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SR-71-inlet-L
History

Why the Blackbird had engine and afterburner fuel control cable pulleys and its inlets had to be labeled “L” and “R”

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

The SR-71’s engineering was so advanced that new tools had to be created in order to build the Blackbird

The SR-71 Blackbird collected intelligence in some of the world’s most dangerous environments during its service.

The SR-71 was designed to fly at very high altitudes, very fast speeds, and very high temperatures. In fact, it was the first aircraft built entirely of titanium since the air molecules’ friction against it at Mach 2.6 would have melted a conventional aluminum frame.

There are lots of fascinating details regarding the legendary Blackbird.

Former Blackbird RSO Butch Sheffield would say “Minter,” while pointing to the “L” on the SR-71‘s inlet. Colonel Minter gave the order to identify each SR-71 in the inventory so that it would be obvious which was the left or right.

SR-71-Inlet
SR-71left inlet labeled “L”

An accident occurred on SR-71 #964 early in the Blackbird program; the engines suffered damage from being placed in the incorrect inlet. Floyd Jones, a former crew chief, provides additional details on the narrative;

‘They will fit, but they are canted outboard instead of inboard. It happened on 964; she flew with no problem until checking the inlet’s major damage on the spikes and center body also FOD the engine.

‘Reason it happened was they did something out of the usual. Both spikes were left on one side of the hangar. Usually, when a spike was removed, it was left on that side of hangar.’

SR-71-R-inlet
SR-71 right inlet labeled “R”

Expert on SR-71 engines John Olp said something about the Blackbird’s cutting-edge engineering that you might not know.

‘The right engine throttle linkage was connected to the afterburner fuel control, and the left engine throttle linkage is connected to the main fuel control!

‘The aircraft throttle linkage was connected to the afterburner fuel control on the left engine and the main fuel control on the right engine (inboard side of the engines).

‘It absolutely did matter because of the two different functions.’

Olp adds further details;

SR-71-pulleys
SR-71 Blackbird engine and afterburner fuel control cable pulleys.

‘The two fuel controls were interconnected by a pulley and cable system in order to be fully synchronized. There was a pulley on each fuel control with a steel braided cable running underneath the engine, around more pulleys, so that, whatever position you set one fuel control at, the other one moved with it!

‘Afterburner fuel control on the right, main fuel control on the left. The aircraft throttles were connected to the threaded portion sticking out of the pulley shaft.’

You will now understand a little history behind the markings on an SR-71 when you approach the inlets and search for the “L” or the “R.” And keep in mind! The primary fuel control is located on the left of the Blackbird, while the afterburner fuel control is located on the right.

Check out the Habubrats SR-71 and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Facebook pages for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by William Franklin Cely, Linda Sheffield Miller, John Olp and U.S. Air Force

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Erich-Hartmann-Bf-109
History

Luftwaffe Bf 109 pilot Erich Hartmann did not fire until the enemy was as close as 66 feet

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

Erich Hartmann would only have barely a second to get out of the way before colliding with the enemy

Erich Hartmann, a German fighter pilot during World War II and the most successful fighter ace in aerial warfare history, was born on April 19, 1922, and died on September 20, 1993. He was known by his German allies as “Bubi” (“The Kid,”) and by his Soviet enemies as “The Black Devil.”

Hartmann flew more than 1,400 flights in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 during his service in the German Luftwaffe during World War II, which allowed him to record an incredible 352 kills (he shot down 345 Soviet and seven American aircraft).

How did Hartmann get so good at dominating the skies?

Rodra Hascaryo, an aviation expert who studied Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering, explains;

‘He has an unmatched record of 352 enemy planes shot down while never being shot down himself. It’s very likely that his record will never be surpassed.

‘The secret to his success was his technique. It’s deceptively simple, yet ridiculously effective, particularly against the Soviets.

‘Airplane guns in World War II were commonly mounted on the wings, and they don’t shoot straight forward. They had to be converged or harmonized so that it is concentrated on a single point at a fixed distance.

Bubi

‘Convergence can be set by the ground crew according to the pilot’s wishes. Unlike some, Hartmann chose to make his gun converge extremely close, and he would not fire until the enemy is effectively right in front of him; as close as 20 m (65.62 feet). To give an idea how dangerous this is, he would only have barely a second to get out of the way before colliding with the enemy.

