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aviation

A pic of XB-70 Valkyrie Mach 3 bomber’s first flight

by Till Daisd August 18, 2021

Alvin S. White, a North American test pilot, and Col. Joseph F. Cotton piloted the XB-70 Valkyrie, which took off from Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and landed at Edwards AFB

The intriguing image in this post shows the North American XB-70 Valkyrie experimental aircraft in action during its inaugural flight, which saw the aircraft departing from Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and landing at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB). Alvin S. White, a North American test pilot, and Col. Joseph F. Cotton piloted the XB-70.

The futuristic XB-70A Valkyrie was initially imagined in the 1950s as a high-altitude, nuclear strike bomber with the ability to fly at Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound), rendering any prospective foe defenseless.

But by the start of the 1960s, brand-new Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) posed a danger to the capacity of fast, high-altitude bombers to survive. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which are less expensive, are also entering service.

As a result, the expensive B-70 bomber program was abandoned in 1961 before any Valkyries were finished or sent into service.

However, the U.S. Two XB-70As were purchased by the Air Force (USAF) and used for flight research by the Air Force and NASA’s Flight Research Center (FRC), a forerunner to today’s NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

The XB-70 flight research program’s main goals included analyzing the aircraft’s stability and handling characteristics, assessing how it responded to turbulence in the atmosphere, and figuring out how well it performed in terms of aerodynamics and propulsion. Secondary goals included calculating the levels and amount of engine noise during takeoff, landing, and ground operations. They also included measuring the noise and friction related to airflow over the aircraft.

The first Valkyrie kept flying and producing useful test data for the research program until its final flight on February 4, 1969, when the number two XB-70 was accidentally destroyed in midair on June 8, 1966.

Photo by Edwards History Office file photo / U.S. Air Force

August 18, 2021 0 comment

History

F-105F Wild Weasel and Operation Rolling Thunder

by Till Daisd August 13, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The aircraft designated F-105F Wild Weasel III, took over as the USAF’s primary SAM suppressor during Operation Rolling Thunder in the summer of 1966, replacing the F-100F Wild Weasel I

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, sometimes known as the “Thud,” was created as a replacement for the F-84F fighter bomber built by the company in 1951. In October 1955, the YF-105A prototype made its first flight, and Republic shipped the first production model to USAF) in 1958.

A total of 833 Thunderchiefs of all varieties, including 610 F-105Ds, were produced. A short time after the Tonkin Gulf incident in the summer of 1964, the service dispatched F-105s to Southeast Asia. During the Rolling Thunder airstrike against North Vietnam, the USAF used the F-105D heavily.

North Vietnamese SAM crew in front of SA-2 launcher.

North Vietnam used the Soviet-made SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missile (SAM) during this campaign, which destroyed American attack aircraft and put a stop to air operations over North Vietnam.

The combat-capable two-seat trainer variant of the Thud, the F-105F, was modified to carry out the “Wild Weasel” mission in order to neutralize and eliminate this danger.

The aircraft, designated F-105F Wild Weasel III (there was no production of Wild Weasel II), took over from the F-100F Wild Weasel I in the summer of 1966 and served as the mainstay of USAF SAM suppression during Operation Rolling Thunder.

The elements of a “hunter-killer” team: F-105F Wild Weasel with Shrikes and F-105D with bombs.

The F-105 Wild Weasels performed two different types of missions: strike support, which was by far the more common of the two. During this mission type, they ranged ahead of strike forces to suppress SAM sites and gun-laying radars in the target area, and they stayed in the area until the strike force had left (where they forced a SAM site to fire the SA-2 to visually reveal its exact location giving the Wild Weasels the chance to destroy it).

The “Thud” Wild Weasels, however, continued to refine their techniques as North Vietnamese defenses grew stronger, and they eventually became indispensable for high-danger strikes “up North.”

11 F-105F Wild Weasel planes arrived in Thailand in May and June 1966. More people arrived, flying with the 335th and 388th Tactical Fighter Wings (TFW) in Takhli and Korat, Thailand, respectively. Even so, during the Southeast Asia War, there were few Wild Weasel aircraft and aircrews, which were in high demand.

