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aviation

The SR-71 pilot remembers when his Blackbird was hit by a missile fired by a Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat

by Till Daisd May 30, 2024

The MiG-25 Foxbat

The USSR revealed the existence of the MiG-25 (NATO reporting name “Foxbat”), which looked to be the most lethal fighter aircraft in the world in the late 1960s. This aircraft could outpace any fighter in the air and any other military aircraft except the SR-71 Blackbird.

The Foxbat could reach heights of up to 78,000 feet when equipped with two R-40 missiles (designated by NATO as AA-6 “Acrid”), but it could only reach 68,900 feet when all four missiles were deployed. By contrast, the Habu flew at cruise speeds above Mach 3 at over 80,000 feet.

However, Col. Darrel Cobb himself says in this interview with his son Chris that after an SR-71 Blackbird, he was piloting was fired on by a MiG-25,

The “holy grail” of the soviet air defense system: shooting down an SR-71 Blackbird

‘Operational missions.

‘First, let me assure you; we never broke President Eisenhower’s promise to cease overflying the Soviet Union. We remained over international water – 12 mi offshore.

‘All of my operational flying was from Kadena, Okinawa. Area of interest was Vietnam; Korea; Vladivostok, USSR; China. Later, we flew transatlantic & return from Seymour Johnson, NC supporting the Israel-Arab war. After I left the program, the SR flew from Mildenhall, England & Bodo, Norway.

‘We already touched on missions against Vietnam & the only night mission.

‘Today let’s cover “north missions.”

‘Take off, refuel & head into the Sea of Japan; between Japan & south Korea. Accelerated to operational speed – 3.20. Head directly at Vladivostok. headquarters of USSR air defense; and test/r & d of new radar & intercept development. 2200 mph guaranteed to light up all the radar & intercept systems they had.

‘A MiG-25 interceptor squadron was based just outside of Vladivostok. The “holy grail” of the soviet air defense system was to shoot down an SR-71.

‘Turn north up the Sea of Japan & make a U-turn back down the USSR coast (12 mi offshore) with ELINT & SIGINT recorders going full bore. Photo cameras looking oblique into the USSR, updating the interceptor air order of battle. Head south east till past Vladivostok then turn slightly left then right to cross Korea at the DMZ. Photo cameras updating N. Korea force readiness to resume hostilities against S. Korea.

SR-71 Blackbird fired on by a MiG-25

‘Continue down the Yellow Sea coast of China. All sensors evaluating China’s threat to Taiwan. Turn left- decel & land at Kadena. I flew this profile several times during the 4 years I flew ops missions. One of these got very, very thrilling. Southbound, passing Vladivostok, Reg (my RSO) announced;

‘”We’ve got a fighter locked on – it’s gotta be a MiG-25″

‘”Our DEF [Defensive Electronic Gear, DEF. It Provided ground-to-air and air-to-air missile protection. Still Classified. Def systems were labeled DEF A,B,C,E and G. Later modifications to the DEF Systems resulted in DEF A2, C2, H and M systems. Nearing retirement of the SR-71, a programmable DEF labeled A2C could defeat all known threats to the Blackbirds] is blanketing all beautifully.”

‘”Oops – he just fired – – we’ve got a missile locked on”

‘”Our def has shifted to its missile magic”

‘”There – lock’s broken. Missile’s back in search”

‘”That’s weird – sounds like the missile’s locked on – but not locked on us”

‘”He’s gone – coming up on the “s” turn to the DMZ.”’

Fast forward to late 1976 Col. Cobb retired from the Air Force.

MiG-25 at risk of being shot down by its own missile

Cobb continues;

‘I’m retired! Learning that retirement means no days off; no vacation; no holidays; big pay cut.

‘I find the aircraft TV channel & history channel. Lots & lots of SR-71 films. I avidly watch at every opportunity. In my den, glued to the TV & today’s SR-71 show, & who do I see comparing the MiG-25 with the SR-71??

SR-71 pilot recalls that time his Blackbird flew so fast that he and his RSO landed at Kadena AB two hours before they took off from Beale AFB beating the sun

‘You’re right — Lt. Victor Belenko!

‘He was totally gobsmacked; his MiG-25 burned up the engines getting to Mach 3 yet the SR’s cruise speed was greater than 3.0.

‘Belenko is the one who said that the Holy Grail of Soviet air defense was to shoot down an SR.

‘He told of how they would pre-position ahead of the SR’s radar track and had to zoom up to get a lock on & fire their missile.

‘Belenko stressed how quickly & precisely they had to perform because the window of opportunity was so very short.

‘Their target was traveling at 3600 ft/sec. Faster than a speeding bullet.

‘He described in detail how precise the post-firing breakaway had to be executed to avoid getting shot down by their own missile; talking as though they found this out the “hard way.”’

Cobb Concludes;

‘Man talk about intense attention – – I’m quickly mentally replaying that tape from the inter-phone – –

‘”We’ve got a fighter locked on – it’s gotta be a Mig-25″

‘”Our DEF is blanketing all beautifully.”

‘”Oops – he just fired – – we’ve got a missile locked on”

‘”Our def has shifted to its missile magic”

‘”There – lock’s broken. Missile’s back in search.

‘”That’s weird – sounds like the missile’s locked on – but not locked on us.”’

What happened to the missile fired by the MiG-25 Foxbat at the SR-71 Blackbird?

What happened to the missile fired by the MiG-25? Could it have locked onto the Foxbat itself? Could the SR-71 DEF have deceived it? We’ll never know.

But since the SR-71’s cruising speed was more than the MiG-25’s Acrid missiles’ maximum speed, we might presume that the Blackbird just outran the AA-6. The MiG-25 was unable to carry out a head-on intercept, and there was no chance that a Foxbat could conduct a tail-chase intercept of an SR-71. The Foxbat’s fire control system and radar were insufficiently advanced to handle the challenges of a head-on intercept at closing speeds that would exceed Mach 5.