‘But by firing at the very last moment, he basically never missed. It is just impossible to miss when the target is that close. Also, the adversary would have no time to react.

‘After attacking, he wouldn’t stick around and dogfight like how pilots in movies do. He would flee the scene and attack again once the enemy lost him or lowered their guard. The Soviet airplanes and pilot training was particularly deficient to counter this.’

Hascaryo concludes;

‘It’s basically aerial hit-and-run, a tactic as old as humanity, and is still nonetheless devastating in the modern era. It also doesn’t require the pilot to be exceptionally good at any one thing (like shooting or flying); an average pilot with above-average understanding of their machine and good planning could pull it off.’

Hartmann
Erich Hartmann is the top-scoring fighter ace of all time with 352 victories. Hartmann would survive the war, a decade of Soviet imprisonment, and 12 years in the postwar West German Luftwaffe before passing away from a heart attack in 1993.

Photo by U.S. Air Force Wikimedia Commons via Military History Now

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Brian-Shul
History

SR-71 pilot Brian Shul passed away during a speech about the Blackbird

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

The SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul on May 20, 2023, in Reno, Nevada, unexpectedly passed away at the age of 75 due to a cardiac arrest

At the age of 75, Blackbird pilot Brian Shul unexpectedly passed away in Reno, Nevada, on May 20, 2023, following a cardiac arrest. His ground speed check story is well known. He was a brave man who, in 1973, fought his way back from a debilitating plane crash. Flying the SR-71 was his objective, and he succeeded in doing so.

More information came out on May 21, 2023, by Ronald Girouard, a well-known Blackbird collector who owns the largest collection of SR-71 patches in addition to the autographs of 133 Blackbird pilots, including Shul. Ron said, “Last night, he was the keynote speaker at the Nevada Military Support Alliance annual gala. Immediately after his keynote speech, he keeled over the emergency, life-saving CPR was performed on him by the doctors who were present the paramedics arrived minutes later they also tried to save him.

“Shul gave a great speech on the SR-71. Brian’s sister writes that she had never seen him speak so passionately about the Blackbird last night before he died.

“He died doing what he enjoyed the most, talking about the SR-71.”

Brian Shul’s tale is astounding. In 1948, Shul was born in Quantico, Virginia. He earned a history degree from East Carolina University in 1970. He enlisted in the Air Force that same year and went to Reese AFB in Texas for pilot training.

Brian-Shul-1
Brian Shul

During the Vietnam War, Brian flew 212 close air support missions with Air America as a Foreign Air Advisor. In the final stages of the Vietnam War, he was shot down while conducting secret operations close to the Cambodian border. Not only did Shul survive the initial impact of his crash landing in the jungle, but he got trapped within his AT-28 aircraft’s burning cockpit. He was able to release himself just as his helmet visor started to melt and crawl out of the burning debris with severe burns. The downed pilot was taken by helicopter to a military hospital by a Special Operations Pararescue team from hostile territory, where it seemed unlikely he would survive his burns.

After a year and fifteen surgeries, Shul stunned the military community by recovering from his horrific injuries and passing all flight physical requirements to resume flying.

He applied to be an SR-71 Blackbird pilot after ten years of flying fighter jets. With steely nerves and a titanium pin in his finger, he joined the elite group of pilots qualified to pilot the renowned spy plane. Brian Shul is evidence that everything is achievable with the right attitude.

Check out the Habubrats SR-71 and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Facebook pages for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by Brian Shul via Sleddriver.com and Captain Sam Brown

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Owen-J.-Baggett
History

Owen J. Baggett, the B-24 Copilot who shot down a Japanese Zero with his Colt.45 while hanging from his open parachute

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

Owen J. Baggett pulled out his service pistol, a Colt.45, at the perfect moment. He fired four shots, striking the Japanese pilot in the head and bringing the Zero down

The initial B-24 Liberator prototype was created in 1938 by Consolidated Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin legacy company. It was intended to outperform the US Army Air Corps’ B-17 Flying Fortress in terms of speed and payload capacity. Eventually, the B-24 would have a long, tapered wing on top of its fuselage, enabling remarkable long-range cruising performance. A B-24 was faster than a B-17 and could carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles at 290 miles per hour, so it was able to carry a bigger payload and had a longer range than its cousin.

