estimated to free up more than $1 billion to purchase additional F-22s.

In order to meet an Air Force demand for a single-seat aircraft that could attack high-value targets without being seen by adversarial radars, the Lockheed F-117A was created. Engineers were able to create an airplane with radar-evading or “stealth” characteristics thanks to new materials and methods discovered in the 1970s.

The end result was the F-117A, the first stealth aircraft in use in the world, which made its maiden flight on June 18, 1981. A total of 64 aircraft were produced, 59 of which were full production models and the remaining five were demonstrators or prototypes. The 4450th Tactical Group, which became the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing in October 1989, was the first unit to receive the aircraft. It gained initial operating capability (IOC) in October 1983.

A total of 558 pilots flew the fighter when it was in use, according to Arlan Ponder, 49th Wing Public Affairs, in the article Nighthawk returns to Heritage Park. After their initial flight, they were given a bandit number, and they referred to themselves as “bandits.” Maj. Al Whitley Jr. was the first “bandit” (number 150), and Gen. David Goldfein was the last “bandit” (number 708).

The Collier Trophy, one of the most coveted awards in aviation, was given to the F-117A in 1989. On December 19, 1989, two F-117As from the 37th TFW bombed military objectives in Panama as part of Operation Just Cause.

When the 415th and 416th squadrons of the 37th TFW relocated to a base in Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990–1991 the F-117A saw action once more. The F-117As participated in 1,271 sorties during Operation Desert Storm, completing 80 percent of its missions successfully while sustaining no casualties or battle damage.

The Nighthawk also took part in Operation Allied Force, a NATO bombing campaign designed to stop the humanitarian catastrophe that was then engulfing Kosovo. On March 27, 1999, an SA-3 Goa surface-to-air missile fired by the 3rd Battalion of the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade of the Army of Yugoslavia, under the command of Colonel Zoltan Dani, brought down an F-117A, Air Force serial number 82-0806, callsign “Vega 31”.

The airstrikes by the F-117s over Baghdad on March 19, 2003, signaled the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIR). The Air Force’s decision to speed up the F-117’s retirement resulted in the F-22A Raptor, another stealth “fighter,” arriving at Holloman in June 2008.

The last F-117s departed Holloman in April 2008 and traveled to Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, for their final resting place after making a stop in Palmdale, California, the city where they were built. In case they were ever called back into service, the aircraft were put in Type 1000 storage (there have been numerous reports of sightings and images of the aircraft flying since then). Because of the dangerous components employed in its manufacture, one Nighthawk paid the ultimate price in late 2008 when it was mechanically destroyed to determine whether it could be repurposed or scrapped.

Former wing historian, Rick Shea, said, “The F-117A served its creator Ben Rich, itself, the USAF, and the ‘Bandits’ it carried into combat beyond their wildest expectations. The F-117A’s list of accomplishments rates with those of the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Bell X-1. What began as a thought evolved into the world’s premier fighter aircraft.”

The F-117A Nighthawk hailed as the first stealth aircraft in the world has a 27-year history that is chock-full of incidents that actually put it on par with some of the most illustrious jets in history. The “Black Jet” continues to astound, excite, and confound anybody who sees it, from its maiden combat bombing mission in Panama to night strikes in both Iraq Wars until its retirement in 2008.

Source: U.S. Air Force; Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Kim Frey; Senior Airman Darnell Cannady / U.S. Air Force

April 5, 2023 0 comment

History

Historic C-119 Flying Boxcar which took part in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir saved

by Till Daisd April 5, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The only remaining aircraft from the operation that airdropped mobile bridge sections to Marines during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir is C-119B Flying Boxcar #48-0352

According to Senior Airman Zachary Cacicia of the 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, who wrote the article AMC Museum rescues historic airlifter, a true piece of American history that had been abandoned in the Mojave Desert for years and was about to be scrapped has found a new home at the AMC Museum.

From December 16 to December 19, 2016, a team from the AMC Museum and a C-5M Super Galaxy operated by the 709th Airlift Squadron traveled to Edwards Air Force Base, California, to transport pieces of the Fairchild C-119B Flying Boxcar #48-0352 “Am Can Co Special” to the AMC Museum at Dover AFB for restoration and display.

The C-119 was a military transport plane primarily used for transporting cargo, personnel, and equipment. It can also airdrop things and the United States flew them from 1947 through 1974,

A tail-boom from the Fairchild C-119B Flying Boxcar #48-0352 “Am Can Co Special” is loaded into a C-5M Super Galaxy on Dec. 19, 2016, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. This C-119 airdropped mobile bridge sections during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.

When this C-119 arrived at the AMC Museum, it was undoubtedly the most historic aircraft in the museum’s collection, says John Taylor, director of the AMC Museum.

