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aircraft

The naval officer who created TOPGUN, retired captain Dan Pedersen, flies a Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet

by Till Daisd November 19, 2023

Capt. Brian Kesselring, a former TOPGUN instructor himself and now flight leader and commanding officer of the Blue Angels, had the honor of taking TOPGUN1, retired Navy Captain Dan Pedersen, up for a ride

Led by former Navy Captain Dan Pedersen, in 60 days, nine individuals founded an educational institution in 1969, that is now firmly ingrained in the history of American naval aviation. The Navy Fighter Weapons School, or TOPGUN, is the current name of such institution. Although the school’s existence was only known to a select few elite fighter pilots in 1969, by the time the 1986 film Top Gun debuted, nobody would be able to forget it.

A young Pedersen joined the US Navy in 1955, and according to the US Navy Blue Angels Facebook Page, he started his Naval Aviation adventure while stationed at NAS Los Alamitos, California, by riding in the backseat of a naval aircraft. In September 2021, he flew over NAS Los Alamitos once more, but this time he was riding in the backseat of a Blue Angels aircraft.

“During our air show in Huntington Beach, where we had the privilege to fly Capt. Pedersen, the first commanding officer for TOPGUN.”

The distinction of taking TOPGUN1 for a ride belonged to Capt. Brian Kesselring, a former TOPGUN instructor who is currently a flight leader and commanding officer of the Blue Angels. On that particular day, Cmdr. Mike Patterson, the TOPGUN commanding officer at the time, joined them while piloting a fleet F/A-18 Super Hornet.

The Blue Angels felt that honoring the original TOPGUN was appropriate in light of the recent release of Top Gun: Maverick.“While many are fascinated by the actors in the films, for me, the true celebrities are people like Capt. Pedersen, the ones who paved the way and used their abilities to make us a more capable military,” said Capt. Brian Kesselring. “Flying this legendary naval aviator was a true honor and a terrific way to thank him for his contributions to our country.”

The Navy’s Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Course – better known as TOPGUN – has a reputation for producing the best fighter pilots in the world.

Although TOPGUN’s fame now precedes it, its beginnings were far more modest. The school was first established in a trailer in the parking lot of what was then Naval Air Station Miramar in California, as reported by Katie Lange of DOD News in the article “It Started in a Parking Lot: TOPGUN’s History Revealed.” This was done in order to improve the training of Navy fighter pilots during Vietnam.

In Vietnam, the Navy was suffering intolerable combat casualties in spite of having a technological advantage. As a result, the service ordered an inquiry, which Navy Capt. Frank Ault was given the command to oversee. The Ault Report, which was produced as a result, identified numerous performance issues and their underlying causes, including the requirement for sophisticated training on fighter tactics. The outcome was the Navy Fighter Weapons School, which was founded in 1969 in Miramar.

The school, known by the moniker TOPGUN, was founded with the goal of providing aircrew with the highest level of professionalism in all facets of aerial combat training. When it first started, its students received four weeks of training aboard F-4 Phantom II aircraft to improve their skills in dogfighting, or one-on-one aerial combat.

Photo by U.S. Navy

November 19, 2023 0 comment

History

After this RAF Phantom made an emergency landing at Tonopah AFB, it was stenciled with the words “F-117 DON’T ASK” zap

by Till Daisd November 18, 2023

written by Till Daisd

During RED FLAG 90-1, an RAF Phantom FGR.2 (known as F-4M in the US) diverted there and returned to Nellis bearing an F-117 sticker and legend. DON’T ASK

As one of the most capable strike fighters in the world, the Phantom played a significant role in the Royal Air Force’s combat aircraft arsenal for more than two decades.

The Royal Air Force began using two models of the Rolls-Royce Spey-powered Phantom: FG1 (the version also in service by the Royal Navy) for interceptor roles and FGR2 for ground attack and tactical reconnaissance in Germany. Every Royal Air Force Phantom was converted into an interceptor fighter aircraft starting in 1977 and operated only over the United Kingdom airspace.