The Applied Technology Inc. radar homing and warning system that identified the type of radar, the general direction of the radar signal, and included a SAM launch warning was installed on the initial Wild Weasel F-105F aircraft, but later more sensors were added.

Two AGM-45 Shrike anti-radar missiles, combined with a sizable payload of bombs or rockets, were generally carried by the F-105F Wild Weasel. Although the Shrike missile wasn’t perfect (its range was far within the SA-2’s deadly range), it finally allowed the Wild Weasels to identify and damage a location from a distance. The F-105F Wild Weasels, like their forerunners, frequently led regular F-105s that assisted in clearing SAM sites.

The AGM-45 Shrike Anti-Radar Missile on display in the First In, Last Out: Wild Weasels vs. SAMs exhibit in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Throughout 1966 and 1967, the Rolling Thunder campaign grew more intense despite the frequent bombing pauses. While this was going on, the enemy’s SAM and AAA defenses grew stronger, making the Wild Weasels essential to the success of deep-into-North Vietnam strikes. According to American intelligence, North Vietnam had roughly six SA-2 batteries in October 1965. There were around 30 SA-2 batteries by the time Rolling Thunder ended in November 1968.

North Vietnamese SA-2s were still a threat, but the Wild Weasels and other anti-SAM measures made them less effective. For every downed aircraft in 1965, the North Vietnamese fired approximately 15 SA-2s. By the end of Rolling Thunder, they needed to launch 48 missiles on average to bring one aircraft down.

The Wild Weasels paid a hefty price for their success, though. Of the eight crews (16 airmen) that initially took off from Takhli, four were lost in combat, two were taken prisoner of war (POW), and two were injured.

Of these airmen, just four completed their 100 mission tours.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

Source: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

August 13, 2021 0 comment

History

Just prior to demolition of former De Havilland factory, lost Mosquito blueprints were found

by Till Daisd August 13, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The plans were given to the nonprofit organization The People’s Mosquito, which used them to repair a de Havilland Mosquito so that it could fly again

The Telegraph reports that only days before bulldozers were scheduled to destroy their hiding location, more than 20,000 engineering drawings and blueprints for the de Havilland Mosquito were discovered in a corner of a wartime factory.

The microfilm cards with the drawings on them are regarded as the most comprehensive collection of engineering drawings for multi-role aircraft. The plans were given to the nonprofit organization The People’s Mosquito, which used them to repair a Mosquito so that it can fly again.

The blueprints were discovered earlier in 2017 by an engineer just before the former de Havilland factory in Broughton, close to Chester, was scheduled for demolition, according to John Lilley, chairman of The People’s Mosquito.

He said: “He understood the tremendous historic value in these engineering drawings and how useful they could be. The building itself was soon to be demolished and the contents discarded. It’s incredible to think that they might have been lost forever.”

The organization, according to The Telegraph, aimed to restore a Mosquito night fighter that crashed at Royal Air Force (RAF) Coltishall in February 1949 while it was assigned to No 23 Sqn.

Ross Sharp, engineering director for the project, said: “As you can imagine, restoring an aircraft that is 70 years old presents several challenges, one of which is a lack of information on the building techniques, materials, fittings, and specifications. These plans enable us to glean a new level of understanding and connection with the brilliant designers who developed the world’s first, true, multi-role combat aircraft.”

When Sir Geoffrey de Havilland-designed Mosquito entered service in 1941, it was among the world’s fastest operational aircraft.

The plane was created from pieces of wood that were pressed and bonded together in molds to preserve limited metal supplies and for speed of production, earning it the moniker “The Wooden Wonder.” Exactly 7,781 were finally built, with the last one being completed on November 15, 1950. During World War II, 6,710 of them were supplied.

The public first learned about the Mosquito after a successful raid by four of them on the Gestapo Headquarters in Oslo on September 25, 1942, which took place at the tail end of 1941. They were attacked by two Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw 190s that were in the air when they arrived while flying above Oslo with their bomb doors open. The Fw 190s gave up the chase 60 miles out to sea after losing track of the others after one was shot down.

The Mosquito was the ideal aircraft to conduct reconnaissance missions over Germany due to its rapid speed. Now the discarded drawings revealed early planes to carry torpedoes, possibly to attack the Tirpitz. There is also a design titled “Mosquito Mk I, Tropics” that shows how to store desert items in the rear fuselage.