“It’s the second-oldest C-119 in existence,” said Taylor, “and the only surviving aircraft from the operation that air-dropped mobile bridge sections to Marines during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.”

The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, which took place from November 27 to December 13, 1950, is remembered for its fierce combat and cold weather. It was fought in the early phases of the Korean War. The North Korean Army had recently been driven out of South Korea and retreated north of the 38th parallel by United Nations forces, the majority of which were made up of South Korean, American, and British troops. The UN soldiers didn’t stop at the border; they kept moving north to eliminate any North Korean Army remnants that still existed. They quickly approached the China-North Korea border. As a result, China, a communist country and ally of North Korea, was prompted to engage in the conflict by sending hundreds of thousands of troops to the south to halt the UN forces’ advance.

The tail markings on the tail section of the Fairchild C-119B Flying Boxcar #48-0352 “Am Can Co Special” Dec. 17, 2016, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. C-119s were built at Fairchild’s Hagerstown, Md. Factory.

“During the battle, the Chinese blew the bridge up,” said Jon Andrews, AMC Museum board member. “This trapped all the United Nations forces.”

The blocked evacuation route was between Koto-ri and Hungnam.

The 30,000 UN soldiers who were besieged and surrounded by more than 120,000 Chinese soldiers were at a loss on what to do. Airdropping mobile bridge sections to these soldiers was decided upon in the hopes that they may be used to repair the bridge, thereby providing them with a means of escape. To perform this mission, eight C-119s from the 314th Troop Carrier Group stationed at Ashiya Air Base in Japan came together. Four of the eight bridge pieces that were dropped by the parachute were used to construct a functional bridge. UN forces were then able to retreat thanks to this.

On the crew that went to Edwards AFB to take up the C-119 was Les Polley, the chief of the AMC Museum’s aircraft restoration department. He was delighted that the plane arrived at the museum.

Staff Sgt. Martin Guy, 709th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, straps down portions of the Fairchild C-119B Flying Boxcar #48-0352 “Am Can Co Special” to a pallet during a mission to bring it to the AMC Museum via a C-5M Super Galaxy airlifter Dec. 17, 2016, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Restoration work on the C-119 will take a minimum of two years.

“It would have been sold for scrap metal,” he said. “A big piece of history would have been lost.”

Even if the C-5M and 709th AS’s work may be finished, Polley and his restoration team’s work has just begun.

“We are going to go through a complete restoration on the airplane from the ground up,” said Polley.“ There’s a lot of corrosion, a lot of holes, and a lot of missing parts. We will be scrounging all over the country looking for parts.”

After the Korean War, this C-119 continued to be used. The 911th TCG at the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport in 1966 marked the end of its 17-year run.

“We are going to restore it to what it looked like during the Korean War,” said Polley. “They had done a lot of modifications and upgrades after the war. We want it to look like it did back then, complete with nose art and everything.”

Until the C-119 is ready for exhibition, according to Polley’s estimation, the entire repair procedure may take at least two years.

Fairchild C-119J Flying Boxcar at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Photo by Senior Airman Zachary Cacicia and Ken LaRock / U.S. Air Force

April 5, 2023 0 comment

History

The XB-70 Valkyrie, the largest experimental strategic bomber in the world

by Till Daisd April 4, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The XB-70 Valkyrie, the largest experimental aircraft ever built, was meant to gather data while in flight for use in developing both military and commercial supersonic aircraft

The futuristic XB-70A Valkyrie was initially imagined in the 1950s as a high-altitude, nuclear strike bomber with the ability to fly at Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound), rendering any prospective foe defenseless.

But by the start of the 1960s, brand-new Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) posed a danger to the capacity of fast, high-altitude bombers to survive. So, Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which are less expensive, were also going into service.

As a result, the pricey B-70 bomber program was abandoned in 1961 before any Valkyries were finished or sent into service. Nevertheless, the USAF purchased two XB-70As for use in joint flight research with NASA’s Flight Research Center (FRC), the forerunner to the present-day NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

The first flight of the XB-70 was made on Sept. 21, 1964.

The XB-70 was designed by North American Aviation, which later became North American Rockwell and then a branch of Boeing. It had a long fuselage and a canard (or horizontal stabilizer) that was located directly behind the crew cabin. Its delta wing featured a 65.6 percent steep sweep. In flight, the wing’s outer section could be folded down to provide lateral-directional stability. There were also two windshields on the plane. For high-speed flying, a movable outer windshield was raised to save drag and lowered for better visibility during takeoff and landing.

Frames and skin made of titanium were riveted together to form the forward fuselage. The remaining parts of the aircraft were made primarily of stainless steel. The skin was made of honeycomb-shaped brazed stainless steel. The XB-70 was powered by six General Electric YJ93-3 turbojet engines, each with a thrust rating of 30,000 pounds. In order to retain the most effective airflow to the engines, the interior geometry of the inlets could be changed.