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

Photo by Dmitriy Pichugin via Wikimedia and U.S. Air Force

May 30, 2024 0 comment

History

F-4 crew members discuss the problems with Phantom II and why, despite its flaws, they loved flying it

by Till Daisd May 28, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-4 Phantom II

Constructed initially as a high-altitude interceptor, the F-4 Phantom II soon proved to be a unique aircraft, setting more than a dozen world records for speed, altitude, and climb time. The F-4 was special in that it lacked an internal cannon and was powered by radar-guided missiles. To use its sophisticated sensors and weaponry, an individual known as a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) was needed.

The aircraft had its first flight in 1958, and starting in 1960, and it was first delivered to Navy and Marine Corps squadrons in 1960. It became one of the most frequently used aircraft in aviation history when its performance and versatility eventually drew the attention of not only the US Air Force but also the air forces of 10 other countries.

The F-4 flew with the Air Force Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels and was the primary air superiority aircraft for the Navy and Air Forces for more than 20 years.

A nearly perfect machine

Was there anything negative about the legendary F-4 Phantom, even if its incredible skills are undeniable?

John Chesire, an F-4 US Navy combat pilot in the Vietnam War, claimed that the mighty Phantom was almost a flawless aircraft.

US Navy F-4 pilot tells the story of when his skipper flew straight for China after his compass precessed during a MIGCAP mission over North Vietnam

‘Nothing was “bad” about the F-4 Phantom! Only three things as I recall were regrettable… Its excessive engine smoke, its wide turning radius, and its lack of a gun. But its many strengths far outweighed these lesser disadvantages. And with training, they were easily overcome.

‘It was a superior aircraft, along with its later more advanced ‘look-down-shoot-down” pulse doppler radar (PD) weapons systems in the “J” model. It was advanced for its time and years later too.

‘Designed as a high-speed, long-range fleet air defense interceptor against Soviet bombers, it thankfully never met that mission. It later surprised everyone by how diverse its other superior capabilities were. The F-4 was extremely successful in varied multi-missions.

‘It was my most favorite aircraft that I ever flew! It was an awesome aircraft, and we became good friends together, forever!’

Phantom II issues: maneuverability, smoke from the engines and radar

Rick Danzey, who flew US Air Force F-4 Phantom IIs from 1980 to 1988 recalls:

‘The Phantom takes heat for its maneuverability. The hard-wing variants did not turn as well as the slatted models. Smaller planes could out turn it however a well-flown Phantom was the king until the next generation fighters came out. Even then, a Phantom could do well tactically against 14s, 15s, 16s and 18s. I think that the two-seat Phantom was a tactical advantage as it gave us a second set of eyes in the fight.

‘The smoke from the engines was an issue. The smokeless engines made a huge difference/improvement.

‘The radar was a limitation with best contacts occurring inside of 25 miles.

‘Regarding AIM-7 missile employment. My WSO, Fish, and I had the opportunity to shoot one AIM-7F at a PQM-102 (drone F-102). We hit the maneuvering drone right in the weapons bay and broke the drone in half. I did throw a party that night as it was the first kill for the WSEP deployment for our squadron.’

Instead, according to Randy Raines, former Capt. USMC (1972–1988) F-4 RIO, the Phantom had several issues:

F-4 Phantom II issues

‘They were always broken. When you reported in from a flight it was “up & up” if the plane and the avionics were working. “up & Down” if the plane was OK but the avionics was down. I can probably count on two hands the number of times I called in “up & up”. I was in four squadrons over my career and every one of them had all the planes grounded until something could be fixed. Fuel leaks were a huge problem.

‘Designed as an interceptor the structure had a hard time handling the high G’s of 1V1 combat. Then there was the bleed air system (which I understand the USAF shut down) that bleed hot exhaust gas over the leading and trailing edge of the wing when the flaps were down. That system was a continuous problem. Picture hot exhaust leaking next to a wing full of JP-5. We came pretty close to losing a plane because the crew didn’t recognize the problem and didn’t shut the valve controlling the system off.

‘Then there was the problem in the tail when you pulled the drag chute. Radios, both comm and nav, designed in the 50’s (lots and lots of tubes) were Huge problem! A box maybe 10″ X 10″ by 20″ in the nose wheel well, another one about half that size under my seat, plus control boxes for each cockpit. I remember a section flight out of San Francisco where one plane had the comm, another had the nav, and the third plane was squawking (IFF). Just before I got out they reconfigured my cockpit and installed a Bendix emergency radio above the radar scope. It was similar to the little box you see in Cessnas. Solid state reliability.

F-4 pulse radar

‘The F-4B had a pulse radar. If you were close, lower, had a peaked up set, and you knew about where the boggy was you could get a radar lock in the mountains. No way if you were looking down. The F-4J had a pulse Doppler Radar. When it was working there was no ground clutter. I think I may have had one that worked. But, our F-4s were old Navy “hand me downs” Scuttlebut had it that one was flown by Randy Cunningham in Vietnam. He and Willy [William Patrick “Willy Irish” Driscoll, Cunningham’s RIO] must have pulled some serious G’s because the pilots said that they couldn’t make it fly straight.

‘The avionics shop got mad at us because we stopped turning on the “main” radio. I heard that the Navy crew that maintained the Blue Angles loved the simplicity of the A-4 that replaced the F-4 during the 70’s gas crisis. I imagine it was the extra time off they had that really pleased them.’

Nevertheless, Raines concludes:

‘Having said all that, I loved the F-4. It was a great plane that always brought you home.’

How a VMFA-333 F-4 Phantom II scored the only USMC Mig Kill of the Vietnam War

Photo by U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps

May 28, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

USAF F-102 pilot recalls being left alone in the cockpit of a KC-135 flying from the US to Okinawa

by Till Daisd May 27, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-102 Delta Dagger

The F-102 Delta Dagger was designed primarily to intercept and kill hostile aircraft. It was the first operational delta-wing aircraft in the USAF’s history as well as the first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor in the world. On October 24, 1953, the F-102 conducted its first flight. In 1956, it joined the Air Defense Command and began operating regularly. During the peak of their use in the late 1950s, F-102 aircraft outfitted over 25 ADC squadrons. Out of the 1,000 F-102s that Convair produced, 889 were F-102As.

