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aircraft

At MCAS Cherry Point, the Douglas A-4M Skyhawk was restored by Fleet Readiness Center East

by Till Daisd July 9, 2024

Douglas A-4M Skyhawk restored to its former glory

Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently had the exceptional chance to restore a piece of aviation history for display on MCAS Cherry Point.

FRCE’s Aircraft Clean and Paint shops prime and paint every aircraft that comes through the facility because it is an aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility. However, when they brought a retired Douglas A-4M Skyhawk back to life, artisans got the opportunity to “travel back in time”—the platform hasn’t been used by the depot in over 20 years.

Douglas A-4M Skyhawk restored to its former glory by Fleet Readiness Center East at MCAS Cherry Point — Having been in an aircraft storage facility for many years, the retired A-4M Skyhawk was in need of repair upon arrival at Fleet Readiness Center East.

For many FRCE artisans, such as aircraft painter Kirby Mills, working on the A-4 was a first because the Navy retired its last A-4 Skyhawk in 2003, which was 21 years ago.

“I’ve done a few restorations for display aircraft, but this is the first A-4 I’ve seen come through here,” said Mills in a NAVAIR news release. “I had never worked on an A-4 before. It was very neat and it’s nice to see it put to use.”

A-4M Skyhawk restored for historical display

FRCE had previously maintained an A-4, even though this was the depot’s first restoration of an A-4 Skyhawk for historical display. FRCE serviced A-4s from 1989 to 1996, the year the A-4 platform was retired. A-4s returning to the depot gave Stephen T. Gurley, the branch head of the Fleet Support Team’s Critical Item Management Team at FRCE, the impression that he had traveled back in time.

“The A-4 platform was the first aircraft platform I worked on at FRC East in 1991, and I spent a lot of time working on them,” said Gurley. “I traveled to different squadrons all throughout the ‘90s to repair A-4s, and now to hear about this, it’s exciting. It brings back memories.”

The first A-4

According to planner Jeffrey Mitchell of the Aircraft Transfer Branch, this project is special because of its distinctive paint scheme.

“This is the fourth historical aircraft we have done for the air station, but the first A-4,” said Mitchell. “This project was chosen to honor Marine Attack Squadron 223 here on base, who flew the A-4 until ’87 when they received their first McDonald-Douglas AV-8.”

Mitchell and his team looked for additional help because of the A-4’s historical ties, even though FRCE’s Aircraft Paint Shop offers paint schemes for the aircraft the depot services.

“We worked with historians at Marine Attack Squadron 223 for this aircraft’s paint scheme as the squadron is still stationed here,” said Mitchell. “We were able to get pictures and ideas from them, they were very helpful; we wanted to make this aircraft look like it did back in the day.”

Creative freedom with paint scheme

According to Mills, the nature of the restoration allowed them to personalize the aircraft’s paint scheme.

“It was nice to have a bit of our own creative freedom with this paint scheme,” Mills added.

In addition to having a distinctive paint scheme, according to Mitchell, painting historical aircraft for exhibition involves different procedures than painting the operational aircraft that the depot typically services.

“We still painted it with the same color schemes as what they used during that time, but the overall paint job does differ from a regular aircraft painting process,” said Mitchell. “When you see aircraft flying missions, they usually look weathered and dull. For restoration jobs, we put a good clear coat on the aircraft to help withstand the sun and weather. The clear coat really helps protect the paint from bubbling up and fading over time.”

The Skyhawk

2,960 A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were produced by Douglas between 1954 and 1979. Known by their nickname, “Heinemann’s Hot Rod” (after Douglas designer Ed Heinemann), the Bantam Bomber, Mighty Mite, and Scooter were built small to be cheap and to fit more of them on a carrier. The US Navy, Marines, and friendly nations were able to use maneuverable, powerful attack bombers with exceptional altitude and range capabilities and a remarkable degree of armament capacity thanks to Skyhawks.

Furthermore, despite the fact that the legendary A-4 was intended to be a straightforward, light-weight Navy carrier attack aircraft, the Skyhawk performed a variety of functions, including aerial refueling, nuclear strike, and adversary aircraft.

Photo by U.S. Marine Corps

July 9, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

How to get better gas mileage in a Blackbird flying at Mach 3

by Till Daisd July 8, 2024

written by Till Daisd

SR-71, KC-135Q and JP-7

If not for air refueling, the SR-71 Blackbird’s range would be relatively limited to about 2,000 NM. The aircraft’s range was increased by several air refuelings, reaching the crew’s endurance limit. A few missions have gone above 12,000 NM. The SR-71 and KC-135Q tankers’ forward basing allowed for increased overall efficiency, shorter range, shorter length missions, and faster response.