B-24s served in every theater of the conflict, from Africa to Germany and India to the Pacific Islands, despite being retired at the end of the war.

On March 31, 1943, the 9th Bomb Squadron of the 7th Bomb Group (BG) was dispatched to Pandaveswar (northwest of Calcutta) to demolish a railroad bridge at Pyinmana, which is located close to two enemy fighter sites and roughly midway between Mandalay and Rangoon. The formation was led by Col. Conrad F. Necrason, 7th BG commander. First Lieutenant Lloyd Jensen piloted the B-24 on his right wing, with Second Lieutenant Owen J. Baggett serving as copilot. Baggett was going to achieve what is thought to be the only distinction in Air Force history on that mission.

Zero fighters attacked the B-24s before they could reach their target. The crew of Baggett’s aircraft had to bail out after it was struck in the fuel tanks and caught fire. The Zeroes attacked again as they descended with parachutes, killing two crew members and injuring Baggett’s left arm.

Pretending to be dead, Baggett observed as a curious Zero pilot neared him, executing a remarkable feat of aerial maneuvering to obtain a more intimate view of the wounded American. The Zero crashed when Baggett pulled out his service pistol, a Colt.45, and fired four rounds, striking the Japanese pilot in the head.

After being taken prisoner, Baggett was greeted and treated like a hero by the Japanese camp commander, a colonel, who was impressed by his skillful shooting at the Zero. This exemplifies the strange Bushido code of the Japanese military, which gave honor and bravery in combat a high priority.

Following the war, Baggett went back to the US and established himself in Texas, living a quiet existence with his family. At the age of 85, he passed away in 2006. Baggett’s heroism in using his Colt.45 to fire down a Japanese Zero while hanging from an open parachute will go on in history as a testament to his bravery and tenacity.

Both Air & Space Force magazine and National Public Radio have deemed Baggett’s feat to be genuine.

Owen-Baggett
Owen J. Baggett

Photo by Unknown

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F-15-ASAT-Star-Wars-Day
History

The Star Wars Death Star was never attacked by the F-15

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

In September 1985, an F-15 Eagle managed to destroy a machine orbiting Earth. But it wasn’t the Death Star mobile space station

Designed to achieve and preserve air superiority, the F-15 Eagle is an all-weather fighter. The F-15A is capable of acceleration during a vertical climb and is the first US fighter aircraft with engine thrust higher than its basic weight. Its great power, lightweight, and large wing area combine to make the Eagle a very agile fighter. For operational use, the USAF ordered over 350 A models.

In September 1985, an F-15A was even able to destroy a machine orbiting Earth.

But no, it wasn’t the Death Star mobile space station (the funny, photoshopped main image in this article was posted by the 412th Test Wing on Edwards Air Force Base’s Facebook page to celebrate the Star Wars Day and features the only F-15A ASAT testbed firing a Vought ASM-135A Anti-Satellite Missile (ASAT) at Death Star).

However, it wasn’t the Death Star mobile space station (the hilariously photoshopped image in this article, which shows the only F-15A ASAT testbed firing a Vought ASM-135A Anti-Satellite Missile (ASAT) at Death Star, was shared by the 412th Test Wing on the Edwards Air Force Base Facebook page in honor of Star Wars Day).

The ASM-135A carried by the Eagle was the only US air-launched missile to destroy a satellite, even though the F-15 never attacked a galactic superweapon. The original pictures of the F-15 firing an ASAT (seen below) were taken on September 13, 1985.

The F-15 satellite killer and the ASM-135A ASAT missile

The Department of Defense has long sought to build an anti-satellite weapon system, as stated by Steve Markman & Bill Holder in their book One-of-a-Kind Research Aircraft. Since the 1960s, a number of ambitious and unsuccessful efforts have been made to achieve this goal. The majority of the endeavors were exceedingly intricate; nonetheless, a program employing a fighter-launched missile in the 1980s demonstrated that it was feasible.