Great Britain bought fifty-two Phantom FG1s and 118 Phantom FGR2s.

The story of the RAF Phantom that made an emergency landing at Tonopah AFB and was stenciled with an “F-117 DON’T ASK” zap

Following the 1982 South Atlantic deployment of Phantoms, a further order for 15 Phantoms was issued. These were second-hand Navy F-4Js from the United States Navy that were powered by General Electric J-79 engines. Following a comprehensive renovation and the installation of certain British equipment, they were assigned the designation F-4J (UK).

The Phantom fleet’s decommissioning occurred at the end of September 1992 as a result of an expedited run-down brought on by the collapse of the Eastern European threat.

The top-secret F-117 Nighthawk was then housed at Tonopah Air Force Base (AFB), where an RAF Tornado GR1 taking part in a Red Flag exercise in the US made an emergency landing on April 9, 1990.

The Tonka’s fin was adorned with a Nighthawk silhouette as a result of the emergency landing. “The guys at Tonopah had a sense of humor after all, for the silhouette of an F-117 had been stenciled on each side of our tail fin,” Squadron Leader Wally Grout, a former RAF Tornado navigator, said in Ian Hall’s book Tornado Boys.

However, as noted by military aviation writer Mike Crutch in that article, a few months before the Tornado, another RAF aircraft made an emergency landing at Tonopah.

“A RAF Phantom FGR.2 (F-4M in US speak) diverted there during RED FLAG 90-1, arriving back at Nellis with an F-117 sticker and legend DON’T ASK. The diversion took place on Nov. 9, 1989, and the aircraft was Phantom FGR.2 serial XV476 (coded ‘S’ with No.56 Squadron, based at RAF Wattisham, UK but was part of a mix of airframes from UK and RAF Germany bases). So it was 56 Squadron-owned aircraft based at RAF Wattisham, UK, flown at that stage by a 92 Squadron crew based at RAF Wildenrath, West Germany. The zap was applied to the starboard engine intake,” Crutch said.

Keith Hillsmith, who was a former RAF Phantom crew member and wingman of an XV476 during the mission that resulted in the aircraft being diverted to Tonopah, provided more information. “The F-4 crew that diverted to Tonopah were from 94 Squadron RAFG. I was the wingman. Single hydraulic PC failure. Which was a land ASAP.”

Sadly, we were unable to locate any pictures of this aircraft at the time. However, Peter Rolt showed images of a Phantom equipped with an F-117 zap, which proved to be the precise images of the aircraft we were looking for.

As Rolt explained, the photos were taken on June 9–10, 1990, at A&AEE Boscombe Down, during the IAT 1990 airshow (officially titled the Battle of Britain Airshow). “56 Squadron had several jets at IAT at MoD Boscombe Down, they conducted a ‘scramble’ as it was the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain-themed airshow.

“The pictures have been sitting in my study since then, recently I have been submitting photographs to a Facebook group for British Phantoms and I have been going through my images, having a little bit of a tidy up there were these strips of transparencies that I had not looked at for thirty years, obviously I noticed it on the day but with so many images from such a large event, they were forgotten until now.

“I asked the Phantom group and it was mentioned one diverted to Tonopah so I Google the specifics and your webpage came up, isn’t technology great.”

Photo by Peter Rolt

November 18, 2023 0 comment

History

The American Fighter Aces Association modifies its “Ace” category policy to allow backseaters

by Till Daisd November 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The change was led by Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a retired US Navy commander and former F-4 Phantom pilot, who, along with his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) Willy “Irish” Driscoll, was the first US ace of the Vietnam War

The American Fighter Aces Association (AFAA) was established in 1960 to recognize combat pilots who, during air-to-air combat from World War I to the present, destroyed five or more enemy aircraft, earning them the title of American Fighter Ace. The association has modified its membership criteria to include backseaters in its “Ace” category, which is the highest membership category.