There were various ways in which KC-135Q crews and their aircraft were different from other Air Force crews. Their boom operators were the only ones qualified to refuel the SR-71, and their aircrews were the only ones qualified for Blackbird’s specific radio-silent rendezvous procedures. The Q-model tankers could transfer JP-4 and JP-7 fuel between different tanks because of the special plumbing between the fuel tanks. They may use JP-4 or JP-7 fuel in their engine. If the SR-71 landed in an area without JP-7 fuel, the Q-model tankers would fly in with the fuel and refill the aircraft using ground-based transfer hoses.

How to get better gas mileage in an SR-71 Blackbird flying at Mach 3

David Peters, former SR-71 pilot, describes how to get better gas mileage in a Blackbird flying at Mach 3.

SR-71 pilot explains how to get better gas mileage in a Blackbird flying at Mach 3 — David Peters in SR-71’s cockpit

‘We had some gimmicks we used to make fuel. Each plane was different, but the techniques were very close. As soon as we started the climb away from the tanker, I would select tank two manually and even sometimes go to manual aft transfer to get the CG aft as soon as possible. After leveling off at Mach 3, I would get the CG situated where the trim was at zero for a slight cruise climb thus eliminating induced drag. Next, I would have the aft doors in A position and manipulate the speed to close the forward doors as much as possible without creating an unstart. This might be anywhere from 3.0 to maybe as high as 3.04 or 5.

‘Much of this was dependent on the outside temperature. If it was colder than standard, you could do even better. Hotter than standard not so good but always better than the plan. Using these techniques and a few more I would often see fuel flows below 3600 lbs/hr/per engine at Mach 3. Ed and I rarely came back from a mission with less than 5,000 lbs more fuel than the flight plan called for. There are a lot of those things involved. Flying the SR required a great deal of stick and rudder abilities under some circumstances but I always told people it was primarily a cerebral machine. You had to have a very deep understanding of how it worked to get the job done.’

Skill and knowledge

Peters concludes;

‘I have said many times before, much to the contrary of the engineers, that DAFICS [digital automatic flight and inlet control system] really screwed up what the airplane was capable of just like everything we seem to do anymore, it took the skill and knowledge of the operator pretty much out of the equation. But that is another discussion.’

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by David Peters and TSgt. Michael Haggerty / U.S. Air Force

July 8, 2024 0 comment

History

The ringmaster’s Grand Finale: Ace Adolf Galland recalls his last combat mission

by Till Daisd July 7, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Legendary German Ace Adolf Galland

Lieutenant General Adolf Galland, arguably the most well-known of Germany’s fighter pilots and air leaders during World War II, is a multifaceted personality. He is among the most amazing guys to rise to a prominent position during the conflict on either side. Air power historians will surely be interested in Galland for many years because of his significant influence on the ups and downs of Germany’s aerial fortunes. He also earned his spot among the immortal aces as a fighter pilot.

General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland, one of the most influential men in the Luftwaffe from 1942 to 1944, was removed from his position early in 1945. He was soon permitted to organize Jagdverband 44, his own squadron of Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters.

Adolf Galland last mission

According to Dan Sharp’s book Spitfires over Berlin, it was with this unit that he would fly his last mission, as Galland himself wrote in The First and The Last: “On April 26, I set out on in my last mission of the war. I led six le jet fighters of the JV 44 against a formation of Marauders. Our own little directing post brought us well into contact with the enemy. The weather: varying, clouds at different altitudes, with gaps, ground visible in about only three-tenths of the operational area.

“I sighted the enemy formation in the district of Neuburg on the Danube. Once again I noticed how difficult it was, with such great difference of speed and with clouds over the landmarks, to find the relative flying direction between one’s own plane, and that of the enemy, and how difficult it was to judge the approach.

“This difficulty had already driven Lutzow to despair. He had discussed it repeatedly with me, and every time he missed his run-in, this most successful fighter commodore blamed his own inefficiency as a fighter pilot. Had there been any need for more confirmation as to the hopelessness of operations with the Me 262 by bomber pilots, our experiences would have sufficed.

“But now there was no time for such considerations. We were flying in an almost opposite direction to the Marauder formation. Each second meant that we were 300 yards nearer. I will not say that I fought this action ideally, but I led my formation to a fairly favorable firing position.

Met with considerable defensive fire

“Safety catch off the gun and rocket switch. Already at a great distance we met with considerable defensive fire. As usual in a dogfight, I was tense and excited. I forgot to release the second safety catch for the rockets. They did not go off. I was in the best firing position, I had aimed accurately and pressed my thumb flat on the release button -with no result. Maddening for any fighter pilot.