The XB-70, the largest experimental aircraft ever built, was meant to gather in-flight data to help in the construction of upcoming supersonic aircraft, both military and commercial. It was capable of Mach 3 flight at altitudes of 70,000 feet.

The XB-70 flight research program’s main goals included analyzing the aircraft’s stability and handling characteristics, analyzing how it responded to turbulence in the atmosphere, and figuring out how well it performed in terms of aerodynamics and propulsion. Secondary goals included calculating the levels and amount of engine noise during takeoff, landing, and ground operations. They also included measuring the noise and friction related to airflow over the aircraft.

During research flights, the aircraft was typically escorted by a TB-58 chase plane. This is due to the fact that the TB-58 (a prototype B-58 adapted as a trainer) was able to maintain close proximity to the XB-70 while it was doing its research maneuvers thanks to its dash speed of Mach 2. The slower TB-58 could often keep up with the faster XB-70 when it was flying at or near Mach 3 by flying lower and avoiding the curves in the XB-70’s flight path when they occurred.

In March 1967, NASA was given responsibility for program management of the NASA-USAF research endeavor. Notably, the first Valkyrie continued to fly and produce useful test data in the research program until its final flight on February 4, 1969, whereas the number two XB-70 was destroyed in an unintentional mid-air collision on June 8, 1966.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and NASA

April 4, 2023 0 comment

History

The first kills scored by RSAF (or USAF?) F-15 pilots

by Till Daisd April 4, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Following the interception of radio traffic between the F-15s and the AWACS, Iran later claimed — logically — that the pilots aboard the two Eagles were not Saudis, but Americans

In the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program Peace Sun, the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) ordered 16 F-15Ds and 46 F-15Cs (without some of the aircraft’s Tactical Electronic Warfare System components and sensitive radar modes). The purchase came after the Saudi monarchy made a concentrated effort to overcome a capability gap between the RSAF and the F-14 Tomcat aircraft of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF).

The U.S. government had to take into account some very important political issues as a result of Peace Sun, not the least of which was how the sale was certain to be received by the ever-watchful Israelis. The RSAF Eagles were downgraded to make them less effective, especially against avionics and weaponry produced in the United States, in order to reduce such tensions.

Amid heightened tensions with Iran, the RSAF executed its first F-15 kill most extraordinarily. There is still debate about the incident today. A P-3F Orion from the IRIAF intercepted a merchant ship south of Lavan Island on the Saudi side of the Persian Gulf on June 5, 1984.

The strange case of the first kills scored by RSAF (or USAF?) F-15 pilots

In the ongoing conflict between Iran and Iraq, the Iranians had been waging an attrition war against Iraqi oil tankers, and now the IRIAF had been instructed to target vessels passing through Saudi Arabian and Kuwaiti ports as well since both nations were secretly supporting Iraq in its war against Iran.

Two IRIAF F-4E Phantom IIs from TFB 6 (61st TFW) were dispatched to attack the vessels, as detailed by Steve Davies in his book F-15C Eagle Units In Combat, but they were quickly spotted by an American Air Force (USAF) E-3 AWACS flying out of Saudi Arabia. Two RSAF Eagles from No 6 Sqn—an F-15C and an F-15D—were already in the air and engaged in a training flight with a USAF KC-10A Extender tanker. The AWACS controller directed the Eagles away from the tanker track and toward the threatening F-4s because he knew the merchant shipping was in immediate danger.

It took a lot of effort to get the RSAF Eagle pilots to intercept F-4Es. It’s thought that the controllers on the AWACS had to plead with the Eagle pilots to comply with their instructions. The Saudis didn’t agree to the job until USAF instructor Capt Bill Tippin sat in the back of the F-15D and urged them to go for the intercept. The two Eagles attacked the F-4Es head-on as they approached the Saudi island of Al-Arabia, which is located 48 miles north of the al-Jubayl naval base.

The Eagle pilots finally attained radar locks that allowed each to fire an AIM-7 Sparrow under Tippin’s direction and with the aid of a Saudi officer on board the AWACS. One F-4E was brought down in a massive explosion by both guided missiles while the other was seriously damaged. The latter aircraft limped away severely damaged, but its pilot was able to make an emergency landing on what is now Kish Island, an Iranian holiday resort. 1Lts Hamayoun Hekmati and Seyed-Cyrus Karimi, who were on board the lost F-4, died in the explosion because they failed to attempt to eject.

Iran later asserted that the pilots of the two Eagles were not Saudis but rather Americans after radio communications between the F-15s and the AWACS were intercepted. Capt. Bill Tippin may have played a bigger part in the combat than has been acknowledged, but neither the Saudi or American governments have ever provided a complete explanation for the episode.

