McDonnell Douglas YC-15 Vs Boeing YC-14 A tactical transport aircraft with four engines designed for short takeoff and landing (STOL) was the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) YC-15. It was McDonnell…
The B-47 Stratojet The first XB-47 prototype, which was built to fulfill a 1944 need, flew in December 1947 and outperformed its rivals. It had sweeping wings, jet engines in…
Cold War
When a USAF F-15 pilot refused to fly a “not all aspect Sidewinder” mock air engagement against his Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk 2,960 A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were produced by Douglas between 1954 and 1979. Known by their endearing nickname, “Heinemann’s Hot Rod” (after Douglas designer Ed Heinemann), the…
History
Why the E-3’s tail is coated in dielectric paint and why long-range missiles represent the only real threat to the AWACS
The Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS The Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning & Control System (or AWACS) is a modified Boeing 707 equipped with long-range radar and passive sensors capable of…
Cold War
EF-111A EWO recalls when his Raven with Asymmetric Slats had to do a departure end cable arrestment
The EF-111A Raven In the 1980s and 1990s, EF-111A Ravens, often referred to as “Fat Tails” and “Spark Varks” (the F-111 is also called the Aardvark), were used as tactical…
The AIM-54 Phoenix The AWG-9 weapons control system and P&W TF30 engines were used by the F-14A Tomcat, which was built in 1968 to replace the controversial F-111B, which was…
The A-10 Warthog October 1975 saw the delivery of the first A-10A in production at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), in Arizona. Over the years, numerous enhancements have been made…
The Black Hawk Multirole Helicopter The Black Hawk is the military’s most versatile helicopter, suited for a variety of missions, including command and control, air assaults, medical evacuations, and lift…
The US Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopter Version 6.5 upgrade aligns the entire E model fleet under the same software, streamlining training and maintenance while providing a pathway for sensor/capability…
Accidents and equipments
The only KC-10 lost by the USAF: the sad story of the Extender that exploded on the ramp at Barksdale AFB
The KC-10 Extender A modified McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing Company) DC-10, the KC-10A entered service in 1981. Twenty KC-10s were modified to add wing-mounted pods further enhancing their aerial refueling…