Vietnam was the destination of the F-102 Delta Dagger fighter aircraft from the 16th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing at Naha Air Base, Okinawa.

F-102 pilot alone in the cockpit of a KC-135

Former F-102 pilot Roger Daisley recalls on Quora;

‘During the Vietnam era, I was stationed in Okinawa, as a pilot, flying the F-102. I had just finished an R&R to the states and was returning to Okinawa. To get back, I caught a “hop” in a KC-135 (Jet tanker) from Travis Air Force Base, California, to Okinawa. Normally, the passengers sit in the back of the aircraft, where many times it is also packed with cargo, such as spare engines, etc. In this flight, there were about five to ten passengers, as I recall.

‘About halfway through the flight, I decided to walk up to the cockpit and chat with the pilots. I was wearing my fighter pilot flight suit. (In the KC-135, the entrance to the cockpit is not blocked or locked. It is not unusual for a passenger to walk up front and talk to the crew members).’

Daisley continues;

‘We chatted about “pilot things,” such as: Where are we now, what are you using for navigation aid, (before GPS) how is the fuel going and what is our ETA… those kind of things. After about fifteen minutes, the Copilot, sitting in the right seat, asked if I would like to sit in his seat for awhile, while he took a break. The AC (Aircraft Commander), who sits in the left seat, agreed, so I slid into the right seat, as the copilot departed.

10 minutes of KC-135 flying time

‘After about ten minutes, and more “pilot talk,” the AC said he was going to go back and get a cup of coffee. He got up and left the cockpit. So… there I was, the only pilot in the cockpit and I have never piloted a KC-135 before! I sat there and contemplated and marveled at the situation (the aircraft was on autopilot).

‘After about ten minutes, the AC returned and we started chatting again. He asked, “How long have you been flying the KC-135?” I replied, “About ten minutes… I’m an F-102 pilot.” No comment! End of chatting.’

Daisley concludes; ‘I logged 10 minutes of KC-135 flying time in my Air Force flight log!’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

May 27, 2024 0 comment

History

When Luftwaffe Bf 109Gs were overwhelmed by Fleet Air Arm F4Fs and why the little Wildcat could be more than a match for Messerschmitt Bf 109

by Till Daisd May 26, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F4F Wildcat

First flown in February 1939, the rugged and heavily armed F4F Wildcat became the Navy/Marine Corps premier fighter until late 1942. By the end of that year, Navy and Marine F4F pilots had amassed a 9:1 kill ratio over the Japanese, despite the reputation of the vaunted Mitsubishi A6M Zero.

The stubby Grumman design was responsible for 1,006 enemy aircraft by the end of the war, and its pilots included 58 aces.

The Martlet

Strong single-seat monoplane fighters were desperately required by the British Royal Navy at the outset of the Second World War. This was satisfied by the new F4F-4 Wildcat fighter, built in the United States by Grumman.

The F4F fighters, known as Martlets by the Royal Navy, showed great skill in the Battle of the Atlantic and on the Arctic Convoys. They were able to efficiently support other fighters from escort carriers and collaborate with Fairey Swordfish to hunt down German U-boats.

Some Messerschmitt Bf-109Gs of III Gruppe/JG5 were overrun by fighters from Fleet Air Arm Squadron 882 F4F Wildcat (Martlets were renamed Wildcats in 1944 to align with combined US and British operations) during the last days of the war.

Luftwaffe Bf 109Gs Vs Fleet Air Arm F4Fs

‘On 26 March 1945, in a last action, FM-2’s from 882 Squadron Lieut Comdr. GAM Flood, RNVR) off ‘Searcher,’ escorting a flight of Avengers along the coast of Norway, was attacked near Christiansand by a flight of eight III Gruppe JG 5 Me-109Gs that may have been the -14 model,’ Pete Feigal, Former Pro Military Artist and Aviation Expert, says on Quora.

The story of the Fleet Air Arm F4Fs that overwhelmed Luftwaffe Bf-109Gs and why the little Wildcat could be more than a match for the legendary Messerschmitt Bf 109

‘The Wildcats shot down four of the Bf-109Gs at a cost of one Wildcat damaged. A fifth 109 was claimed as damaged.

‘As near as can be determined from available Luftwaffe loss lists, there were three 109’s lost, werk# 412398 (Fw. Hermannn Jaeger), 782139 (Uffz. Gottfried Rösch), and 782270 (Fw. Heinrich Dreisbach). One other 109 crashed, (pilot unknown) on landing, however the information available does not indicate if the crash was due to pilot error or from battle damage. Damage to this airplane was noted as 25%. Available Luftwaffe credit lists show no claims from this action.

‘One other 109 crashed, (pilot unknown) on landing, however the information available does not indicate if the crash was due to pilot error or from battle damage. Damage to this airplane was noted as 25%. Available Luftwaffe credits lists show no claims from this action.

Angry little opponents: Fleet Air Arm F4Fs

‘Capt. Eric Brown wrote about the F4F Wildcats (Martlets) vs the Messerschmitt Bf 109:

“The Wildcat, although faster and more manoeuvrable than the Sea Hurricane, was still some 60mph slower than the German fighter. The lower the altitude the less the odds favoured the Me109F. The Wildcat also had a heavier punch to deliver. Verdict: As a dogfighter the Wildcat was superior to the Me 109F, but the initiative always lay with the German because of superior performance. At low altitudes the Me109F had the edge over the Wildcat, but not by much.”’

Feigal concludes;

‘However by the time the Wildcat VI was on the scene (1944) his assessment was rather less rosy:

“Wildcat VI Versus Messerschmitt 109G-6: The agile little Wildcat could outmanoeuvre the latest version of the Me 109, but the performance differential had widened and the German could run rings around the Wildcat. If the Me 109G-6 was tempted to mix it in a dogfight, the Wildcat had a better than even chance of success. Verdict: The Wildcat was no real match for the Me 109G-6, but the German could not afford to take liberties with his angry little opponent.”’