Although there is no means to actually release ordnance from the back seat of the D-model, there is little doubt that it could only have been the front seat pilot who actually fired the AIM-7 that scored the kill. It is possible that Tippin was actually flying the F-15D during the engagement.

General Spencer M. “SAM” Armstrong, a highly decorated USAF command pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours, who commanded the U.S. Military Training Mission to the Royal Saudi Air Force from July 1983 to July 1985, has provided important additional information about the engagement. Around this time, Saudi F-15 Eagles and Iranian F-4E Phantoms engaged in aerial combat.

The general spoke quickly when he was questioned about the participation of USAF pilots. “In short, there were no USAF pilots involved except in reviewing the film for the RSAF.” In addition, Gen. Armstrong claimed to be familiar with the names of the USAF F-15 pilots under his command but was unable to recall Capt. Bill Tippin.

A verbatim account of what happened on June 5, 1984, as given by Gen. Armstrong to Donald J. McCarthy Jr. for publication in The Raptors All F-15 and F-16 aerial combat victories is given below.

“The war between Iran and Iraq was really hot during my two years. Shortly after I got there, the Iranians sunk an Iraqi oil tanker in the Gulf and the Iraqis struck back with their French-made Exocet air-to-surface missiles—the “tanker war” was well underway. The Iranians did not have us to maintain their aircraft anymore so their equipment was in poor shape. The Iraqis soon had the advantage in this war on the Gulf. The Saudis were concerned the Iranians might go after the oil facilities or the desalination plant on the Gulf since the Saudis were assisting the Iraqis. They wanted to maintain an F-15 Combat Air Patrol [CAP], but needed in-flight refueling. We obliged by sending two KC-10 tankers over and the 24-hour CAP was begun.

“Beth [Mrs. Armstrong] and I were having lunch at the Mission Inn in Dhahran when the chief of the Dhahran advisory detachment came hurrying over. He took me aside and said they had reason to believe there had been a shoot-down over the Gulf. Together we hurried dawn to the tactical operation center [TOC], where US personnel manned surveillance radar. He told me on the way it appeared two F-15s had shot down one or two Iranian F-4s. I found Col. [Prince] Turki standing by a radar display, talking to some RSAF F-5s. Iranian helicopters were on the Saudi side of the Gulf, apparently looking for survivors. The Saudis got a lot of their intelligence from people on the oil platforms out in the gulf, and one of them reported the helicopter appeared to have missiles. I was pretty sure they were mistaking the skid on the helicopter for missiles because these were helicopters we had sold to them years earlier. Turki looked at me and asked if I thought we should order the F-5s to shoot down the helicopter. Trigger authority had been delegated to Turki, although he had never had to use it. I shook my head and Turki ordered the F-5s to merely shoo the helicopter away.

“When our F-15 pilots had a chance to review the tapes some interesting facts came out. Two Iranian F-14s were headed directly for Dhahran from Busheir while two F-4s had come around the north end of the Gulf and were heading down the Saudi side at a low level. The Saudi controller aboard a U.S. AWACS ordered Blue Flight to intercept the F-4s and ordered Yellow Flight—just taking off from Dhahran—to intercept the F-4s. The RSAF major leading Yellow Flight quickly sized up the geometry and ordered Blue Flight to take on the F-4s. The F-14s were merely a feint, as they turned around and went home in the middle of the Gulf.

“The two RSAF lieutenants turned hard left and descended for a head-on pass. The closure speed was about 1,200 mph. The F-15 wingman fired at maximum range for a radar missile and the leader must have had a case of “buck fever,” since he forgot to jettison his drop tanks and fired a missile at a minimum range of effectiveness. They observed two explosions, but they could not tell if the missiles hit the F-4s or merely impacted the Gulf. Since radar contact was lost for both F-4s it was reckoned both F-15s achieved kills. The water was shallow where the plane[s] went down, but very murky conditions prevented the discovery of the wreckage. They did find a seat cushion from an F-4. Each RSAF pilot was presented with a Mercedes 500 SEL as a token of appreciation from the king. Later at Taif, Prince Sultan asked me if they shot down one or two aircraft. I replied that it was one for sure and probably both. He replied they were claiming only one since they did not want to necessarily upset the Iranians any more than they had to.”

The Raptors All F-15 and F-16 aerial combat victories are published by Schiffer Publishing and are available to order here.

F-15C Eagle Units in Combat is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Saudi88hawk and Shahram Sharifi via Wikipedia, U.S. Air Force

April 4, 2023 0 comment

History

Axis pilots tested captured Allied aircraft and considered them negatively

by Till Daisd March 31, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘The Spitfire handles well, is light on the controls, faultless in the turn, and has a performance approaching that of the Me 109. As a fighting aircraft, however, it is miserable,’ Major Werner Mölders, JG 51, Luftwaffe.