AFAA-cunningham_driscoll — Cunningham and Driscoll (US Navy photo)

Randy “Duke” Cunningham, a retired US Navy commander and retired F-4 Phantom pilot, led the change. He and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), Willy “Irish” Driscoll, were the first US ace in the Vietnam War. After Cunningham was elected president of the AFAA in 2020, he suggested adding backseaters to the definition of the Ace membership category.

Capt. Charles B. DeBellevue, Vietnam Ace F-4D Phantom at Udorn AB, Thailand As a captain, DeBellevue became the first non-pilot ace and the leading ace in the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. He was an F-4 weapon system officer with the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo)

The AFAA has three categories of membership:

Ace: A fighter pilot or backseater who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft in the air while a member of the United States service during a time of war.
Associate: A fighter pilot or backseater who has shot down from one to four enemy aircraft in the air while a member of United States services during a time of war.
Friend: An individual who is committed to preserving the legacy of American Fighter Aces may join as a Friend of the Aces, an auxiliary of the American Fighter Aces Association.

AFAA-Feinstein-scaled-1 — Feinstein (US Air Force photo)

Cunningham’s actions mirrored those of 1972, when he was recommended for the Medal of Honor, the highest honor bestowed by the US armed forces, by a number of senior officials following his fifth kill. “Whatever I get, I want Willy to get, or I will not accept it,” retorted the new ace. Ultimately, Cunningham and Driscoll received the Navy Cross, the second-highest decoration bestowed by the US Navy and Marine Corps.

Three of the five American Aces from the Vietnam War are backseaters, and two are pilots. Cunningham and former USAF brigadier general Steve Ritchie are the pilots. Along with Driscoll, the backseaters are retired USAF colonel Charles DeBellevue, who is credited with six kills, and retired USAF lieutenant colonel Jeffrey Feinstein. It’s interesting to note that both DeBellevue and Feinstein attended aviation training after the war and obtained their pilot wings. When the five pilots became aces, they were in the rank of O2 or O3, having scored their kills in 1972 while flying F-4 Phantoms.

AFAA-Ritchie — Ritchie (US Air Force photo)

The AFAA logo’s colors and design are full of symbolism. The ace of spades, commonly referred to as the death card, symbolizes the high risks of aerial battle and is represented by the curved black shape in the center. There is the sword of freedom superimposed upon it. The color gold is used frequently to symbolize the wingmen we’ve lost, and the five-star array at the top indicates five kills, the minimum to be an ace.

The American Fighter Aces Association logo, which is full of symbolism

A list of American Fighter Aces, merchandise and lithographs for sale, details on scholarships the organization sponsors, and more information about aces and the AFAA itself may all be found on the organization’s website, www.americanfighteraces.org. Regardless of prior experience in aerial combat, anybody interested in maintaining and promoting the heritage of American Fighter Aces is welcome to become a Friend of the Aces member for a current annual fee of $50. A quarterly newsletter and a one-time 50% discount on a print from the lithograph collection are two benefits of membership.

AFAA-mosaic — This mosaic of images represents some of the aces depicted on the AFAA website.

Every year, the AFAA hosts a reunion. The dates and location for 2022 are October 27–30 in San Antonio, Texas.

Bio is the author of two books, Topgun Days and Before Topgun Days. His latest book, Tomcat RIO, was published in 2020.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy

November 17, 2023 0 comment

History

At the 2022 Aerospace Valley Open House, Air Show & STEM Expo, Edwards AFB presented the “Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor,” a new supersonic corridor

by Till Daisd November 16, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The first pilot to breach the sound barrier in the recently dubbed “Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor” was Maj. Alex “Brick” Shuler, an F-22 test pilot

A ceremony honoring the contributions of the team behind the incredible Bell X-1 was held at the 412th Test Wing on this day, 75 years after the aircraft’s success demonstrated that the Sound Barrier was merely an engineering problem. In 1947, a small group of engineers, pilots, and maintenance workers arrived in the Mojave Desert with the goal of breaking through the so-called Sound Barrier. The Bell X-1 exceeded the speed of sound (Mach 1) in level, controlled flight on its ninth powered flight. In addition to celebrating the achievement, the event signaled the start of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Expo, Open House, and Air Show at Edwards Air Force Base, which took place over the course of the weekend.