The ASAT program actually began earlier as an outgrowth of the Prototype Miniature Air Launched Segment (PMALS) anti-satellite program. As the program matured, it was changed from PMALS to the more descriptive ASAT nomenclature.

Under the program, an F-15A was modified to enable it to launch and carry a 2,700-pound, two-stage missile. The missile was built in two stages. The first stage was an AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile (SRAM), and the second stage was an Altair III Thiokol rocket motor with 6,000 pounds of thrust. The system also includes small rocket motors and a seeker system to help keep the missile on course.

A single live-fire test of the system was accomplished on September 13, 1985, when the F-15 was flown at a nearly vertical path to an altitude of 80,000 feet and then launched the missile. The specific F-15 employed for this task was one of many that were stationed at Edwards Air Force Base to support a range of test missions. The objective of the ASAT was to destroy the US Solwind P-78-1 Gamma Ray Spectrometer satellite. Despite the success of the launch, the test was never repeated, and the unique ASAT system, developed to counter suspected Soviet satellites, was never continued.

The program was divided into two phases: the modifications to the launching F-15A testbed and the development of the weapon system itself.

Modifications to the aircraft, which were known as Group A, included the installation of a modified central computer, expanded environmental control system (ECS) ducting, reinforced ammunition bay cover, and ammunition conveyer restraint.

The Group B missile-associated components included a stage ASAT missile, a dedicated centerline pylon, a modified ammo door, and a carrier aircraft equipment (C&E) pallet.

The launch technique used was the so-called “Zoom” launch maneuver, with the launching aircraft providing a significant velocity boost to the missile before its launch. The fact that the missile was launched at an extremely high altitude also greatly reduced the slowing aerodynamic drag forces the missile would have experienced at lower altitudes.

One-of-a-Kind Research Aircraft is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and Edwards Air Force Base Facebook page

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F-15C-Eagle-USAF-Museum-MiG-29-Kills
History

When the F-15C #86-0156, the only Eagle to score two MiG-29 kills, retired

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

The only Eagle to record two MiG-29 kills, F-15C #86-0156, was retired to the US Air Force National Museum on April 25, 2023

As seen in the video in this post, on April 25, 2023, F-15C #86-0156—the only Eagle to record two MiG-29 kills—was retired to the US Air Force’s National Museum. Lt. Col. Matthew “Beast” Tanis of the 104th Fighter Wing was the last person to fly the jet (#86-0156) from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts to Dayton, according to Alert 5.

The two MiG-29 kills were scored in 1999 During Operation Allied Force. Col. Jeff “Claw” Hwang shot down two Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Air Force (FRYAF) MiG-29s, an accomplishment about which Tanis talked reverently. Flying the iconic fighter plane to what he called the Air Force’s “hall of fame” was an honor, according to Tanis.

“This is like one of those sad things with your favorite car, you’re basically driving it to the garage to never fly it again,” Tanis explained to Dayton 24/7 Now.

Tanis added about flying the F-15C in general:

“There’s not a lot of limits to it; not a lot of things you can’t do and that makes it really, really fun. The F-15C is kind of the last jet created, not fly-by-wire, so it’s bellcranks and pullies, so you’re connected to the stick. It’s obviously hydraulically actuated to move it but you feel it, and all the jets since don’t have that.”

Meghan Anderson, a curator in the Research Division of the museum, predicts that this F-15C will eventually take the place of the F-15A that is now on exhibit. There is no set schedule for when this “MiG Killer” will be on exhibit, according to her. It must first be cleaned and ready for exhibition.

The F-15C fleet of the USAF is about to be retired after 50 years of active service. With a 50-year service life and an exceptional combat record, the Eagle is a spectacular fighter aircraft. The aircraft’s retirement means those days have come to an end.

As previously mentioned, a portion of the retired aircraft are being sent straight to the Israeli Air Force, where they are already in service. This represents the first instance of an aircraft transferring from ramp to ramp.

One was given to NASA to be used in their chase plane program, which will help gather data for their airborne platforms.

The majority of the jets, though, are retiring to Arizona. The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group also referred to as “the Boneyard,” takes jets and mothballs them in the southwest desert.