“Anyhow, my four 30mm cannon were working. They had much more firing power than we had been used to so far. At that moment, close below me, Schallmoser, the jet-rammer [he had accidentally rammed a USAAF P-38 Lightning with his Me 262 in a previous mission], whizzed past. In ramming, he made no distinction between friend or foe.”

Schallmoser, flying ‘White 14’, fired off his R4M rockets and blew up one of the B-26s.

Galland wrote: “This engagement had lasted only a fraction of a second – a very important second o be sure. One Marauder of the last string was on fire and exploded. Now I attacked another bomber in the van of the formation. It was heavily hit as I passed very close above it.

“During this breakthrough, I got a few minor hits from the defensive fire. But now I wanted to know definitely what was happening to the second bomber I had hit. I was not quite clear if it had crashed. So far, I had not noticed any fighter escort. Above the formation I had attacked last, I banked steeply to the left, and at this moment it happened: a hail of fire enveloped me. A Mustang had caught me napping.”

Adolf Galland hit by defensive fire from B-26s on his last mission

Technical Sergeant Henry Dietz, a former weapons instructor, had targeted Galland as he attempted to evaluate the harm he had inflicted on his most recent victim and had fired defensive fire from one of the B-26s.

Dietz remembered: “Probably the most important thing I remembered from gunnery school was to fire short bursts and forget about the tracer bullets – just use your sights.

“That day, we were flying as flight leader, and we were about 10 minutes from the target. I flew in the waist position from where I could see all the mechanical parts of the aircraft. I had never seen a jet before. Galland slowed down to the speed of the B-26 so that he could observe and take score. I thought `dummy’. He was flying low, right into the sights of my machine gun. I shot a burst. Nothing happened. A little higher, a little lower, I just kept shooting.”

The restoration of B-26 Marauder ‘Flak-Bait’, the Only US warplane to Survive 200 Bombing Missions during World War II — B-26 Marauder

First Lieutenant James Finnegan of the 10th Fighter Squadron, 50th Fighter Group, who was piloting a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt escort fighter, had also spotted Dietz as he was firing into Galland’s machine.

Finnegan later recalled: “I was leading the top-cover of P-47s that was escorting the B-26s to their target. As I gazed down I saw two objects come zipping through the formation, and two bombers blew up immediately.

“I watched the two objects go through the bomber formation, and thought ‘That can’t be a prop job, it’s got to be one of the 262 jets’. I was at about 13,000ft and estimated them to be at about 9000-10,000. They were climbing, and I pulled a split-S toward the one that turned left, and almost ended up right on top of him – about 75 yards away.

Instrument panel shattered

“I gave a three second burst and saw strikes on the right hand engine and wing root. Since I was going so fast, I went right through everything, and guessed my speed at about 500mph. I recorded it as a probable. I was flying a D model Thunderbolt with a bubble canopy, a natural metal finish and a black nose. The 262 had green and brown mottled camouflage with some specks of yellow. That turned out to be my last flight in a P-47.”

Galland wrote: “A sharp rap hit my right knee. The instrument panel with its indispensable instruments was shattered. The right engine was also hit. Its metal covering worked loose in the wind and was partly carried away. Now the left engine was hit too. I could hardly hold her in the air.

“In this embarrassing situation I had only one wish: to get out of this crate, which now apparently was only good for dying in. But then I was paralysed with terror of being shot while parachuting down. Experience had taught us that we jet fighter pilots had to reckon on this. I soon discovered that my battered Me 262 could be steered again after some adjustments.

“After a dive through the layer of cloud I saw the Autobahn below me. Ahead of me lay Munich and to the left Riem. In a few seconds I was over the airfield. It was remarkably quiet and dead below. Having regained my self-confidence, I gave the customary wing wobble and started banking to come in.

Straight down into the fireworks

“One engine did not react at all to the throttle. I could not reduce it. Just before the edge of the airfield I therefore had to cut out both engines. A long trail of smoke drifted behind me. Only at this moment I noticed that Thunderbolts in a low-level attack were giving our airfield the works.

“Now I had no choice. I had not heard the warnings of our ground post because my wireless had faded out when I was hit. There remained only one thing to do: straight down into the fireworks. Touching down, I realised that the tyre of my nosewheel was flat. It rattled horribly as the earth again received me at a speed of 150mph on the small landing strip.

“Brake! Brake! The kite would not stop. But at last I was out of the kite and into the nearest bomb crater. There were plenty of them on our runways. Bombs and rockets exploded all around; bursts of shells from the Thunderbolts whistled and banged.

“A new low-level attack. Out of the fastest fighter in the world and into a bomb crater, that was an unutterably wretched feeling. Through all the fireworks an armoured tractor came rushing across to me. It pulled up sharply close by. One of our mechanics. Quickly I got in behind him. He turned and raced off on the shortest route away from the airfield. In silence I slapped him on the shoulder.