Only three mosquitoes remain in flight today—two in America and one in Canada. Only a small portion of the estimated £6 million cost of the restoration has been raised thus far.

Mr. Lilley concluded: “No other aircraft has amassed such a remarkable combat record in so short a time, flying so many different types of mission and excelling in each one. Even today, it remains one of the world’s most successful multirole combat aircraft, and it was all British, made by men and women who only a few months earlier had been building furniture and mending pianos.”

Additional source: Royal Air Force

Photo by Crown Copyright, De Havilland photographer for Ministry of Aircraft Production

August 13, 2021 0 comment

History

The Enola Gay and the atomic bombing on Hiroshima

by Till Daisd August 12, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The 10,000 pounds Mk I bomb known as “Little Boy” dropped out of the bomb bay as the Enola Gay lurched.

On December 17, 1944, the 509th Composite Group was secretly established with the primary objective of deploying the first nuclear bomb.

Due to the secrecy of their mission, the team practiced at Wendover, Utah, and Tinian Island, in the Pacific, honing the performance of the crew and their B-29 Superfortress bombers.

“What I tried to do, initially, was to train individuals – then weld the individuals into a good, cohesive team to fly this B-29 better than anybody else was flying… that particular day,” said Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets, 509th Composite Group commander, and orchestrator of the operational aspect of the original nuclear enterprise, the Manhattan Project, in an interview in 1966. “We were after perfection. I wouldn’t settle for anything less than a quarter of a mile of accuracy, and I wouldn’t stand for anything less than 20 seconds off on time. This became a challenge… and you’d be surprised at the pride these boys took in being able to qualify.”

ROSWELL ARMY AIRFIELD, New Mexico — Col. Paul Tibbetts, Jr., of Miami, Fla., poses in front of his B-29 Superfortress “The Enola Gay” (named for his mother). The Enola Gay is the same plane he piloted when his bombardier dropped the first atom bomb over Hiroshima, Japan.

In the article 509th Bomb Wing continues Assurance, Deterrence… 65 years later, Airman 1st Class Torey Griffith of the 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs explains how the first 509ers rose to fulfill these high standards without hesitation. The nuclear mission was only known to Colonel Tibbets and a small group of people above him.

“I kept telling [the crews] that the work they were doing, even though it might seem non-productive to them at the moment… because their contemporaries … were overseas fighting a war and they were still training,… their contribution would be something that had a good strong chance of ending the war,” said Colonel Tibbets. “Now, this was enough to raise their curiosity. It didn’t violate any security, and it gave them something to go on.”

“… with this type of training program, I think I produced the best B-29 crews in the 20th Air Force,” Colonel Tibbets said.

The ground crew of the B-29 “Enola Gay” atom-bombed Hiroshima, Japan. Col. Paul W. Tibbets, the pilot is the center. Marianas Islands.

With the best crews in the U.S. and a squadron of 15 specially prepared “Silverplate” B-29s, Colonel Tibbets received orders from the White House to attack Hiroshima while the Army Air Forces (USAAF) were waiting.

“We got going down the runway [on Aug. 6, 1945] at 2:15 a.m.,” Colonel Tibbets said. “After we got the airplanes in formation, I crawled into the tunnel and went back to tell the men. I said, ‘You know what we’re doing today? This is an atom bomb we’re dropping.’ These guys were no idiots. We’d been fiddling ’round with the most peculiar-shaped things we’d ever seen.”

At 9:15 a.m., Colonel Tibbets and navigator Maj. Theodore van Kirk maneuvered the Enola Gay over the predetermined target. Maj. Tom Ferebee, a bombardier, spotted his target and awaited the ideal time.

The mission runs on August 6 and 9, with Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Kokura (the original target for Aug. 9) displayed.

Colonel Tibbets reported that the Enola Gay shook as the 10,000 lb. Mk. I bomb, often known as “Little Boy,” detonated outside the bomb bay. With barely 40 seconds to get as far away from the bomb as possible, he immediately banked the B-29.

Hiroshima’s 4.7 square miles were completely destroyed in less than a minute.