Like legions of people of retirement age, Americans enjoy the low humidity and lack of snow or rain in their later years. It’s an environment that helps preserve the aircraft if they should be called back to service.

Photo by Ty Greenlees / National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

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A-12-bugs
History

An ex-USAF master sergeant reveals the fastest speed a Blackbird has ever recorded

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

A-12 pilot Jim Eastham dropped the nose down a bit to see if he could at least reach Mach 3.0. Out of nowhere, Jim hit good air and in the dive with good air, he red-lined everything

The distinctive features and architecture of the A-12 Oxcart Mach 3 spy plane served as the model for three other Lockheed supersonic aircraft that were produced for the CIA and USAF: the YF-12A, the M-21, and the SR-71.

To replace the F-108A Rapier, which was canceled, the USAF ordered in October 1962 that a specific model of the Oxcart be developed. The AF-12 and YF-12A were the initial designations for the upgraded A-12. Between 1963 and 1964, only three YF-12As were built and delivered.

The SR-71 Blackbird website states that the CIA permitted Skunk Works to investigate the viability of converting the A-12 to carry and launch a reconnaissance drone for unmanned overflight of denied areas in the same month and year. TAGBOARD was the codename for the project. To distinguish it from the A-12, the mother ship—renamed the M-21—was equipped with a second seat intended for the launch control officer (LCO) of the drone, known as the D-21. However, Kelly Johnson terminated the program because on July 30, 1966, during the fourth TAGBOARD test, a launch mishap resulted in the mother ship crashing, killing LCO Ray Torick.

The most well-known A-12 (right) variant, though, is the SR 71 Blackbird (left), whose moniker has become synonymous with the entire line of Oxcart variations. The aircraft carried more fuel and had a longer range than the A-12 or YF-12A, but it flew slower and lower due to its additional weight.

When talking about the Lockheed Blackbird family, probably the most frequently asked Blackbird question is: How fast does it fly?

“I’ve answered this question before, but here goes,” says Jim Goodall, former Master Sergeant at U.S. Air Force and author of the book Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated History of America’s Legendary Mach 3 Spy Plane. “The fastest an SR-71A has ever gone is Mach 3.43 in 974 [Blackbird #61-17974, better known as “Ichi-Ban”], at the time, a Site II bird. It blew out both inlets as it had a dual unstart.”

Goodall continues.

“Ben Rich told me that the inlets were designed to fly at its “Sweet Spot” of Mach 3.24. All manned Blackbirds from the A-12 through to the last SR-71 built were designed to all fly at the same top speed.

“But during early flight testing at Area 51 with the A-12s, Jim Eastham told me that A-12 #128 flew as fast as any A-12 during testing. On the particular day that the A-12 red-lined everything.

“During a routine top-speed envelope expansion flight, A-12 #128 was having a hard time getting past Mach 2.7 as the outside air was too warm. The reason for the flight test card that day was to validate a new inlet bypass door schedule.

“Jim said he dropped the nose down a bit to see if he could at least reach Mach 3.0. Out of nowhere, Jim hit good air and in the dive with good air, he red-lined everything. He went into his descent profile and headed back to the test site.”

Goodall concludes:

“When all was said and done; and for a very brief 15 seconds, Jim hit Mach 3.56, or just under 2,400 mph. Mind you, this was a one-time event and was never duplicated.”

Check out the Habubrats and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Facebook pages for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by Dru Blair via www.drublair.com

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Ford-Merlin
History

Ford UK refused to build Rolls-Royce Merlin engines due to differences in allowed tolerances

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

Ford re-drew the blue-prints for the Merlin, making it more suitable for mass production, and by 1944, over 400 engines a week were flowing out of the plants

The Rolls Royce Merlin is a direct descendant of the Kestrel engine, the power unit from the Hawker Hart and its many variants, an enlarged version of which powered the Supermarine S6, which won the Schneider Trophy for Britain in 1929. This led directly to the Spitfire aircraft powered by the new engine, now called the Merlin.