According to James A. Tucker, Air Force Test Center History Office, in the article Edwards Air Force Base celebrates 75 years of Supersonic Flight, with the families of several team members in the audience, Brigadier General Matthew Higer, Commander of the 412th Test Wing, renamed the High Altitude Supersonic Corridor to the Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor.

At the 2022 Aerospace Valley Open House, Air Show & STEM Expo, the new supersonic corridor was unveiled at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) as part of the 75th Anniversary of Supersonic Flight Ceremony.

The 412th Test Wing Public Affairs’ Adam Bowles stated in the article “Breaking Tomorrow’s Barriers Today: A new corridor to Supersonic Flight” that the supersonic corridor was dubbed in honor of the brave crew who worked together to achieve new human feats. The first pilot to breach the sound barrier in the recently dubbed “Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor” was Maj. Alex “Brick” Shuler, an F-22 test pilot.

“What I wanted to do was work on airplanes for basically my whole life,” Maj. Shuler explained. “I remember a NASA who was a Super Hornet pilot came to our school and basically talked about his career. That was sort of the day that I realized that I needed to change paths on my life and no kidding, signed up for the Air Force the next week. My dream the whole time going through Test Pilot School was to fly an F-22.”

Maj.-Alex-Shuler — F-22 Test Pilot Maj. Alex “Brick” Shuler

Maj. Shuler, who is currently an F-22 Test Pilot at Edwards AFB, would have the unique honor of being the first person to break the sound barrier in a new age of supersonic flying.

“This is the only base where I have been stationed where you can go out and do a supersonic test and then come home and have your wife complain that you sonic boomed the house,” Maj. Shuler jokingly explained. “When I request instead of the High Altitude Supersonic Corridor, I will request the Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor. I think it will be cool to say on the radio.”

Bell-X-1-Supersonic-Corridor-1 — Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor

“The High-Altitude Supersonic Corridor is officially dead,” Higer said. “We rename that chunk of airspace, that critical piece of our infrastructure in the test and training environment, in honor of the team of Big A Airmen, whose collective individual contributions join into something much more powerful than they could have ever imagined.”

He added;

“We are going to use the supersonic corridor every week to go out and do envelope expansion missions. We got new hardware we are putting on the F-22. This jet is our air-dominance fighter that we will be using for the next decade. There is a lot of work left to do. Hopefully, we can inspire the next generation to study hard and build the next thing.”

A group of Airmen demonstrated that the sound barrier was not impenetrable less than one month after the Air Force became an independent service. Their triumph signaled the start of a new era in aviation, one that would break Machs 2 through 6 above Edwards AFB over the next fifteen years thanks to continuing collaboration between the Air Force, NASA, and other contractors.

Thousands of young students had the opportunity to witness firsthand the inventive spirit of pioneers such as Charles Yeager, Jack Ridley, Robert Cardenas, and Jack Russell, who left their mark on history in a remote corner of the Mojave Desert, not long after the first sonic boom in the now-renamed Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor sounded above Edwards.

Photo by U.S. Air Force, NASA and Lt. Robert A. Hoover, user:Juloml via Wikipedia

November 16, 2023 0 comment

History

US Naval Aviator discusses why the Viper is the most successful fighter ever produced

by Till Daisd November 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘F-16 vs. F-4 max performance turn. I once saw this performed live. Stunning,’ said David Tussey, former US Navy A-7E Corsair II pilot

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It has demonstrated its superior maneuverability in both air-to-air and air-to-surface attacks. It gives the US and its allies a high-performing, cheap weapon system. In January 1979, the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base in Utah received the first operational F-16A.

An unusual agreement that established a consortium between the United States and four NATO members—Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway—led to the construction of the F-16. Together with the US, these nations built the first 348 F-16s for their air forces.

The F-16 is one of the most widely used fighter aircraft in the world, having been deployed to more than 25 countries in a total of 4,600 units. Currently, there are over 3,000 F-16 fighters in service around the world.