The Enola Gay was swiftly overtaken by the shock wave, which appeared as a ring of mist quickly extending from the detonation location, as it was being observed by tail gunner Staff Sgt. Bob Caron. The Enola Gay was shaken by the initial shock wave with a force of 2.5 Gs, according to accelerometers on board. A few seconds later, a second, smaller wave arrived.

Little Boy unit on trailer cradle in a pit on Tinian, before being loaded into Enola Gay’s bomb bay.

Colonel Tibbets wheeled the aircraft back toward the construction site to review their work. Colonel Tibbets claimed he was still in awe of the devastation after being one of the select few to watch a film of the Trinity explosion, the first nuclear test conducted in the desert of New Mexico.

Griffith claims that it was challenging for President Harry S. Truman to decide to use atomic weapons. Germany, one of the first targets of a concurrent strike, had already declared defeat that spring.

At the time this photo was made, smoke billowed 20,000 feet above Hiroshima while smoke from the burst of the first atomic bomb had spread over 10,000 feet on the target at the base of the rising column.

However, the Pacific War was still going on. The threat of an invasion had little impact on the leadership in Japan.

President Truman had to decide whether to add to the millions of casualties already suffered throughout the conflict or try to put an end to it by employing the most potent weapon ever created.

“Sixteen hours ago an American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima,” said the president in a public announcement. “It [was] an atomic bomb. We are now prepared to obliterate more rapidly and completely every productive enterprise the Japanese have above ground in any city. If they do not now accept our terms they may expect a rain of ruin from the air the like of which has never been seen on this earth.”

The “Bock’s Car,” driven by Maj. Charles Sweeney of the 509th Composite Group, attacked Nagasaki on August 9 because Japan remained silent for three days following the attack on Hiroshima.

Truman outlined his reasons in his radio speech to the country on August 9, 1945, “We have used (the nuclear bomb) in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans,” he said.

Japan’s Emperor Hirohito stated in a radio broadcast on August 15, 1945, that “the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is true, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives.”

On September 2, Japan formally submitted to the United States aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, ending the brutal six-year conflict.

Colonel Paul Tibbets waving from the Enola Gay’s cockpit to get reporters to stand clear of the propellers prior to engine start, before taking off for the bombing of Hiroshima

Photo by U.S. Air Force, Enola Gay Tail Gunner S/Sgt. George R. (Bob) Caron, Mr.98 via Wikipedia and 509th photographer Pfc. Armen Shamlian / U.S. Air Force

August 12, 2021 0 comment

History

The key role played by USAF A-1 Skyraiders in Vietnam

by Till Daisd August 9, 2021

written by Till Daisd

During the Vietnam War, the Skyraider’s primary tasks included providing CAS to ground forces and protecting helicopters that were recovering downed airmen in hostile territory

The Douglas AD Skyraider, which was created for the U.S. Navy during World War II, nearly vanished before it had the opportunity to stand out during the Vietnam War. In the late 1950s high-speed, jet-age world, the Skyraider appeared to be a relic of a bygone era.

The Navy made the decision to replace it with jet aircraft despite the fact that it had performed admirably during the Korean War.

The Skyraider still proved effective in combating the communist guerrilla war being fought in Southeast Asia, where it played a significant role due to its capacity to carry a massive amount of weapons and remain on the battlefield for extended periods of time.

A Vietnamese Air Force student pilot and a USAF instructor sit side by side in a VNAF A-1E Skyraider taxing to the runway at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam.

During the Vietnam War, this aircraft’s primary duties included providing close air support (CAS) to ground forces and safeguarding helicopters that were recovering downed airmen in hostile territory.

When the United States gave South Vietnam more military supplies and training to stave against communist forces in the early 1960s, the first Skyraiders made their way to Southeast Asia. The United States also sent ADs to the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF).

At Bien Hoa Air Base, U.S. Air Force (USAF) instructors began training VNAF pilots in 1961 while using Skyraiders with their tail hooks removed and VNAF markings. The USAF instructors gradually began flying combat missions over South Vietnam alongside the VNAF pilots.

A single-seat A-1H from the 6th Special Operations Squadron providing close air support in 1968.

The old Skyraider, which was given the A-1 designation in 1962, quickly earned the moniker “Spad,” alluding to the French fighter used in World War I.