Several captured allied aircraft were examined by Axis during the Second World War.

On Quora, George Greenfield, a tour guide at the RAF Museum in London (since 2013), says: ‘Major Werner Mölders, JG 51, tested both Hurricane and Spitfire before the Battle of Britain.’

“It was very interesting to carry out the flight trials at Rechlin with the Spitfire and the Hurricane. Both types are very simple to fly compared to our aircraft, and childishly easy to take ¬off and land. The Hurricane is good¬-natured and turns well, but its performance is decidedly inferior to that of the Me 109. It has strong stick forces and is “lazy” on the ailerons.

The Spitfire is one class better. It handles well, is light on the controls, faultless in the turn, and has a performance approaching that of the Me 109. As a fighting aircraft, however, it is miserable. A sudden push forward on the stick will cause the motor to cut; and because the propeller has only two pitch settings (take¬off and cruise), in a rapidly changing air combat situation the motor is either overspeeding or else is not being used to the full.”

‘Fortunately for the RAF, by the time the Battle started, they had the use of 100 rather than 87 Octane fuel and constant–speed rather than the two–pitch propellors derided by Mölders. These changes gave a considerable performance improvement and allowed ‘over-boost’ supercharger settings (12 psi versus 6.75) below 15,000 feet, which added approximately 30 mph to the speed of both aircraft.

‘[The British assessment of the Me109 was similarly unflinching. The A&AEE pilots found it responsive and pleasant to fly up to medium speeds (250 mph), after which the controls became excessively heavy. “In general the flying qualities of the airplane are inferior to both the Spitfire and the Hurricane at all speeds and in all conditions of flight.” [From FLYING TO THE LIMIT — testing WW2 single–engined fighter aircraft by Peter Caygill, published by Pen & Sword 2005] It’s clear that both air forces were evaluating the opposition’s aircraft very much according to their own yardstick. The Luftwaffe’s preferred tactics involved diving attacks from a position of advantage, and disengagement by diving or climbing steeply – engine cutout under negative G would be an issue. The RAF was more focused on traditional dogfighting engagement. But as Hurricane ace Tom Neil remarked, no-¬one won any air battles by turning. “All you needed was to go like a bat out of hell, clobber the other fellow and keep going. The 109 was very good at that.”]’

Greenfield continues;

‘After the Russo¬-Japanese War in Mongolia in 1939 a captured Polikarpov I-16 was evaluated by the Japanese. They had acquired a high degree of respect for the Russian fighter, which was faster and better armed than their own, although less maneuverable. Major G. Yamamoto test flew the I-16, praising armament and pilot protection, but he considered the center of gravity was too far aft, which resulted in heavy elevator control and bad landing characteristics. He found the controls were insensitive in comparison with Japanese fighters. German pilots who encountered the Polikarpov in 1941, regarded it as highly maneuverable on the other hand: another example of different perspectives affecting judgment.

During WWII Axis pilots tested captured Allied aircraft: they deemed the Spitfire a miserable fighter, the LaGG–3 poorly maneuverable and the P-51 disconcerting

‘Another Russian aircraft tested by the Finns and the Japanese was the LaGG–3. The former criticized the acceleration (poor) and the aircraft’s tendency to spin in sharp turns. The Japanese, on the other hand, found the LaGG’s acceleration to be one of its most outstanding qualities, along with high diving speeds, whereas maneuverability was regarded as extremely poor. Again, both nations were viewing the fighter through the prism of their own preferences: Japanese fighters were highly maneuverable but generally had low diving speeds, whilst the Finns were judging in the context of their own ragbag collection of (largely obsolescent) aircraft — Morane¬-Saulnier MS406, Fokker DXXI, Gloster Gladiator, Brewster Buffalo, Me109. But everybody agreed that the Russian fighter was extraordinarily robust, which says something.

‘When US aircraft were encountered in numbers on the Western Front from 1943 onwards the Germans were anxious to evaluate them if possible. Hauptmann Rosarius was tasked with forming a collection of captured Allied types, testing them, and touring around frontline units to familiarise Luftwaffe pilots with them. The Rosarius ‘Circus’ included P-38 Lightnings, at least three P-47 Thunderbolts, Spitfires, Mosquitoes, and a Typhoon. Later on, P–51B and –D Mustangs were acquired. Sometimes the frontline pilots were allowed to fly aircraft from the Circus. Walter Wolfrum was among these pilots: “During the war, I had the opportunity to fly captured P-47s and P-51s. I didn’t like the Thunderbolt. It was too big [US pilots converting to the P–47 from the Spitfire had exactly the same initial reaction. But eventually, the Thunderbolt’s virtues became apparent.]. The cockpit was immense and unfamiliar. After so many hours in the snug confines of the 109, everything felt out of reach and too far away from the pilot. Although the P-51 was a fine airplane to fly, because of its reactions and capabilities, it too was disconcerting. With all those levers, controls, and switches in the cockpit, I’m surprised [their] pilots could find the time to fight. We had nothing like this in the 109. Everything was simple and very close to the pilot. You fitted into the cockpit like a hand in a glove. Our instrumentation was complete, but simple: throttle, mixture control, and propeller pitch. How [the] pilots were able to work on all their gadgets and still, function amazes me.”’