Bahrain, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, South Korea, Oman, Chile, and Poland were among the nations that got F-16 fighter jets.

For all of these reasons, the F-16 is the most successful fighter aircraft ever produced, as retired US Navy A-7E Corsair II pilot David Tussey discusses on Quora.

‘“Successful” can mean many things to different people. My vote is for the General Dynamics F-16 (now Lockheed).

‘Successful because:

1) it set a new bar for aerodynamic performance, an order of magnitude beyond other jet aircraft at the time, and

2) it enjoyed broad popularity, continual upgrades, and remains the gold standard by which all modern aircraft are judged (“Is it as good as the F-16?”)

‘It’s hard to capture how dramatic the aerodynamic improvements were for the YF-16 (and YF-17). [As the famed photo below shows] The USAF would demonstrate the F-16 alongside an F-4, which was a beast in its own right. The F-16 made it look like the F-4 was a woolly mammoth. And then, not only did the USAF buy thousands, but so did dozens of other countries. Huge success. And continual upgrades have kept the F-16 competitive. So yeah…successful.

‘F-16 vs. F-4 max performance turn. I once saw this performed live. Stunning.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

F-16-Vs-F-4-Minimum-Turn-Radius — Minimum turn radius: F-4 Phantom II (outer) vs F-16 Fighting Falcon (inner)

November 15, 2023 0 comment

Helicopters

The A-10 pilot said the Warthog would win against an AH-64 Apache in a combat encounter with equal factors.

by Till Daisd November 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘All other things being equal (pilot skill, full weapons load, clear weather, etc.), the A-10 has the clear advantage and will win for the exact same reasons that it loses against air superiority fighters,’ Lynn Taylor, former A-10 Warthog pilot

The first aircraft in the US Air Force to be specifically built for close air support of ground forces is the A-10. It bears the name of the well-known P-47 Thunderbolt, a fighter that was frequently used in close air support missions in the final stages of World War II. The A-10 carries the systems and armor required to survive in this environment, and it is extremely maneuverable at low speeds and low altitudes for precise weapon delivery.

Although it is designed to be used against all ground targets, its primary target is armored vehicles such as tanks. Due to its high endurance, the Thunderbolt II can stay in a combat zone for extended periods and cover a wide combat radius. Because of its short takeoff and landing distance, it can be used from airstrips near the front lines. Maintenance at forward bases with limited facilities is possible because of the A-10’s simple design.

The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter was engineered to possess exceptional resilience during combat operations. In 1975, the YAH-64, the prototype Apache, made its first flight, and Hughes received a full-scale development contract in 1976. The AH-64A Apache program was approved for production in 1982 by the US Army. When Hughes Helicopters joined McDonnell Douglas in 1984, deliveries started out of the McDonnell Douglas facility in Mesa, Arizona. The base of the US Army’s all-weather ground-support capability is the combat-proven Apache helicopter, which is highly maneuverable and heavily armed.

If an AH-64 Apache and an A-10 Warthog faced off, who would prevail?

‘The Hawg,’ Lynn Taylor, former A-10 Warthog pilot, says on Quora.

‘All other things being equal (pilot skill, full weapons load, clear weather, etc.), the A-10 has the clear advantage and will win for the exact same reasons that it loses against air superiority fighters.

‘Yes, the Apache has better maneuverability and can drag its wheels through the sagebrush to make targeting it difficult. But the A-10 has the advantage in (dare I say) speed, climb rate, and relative performance at altitude. The Apache may dodge around and be tough to hit, but the A-10 has a long reach with a lot of bullets to spare. Plus, it is quite adept at maneuvering at low altitudes in case it needs to get really close to secure a kill. Even in mountain valleys, the Hawg can still get its nose on the Apache and deliver the mail.

‘Realistically, the Hawg will need to use the Gun to bring down the Apache. Those Sidewinders on the wing will probably have trouble locking onto an Apache down low. (This was demonstrated in Desert Storm.) No worries, though. The Gun is more fun, anyway.