Photo by Clemens Vasters from Viersen, Germany, Germany and Rob Hodgkins via Wikipedia

May 26, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

RAF Lightning pilot flew a solo intercept against a formation of 80 Soviet Tu-95 Bear and Tu-16 Badger strategic bombers off the UK coast

by Till Daisd May 25, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The RAF Lightning

The Lightning was the first fully supersonic aircraft in the Royal Air Force, and Fighter Command’s maximum speeds were instantly doubled with its introduction.

Throughout its twenty-eight years on the front lines, the Lightning was always associated with the air defense role including the ability to intercept unidentified aircraft trying to enter UK airspace.

In the 1970s, Soviet aircraft entering the UK Air Defence Region (UK ADR) were intercepted at Leuchars by the RAF Northern QRA force, which consisted of 111 Sqn flying the Lightning F3 and 43 Sqn, the Phantom FG1. These aircraft might be directed by fighter controllers using the ground-based radar head at Buchan or Saxa Vord, or by the crew of an Avro Shackleton AEW2 airborne radar aircraft of 8 Sqn; additionally, AAR support for the interceptor squadrons was provided by Victor K1 tanker aircraft.

RAF Lightning pilot

23 Sqn Lightning pilot Fg Off S.W. Gyles recalls an incredible mission that took place on Apr. 23, 1970, in Robert Pike’s book Phantom Boys:

‘It was about 04:00hrs that morning when the squawk box crackled into life with the familiar “Leuchars, this is Buchan, alert two Lightnings.” In the event, only one aircraft was scrambled with my flight commander Squadron Leader ‘Chalkie’ White at the controls. Meanwhile, mayhem was breaking out on the station. Squadron personnel were being called in to ready more aircraft. The crew of the Victor tanker on the Operational Readiness Pan (ORP) was brought to readiness, and I was getting inundated with telephone updates from Buchan.

80 unidentified tracks rounding North Cape

‘Squadron Leader White had just returned from his sortie, shadowing two Bear Ds in the pitch black when the squawk box crackled into life again: “Leuchars, alert two Lightnings and as many more as you can get. We have 80 unidentified tracks rounding North Cape.”

“I was posted in 1968 to 11 Squadron at RAF Leuchars to fly Lightning aircraft. This proved, in a number of ways, a valuable precursor to my later posting onto F-4 Phantoms, and it was at an early stage of my time with 11 Squadron that I learnt in a most sobering manner of the need, one might say to expect the unexpected, a key quality for successful operation of the versatile and demanding Phantom. For it was in the spring of 1970, when the Soviet air force (Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily) decided, sillily, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of that amazing gremlin in the Kremlin, Comrade Vladimir Lenin, that by chance I became involved in this heroic event.

“On QRA duty over the night 22/23 April 1970, I awoke with a start in the small hours, at around 04:00, when an inconspicuous-looking ‘squawk’ box in one corner of the pilot’s crewroom started to make strange sounds. At once, I tumbled out of bed — pilots on QRA duty were allowed to sleep as long as they remained in flying gear — and dashed across the room to listen closely. The controller’s detached voice now reverberated from the box: ‘Leuchars, Leuchars, this is Buchan…alert two Lightnings.’

Has World War III broken out?

“As the nominated Q1, the first to go in the event of a scramble, the other pilot, despite looking as bleary-eyed as I felt, ran with admirable élan out to his aircraft. As the Q2 pilot, I set off the scramble alarm, acknowledged the Buchan controller’s call, scribbled down the time, then sprinted to my Lightning. For a brief period, both pilots sat in their individual cockpits before the controller’s voice crackled through our bone dome earpieces when he ordered the Q1 Lightning to scramble. When my colleague was safely airborne, the controller stood me down from cockpit readiness but by that stage I was too worked-up to think of going back to sleep.

“[…] My colleague returned just as dawn was breaking. He explained how, in pretty much pitch-black conditions, he had shadowed two Soviet bombers which he reckoned were Tu-95 Bear D aircraft. As we talked about his flight, suddenly the squawk box came to life again. “Leuchars, this is Buchan,” said the controller, who sounded a bit breathless this time, “alert two Lightnings.” A small but significant hesitation followed after which, most unusually, he went on: “and as many more as you can manage.” The controller’s tone sounded almost plaintive when he continued: “we have eighty plus unidentified tracks coming round the North Cape.”

“For a second or so we two pilots stared at each other in astonishment. We said nothing, but our thoughts seemed to coincide: eighty plus? Is he bonkers? Has he lost the plot? Has World War III broken out? This, though, was no moment to prevaricate and as we set off the scramble alarm I made a dash for my aircraft (the Ql machine was in the process of engineering turn-round).

Mass contacts too numerous to count up

“My carefully placed bone dome, judiciously laid-out cape leather flying gloves and thoughtfully positioned seat straps facilitated rapid progress as I leapt into the cockpit, plugged-in my personal equipment connector (PEC) and buckled up the seat straps. Very soon, when I spoke with the controller, he gave height, heading and other details as he ordered me to scramble and to maintain radio silence.”

Gyles continues: “The start-up and take-off procedures went without a hitch and before long, just as pale shafts of dawn sunlight began to emerge across the area, I flew the Lightning in a north-easterly direction. With my airborne radar, navigational aids, and ‘identification friend or foe’ system switched off to thwart the possibility of tactical information being passed on by eavesdroppers, I had to keep a good lookout for other aircraft. Old-fashioned navigational techniques were needed to plot the Lightning’s position and from time to time this could be verified by peering down at fixed-position North Sea oil installations.