Photo by Luftwaffe

March 31, 2023 0 comment

History

The arrival of the first B-58 Hustler Supersonic Bomber at the Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB

by Till Daisd March 30, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The B-58 Hustler was the first bomber in history to be built with supersonic speeds maintained throughout the mission profile

The beautiful picture in this article, which was taken on February 15, 1958, shows the first Convair B-58 Hustler (55-665) arriving at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) Flight Test Center for Phase IV testing after completing a combined delivery and test flight (the center was renamed the Air Force Test Center on July 13, 2012).

It is noteworthy that this aircraft is currently being stored and is a part of the collection at the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Flight Test Museum.

The four-engine delta-winged aircraft, which made its first flight on November 11, 1956, was the first bomber in history built to maintain supersonic speeds throughout its mission profile. The Hustler stood out for its sophisticated inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, slim “wasp-waist” fuselage, and significant use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in the wings and fuselage in addition to its delta wing design. A droppable, two-component pod beneath the fuselage held a nuclear warhead along with extra fuel, reconnaissance equipment, or other specialized gear because the thin fuselage disallowed carrying explosives internally.

A pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defensive systems operator made up the B-58 crew. Convair produced 116 B-58s, including 30 test and prototype models and 86 operational aircraft. Between 1960 and 1970, hustlers flew with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). B-58s set 19 world records for speed and altitude while also taking home five separate aviation medals.

Source: U.S. Air Force; Photo by Edwards History Office file photo / U.S. Air Force Base

March 30, 2023 0 comment

History

The German teenager Mathias Rust, who landed his Cessna in Red Square

by Till Daisd March 26, 2023

written by Till Daisd

At the height of the Cold War, on May 28, 1987, German teenager Mathias Rust, then 19 years old, flew a risky “peace mission” from Helsinki to Moscow

At the height of the Cold War, on May 28, 1987, German teenager Mathias Rust, then 19 years old, flew a risky “peace mission” from Helsinki to Moscow. In the video in this post, he explains why he did it in his own words.

With only 50 flying hours under his belt, Rust made the bold decision to accomplish what had previously been thought impossible. As you watch the video, it’s unbelievable how low he flew considering all the air defenses you would expect to be in place, particularly knowing how a MiG jet fighter passed him.

“It passed me on my left side so close that I could see the two pilots sitting in the cockpit and I saw of course the red star of the wing of the aircraft.”

Rust was scared, but the aircraft passed past and vanished into the clouds rather than striking him. According to the BBC, Rust’s plane was misidentified as a friendly aircraft due to a combination of extraordinary luck and human error.

Mathias Rust’s Cessna preparing to land in Red Square.

Confusion was present in the air and at control centers due to a plane crash the day before, an ongoing search and rescue operation, training for new pilots, and these factors combined.

Without any more contact from USSR defense forces, Rust nevertheless managed to go hundreds of miles over Soviet airspace to the capital. He wanted to make a big statement by bringing down the aircraft in the heart of Red Square, but it was crowded with people at the time.

Normally, it would have been difficult for him to land there because of nearby cables that would have been in the way; however, by accident, they were down for maintenance. He intended to land where the parades are all held, but there were too many people and he instead chose to land nearby.

You’d think the military would lose control and capture him right away, yet they managed to find him. But, they surrounded him and the aircraft as well as numerous bystanders laughed about it, and praised his bravery.

After making peace, the incident’s pilot, Mathias Rust, spent 14 months in a harsh labor camp. He worked as a financial analyst and a yoga instructor in 2012, 25 years after the incident, and he still had no regrets.

March 26, 2023 0 comment

History

How Ukrainian mercenary pilots fought against separatists

by Till Daisd March 25, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Foreign-piloted Mi-24V helicopters turned out to be the most crucial air asset in use during combat

Fighting continued throughout the former socialist countries of the Balkans after the conflict in Kosovo, which was resolved in the summer of 1999 after several days of airstrikes on Yugoslavia. Unlike the other federal republics, fighting began in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (now known as Northern Macedonia) in January 2001, leaving the previous socialist federacy without a conflict. The Macedonian army and special police conducted a ground operation against Albanian separatists operating in the north of the country, but the air force also participated to a lesser level.