In May 1964, two-seat A-1E USAF Skyraiders made their way to Bien Hoa Air Base. They belonged to the Hobo-calling 1st Air Commando Squadron, which later changed its name to the 1st Special Operations Squadron. Under the call letters Spad, Firefly, and Zorro, other USAF squadrons operated Skyraiders out of bases in South Vietnam and Thailand. Wherever they flew, the Skyraiders supported the insertion and extraction of special operations teams into enemy-held terrain along the Ho Chi Minh Trail or provided crucial CAS to ground forces and other missions like defoliant spraying.

This Douglas A-1E was severely damaged in combat in South Vietnam. It is the aircraft that was flown by Maj. Bernard Fisher on Mar. 10, 1966, when rescued a fellow pilot shot down over South Vietnam, a deed for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. The aircraft was restored and is currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

However, the support provided to search and rescue (SAR) missions by USAF Skyraiders in Southeast Asia is likely what makes them most memorable. Operating under the call sign Sandy, the A-1’s prodigious firepower was complemented by its capacity to hover over a fallen Airman for a considerable amount of time. Until helicopters could rescue fallen Airmen, the Sandies delivered practically constant suppressing fire, but jet aircraft frequently had to depart an area for refueling or rearming.

Douglas A-1E Skyraider in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

Source: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

August 9, 2021 0 comment

History

68 bullet holes were found when this HH-3E CSAR helicopter returned to base

by Till Daisd August 9, 2021

written by Till Daisd

With 68 bullet wounds, a shot-out windshield, and holes through the rotor blades, Jolly Green 22 managed to escape the trap

During the Southeast Asia War, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) created the Sikorsky HH-3E helicopter, sometimes known as the “Jolly Green Giant,” to undertake combat search and rescue (CSAR) to recover downed Airmen. The HH-3E, a heavily modified version of Sikorsky’s CH-3 transport helicopter, was armed and armored to defend aircrew rescue missions in dangerous environments.

With the installation of armor, defensive armament, self-sealing fuel tanks, and a rescue hoist, fifty CH-3Es were transformed into HH-3Es. The HH-3E’s watertight hull allowed it to land on the water, and its big rear door and ramp made loading and unloading simple.

In 1967, the first USAF HH-3E aircraft arrived in Vietnam and began flying out of Da Nang Air Base in South Vietnam and Udorn Air Base in Thailand.

An HH-3E is being refueled by an HC-130. Aerial refueling enabled the helicopters to rescue downed aircrew from any location in the Southeast Asia theater of operations.

The National Museum of the United States now has one of these helicopters on display (an HH-3E with serial number 67-14709). It is noteworthy that this HH-3E has a lengthy and illustrious history. It was assigned to the 37th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam, and during the Southeast Asia War, it flew with the call sign Jolly Green 22.

On March 14, 1968, a two-ship helicopter rescue team made an attempt to save the crew of an American aircraft, as detailed in the article “Jolly Green 22.” An F-4 Phantom of the US Marine Corps (USMC) was shot down over North Vietnam. Heavy enemy machine gun fire caused the rescuers to retire before saving the second Marine, who was one of the two crewmen. Despite Jolly Green 22’s damage from enemy fire, its crew made a second attempt to save the trapped Marine. The Marine had been slain in the meanwhile, and the North Vietnamese had set up an ambush for the rescuers who were coming back. Jolly Green 22 managed to escape the trap despite being heavily shot at by the enemy, suffering 68 bullet holes, a shot-out windshield, and rotor blade holes.

A Jolly Green Giant escorted by an A-1 Skyraider on a CSAR mission in Southeast Asia.

The helicopter’s four crew members were nominated for the Air Force Cross for their efforts, but only three of them—pilot Maj. Stuart Hoag, copilot Lt. Col. Gerald Lowe, and pararescueman Sgt. James Locker—received it. The helicopter’s flight engineer, Sgt. Dennis Richardson was awarded the Purple Heart for riskily exposing himself to enemy fire. However, after reviewing the mission’s documents, the Air Force awarded retired Chief Master Sgt. Richardson the Air Force Cross in 2008 for his bravery in 1968.