‘Conversely, the Apache doesn’t really have much in the way of air-to-air weaponry. Its Hellfires are going to be nigh useless. With Stinger capability, the trick will be getting a good angle on the Hawg’s tailpipes and getting a shot off when the Hawg isn’t maneuvering hard and dumping out flares… which will be pretty close to never.’

Taylor continues;

‘The Apache’s 30mm is also not the same as the A-10’s.

‘An A-10 round is 30mm x 173mm. The AH-64 round is 30mm x 113mm.

‘You’re looking at this:

‘versus THIS:

Su-25 Vs A-10: here’s why the Frogfoot might be better suited than the Warthog for CAS

‘If the Apache tries to hold steady enough to get a good shot on the A-10, even with its gun pointed to one side, it’s going to be well within the effective range of the Hawg and present an even easier target.

‘Assuming that they both managed to hit each other, I expect the A-10 would hold up to battle damage a bit better than the AH-64. The Apache is well armored and sturdy, to be sure, but its Achilles heel is that big fan blade on top. Hit that, and it’s game over. The Hawg, on the other hand, has proven it can take a hit from a MANPAD (which is what the Stinger really is) and keep on truckin’.

‘Yes, a lucky shot from either side could determine the battle in an instant, and it’s not like the Apache is an easy target. Still, I expect that, on average, the Hawg would be the clear winner.’

Taylor concludes;

‘The best the Apache can hope for is a draw by jinking and jiving until the Hawg runs out of bullets, gets bored, and trundles off to root around somewhere else.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, Graeme Main/MOD, and SOBCHAK SECURITY – EST. 2005

November 14, 2023 0 comment

History

The F-16 fighter that was modified to test the F-35’s supersonic inlet diverterless

by Till Daisd November 13, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The F-16 Block 30 fighter was equipped with a diverterless supersonic inlet, which took the place of the aircraft’s original intake diverter

The F-16 Fighting Falcon, which has been the cornerstone of the US Air Force’s (USAF) fighter force for more than 30 years, has played a significant role in maintaining air superiority. The F-16, which originated from a competition in 1972 that demanded a lightweight, highly maneuverable fighter jet, emerged victorious and went into production in the same year. An agreement to form a consortium between the United States and the four NATO members—Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway—was a component of its original manufacture. From then on, the F-16 changed from being a day fighter with air superiority to an all-weather, multirole aircraft that is still in service today all over the world.

Here are some photos of the F-16 used to test F-35's diverterless supersonic inlet

A diverterless supersonic inlet, or DSI, was even added to an F-16 as part of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which is now the F-35 Lightning II. According to Code One Magazine, the inlet bump functions in conjunction with the forward-swept inlet cowl to reroute undesired boundary layer airflow away from the inlet at high aircraft speeds during supersonic flight. This effectively performs the function of heavier, more intricate, and more expensive diverters that are employed by a number of modern fighter aircraft. Twelve flights were conducted over nine days in December 1996 as part of the flight test program.

Lockheed Martin conducted the DSI’s first research in the early 1990s. On December 11, 1996, the first Lockheed DSI was flown as a part of a project called Technology Demonstration. It was mounted on an F-16 Block 30 fighter, taking the place of the original intake diverter on the aircraft. The modified F-16 had handling qualities akin to a regular F-16 and a top speed of Mach 2.0, which is the F-16’s clean approved maximum speed. It was also shown that subsonic specific excess power was slightly improved.

In mid-1994, the DSI idea was included as a trade study item to the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST, subsequently renamed JSF) program. It was compared to a traditional “caret”-style intake. Subsequently, a DSI was integrated into the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II’s design, as it demonstrated superior performance while being 30% lighter and requiring less production and maintenance than conventional inlets.

Conventional aircraft inlets have a large number of heavy-moving parts. As opposed to previous diverter-plate inlets, DSI removes all moving parts, making it significantly less complex and more dependable. The aircraft’s total weight is also decreased by the reduction of moving parts.