According to ShortFinals.org, in 1941, in Trafford Park, Manchester, Ford UK had two assembly plants where they were told to build Rolls-Royce Merlins—lots of them! At the time, this engine was in the vast majority of British fighters and bombers, including the two that had just won the Battle of Britain, the Supermarine Spitfire and the Hawker Hurricane.

In his book Not Much Of An Engineer, Rolls Royce supercharger designer Stanley Hooker states that Ford UK looked at the Merlin engine drawings and said, “We can’t build an engine to those tolerances.” Hooker said loftily (his words), “I suppose the tolerances are too tight for you?” “No, they are much too loose; we use much tighter tolerances for car engines, so all the parts are truly interchangeable without any hand adjustment needed.”

Ford re-drew the blueprints for the Merlin, making it more suitable for mass production, and by 1944, over 400 engines a week were flowing out of the plants.

“And they were very good engines too,” said Hooker.

The final total came to 30,428. This was only 2,000 less than the main Rolls-Royce plant at Nightingale Road, Derby (although several other plants were producing Merlins in the UK).

The first Merlin engine developed 880 hp, but by the time the last mark of Merlin was produced, the power output was 2030 hp.

The Merlin engine was then enlarged even further and named the Griffon. Aircraft that were powered by the Merlin engine include the Lancaster, Spitfire, Halifax, Hurricane, Battle, Defiant, Whitley, Mosquito, Hornet, York, Lincoln, and North American Mustang.

Hooker’s book is an excellent read about the development of the Merlin engine and then the early jet engines. Hooker eventually saved Rolls Royce after it went broke developing the RB211 three-shaft jet engine, which became today’s very powerful and very fuel-efficient Trent engine.

Photo by Crown Copyright

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Tornado
History

The first dual-control Panavia Tornado GR1T in its original color scheme

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

The sunset/night photoshoot featured not only the Panavia Tornado GR1T ZA319 but also the Hawk T1 XX154 and the English Electric P.1 WG763

The Panavia Tornado GR1T, ZA319, Hawk XX154, and a rare English Electric P.1 are interesting photographs, which were taken on March 18, 2023, at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at the Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury, UK, by Andrew Timmerman from Finn Aviation Photography.

Panavia-Tornado-GR1T-ZA319

Timmerman explained:

Tornado-GR1T-ZA319

‘On the 18th of March, Threshold.aero organized a sunset/night shoot at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at the Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury, UK. After loads of rain showers in the morning, it cleared up and the sun was out, giving us good opportunities for some great photos of the main attraction of the photo shoot, the Panavia Tornado GR1T, ZA319, the day after having been unveiled in its original color scheme. Also standing outside for us there was the first prototype of the Hawk T1, XX154. There was also a very rare English Electric P.1 (WG763, the second of only two P.1s built) that was the prototype of the amazing English Electric Lightning that became the backbone of the RAF fighter force.’

Panavia-Tornado-GR1T

The first GR1T (dual-control) in production is the Panavia Tornado ZA319. Before its relocation to the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) at RAF Cottesmore, it spent a brief period at Boscombe Down for the final release to service. On March 17, ZA319 was officially unveiled in its initial color scheme.

Tornado-GR1T

The Hawk T1 XX154 was the first prototype of the renowned Royal Air Force trainer aircraft.

Panavia-Tornado

The Hawk XX154 aircraft was airlifted from MOD Boscombe Down, where it was in active service with the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) until December 2018, to its new home in the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum Airfield on August 21, 2019, the 45th anniversary of its first flight.

ZA319

The English Electric P.1 WG763, as previously mentioned, was the second of only two P.1s built. The English Electric (later BAC) Lightning, the RAF’s front-line fighter, was developed from the experimental P.1.

GR1T-ZA319

The first of the two prototypes, WG760, achieved Mach 1.22 in level flight, exceeding the speed of sound. P1A WG763, the second prototype, peaked at Mach 1.53.

Hawk-T1-XX154

Later aircraft achieved speeds more than Mach 2.0 thanks to additional fuselage modifications and the installation of powerful engines. The Lightning was operational for almost thirty years.

XX154

Aviation enthusiasts frequently visit the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, also called the Old Sarum Airfield Museum. It is the home of a sizable collection of Cold War-era military aircraft, several of which have accessible cockpits where guests can climb in and play with the controls.