This helicopter, commonly known as “709” due to its serial number, served in Southeast Asia for 32 months, during which time the crew members were awarded one Air Force Cross and fourteen Silver Stars for heroism.

Equipped with a powerful external winch, the Jolly Green Giants could extract a downed pilot without landing. Here, an aircrew practices lowering a jungle penetrator.

They were also given credit for saving 27 American Airmen. Following the war, “709” took part in yet another risky rescue operation in the Yellow Sea. Maj. James E. McArdle, Jr. and his team used this helicopter to rescue 28 sailors aboard the Taiwanese freighter Ta Lai after it ran aground on the night of March 30 and 31st, 1979. The HH-3E crew made three trips to deliver the Taiwanese sailors to Kwangju Air Base in South Korea while battling 15-foot waves and strong winds. McArdle was given the 1979 MacKay Trophy for this rescue, which is given to an Air Force individual or organization for their most outstanding flight of the year.

This historic aircraft was retired following Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and refurbished by the museum in 2010.

A USAF HH-3E rescues a pilot from the water off the coast of Vietnam.

Photo by Ken LaRock / U.S. Air Force

Source: National Musuem of the U.S. Air Force

August 9, 2021 0 comment

History

The YB-35 and YB-49 flying wings, the forgotten ancestors of the B-2 Spirit

by Till Daisd August 8, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The innovative and potentially very effective flying wing design, in which the tail section and fuselage are deleted and all payload is carried in a thick wing, was employed by the YB-35 and YB-49

The Northrop XB-35 and YB-35 were experimental aircraft created by the Northrop Corporation for the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) during and immediately after World War II. They were designed by Jack Northrop as a huge wing-only, long-range heavy bomber. The flying wing design, which removes the tail and fuselage and carries all payload in a thick wing, is revolutionary and has the potential to be extremely efficient for this type of aircraft. Only prototype and pre-production aircraft were produced, but there was still enough demand for the design to be developed into a jet bomber under the name YB-49.

Eight Allison TG-180 (J35) turbojet engines were installed in two YB-35s in place of the four Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines that were formerly powering its dual contra-rotating propellers. The USAAF gave its approval to the conversion program’s modification order in June 1945. Four new vertical stabilizers were also added, in addition to the installation of jet engines (two on each wing installed on both sides of the jet engine exhausts). To minimize airflow down the sweeping wing (lowering lift) rather than over the wing, four air dams were installed on the wings, extending forward from the vertical stabilizer.

The new aircraft was YB-49.

The first aircraft conversion project took over two years to complete, and the YB-49 No. 1 (S/N 42-102367) made its first flight on October 21, 1947, when it was ready for flight testing. The results of flight testing revealed generally good performance; nonetheless, the flying wing was doomed by stability during simulated bomb runs and political issues.

Testing with both aircraft continued until the second YB-49 crashed on June 5, 1948. The second aircraft was prepared for its first flight on January 13, 1948. When YB-49 No. 2 lost control and crashed about 10 miles northwest of Muroc Air Force Base (AFB), the aircraft was doing its 25th test flight. The aircraft experienced a catastrophic structural failure with the outer wing panels tearing off while being tested for stall recovery ability.

Maj. Daniel H. Forbes Jr., the pilot, Capt. Glen W. Edwards, the copilot, Lt. Edward L. Swindell, the flight engineer, Clare E. Lesser, and C.C. La Fountain made up the crew on the tragic mission.

Later, two Air Force facilities were given new names in remembrance of the pilots who died in the crash. Both Edwards AFB in California and Forbes AFB in Kansas bear the names of their respective recipients: Capt. Edwards and Maj. Forbes.

Following the second YB-49 prototype’s crash, the remaining aircraft underwent modifications to include more flight performance monitoring equipment before testing could restart. On March 15, 1950, a high-speed taxi run was being used by an Air Force crew to test the aircraft stabilizer reaction when the nose wheel started to violently wobble. The No. 1 YB-49 broke in two and was utterly destroyed as a result of the nose landing gear collapsing before the aircraft could be brought under control.

Northrop also created the YRB-49A, a reconnaissance variant of the YB-49, whose only prototype flew for the first time on May 4, 1950, from Hawthorne, California, to Edwards. After just 13 flights and over a year of testing, this aircraft’s testing came to an end.