“After thirty or so minutes, when approaching the general area briefed by Buchan, I reckoned it was about time to break radio silence. Glancing inside the cockpit, I therefore switched on the identification friend or foe system, the navigational aids and the AI23B airborne radar. The radar took some moments to warm up but when it had done so, and when I squinted through the fold-up rubber viewing shade of the radar’s B-scope display, what I saw made my pulse start to race and my brain cells to go into overdrive. The radar revealed mass contacts too numerous to count up. I had expected something unusual, but this was overwhelming; my mind became a turmoil of conflicting thoughts as I struggled to absorb the implications of such a mass of hostile images.

Soviet hordes

“While the mass contacts of 60…70…80 (who knows?) contacts which, as if raging bulls bent on widespread death and destruction, bore down on my sole Lightning, I spoke with the controller at RAF Saxa Vord. The controller confirmed that my radar information was correct and that the incoming hordes now ranged from twenty to sixty miles from my current position. ‘Copied,’ I tried to sound nonchalant but my voice had become annoyingly shrill. I swallowed hard, continued to study the radar screen and wondered what the hell to do next.

“In a way, though, the dilemma was resolved for me when I visually spotted the first wave of Soviet aircraft. From that moment, more or less, my radar became redundant as I concentrated on the visual picture outside the cockpit. The Soviet hordes, mainly Tu-16 Badger and Tu-95 Bear aircraft, seemed to have organized themselves into groups of finger-four formation. Selecting a nearby group, I maneuvered the Lightning for an interception and visident (visual identification) procedure.

RAF Lightning pilotIntercepting 80 Soviet bombers alone

“My nerves, as may be expected, were on edge; every move appeared to assume excessive significance. Having closed onto the selected group of Soviet machines and identified them as Tu-16 Badger aircraft, it was time to take photographs. Using a special 35mm camera with an automatic wind-on facility and plenty of film, I moved to the rear of the formation, took a photograph of both sides and underneath Badger number four, then moved on to the next machine.

“Just as I completed the photo shoot of the formation’s third Badger, my peripheral vision picked up a shadow passing over the Lightning’s cockpit. I glanced up to see another formation of four Badgers cross about 500ft above me. This seemed suddenly to emphasize the surreal nature of what was happening around me; as if caught up in some kind of crazy dream, I felt the need to pinch myself to return to reality. A small voice within me whispered, ‘Well I’ll be darned.’

“The situation, though, was no mere flight of fancy. There was a job to be done and before long, when I was joined by a Victor in-flight refueling tanker, my Lightning’s fuel tanks were filled to full. For the next one-and-a-half hours, as I moved from one Soviet formation to the next, I was able to photograph proceedings for posterity. Never before had we seen such masses and never, hopefully, were we likely to do so again. The reaction of Soviet crews was intriguing: some would studiously ignore us and these Bears and Badgers presumably had political observers on board.

Bear D was heading straight for Leuchars

“Crews on the non-political machines seemed to react altogether differently — almost festively — with chicken legs, drink cans, maybe even the odd tumblers of vodka waved around happily. After all, I had to remind myself, this was supposed to be some kind of bizarre birthday bash. If, from time to time, I asked Saxa Vord for ‘pigeons’ (i.e. heading and distance) to base, some of the Soviet crews would helpfully hold a map against one of their side windows and point. I became increasingly amazed by the turn of events. I had become embroiled in the affair by chance and, ridiculously, I seemed, along with the Victor crew and another Lightning that eventually entered the fray, to represent the entire people of the Western world.”

‘But that was not the end of the story. Quite conveniently, the tanker pilot reported that he was sitting with a Bear D that was heading straight for Leuchars and did we have any film left to record the event for posterity. So, we went to join him and expended the last of our films in various three-ship formations. At around 200 miles to go to base the Bear rocked his wings and turned gently away.’

Gyles concludes: “It was the following day, as I thumbed through the pages of various newspapers, that I came across a copy of one of my photographs in The Daily Telegraph with the caption: ‘Strike Command pilots are becoming increasingly adept at “Bear hunting” and although unable to communicate with the Russian aircrews, appropriate hand signals are invariably exchanged.’”

Phantom Boys is published by Grub Street Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Royal Air Force, Arpingstone and Mike Freer – Touchdown-aviation via Wikipedia

That time a lone RAF Lightning intercepted a horde of 80 Soviet strategic bombers

May 25, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Flying the SR-71 with just one engine in full afterburner was Blackbird aircrews’ most dangerous operation

by Till Daisd May 23, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The SR-71 Blackbird

The SR-71, the most sophisticated spy plane in the Blackbird family, which also included the A-12 and YF-12, was created by a team of Lockheed personnel under the direction of Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who was vice president of Lockheed’s Advanced Development Company Projects at the time. Known as the “Skunk Works,” this group is now a division of Lockheed Martin. The Blackbird completed its first flight on Dec. 22, 1964.

The SR-71 was built to reach altitudes of up to 85,000 feet and cruise at “Mach 3+,” or more than three times the speed of sound, or over 2,200 miles per hour.

SR-71 Blackbird flying with just one engine in full afterburner

The amazing pictures in this post, taken on Nov. 1, 1981, by US Air Force (USAF) Scene Camera Operator Ken Hackman, show an SR-71 Blackbird employing only one rudder and one engine running at full afterburner.

Why is that?

‘That is what we called a “single-engine go around,”’ says Stormy Boudreaux, SR-71 Blackbird pilot. ‘It was a practiced emergency procedure. It simulated what you had to do if you were making a single-engine approach to land and for a variety of reasons something made the runway or the landing impossible so you “went around” on only one engine. The tremendous thrust with one engine in full afterburner and the other in idle was eye-opening! To counter the yaw from that engine required full rudder as well as banking the aircraft into the good engine in order to maintain your flight direction down the runway.

Flying the SR-71 with just one engine in full afterburner was Blackbird aircrews’ most dangerous operation. SR-71 pilots explain why.

‘Most twin-engine aircraft have to do something similar but it’s darn right frightening the first time you try it in the SR-71. That one engine in AB is really pushing the nose around trying to turn the jet away from that engine and the amount of bank angle when at low speed makes you glad you are strapped tightly in the seat. It’s almost a knife-edge pass!’