Five certain kills without loss

“He understood better what I wanted to say than any words about the unity between flying and ground personnel could have expressed.

“The other pilots who took part in this operation were directed to neighbouring airfields or came; into Riem after the attack. We reported five certain kills without loss to ourselves. I had to go to Munich to a hospital for treatment of my scratched knee. The X-ray showed two splinters in the kneecap. It was put in plaster. A fine business.”

As Galland was no longer able to serve and Steinhoff remained hospitalized following an accident involving his Me 262 on April 16, Oberstleutnant Heinz Bar took over operational command of JV 44. The unit was ordered to move to Salzburg-Maxglan on April 28. There, it was to operate from positions in the woods along the Munich-Salzburg Autobahn. This turned out to be JV 44’s last action.

As the Americans approached on May 4, the unit blew up its Me 262s by placing explosives into the engine intakes. The pilots who were still alive, were captured and brought in for interrogation. The next day, Galland surrendered to American forces, and JV 44 was no more.

Spitfires Over Berlin is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here along with many other beautiful aviation books.

The ringmaster’s Grand Finale: Legendary German Ace Adolf Galland recalls his last combat mission — Me 262

Photo by U.S. Air Force Noop1958 and German Federal Archive via Wikipedia

July 7, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

B-58 navigator did more bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission

by Till Daisd July 4, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The B-58 Hustler

On November 11, 1956, the US Air Force’s B-58, the nation’s first operational supersonic bomber, took off. The Hustler was distinguished by its delta wing design, in addition to its sophisticated inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, a slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and an extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in the fuselage; and wings.

A nuclear weapon, additional fuel, and other specialized gear were all contained in a droppable, two-component pod located beneath the fuselage, as the thin fuselage made it impossible to carry explosives within. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defense systems operator.

Richard “Butch” Sheffield, was flying the B-47 as navigator/bombardier, he volunteered for the then brand new B-58.

He writes about it in his book “The Very First,” which he left for his family.

More bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission

‘After we got back to Ft. Worth from SOS (squadrons officer school) in early 1962, I started flying with my new B-58 pilot, Major Dick Reynolds. I soon learned he was just as aggressive as I was, and we made a great team. He would fly anywhere, anytime, and for as long as I wanted.

‘One night, after we had flown for about ten hours and made more bomb runs than anyone ever had in the B-58 on one mission, he found out that some KC-135 tankers were coming back to the area with leftover fuel on board and would be willing to give it to us.

‘He lined up about five tankers with about ten thousand pounds of fuel each and filled out tanks so we could fly six more hours, thus breaking the record for flight length in the B-58.

‘After we topped off, we headed for the bomb plot to make more bomb runs when the command post came on the air and ordered us to dump the fuel and land right away. The Wing Command heard about what we were doing and thought it might be a safety-of-flight issue. Also, higher headquarters wanted to know what we were up to when the tankers started reporting the offloads to us.

‘I thought Dick was going to be in lots of trouble over the refueling, but I never heard about it. I believe they found out just how aggressive he was, and they liked it.’

Combat Crew Training School

He continues;

B-58 navigator recalls dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit) while flying at 500 feet and at 628 knots, low level recce missions, dinner with Doolittle Raiders and Jimmy Stewart — Richard Butch Sheffield (in the middle) B-58 crew.

‘The (43rd) wing soon checked our crew out as instructors and assigned us to the Combat Crew Training School (CCTS), where we taught all the new students coming into the B-58 Program for the next four years.

‘My job was to teach the Bombing and Navigation System (ASQ-42) for one week each month to the new Radar Navigators (RN) and one day to the Pilots and DSO’s. This was a heavy load. I had to do everything other B-58 RNs did, plus teach. Even my vacations had to be planned around the teaching load. I taught this course from 1962 to 1964.

‘Even with our crew being out of action for one week out of each month to teach in the CCTS, we still were beating all the other crews by getting the most bomb runs (with the best scores) and navigation legs per mission.

‘We were rated best crew in the wing in 1963.

B-58 on nuclear alert during Cuban Missile Crisis

‘During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the B-58 Wing did not have a group of aircraft on alert like other SAC Bomb Wings because we were still doing CATEGORY II & III tests on the new weapon system. When the President ordered the military to get ready for war, the Wing Commander, B/G Brick Holstrom, ordered the Wing to get all our B-58s ready and load them with nukes.

‘Soon, we had forty B-58s loaded and ready to go but had no targets or tanker support. When SAC Headquarters found out, they gave us targets and tankers. Carswell had B-52s and tankers on alert, so there was no place for the B-58 alert crews to stay on base.