English-Electric-P.1-WG763

In July 2012, the museum moved from its old location at the Boscombe Down airfield to Old Sarum. Despite the closure of the Old Sarum airfield at the end of October 2019, the aviation collection is still in business.

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C-141-Hanoi-Taxi
History

The C-141 StarLifter, the first aircraft to return Vietnamese Prisoners of War to the US

by Till Daisd
written by Till Daisd

Despite the fact that C-141 StarLifter aircraft had conducted many military and humanitarian missions, none were more important than the Hanoi Taxi mission

President John F. Kennedy declared August 23, 1963, to be a “great moment for our nation” when he, through a remote control, unveiled the first Lockheed C-141 StarLifter military transport aircraft from the White House. By ceremoniously pressing a gold key in the nation’s capital and enabling the carrier to virtually roll out some 650 miles away in Marietta, Georgia, President Kennedy brought in the first jet-powered airlifter and launched a versatile aircraft that, over its 43-year service, helped write aviation history.

Hanoi Taxi
A C-141 Starlifter aircraft, better known as the Hanoi Taxi, flies over its soon-to-be new home at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force adjacent to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on December 13, 2005.

Using the exclusive designs created by its engineers in Marietta, Lockheed built the StarLifter on time and under budget in response to President Kennedy’s directive to develop an all-jet military transport troop and cargo carrier.

It was the backbone of the US military airlift from 1965 to 2006, taking part in every operation from Vietnam to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The aircraft’s 93-foot cargo bay made it simple to discharge about 70,000 pounds of freight per hour, and its speed proved invaluable during the Vietnam War, cutting the round-trip flight time between California and Saigon from 95 hours to 34.

Hanoi Taxi Interior View
Interior view of the Lockheed C-141C Starlifter “Hanoi Taxi” in the Global Reach Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

None of the military and humanitarian missions that the C-141s had flown were as important as the one carried out by the Hanoi Taxi, the aircraft that is currently on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. On February 12, 1973, this C-141 (serial number 66-0177) took off from Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi, North Vietnam, and airlifted the first American prisoners of war (POWs) to freedom. The Hanoi Taxi conducted four flights from the Philippines to the United States, transporting 76 former POWs, as well as two missions into Hanoi, bringing two civilian returnees and 78 POWs.

Afterward, the Hanoi Taxi flew missions all around the world for three more decades, totaling over 40,000 flight hours. Over its lifetime, the Hanoi Taxi has experienced numerous modifications. Originally built as a C-141A model, its fuselage was lengthened, and aerial refueling capability was added in the early 1980s. It was redesignated as a C-141B by the USAF. Later, the aircraft’s wings were strengthened, and advanced avionics were installed, converting it to a C-141C.

POWs
When the aircraft left the ground, the POWs knew they really were free.

The Hanoi Taxi got its last planned depot maintenance in 2002. With the exception of the Red Cross, which was added to indicate that it was transporting hospital patients, it was also repainted to look as it did when it traveled to Hanoi in 1973. In honor of its significant past, the Hanoi Taxi flew with these markings for the next four years rather than the typical paint scheme.

C-141 Hanoi Taxi
The C-141 “Hanoi Taxi” touches down at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force during its final flight on May 6, 2006. 

Maj. Gen. Edward J. Mechenbier, a POW who was himself repatriated from Vietnam, flew the Hanoi Taxi back to Vietnam in May 2004 to bring back the bodies of two American service members who had been killed in action, once more tapping the timelines of history. The Hanoi Taxi was flown to the museum in May 2006.

In December 2015, the aircraft was moved into the fourth building at the museum. The new hangar opened to the public in May 2016, and the Hanoi Taxi is now on permanent display in the Global Reach Gallery. Visitors to the museum are able to walk inside the cargo bay of the aircraft through a rear ramp door.

POW that flew aboard Hanoi Taxi
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Paul Kari, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, poses with the Lockheed C-141C Hanoi Taxi in the new fourth building at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 16, 2015. Kari was flown to freedom on the Hanoi Taxi in 1973. (U.S. Air Force photo by Don Popp)

Photo by U.S. Air Force

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