Single engine go around

Boudreaux is echoed by David Peters, another SR-71 pilot.

‘As Stormy said the picture[s] indicate a single engine go around. Thrust was never an issue. What became imperative was the ability to point the airplane. Under most conditions full opposite rudder and a slight bank into the operating engine was enough. By under certain conditions other factors came into play. Minimum control speed being most important.

‘We had a couple of missions out of Mildenhall that went hot to the tankers. That required a heavy takeoff using a 65,000-pound yo-yo fuel load. In the winter time with freezing temperatures in England min control speed was a huge factor. Once the burners lit if you lost an engine on takeoff once the burners were lit your only option was to eject. Why you ask.

Blackbird aircrews’ most dangerous operation

‘Well the runway there is only 8,000 feet. There was so much thrust developed in the cold, heavy air climate that your speed combined with gross weight would not allow you to abort since you couldn’t stop the airplane. There was plenty of thrust available to fly on one engine but there was so much thrust you could not control it below min control speed which in those cases was generally around 260 knots. So, the only thing you could do was pull both engines to idle pop the chute and eject.

‘I always felt that was perhaps our most dangerous operation.’

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

Photo by Scene Camera Operator Ken Hackman / U.S. Air Force

May 23, 2024 0 comment

History

Why a US Army UH-1 Huey crew member had great difficulty prepping raw meat for a meal since the mission where he had to evac seven KIA South Vietnam soldiers

by Till Daisd May 23, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The UH-1 Huey

The UH-1 “Iroquois” helicopter, also known as the “Huey” for the phonetic sound of its original designation, HU-1, served as the Army’s workhorse throughout the Vietnam War. The Army had great expectations for the helicopter’s combat effectiveness, but it took some time for the technology to reach that level of development during World War II. Early helicopter versions, such as the widely used OH-13 “Sioux” and the USAF H-19, were used for medical evacuation and resupply transports during the Korean War. These early aircraft’s combat experiences taught crucial lessons that helped create the UH-1.

The UH-1 Huey during the Vietnam War

The first Hueys were transported to Vietnam in 1958 when they were employed in “dustoff” medical evacuation (medevac) operations by US advisors. The Army incorporated the helicopter into its broader operations during the Vietnam War, extending the platform’s role beyond medevac. Because of its reputation for “doing anything a horse could do,” the Huey went from being a means for moving troops and supplies to providing direct support for combat guns.

The beloved Huey was called Slick or Dustoff. What were the differences between a Slick and a Dustoff?

The UH-1 Slick

A Vietnam vet and former UH-1 Huey crew member explains on Quora;

‘Slicks were primarily used for transporting troops, supplies, cargo, VIPs, maintenance material missions, etc. Slicks were typically armed with two M60 machine guns, one on each side. The left gun was manned by the crew chief who also prepped the ship. The right gun was manned by an enlisted man we typically called “the gunner.” He was responsible for cleaning and maintaining the M60, a daily job.

‘The M60’s on a slick were primarily for defensive purposes. You would not typically use a slick for attacking enemy positions. If a slick got in trouble with the enemy, the best thing to do was to back off, shoot your way out if you have to, then call in the gunships.’

The UH-1 Dustoff

US Army UH-1 Huey crew member explains why he has great difficulty prepping raw meat for a meal since the mission where he had to evac seven KIA South Vietnam soldiers

‘Dustoffs were primarily used for med-evacs and carried the requisite medical gear to treat wounded in flight. The crew in the back often were just the crew chief and a medic or two. They also often had a red cross on the nose. Via Geneva Convention, dust-offs were not allowed to carry armament, which in theory, would insulate them from enemy fire. Of course, most VC had never heard of the Geneva Convention and dust offs frequently took fire. The red cross on the nose was a perfect aiming point. Since the crew had no way to return fire, the dust-off mission was one of the hairiest in VN.

‘So that’s the difference between slicks and dustoffs. The helo’s were the same but the armament, crews and the missions were different. However, if there were wounded on the ground that needed evacuation and there was no dust-off available, a nearby slick would be called upon to medevac the casualties out. This happened to me.’

Slick called to evac seven Army of Vietnam soldiers from a hot Landing Zone

‘My slick was called to evac seven Army of Vietnam soldiers from a hot Landing Zone. The gunner on the right suppressed the enemy while I loaded the ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] through the left doorway. All were dead. The KIA’s buddies were in a huge hurry as we were under fire, so they simply tossed the KIA’s into the cabin. We got out of there in a hurry with a pile of seven limp, shredded, burned, bleeding, broken, leaking ARVNs and the swirling air current in the cabin distributed their remnants and bodily fluids throughout the helo’s interior. And on me. We dropped them off at a Vietnamese mortuary, then flew home. That night, I scrubbed and scrubbed the cabin floor but could not get the stench out. The bodily fluids had seeped through the gaps in the floor boards and down into the belly.’

Great difficulty prepping raw meat for a meal

He concludes;

‘To this day, I remember the smell of freshly cut and shredded flesh. The only time I had a flashback after VN was when I had to visit a slaughter house to gather 5 gallons of bovine blood for testing a medical device. The smell was overwhelming and I had to get out. Butcher’s businesses had the same effect on me. Awful. It’s also the reason I have great difficulty prepping raw meat for a meal. Thank God my wife does not mind.’

Huey crew members explain why UH-1 helicopters (almost) always flew with doors open during the Vietnam War

Photo by U.S. Army

May 23, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

When a KC-135 Stratotanker crew crossed Vietnam DMZ and went into a dive to refuel a flamed-out F-105 Thunderchief

by Till Daisd May 22, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The KC-135 Stratotanker

The KC-135 Stratotanker was the first offspring of the Dash 80. It was the only tanker employed by the Strategic Air Command for fifteen years, and it was built especially for aerial refueling.