‘We pre-flighted our aircraft, studied our target, and were sent home to await a call from the Command Post to report to the aircraft and launch. I was armed with my snub-nosed Cal. 38 handguns and wore the nuclear weapons “GO” code around my neck. I felt odd being in the house like that with the kids around.

‘Soon, our Squadrons’ Operations Building had beds and guards, so we moved onto the base. We stayed on alert for a long time, about thirty days.’
Sheffield concludes;

‘Our house was right near the flight line. I told (wife) Rosie, if you hear us taking off, put the kids in the car and drive west. She had already bought canned goods and water. It was a terrifying time for the Country and us.’

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

B-58 navigator recalls doing more bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission, being on nuclear alert during Cuban Missile Crisis

Photo by Linda Sheffield Miller and U.S. Air Force

July 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

After a mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster, an SR-71 Blackbird was checked with a Geiger counter before being allowed to taxi into the hangar

by Till Daisd July 4, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Blackbird

Developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft, the SR-71, sometimes known unofficially as the “Blackbird,” is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to begin service in January 1966. The first SR-71 flight occurred on December 22, 1964. On January 26, 1990, the US Air Force (USAF) retired its fleet of SR-71 aircraft.

For almost 24 years, the SR-71 held the record for being the fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft in the world. It could cover 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from 80,000 feet. The Blackbird’s extraordinary capabilities allowed it to gather intelligence in some of the most hostile environments.

SR-71 Blackbird Mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster

Former SR-71 RSO, Lt. Col. Doug Soifer, recalls in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Revealed The Inside Story;

‘Mike Smith and I were TDY for our first time to Mildenhall for our normal six-week rotation. We went to the Det one morning to fly a routine six-hour sortie—the Barents and the Baltic. During the preflight briefings, the intelligence officer said a nuclear power site (Chernobyl) in the Soviet Union had an accident a few hours earlier. They had no other information on it yet. The weather briefing officer gave his normal briefing but also mentioned they double-checked with the weather service at Offutt AFB that we would not fly through any of the fall-out from Chernobyl. With the briefings done and no one concerned about our route of flight, we went to the jet and flew a normal mission.

‘The normal routine after an operational mission is to land and continue to taxi off the runway and directly into the hangar so they could download the mission take. But as we landed and turned off the runway, we were told to stop way before the hangar. We both thought this was very strange and couldn’t understand why we were stopping here. Then one person, and only one, dressed in very funny-looking gear, came walking up to the plane.’

Soifer continues;

‘As he got closer, we could see he was in full chemical gear and had a Geiger counter. After they had guaranteed Mike and I that we were in no danger of through radiation from Chernobyl, they were checking the plane before any of THEM would get close to us! Once he walked about the plane with the Geiger counter, we were allowed to continue to taxi into the hangar.’

Photo by NASA and Unknown

July 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired 6 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against 6 different targets

by Till Daisd July 3, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The AIM-54 Phoenix

The controversial F-111B, which was being developed for the Navy’s carrier fighter inventory, was replaced by the F-14 Tomcat in 1968. The F-14 Tomcat was built with a focus on close-in fighting with “claws” and standoff missile fighting.

Overall, among the Free World fighters of the Cold War, the F-14 was unmatched. The AWG-9 weapons control system on the Tomcat could guide six long-range AIM-54A Phoenix missiles against six different threat aircraft.

The AIM-54 was a large missile with a 1,000lb weight and a Mach 5 speed. It has the potential to reach a height of 100,000 feet, where, in loft mode, it can fly unheard-of distances before tipping over and using its own terminally active radar to complete an intercept upwards of a hundred miles away.

US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against six different targets simultaneously during the six-on-six missile shot test

The six-on-six missile shot test

The ability to launch six Phoenix against six different targets was unprecedented and became a force multiplier as F-14 Tomcat pilot John ‘Smoke’ Wilson explains in the book Half Century, Baby! by David ‘Hey Joe’ Parsons and Mads Bangsø.

‘As the F-14 gang at Pt Mugu were aware (sometimes painfully) Program Office (PMA) 241’s deputy for weapons trials was Clyde Tuomela. I came back from a flight and had a message that he wanted to see me. Clyde said to me ‘Swoose’ (as in Snead, the PMA at the time) was getting a lot of pressure from Congress to demonstrate the six-on-six shot: “He wants YOU to do it ASAP but don’t screw it up.”

‘As the senior pilot of the Joint Evaluation Team (JET) and the Flight Test Officer of the Naval Missile Center, I probably could have opted for the test, but Swoose designating me was a convenient cop out. Jack Hawver and I had many discussions within the JET team, and with the Hughes people both at Mugu and at Conoga Park, as to what the test was going to look like. We (and the Hughes crews) had fired several multi-target shots before (up to 4v4), and their parameters were taken into consideration. Once we decided, Jack and I flew’ simulations on every AWG-9 simulator that was available in the country. We then briefed the PMA on what we proposed. Part of the work up also included discussions with the test conductors and the targets people to see if it was possible to do a six-target presentation.