When Macedonia declared its independence from the Yugoslav federation in 1992, its air force—then known as the Air and Anti-Aircraft Forces—had just a weak fleet. When war broke out in Yugoslavia in 1991, the 354th Reconnaissance Squadron and the 241st and 247th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, equipped with J-21 Jastreb and J-22 Orao ground attack aircraft, respectively, were housed by the Yugoslav Air Force in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia (Skanska Petro vac and Kraljevo airports).

Throughout the years 1991 and 1992, the entire brigade was operationally withdrawn from Macedonia. Organizationally, the Macedonian Air Force was founded in June of that year and received just one Utva-66 training aircraft with four seats and four Utva-75 A21 aircraft with two seats from its inventory.

These aircraft were originally owned by the Macedonian Air Union, not the Yugoslav Air Force, which gave them to the newly established Army Air Force for training. Due to the hostilities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia had difficulty arming and increasing its military aviation inventory. UN Resolution 713, which was approved in September 1991, imposed an arms embargo on all countries of the former Yugoslavia (including later independent Macedonia). Macedonia said the embargo was unfair because it was the only nation to peacefully secede from the federation.

The government purchased four Antonov An-2 transport biplanes from Ukraine despite the embargo, but because of the international sanctions, they were nonetheless registered as civil aircraft. 1995 saw the acquisition of four Zlin 242L training planes from the Czech Republic.

After being relieved from the embargo in 1996, Macedonia’s air force bought its first new aircraft—four Mi-17 helicopters—from Ukraine. The L-39MS Albatross used F-5 fighter planes from Turkey, used MiG-21bis fighter jets, and Mi-24D attack helicopters from Bulgaria, as well as used Bo-105M helicopters from Germany, which were other potential aircraft for the planned upgrade of the Macedonian Air Force. All of these plans were unsuccessful.

Mi-24K of North Macedonia’s Air Force. The helicopter still has the original Ukrainian camouflage with the Macedonian markings, as during its usage in the 2001’s conflict.

Broke out of the conflict

Since the early 1990s, unrest has risen in the adjacent region of Kosovo. The Albanian population established the paramilitary organization Kosovo Liberation Army in an effort to wage a full-fighting war against the Yugoslav army. This conflict started in 1998.

The Macedonian Air Force Command made the tactical decision to relocate the aircraft deeper into the country in order to prevent it from becoming a potential target for local Albanian groups because a sizable Albanian population was also present in northern Macedonia. The Macedonian Air Force frequently performed reconnaissance flights over the Yugoslav province’s border during the Kosovo War in mountainous regions close to Kumanovo and Tetovo, just a few miles from the capital Skopje, where, according to the 1994 Census, 22,9% of the Albanian population resided.

By delivering food, water, and medical supplies to the refugee camps, the Mi-17 aircraft of the Macedonian Air Force assisted refugees from Kosovo traveling to Macedonia. The Macedonian Air Force did not record any serious incidents, with the exception of one of the Zlin Z242Ls from the Air Force that crashed on April 7, 1999, close to the village of Radoviš.

The Kosovo Liberation Army was disbanded after the Yugoslav army withdrew from Kosovo and KFOR troops took over the country. The Liberation Army of Prešev, Medvedjo, and Bujanovac was founded in the south of Serbia, and the Macedonian National Liberation Army was established in the north. However, its former members founded parallel organizations. Beginning in 2000, it only ever carried out relatively minor assaults on border posts and police stations to the north of Skopje.

The level of conflict peaked in March 2001, when the army and the air force were fully mobilized to combat the terrorist organization. The US Air Force employed MQ-1 Predator drones from the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron in Skopje, which were later replaced by Israeli RQ-5 Hunters from the Task Force Hunter, to monitor the chaotic area because it lacked its own observation aircraft. The survey of the Luna X-2000 was assisted by the German army.

The Macedonian Air Force received two Mi-24V helicopters and four Mi-8MT helicopters from Ukraine as part of a program to modernize its fleet. The Mi-8MT helicopters had previously been used by KFOR in Kosovo. Ukraine provided Macedonia with four additional Mi-24 helicopters in 2001 (two in April and two in September) as well as four Su-25 aircraft (three Su-25Ks and one Su-25UB), the first combat aircraft to enter Macedonian Air Force service. With the arrival of Mi-24Ks meant for artillery guidance and reconnaissance in December of that year, deliveries from Ukraine were completed.

In 2001, Greece shipped two UH-1H helicopters. A Britten-Norman BN2T-4S Defender reconnaissance aircraft from an unspecified country, six J-21 Jastreb fighters from Serbia, six MiG-29 fighters from Ukraine, two Kamov Ka-50 helicopters from Russia, or even an unspecified number of F-16C/Ds from Turkey. The Macedonian Ministry of Defense, however, denied these claims.