The propeller-powered KC-97 tankers were replaced by the KC-135 because they were unable to keep up with the jet fighters and bombers. The last KC-97 and the first KC-135, dubbed “The City of Renton,” shared the Renton tarmac when they rolled out of the plant in 1956, providing a clear image of The Boeing Company’s full conversion to jet power.

Nine years of the Vietnam War saw 813,000 aerial refuelings of combat aircraft by KC-135s.

KC-135 Stratotanker crossing Vietnam DMZ

To save two F-105s that were running low on fuel, one tanker even crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between Vietnam and China.

Richard Crandall, former USAF F-111 and F-15E Pilot at US Air Force (1980-1998), explains on Quora;

‘In the book Thud Ridge – Wing Commander Jack Broughton was leading a 2 ship of F-105s that was attempting the rescue of a downed Lt who had been down for a week.

‘They had helicopters inbound but one had problems and both left – in accordance with “doctrine”. He commented that it was within the rules but in previous rescues, one helicopter had been willing to continue alone. As an A-1 was leaving it was hit and caught fire – it called a Mayday. Broughton and his wingman, with no fuel to do so returned to CAP him in case he too ejected. The A-1 went into a vertical high-speed dive – gutsy move Maverick – as the high speed could have caused the wing root where the fire was to fail from the weakened hot metal. The fire however went out.

KC-135 heading to Vietnam DMZ

‘Broughton and his wingman, Ken Bell, now had no fuel to make it home. They called for help – eventually a Strategic Air Command KC-135 answered. I think the call was “do you have any gas for us?” and the reply was along the lines of “not really, but what little we have sounds like you need more than us”. The tanker broke the rules from SAC and headed North of the DMZ to meet them. The tanker was a Strategic Asset – needed for Air to Air refuelings for B-52s in case nuclear war with Russia occurred.’

Crandall continues;

‘Normally fighters will turn onto the tanker. The fighters and the tanker fly towards each other in opposite direction. When a certain distance away the fighter does a 180 degree turn and rolls out behind the tanker. Col Broughton was told by Bell “Boss, I’m hurting” as he was so low on fuel. Wingman never ever ever say that – the calls are “2, Joker, Bingo, Mayday and I’ve got the ugly one (at the bar)”. Colonel Broughton knew they had minutes only.

Flamed out F-105

‘The tanker did a fighter turn onto the fighters instead – a descending turn to roll out in front of the 2 F-105s. As the tanker rolled out Bell’s jet flamed out. The boomer told the pilot to push over into a dive – probably 10 to 20 degrees nose low and then talked him into position in front of the flamed out 105. Bell had likely extended its Ram Air Turbine to have electrical and hydraulic power without the engine running. Remember that the pilot in the tanker cannot see the 105 – it is behind and below him – has to solely go by the directions of the boomer. The boomer stabs the boom into Bell’s 105 and pumps the gas. On the boom Bell does an airstart. Meanwhile Col Broughton’s jet is chugging – just like in a car about to run out of gas. He jumps onto the boom before his engine quits and gets gas. All 3 aircraft return to Col Broughton’s base in Thailand – the 135 had to go there as no gas to return home.’

Crandall concludes;

‘I am sure that the entire tanker crew was hospitalized due to massive alcohol poisoning from the drinks they were given at the bar that night. Every fighter pilot who hear of this story has tremendous respect for all involved in this incident. Truly awesome aviation on everybody’s parts. On Col Broughton and his wingman for not abandoning an aircraft in distress and for the tanker that saved both of them.’

The Story of the KC-135 Stratotanker pilot that went into a 20-degree dive to refuel a flamed out F-105 Thunderchief — A US Air Force Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker refuels four Republic F-105D *Thunderchief*s over Southeast Asia, in November 1967.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

May 22, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

CIA stored in boxes A-12 spy planes to Area 51 to keep the Oxcart project a secret

by Till Daisd May 21, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The A-12 Oxcart at Area 51

Area 51, a top-secret military installation hidden in the desert northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been the testing ground for the United States’ most classified aircraft programs since 1955. The site is Groom Lake, referred to as “The Ranch” by the crews and workers of the time.

There, the Lockheed U-2 had been tested and flown. However, plans were underway in 1961 for the advent of an airplane that promised powers that would astound. The “Skunk Works” division of Lockheed, under commission by the CIA, created the A-12, which was intended to conduct reconnaissance missions over any target at heights above 80,000 feet and speeds exceeding Mach 3. If demonstrated to be effective, the A-12’s combination of speed and altitude would render it practically invulnerable to interception. This was the first aircraft flown under the renowned “Blackbird” name.

A-12 Oxcart stored in boxes

The A-12 had to be transported from its Skunk Works production site in Burbank to Area 51. In order to create a wide enough space for the aircraft, they occasionally had to excavate around the road during the trip.

Frank Murray, A-12 Pilot and Roadrunners Internationale Historian, contributed some exclusive details in his extensive and beautiful article (CLICK HERE to read the complete story). GROOM LAKE – AREA 51 A-12 ARCHANGEL CIA PROJECT OXCART, HOW THEY GOT HERE: On-The-Road:

‘The pictures show the varied nature of the trip from Burbank to Area 51. A couple of pictures show what can only be described as a “revolting development,” getting the big box wheels sunk in soft soil. Wonder how they got it jacked up and going again. No pictures of these steps. Several photographs show how close the box comes to signs, bridge abutments, etc. Travel was allowed on mid-week days, with no movement on the weekends or Holidays. During one of the movements, a Greyhound bus nicked the big box. The bus driver was paid cash for the bus repairs without any resultant attention to the details. The end of the road was the main hangar complex at Area 51, where the airplane was off-loaded into the hangar for re-assembly.

Did you know? To keep the A-12 project secret CIA stored in boxes Oxcart spy planes and moved them from Skunk Works production site to Area 51

A-12 Oxcart Arriving at Area 51

‘The first convoy departed Burbank on 26 February 1962 and arrived three days later. The second convoy carrying Article 122 departed for Area 51 on 26 June 1962, followed by Article 123 in August 1962. The two-seat Article 124 got to the Area in November 1962. The rest of the A-12s and the three YF-12s arrived by mid-1964.’