Six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against six different targets at the same time

‘The formation consisted of one BQM-34E at Mach 1.2, three BQM-34Cs at Mach 0.9, and two QT-33s at Mach 0.7. They were to be in a line abreast at the 30-mile ‘open fire’ with the AWG-9 prioritizing the targets, making the supersonic target automatically the #1 priority since it was the greatest threat. During our simulation, we discovered that if we shot it first, we would not have had six missiles tracking at the same time. So, after the initial detection at 58 miles, Jack reset the priority so six missiles would all be heading down range towards their targets at the same time.

‘Per a preflight agreement, I fired the first and last missile from the front cockpit and Jack fired the other four using the RIO launch button, getting them all off in 38 seconds. At that range, the Phoenix missiles began their climbs towards 100,000ft as I looked up; the six contrails looked like SA-2 smoke trails over downtown Hanoi during an Alpha Strike! The missiles all carried telemetry packages in lieu of warheads to provide accurate measurements of performance.

‘The first missile was a direct hit on a BQM-34C. The missile fired at the BQM-34E took the miss distance-scoring pod off the wing of the drone. Both QT-33s were hit in the empennage area. When they slowed down for recovery, they lost control and spun in short of San Clemente Island. Of the other two BQM-34Cs, one had a missile within lethal range and the other experienced an internal malfunction before the Phoenix could get to it, but not before demonstrating that the AWG-9 could guide six missiles concurrently.

The video of the actual firings

‘In retrospect, the fact that the operation was accomplished at all, let alone within two months’ time with only one dry run, was a tribute to all who participated in the ‘six-on-six’, which only happened that one time. It was certainly my privilege to have been the shooter.

‘The videos of the actual firings were taken/recorded/telemetered to the ground by an experimental system on an F-4 piloted by Roger Box, soon to be my relief as the Flight Test Officer, and subsequently, my relief as CAG-14.’

The following video is the original six-on-six missile shot clip.

Half Century, Baby! is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here and here.

Photo by U.S. Navy

July 3, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Why no cockpit requires as much concentration as a Blackbird’s

by Till Daisd July 2, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Blackbird

The Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft were the basis for the long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft known as the SR-71, or “Blackbird,” as it was informally called.

The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to begin service in January 1966. The first SR-71 flight occurred on December 22, 1964.

Everything that had come before the Blackbird was not comparable. “Everything had to be invented. Everything,” renowned aircraft designer Kelly Johnson of Skunk Works recalled in an intriguing article that appeared on the Lockheed Martin website.

Unique SR-71 Cockpit photos show why no cockpit demands as much intense focus as a Blackbird’s

The SR-71 was created to operate at extraordinary velocities, altitudes and temperatures: actually, it was the first aircraft constructed with titanium, as the friction caused by air molecules moving over its surface at Mach 2.6 would melt a standard aluminum frame.

No cockpit demands as much intense focus as an SR-71 Blackbird’s

The SR-71’s mission was to capture images, detect electronic surveillance using its sensors, and fly in a safe manner near the enemy’s border. The Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) handled all of that and more.

According to Curt Mason, the owner of the Project Habu website, who kindly shared the unique images in this post, “No cockpit demands as much intense focus as an SR-71 Blackbird’s, and in frustrating irony, no cockpit offers a better view,” because of the Blackbird’s special capabilities.

“There was no time to look out the window. The plane knew when your eyes started to wander to the spectacle of earth from 85,000 feet; that’s when something would go wrong. There was much to monitor.* The many “steam gauge” instruments reflect a bygone era, giving the pilot information ranging from heading to compressor inlet temperature, each dial representing a critically important system.

“Even though this cockpit was operated through 2,854 flight hours, it looks brand new. That’s because it was only ever flown using the gloved hands of a crew member wearing the essential high-altitude pressure suit. Every control is large enough to be adjusted with those bulky pressure suit gloves.

“You sit atop your throne, the SR-1 ejection seat, which carries a rare 100% success rate. To operate the circuit breakers, you must reach beside and behind your seat, outside your field of view through the pressure suit helmet. To make sure you actuate the correct breaker, you count down the rows and columns by feel.”

SR-71A 17975 with her cockpit open

Mason concludes;

“March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, is kind enough to display SR-71A 17975 with her cockpit open. This gives us a rare peek inside the world of the Blackbird, allowing us to look inside something that was formerly top secret and reserved only for a privileged few crew members. These photos were captured using a camera extended into the cockpit via monopod. At no point did I or my equipment come in contact with the artifact.”