The support provided to government troops during their counteroffensive north of Tetovo on Mar. 25 was one of the Macedonian Air Force’s first combat missions. The army deployed the Mi-17 and Mi-8MT helicopters during the counteroffensive to move infantry units more quickly. No helicopters were lost despite the fact that Albanian separatists had a large number of FIM-92 Stinger and Strela-2M anti-aircraft mobile weapons at their disposal. On March 17, one Mi-17 was lost after the rear rotor blades crashed with the flagpole during takeoff from the Popova Šapka ski resort.

Air war over North Macedonia – how Ukrainian mercenary pilots fought against separatists — All three Su-25Ks of the Air Force of North Macedonia.

Macedonian Su-25s in a fight

During a short period of time, the Macedonian Air Force employed its only jet aircraft. In June 2001, Macedonia received four Su-25s from Ukraine (three Su-25Ks and one Su-25UB, originally owned by the Belarusian Air Force). The “Frogfoots” were flown by Ukrainian mercenary pilots since the service lacked trained pilots. On June 23, the Sukhois undertook a reconnaissance flight over the village of Aračinovo, which is close to Skopje, where severe combat was occurring. From the Petrovec air base, Sukhois took off. Later, while serving with the Macedonian Air Force, Su-25s flew just one combat flight. Separatists in Albania were successful in taking a T-55 tank from the Macedonian military in August.

On August 12, three Sukhois conducted a combat flight to try and destroy it. The machines attempted to strike the tank with unguided 57 mm missiles, but they were unsuccessful, according to the data that was available. The Frogfoots had engaged in a number of additional reconnaissance operations by the conclusion of the conflict in November 2001, most of which they carried out with Mi-24 helicopters, but no direct combat activity. The Su-25s were added to the 101st Squadron’s arsenal following the conflict, where they operated until 2003. Due to a shortage of pilots and spare components for the aircraft, the Frogfoots’ brief operation as the only jet fighters in the nation’s air force came to an end.

Macedonian Mi-24s in a fight

The Mi-24s provided to Macedonia were identical to the Mi-8MT, Mi-17, and Su-25 aircraft delivered from Ukraine. Twelve Mi-24s (variant Mi-24D and Mi-24V) were sent to Croatia in 1993 and 1994, hence the fighting in Macedonia was not the first for the Ukrainian Mi-24. Due mainly to the ongoing UN embargo, the equipment was shipped as rescue helicopters, and soon after their arrival in Croatia, the equipment was mounted on the choppers. During Operation Storm in August 1995, Croatian Mi-24s took part in the battle against local Serbian separatists.

When Yugoslavia started to take a less active role in the Kosovo conflict in 1998, several Mi-24Vs that were initially Ukrainian were also delivered to that nation. They only briefly served in the Yugoslav Air Force following the conflict. On March 23, 2001, Macedonia received its first supply of Mi-24 aircraft.

As in the case of the Su-25, the Macedonian Air Force’s “Hinds” were first flown by hired pilots from the post-Soviet republics because there were only two crews qualified to fly the Mi-24. On April 2, a combat flight against the positions of Albanian separatists north of Tetovo served as the Mi-24’s first combat operation. The employment of Macedonian Mi-24s in the conflict in the summer of 2001 was so intense, according to the sources that are available, that they purportedly destroyed all 57 mm missiles that were in the country.

During the conflict, Macedonian Hinds also employed roughly 40 Shturm-V anti-tank missiles, occasionally during night attacks. The Mi-24 also dropped four 250 kg bombs during the fighting for the village of Arainovo, which started on June 21 at 4:30 in the morning. Hinds crews frequently used flares during attacks on ground targets to stop Albanian militants from taking down helicopters with multiple MANPADS. Versions K and V of the Mi-24 joined the 201st Anti-Armor Helicopter Squadron after the conflict. The Mi-24K helicopters were eventually decommissioned, and currently, the Macedonian Air Force is equipped with four Mi-24V helicopters that Israeli company Elbit refurbished.

The dissolution of the Albanian separatist forces was a result of the end of the hostilities in northern Macedonia in November 2001. The only Mi-17 helicopter lost by the Macedonian Air Force during the conflict’s nearly one-year duration was not actively involved in the battle. Unknown is the precise number of flights made by the Macedonian Air Force throughout the conflict. Nonetheless, in a relatively short period of time, the air force of North Macedonia was able to successfully support ground troops in their conflict with nearby Albanian separatists. Foreign-piloted Mi-24V helicopters turned out to be the most crucial air asset in use during the war.

Due to logistical reasons, the Su-25K and Su-25UB attack aircraft were only ever employed once to directly strike ground targets. Smaller skirmishes with the Albanian minority also occurred in Northern Macedonia in 2015, but thankfully they were not as severe as they were in 2001 and the air force did not have to be involved.