Murray’s article continues with an eyewitness account:

‘To whom it may concern:

‘My name is Jim Noce, and I recall being on those moves from the “Skunk Works” to the ranch. We left the Area early in the morning, taking turns driving until we reached Burbank. When we arrived, the Article was concealed in a large crate and covered with a tarp on the semi, ready to travel. We headed East on the Freeway, and the California State Police gave escort.

‘The CSP had long poles along the route to clear hanging power lines or unpin road signs hinged for clearance purposes. When we reached the CA/NV border, we pulled to the side of the road and ate sack ‘lunches made up by the mess hall in the Area. We also had igloo coolers of lemonade and thermos of hot coffee or chocolate. We also had soda pop. Not bad for the ’60s.

Greyhound Bus barely scraping the side of the A-12 Oxcart box

‘After we had lunch, we headed up Highway 95 until we reached Mercury, that had our security clearance for entering the Atomic Proving Grounds. I may be wrong, but I think that once we reached the Ranch, the Article was uncrated and put on a cart by something like a cherry picker and I do believe the box was broken down and loaded back on the trailer, and sent back to Burbank. I never knew of anyone taking pictures from our group and I do recall the incident where a Greyhound Bus barely scraped the side of the box, and the driver was given cash to fix the few scratches avoiding insurance claims.

‘Sincerely, Jim Noce Former CIA agent Area 51.’

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

Photo by Roadrunners Internationale

ADDITIONAL CREDITS

Dorsey G. Kammerer – Former Lockheed Enginer – Source of Photos
Jason Owen – Grandson of Kammerer- Contribution of Photos
Jim Noce – Former CIA Security Participant
Bob Murphy – Former Lockheed Project Manager
T.D. Barnes – Former EG&G Special Projects
Central Intelligence Agency
Lockheed-California Company
California Highway Patrol
Nevada Highway Patrol

Be sure to check out Roadrunners Internationale for some unique info about U-2, A-12 and YF-12 programs.

May 21, 2024 0 comment

History

Even though the Boeing F-32 may have had some advantages over the F-35, it would have had the same issues as the Lightning II

by Till Daisd May 20, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Boeing X-32

Boeing was given a four-year contract by the US Department of Defense in 1996 for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program competition’s concept demonstration phase. The intention was to create a low-cost, multirole tactical aircraft that could be used by the US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, as well as the Royal Air Force and Navy of the United Kingdom.

At its plant in Palmdale, California, Boeing assembled the X-32A and X-32B concept demonstration aircraft.

On Sep. 18, 2000, the X-32A made its first flight from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The X-32A demonstrated conventional takeoff and landing characteristics for the Air Force as well as carrier approach flying qualities for the Navy. The aircraft made 66 flights during four months of testing. The flights validated the aircraft’s handling qualities for inflight refueling, weapons bay operations, and supersonic flight.

The X-32A took off from Palmdale and made its first flight to Edwards Air Force Base in California on September 18, 2000. The Air Force used the X-32A to demonstrate conventional takeoff and landing characteristics, and the Navy used it to demonstrate carrier approach flying qualities. The aircraft was tested for four months, making sixty-six flights. The aircraft’s handling qualities for supersonic flight, weapons bay operations, and in-flight refueling were confirmed by the flights.

On March 29, 2001, the X-32B aircraft took off for its maiden flight. It completed 78 test flights in four months, including a transcontinental ferry flight from Edwards Air Force Base to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The aircraft successfully transitioned to and from STOVL flight mode by using its direct-lift system to redirect thrust from the aircraft’s cruise nozzle to the lift nozzles. Additionally, the X-32B demonstrated off its capacity for hovering and vertical landings.

Following the end of the flight tests in July 2001, the Department of Defense declared on October 26 of that same year that the Lockheed Martin X-35 had been chosen over the X-32. The X-35 was further developed into the F-35 Lightning II.

The Boeing F-32 may have had some advantages over the F-35

Were there any areas where the Boeing X-32 was better than the Lockheed Martin X-35?

‘Of note was that the X-32 arrived at the competition nearly a month before the X-35. It was ready to go, and clearly had the early lead,’ says David Tussey, former US Navy A-7 pilot, on Quora.

– Probably cheaper. The X-32 took a less complex design, more manufacturable approach. And the proposed final design, which was different from the prototype, was much more conventional (dropped that one-piece delta wing).

– More survivable in combat. Probably, again owing to the less complex design.

– Probably more expandable, over time. I think the Lockheed design is somewhat more rigid, but that’s mostly speculation.

Tussey concludes;

‘One can only imagine what the designs would have looked like had the STOVL requirement been dropped. Once the Lockheed thrust-fan was proven to work, the competition was all over.’

The Boeing F-32 may have had some advantages over the F-35 but it would have had the same issues of the Lightning II. Here’s why. — This is the X-32 as flown and tested. Note the large delta wing.

The F-32 would have had the same issues of the F-35

However, as the mockup of the final F-32 shows, the aircraft would have had a totally revised wing (in place of the large delta wing of the X-32) and taileron concept. ‘When the competition winner was announced, this F-32 only existed on paper and in fiberglass models. It would have required years of further development to come to fruition,’ says David Rendall, an aviation expert, on Quora.

‘Boeing hadn’t fully appreciated the naval aspects of control in carrier landings and so had to start afresh after they finalised the X-32. It was a huge error on their behalf and was one of the reasons they lost the deal, X-35 was much closer to the final product.’

Rendall concludes;

‘Most of the problems with F-35 have come from new avionics and coding issues and maintenance of the stealth outer coating. These would have been the same systems and materials used on F-32 so it would have had many of the same delays and problems on top of it needing a couple more years in the wind tunnel.’

Photo by Boeing and U.S. Air Force

May 20, 2024 0 comment

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