Photo by Curt Mason / Project Habu and U.S. Air Force

*SR-71 pilot David Peters gives more details about “looking out the Blackbird window.” He recalls: “Buzz Carpenter (pilot) and John Murphy (RSO) were flying a DMZ mission out of Kadena and were about 75,000 in bound when John spotted an object out his left window, which turned out to be a weather ballon. He told Buzz to look out the left window and Buzz said no, he was busy. John gave him a bad time and Buzz finally said you don’t look outside because the airplane knows and does weird stuff. Of course, that was a joke between them but I honestly don’t know anybody after a few flights that were not comfortable with the airplane. I looked out as much as I could because it is obviously the greatest seat in the world.”

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

July 2, 2024 0 comment

History

B-58 navigator recalls dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit)

by Till Daisd July 1, 2024

written by Till Daisd

B-58 Navigator

The first operational supersonic bomber of the US Air Force, the B-58, took flight on November 11, 1956. Apart from its delta wing design, the Hustler was distinguished by its advanced inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, its slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and its extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in both the wings and fuselage.

Since the thin fuselage prevented the carrying of bombs internally, a droppable, two-component pod beneath the fuselage contained a nuclear weapon, along with extra fuel or other specialized gear. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defense systems operator.

Richard “Butch” Sheffield, was flying the B-47 as navigator/bombardier, he volunteered for the then brand new B-58.

“Mainline”

As he explains in his unpublished book “The Very First,” the USAF needed a long-range, low-level reconnaissance system. This became apparent during the Cuban missile crisis. General Powers, CINCSAC, ordered the 43rd Bomb Wing to do it, and we did.

He recalls;

‘Our crew was selected. Only six crews in the wing were made “Mainline crews.” They are the best crews in the wing.

‘We trained at five hundred feet and six hundred knots. The radar was almost useless at the low altitude, so we had to navigate by dead reckoning and map reading. It was exhilarating flying that fast at those low levels. I don’t believe most SAC personnel knew about this capability.

‘The B-58 reconnaissance crew’s code name was “Mainline.” The fact that the B-58 had a reconnaissance capability was kept close hold so our adversaries did not know.

‘Our crew was selected to fly to the UK with the reconnaissance pod on board. The flight was uneventful. A far cry from the first time I had crossed the Atlantic all by myself, shooting stars the whole time. The B-58’s navigation system was almost automatic. It had a star tracker for heading, Doppler for ground speed, and inertial for all movement of the airframe.

‘After we landed, another crew took the aircraft to France and then back home to Carswell. The B-58 program did not treat its crews well like the program I was heading for did [the SR-71 Blackbird program]. They could have arranged a better way for us to return home, but did not.’

Dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit)

He continues;

‘SAC had a program called “Dual Exhaust.” The program was to test the reliability of the real nuclear weapons SAC possessed. We were selected to drop a real Mark-53 nuclear weapon at White Sands test range in New Mexico with the nuclear pit removed [Plutonium].

‘We dropped it at five hundred feet about the ground and at six hundred and twenty-eight knots. After release, we pitched up into a forty-five-degree bank and watched it go off. It looked just like a nuke explosion.

‘We decided to fly back to Carswell subsonic with altitude hold-off, to see how high the aircraft would go without the pod on it. It just keeps climbing, higher and higher, we finally stopped the climb at about *forty-seven thousand feet. This was the only time I was never in a B-58 without the pod; it sure flew like a bird without one.’

B-58 navigator at dinner with Doolittle Raiders and Jimmy Stewart

Sheffield continues;

‘Our Wing Commander, B/G Brick Holstrom, was a “Doolittle Raider.” He was one of the first pilots to take off from the aircraft carrier Hornet to bomb Tokyo. He was as fine of a gentleman as I ever knew. He really liked our crew, I think it was because of Dick Reynolds and his can do attitude.

‘On April 18, 1964, the “Raiders” all got together in Ft. Worth for one of their annual reunions and we got to attend. Jimmy Stewart was master of ceremonies. General Doolittle was there and all the living raiders. It was a fine affair.’

Up until 1964, when he was hired away to the SR-71 program, Sheffield remained with the B-58s. Early in March 1965, after passing the astronaut physical at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas without problems, he arrived at Beale Air Force Base, home of the USAF Blackbird fleet.

Check out Habubrats SR-71’s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by Linda Sheffield Miller and U.S. Air Force

July 1, 2024 0 comment

History

Why Scaled Composites ARES was like a mini A-10 Warthog

by Till Daisd June 28, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Scaled Composites ARES

Agile Responsive Effective Support (ARES) is a full-scale proof-of-concept demonstrator that was developed as a concept in support of a US Army request for a Low-Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft (LCBAA). The LCBAA design goals were low-altitude, anti-tank, battlefield support with long endurance, and capable of operating outside of improved airfields environment.