By removing radar reflections between the aircraft’s skin and diverter, DSIs also significantly enhance the very-low-observable characteristics of the aircraft. Furthermore, because the “bump” surface offers an extra layer of protection for the engine fans against radar waves, it lessens the engine’s exposure to radar, hence lowering a substantial source of radar reflection. According to analysts, the DSI lessens the requirement for using radar-absorbent materials (RAMs).

Photo by Lockheed Martin

November 13, 2023 0 comment

History

An ex-US Navy pilot discusses why flying the A-4 Skyhawk was the most enjoyable experience of his career

by Till Daisd November 12, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘With the A-4, you don’t actually fly it as you wear it. It quickly and responsively becomes an extended part of you and will do most anything you desire it to do,’ John Chesire, former US Naval Aviator

Between 1954 and 1979, Douglas produced 2,960 A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft.

Known by their nicknames “Heinemann’s Hot Rod” (after Douglas designer Ed Heinemann), the Bantam Bomber, Mighty Mite, and Scooter were built small to be cost-effective and to fit more of them on a carrier. Skyhawks were maneuverable, powerful attack bombers with exceptional altitude and range capabilities, as well as an unusual flexibility in armament capacity, that were made available to the US Navy, Marines, and allied nations.

Given its unique capabilities, what was it like to fly the A-4 Skyhawk?

‘Oh my, what a wonderfully fun aircraft to fly! It was always a thrill to fly, regardless of which of the many different and various A-4 models one was flying in,’ John Chesire, former US Naval Aviator, explains on Quora.

‘The Skyhawk was the most fun aircraft I ever flew. Simple yet extremely quick and agile, her roll rate was an incredible 720 degrees/second. She demanded attention. Never could I trim any A-4 up for hands-off flying for very long. She always wanted to “play.” Nimble and maneuverable, no wonder so many pilots loved the A-4. She acquired such endearing nicknames as Heinemann’s Hot Rod, Scooter, Bantam Bomber, Tinker Toy, and others. I always liked the scooter moniker because flying it reminded me of my two young children having fun pedaling their little three-wheel scooters in the street and screaming with joy. Flying the A-4 was like giving a kid a new and great toy.

‘The first A-4 I flew was an old A-4C. It had an older engine that was sluggish compared to the fighters I had been flying. It also did not have ground spoilers, which made for some tricky and scary crosswind landings. However, it was single-seat, something that every pilot likes by not having someone in the back looking over your shoulder. I flew it on some RDT&E* projects, but I was allowed to also fly it anytime I wanted to… and I often did. For a while, it was my little personal sports car of the air. Of course, later models with their improved engines were like little rocket ships or like Star Wars’ TIE fighters. I never got to fly those, that’s OK. I did not miss much.

‘Some years later, I would fly another A-4, the TA-4J two-seat trainer, as a flight instructor. I had been flying F-14 Tomcats at the time, but the TA-4J being so much fun to fly was not a letdown. Moreover, it was a challenging but honest aircraft for student naval aviators to hone their skills.’

Chesire concludes;

‘One more thing… with the A-4, you don’t actually fly it as you wear it. It quickly and responsively becomes an extended part of you and will do most anything you desire it to do.’

Photo by U.S. Navy

November 12, 2023 0 comment

History

The specially painted F-16 Viper celebrating 75 years of supersonic flight

by Till Daisd November 11, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The photos in this post features the 75th Anniversary of Supersonic Flight F-16 Viper

The pictures in this post celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Supersonic Flight F-16 Viper and were taken at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB). The 412th Maintenance Group has completed this special paint job. This weekend marks the first airshow held at Edwards AFB in thirteen years.

The 2022 Aerospace Valley Open House, Air Show & STEM Expo honor the first supersonic flight made by then-Capt. Chuck Yeager over Edwards AFB, as well as the 75th anniversary of the Air Force.

Using a sonic boom, Yeager used to kick off the Edwards AFB Airshow. He opened the performance with a really impressive pass while piloting a USAF fighter jet.