The flying wing bomber concept was abandoned when the YRB-49A was destroyed in late 1953, and it would not be revived until the Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber appeared nearly 40 years after the YB-49’s final flight.

Photo by Edwards History Office file photo / U.S. Air Force and Northrop Corporation via Wikipedia

Source: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

August 8, 2021 0 comment

History

When the SR-71 Blackbird set four speed records on its last flight

by Till Daisd August 6, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, USAF serial number 61-7972, set four National Aeronautic Association and three Fédération Aéronautique Internationale speed records on its final flight on March 6, 1990

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft maintained its position as the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft for approximately 24 years. It could survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from an altitude of 80,000 feet.

It is therefore not surprising that the aircraft has consistently broken records for both speed and altitude due to its astounding flight qualities.

The Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, USAF serial number 61-7972, flew from Air Force Plant 42 (PMD) in Palmdale, California to Washington Dulles International Airport where it was handed over to the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum on March 6, 1990, setting four National Aeronautic Association and three Fédération Aéronautique Internationale speed records, according to This Day in Aviation.

The missions began with the SR-71 being launched from Air Force Plant 42 (PMD) in Palmdale by Lieutenant Colonels Raymond E. (“Ed”) Yeilding and Joseph T. (“J.T.”) Vida. Before starting their speed run, the Blackbird refueled from a Boeing KC-135Q Stratotanker so that its fuel tanks would be full.

The plane flew past Oxnard on the southern California coast as it approached the so-called “west gate,” a radar reference point, and then turned east to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Washington, D.C.

The transcontinental flight took 1 hour, 7 minutes, 53.69 seconds, or an average speed of 2,124.51 miles per hour, to cover the distance of 2,404.05 statute miles (3,868.94 kilometers) (3,419.07 kilometers per hour).

The following intermediate closed-course records were also set: Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., 2,299.67 miles (3,700.96 kilometers), 1:04:19.89, averaging 2,144.83 m.p.h (3,451.77 km/h); Kansas City to Washington, D.C., 942.08 miles (1,516.13 kilometers), 25:58.53, 2,176.08 m.p.h (3,502.06 km/h); and St. Louis to Cincinnati, 311.44 miles (501.21 km), 8:31.97, 2,189.94 m.p.h. (3,524.37 km/h).

The SR-71 61-7972 did not only set these records, though. According to This Day In Aviation, this Blackbird had already set a record for the fastest time between New York and London (1:54:56.4), averaging 1,806.957 m.p.h. (2,908.015 km/h). But it had to slow down to refuel in flight. The airplane then broke a record by traveling 5,446.87 miles (8765.89 kilometers) from London to Los Angeles in 3 hours, 47 minutes, and 39 seconds, while averaging 1,435.49 m.p.h. (2,310.19 km/h). It also set an 85,069-foot altitude record (25,929 meters).

This was 61-7972’s last flight. 2,801.1 hours were spent on its airframe in total. The Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum’s Steven V. Udvar-Hazy Center currently has this Blackbird on exhibit.

As we’ve already mentioned, the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft served as the basis for the long-range, sophisticated, strategic reconnaissance aircraft known as the SR-71 Blackbird. The first SR-71 to enter service was delivered to the 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base (AFB), California, in January 1966. The SR-71’s first flight took place on December 22, 1964. On January 26, 1990, the U.S. Air Force deactivated its fleet of SR-71 aircraft due to a shrinking defense budget and high operating expenses.

Photo by Edwards History Office file photo and U.S. Air Force

Additional source: U.S. Air Force

August 6, 2021 0 comment

History

An RF-101C voodoo mission known as “Operation Sun Run” broke 3 transcontinental speed records

by Till Daisd August 6, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Two Voodoos had to fly the one-way trip from Los Angeles to New York, while two RF-101s had to make the roundtrip journey from Los Angeles to New York and back

Operation Sun Run was conducted on November 27, 1957, by four U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilots flying a McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo aircraft and setting three new transcontinental speed records. The RF-101C, an upgraded version of the RF-101A, the first supersonic photo-reconnaissance aircraft, demonstrated its speed and range during the record-breaking flight.