Having logged over 430 hours of flight time, ARES has proven to be capable of meeting all design performance and handling goals, including departure-free handling at full aft stick. Tests of the GAU-12/U gun system installed in ARES were conducted in November 1991, yielding excellent results.

A mini A-10

‘Think of it as a mini A-10,’ says Damien Leimbach, former US Air Force (USAF) Avionics Technician on Quora.

‘It’s a single-seat, single-engine, canard-style Close Air Support aircraft with an internal 25mm Gatling gun.

‘The engine and single intake are mounted on the opposite side of the plane from the gun to balance it out and prevent the engine from ingesting propellant gasses from the gun.

‘It’s fast, cheap to operate and easy to build. Most importantly, it has the ONE THING troops want and that the potential replacements for the A-10 lack.

‘A big ass gun.’

The Scaled Composites ARES, the mini A-10 that never was that played the part of the secret Me 263 jet in the movie Iron Eagle III

Movie enthusiasts might also recall the ARES from its appearance in the iconic Iron Eagle III as the secret Me 263 jet. The aircraft has been turned into a commercially accessible research test bed following its movie debut. The aircraft was kept in storage at the Mojave Spaceport in December 2000 until Scaled Composites merged with Northrop Grumman and resumed flying on March 7, 2008.

As many off-the-shelf components as possible

Leimbach explains:

‘It was designed from the start to use as many off-the-shelf components as possible. The jet engine is used in Cessna Citations. The hydraulics are from a Piper Malibu. The data bus is from an F-16. The gun is the GE GAU-12, already used in [AV-8B] Harriers and [as a lighter four-barrel cannon designated GAU-22/A] F-35s. It has pylons to carry things like small-diameter bombs, Hydra rockets, and Hellfires if upgraded with a targeting pod. For air-to-air it can also carry Sidewinders and Stingers.

‘The plane can withstand 8 G’s, and because it is so lightweight, it has a range of 1200 miles.’

Leimbach concludes:

‘It has a combat radius of over 600 miles, and for reference, the A-10’s is 250. Although I will concede that the A-10 carries a lot more than the Ares.

‘But just think about flooding the skies with these. What a sight.’

In the following video, legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan reveals the secrets of ARES.

Photo by Resplendent via Wikipedia

June 28, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

F-14 test pilot recalls when his Tomcat was scorched after a Mach 2+ test sortie

by Till Daisd June 27, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-14 Tomcat

In the 1986 movie “Top Gun,” the F-14 Tomcat had a key part. The Navy required an aircraft to defend its surface fleets from hostile aircraft and long-range anti-ship missiles. The Air Force’s F-111 fighter bomber’s naval version was not suitable for aircraft carrier operations, so its radar and long-range AIM-54 Phoenix air intercept missile systems were moved to a completely new design, the F-14, which could engage multiple enemies over a distance of 90 miles.

Because this heavy weaponry required an interceptor to move quickly, Grumman created the F-14’s extremely efficient variable-sweep wing, which allowed the aircraft to fly at a range of air speeds.

Mach 2+ test sortie

Doyle Borchers, a former US Navy F-14 test pilot, recalls on Quora an exhilarating Mach 2+ test sortie flown in a Tomcat.

‘I was a Navy Test Pilot on the F-14A project, so I got lots of supersonic time in the Tomcat. When I commanded an F-14 squadron on a test flight, I took a new Radar Intercept Officer supersonic for his first time. It was a neat thing to go Mach 2 also.

‘The F-14 was limited to about 1.7 indicated Mach. The Mach meter got squirrely in that region. The airframe was limited to a much higher true Mach. I looked up the meteorology info for that morning and checked out the temperature at 45000 feet. (True Mach is a function of air temperature).

F-14 Tomcat scorched after a Mach 2+ test sortie

‘Anyway, I saw that if I got us to 1.72 indicated Mach that morning, we would exceed a true Mach 2 at that altitude. So, we launched and got to altitude and lit the burners, and accelerated to 1.72 indicated Mach. Mission accomplished.’

Borchers concludes;

‘We landed and as I was taxiing into the line the plane captain seemed excited. I got out and post flighted the airplane. The whole rear end of the airplane was scorched. Got in to debrief and rechecked the air temp at 45K and metro had screwed up. At the temp that we actually flew at, we must have exceeded Mach 2 considerably since the epoxy paint on the airplane was designed to withstand temperatures up to 2.4M.’

Photo by Dave “Bio” Baranek

June 27, 2024 0 comment

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