Yeager was selected to fly the Bell X-1, a classified experimental aircraft designed to evaluate a fixed-wing aircraft’s ability to withstand the extreme aerodynamic stresses of sonic flight as well as the human pilot’s capabilities. On October 14, 1947, he flew the X-1, attached to a B-29 mother ship, to a height of 25,000 feet (7,600 meters), over Rogers Dry Lake in southern California. Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier when the X-1 rocketed to 40,000 feet (12,000 meters), which was roughly 662 miles per hour (1,066 km) at that altitude.

He died on December 8, 2020. The NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center participates in the airshow in addition to the US Air Force (USAF).

As previously reported, the Air Force and NASA jets will be “going full steam” to see which can break the sound barrier first as part of a unique air show held beneath a supersonic corridor to commemorate the first sonic boom.

“We want to heighten that and showcase that, because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime for air shows to be able to actually go past Mach .99 and actually hit that sonic boom,” Chase Kohler of the 412th Public Affairs office said in June to Bakersfield.com.

Because the aircraft will be at an altitude, the crowd won’t be able to see them, but “they’re definitely going to hear them and feel them,” he said. “We’re just really excited to showcase that unique part.”

Photo by U.S. Air Force

November 11, 2023 0 comment

History

Although would have been easier to adapt the YF-22 for aircraft carrier operations than the YF-23, neither candidate in the ATF program was suitable for Naval operations

by Till Daisd November 10, 2023

written by Till Daisd

If the US Navy had not terminated the NATF program, would it have been easier to adapt the YF-22 for aircraft carrier operations than the YF-23?

During the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Northrop YF-23A and Lockheed YF-22A competed with one another. The US Air Force (USAF) needed to replace its F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter due to the threat of new Soviet fighters and Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) in the late 1970s, which is when the ATF program began.

In 1986, the Advanced Tactical Fighter went into the Demonstration and Validation phase. Late in 1990, the prototype aircraft (YF-22 and YF-23) completed their first flight. Extensive flight testing revealed that the YF-22 was more agile, while the YF-23 was faster and stealthier.

The YF-23A, also known as the Black Widow II, was designed with stealth in mind. Northrop chose not to use thrust vectoring for aerodynamic control, as they did on the Lockheed YF-22A, in order to save weight and improve stealth. Northrop built two YF-23A prototypes.

After deciding that the YF-22 was the best design, Lockheed/Boeing was given the development contract in 1991, and work on its engineering and manufacture started.

Although the US Navy had abandoned the Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF) by fiscal year (FY) 1992, the press speculated that the Lockheed team’s design was also adaptable for the NATF.

But if the Navy had not terminated the NATF, would it have been easier to adapt the YF-22 for aircraft carrier operations than the YF-23?

‘I can answer that because I was involved in an analysis to determine the answer to exactly this question,’ David Tussey, former US Navy A-7E Corsair II, says on Quora.

‘The F-22 is the only design of the ATF program that could have been made carrier-capable. Even then, it would have involved a major, expensive, and risky re-design. It would have, for example, swing wings such that it was compatible with carrier approach speeds, and lots and lots of other changes. It could happen, but it would have been a real stretch and expensive.

‘The F-23 was simply too long for carrier operations; it would not fit on any of today’s carriers. The length of the aircraft was such that it would not fit into the space between the catapult and the JBDs (Jet Blast Deflectors). The JBDs protect the other aircraft and flight deck personnel from the exhaust of a jet in full afterburner before catapult launch and takeoff. Putting the F-23 on a carrier would have required a redesign of the catapults and JBDs on every carrier… a total non-starter.’

Tussey concludes;

‘Neither candidate in the ATF program was really suitable for Navaoperations, ns and no such requirement existed in the ATF program. I do think, however, that a contributing factor to the losing YF-23 was the fact that it was non-compatible with carrier operations. Just a hunch…

‘Here’s a picture of the JBD at work, just prior to a catapult launch.’

Photo by Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force

November 10, 2023 0 comment

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