Six RF-101C planes were ready to participate in Operation Sun Run: two for the round-trip flight from Los Angeles to New York and back, two for the one-way trip from Los Angeles to New York, and two as backups in case the four major planes encountered issues.

It is noteworthy that the operation needed extensive coordination of aircraft crews, radar, and weather stations from coast to coast, as described in the article Operation Sun Run.

A giclee of “Schrek’s CIN MIN on the SUN-RUN” by aviation artist William S. Phillips in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

For Operation Sun Run, six pilots from the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing’s 17th and 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons were chosen. Each pilot got ready for the round-trip flight even though they wouldn’t know to which flight they were allocated until a few days before the operation. All six of the RF-101’s six pilots had a lot of experience flying photo-reconnaissance aircraft, even though Tactical Air Command (T)AC had just recently acquired the aircraft.

However, the performance of the USAF’s first jet tanker, the recently released KC-135 Stratotanker, also played a role in Operation Sun Run’s success. The RF-101s were able to refuel at an altitude of 35,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.8 thanks to the KC-135’s speed. Air Force Research and Development Command and Strategic Air Command (SAC) crews planned for the 26 refuelings that the Operation Sun Run RF-101Cs would need.

On the first RF-101C round-trip flight of Operation Sun Run, Capt. Ray Schrecengost departed from Ontario International Airport near Los Angeles at 6:59 a.m. on November 27, 1957.

Capt. Donald Hawkins, flying back up, and Capt. Robert Kilpatrick, flying a one-way flight, followed him. Following until the initial refueling was finished, Capt. Hawkins took off for March Air Force Base (AFB), in California. Capt. Robert Sweet departed on the second round-trip flight at 7:50 a.m. Lt. Gustav Klatt started his one-way journey after him. After the initial successful refueling, they also flew to March AFB with their backup, Capt. Robert Burkhart.

This trophy was presented by the McDonnell Aircraft Corp. to the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing in recognition of establishing three new transcontinental speed records flying RF-101C aircraft on Nov. 27, 1957. It was donated to the museum by the RF-101 Pilots’ Reunion Group in 1998.

The previous speed records were easily surpassed by all four RF-101C pilots, who also set new ones. Lt. Klatt set a new record for the distance from Los Angeles to New York, clocking in at 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 43.63 seconds. Capt. Sweet set records for both the New York to Los Angeles flight and the round-trip flight, with times of 6 hours, 46 minutes, and 36.21 seconds and 3 hours, 36 minutes, and 32.33 seconds, respectively.

These pictures show an RF-101C that was a part of Operation Sun Run and is now on exhibit at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, this Voodoo also performed crucial low-altitude surveillance flights, confirming that the offensive missile installations in Cuba were being decommissioned. Along with the 45th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, it served in Southeast Asia. On October 27, 1978, it was flown to the museum from Key Field, Miss., by the 153rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the Mississippi Air National Guard.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

Source: National Museum Of The U.S. Air Force

August 6, 2021 0 comment

History

B-29 Doc flown by the grandson of Enola Gay commander

by Till Daisd July 24, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets Jr., who led the B-29 Enola Gay on its mission to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, is the grandson of Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets IV.

According to The Wichita Eagle, the repaired B-29 bomber Doc—one of only two flying B-29s in the world—flew to Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB) for the Wings Over Whiteman Airshow on June 9, 2017, with Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets IV at the controls.

Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets Jr., who led the B-29 Enola Gay on its mission to drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in August 1945, is the grandfather of Tibbets IV. Tibbets IV is a B-2 stealth bomber pilot and the commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman.

The first nuclear weapon ever deployed in combat, the Mk I bomb (also known as “Little Boy”), was delivered by the B-29 Enola Gay, which is currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum. On August 6, 1945, the bomb exploded above Hiroshima at a height of 1,800 feet. “Little Boy” was a gun-like weapon that was the outcome of the Manhattan Project, which started in June 1942. It detonated by discharging one mass of uranium down a cylinder into another mass to produce a self-sustaining nuclear reaction. It produced an explosive force equivalent to 20,000 tons of TNT while only weighing roughly 9,000 pounds.

Photo by Erin McClellan [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

July 24, 2021 0 comment

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