Tag:

aviation

US Navy F6F Hellcat pilots remember their first experience with the formidable N1K1-J Shiden fighter

by Till Daisd November 22, 2023

On November 6, 1944, US Navy F6F Hellcat pilots encountered a Japanese fighter they could not identify while conducting a fighter sweep over the airfields north of Manila

The F6F Hellcat squadrons entered the Pacific in late 1943 and quickly proved their superiority against their Japanese adversaries, which culminated in the historic “Marianas Turkey Shoot” in June 1944 during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The fighter proved to be an aircraft pilot’s dream, enabling both inexperienced and seasoned Naval Aviators to win large-scale aerial combat.

Lt. Elvin Lindsay, CO of VF-19, Lt. Albert Seckel, and Lt(jg) Lachlan McLaughlin came upon a Japanese fighter they could not identify on Nov. 6, 1944, during a fighter sweep over the airfields north of Manila, according to the story provided by Edward M. Young in his book F6F Hellcat Philippines 1944.

The Aircraft Action Report for VF-19 stated:

“The six who went up to Clark ran into 15 enemy planes, of which they destroyed 13 without losing themselves. They were led by Lt. Lindsay, the new squadron commanding officer, who shot down two “Tojos” and one “Oscar.” The group was attacked first by five “Oscars,” but when our planes turned into them, they climbed into the overcast, where Ens. Tatman got onto the tail of a straggler and shot it down in flames. Then singles and pairs of enemy planes came down out of the overcast, and several other enemy planes joined in from the side. All fights took place under the overcast and from 5,000ft down to the ground. A “Tojo” came in on Lt. Lindsay, firing both 7.7 and the two 20mm guns in his wings from above. He was a poor shot, missing, and Lt. Seckel pulled up a bit, centering him with a 60° deflection shot, and he burst into flames, crashing.”

Lt. Seckel says:

“We encountered 12 to 15 enemy planes, in groups of three to five planes. Lindsay’s division and my section kept weaving, covering each other, and by aggressively climbing and turning right into the enemy we kept the initiative, scaring off all but one or two of the planes in the group we attacked. Thus, all of us would gang up on a single plane or two as their pals fled, and we would take turns knocking them down. In a long chase, McLaughlin damaged a single-engine fighter of unknown type, and as he pulled out I hit him with a burst and he crashed. This plane was very fast – I was doing 290 knots indicated at 100ft and gaining only a very little. Its wing was a low mid-wing, and the plane resembled a P-47, with a heavy belly below the wing. Carried bombs or tanks under the wings.”

Lt. Lindsay added the following observations:

“We all stayed together in excellent fashion and supported each other with no strain. One “Oscar” approached Ens Sassman head-on, then suddenly whipped around and was on Sassman’s tail in amazingly short time. He began firing but broke away when he saw my tracers pass him. A few short bursts set his center section afire, and he crashed without bailing out. The “Tojos” pressed their head-on attacks to a very dangerous collision range, where we broke away. One “Tojo,” after making such a run on another F6F, tried to pull up sharply into the overcast but burst into flame from my gunfire just before entering the cloud. The sight of a burning “Tojo” spinning out of an overcast is beautiful indeed. I found another “Tojo” (or unidentified plane) in my sights soon after, and a short burst sent him flaming to the ground.”

The powerful new N1K1-J Shiden fighter, code-named “George,” of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force (IJNAF) matches the pilots’ description. It had been flying over the airfields of Luzon for a few weeks, but it didn’t seem to have been recognized as a new type of Japanese fighter until then.

F6F Hellcat Philippines 1944 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Jim Laurier and Gareth Hector via Osprey

November 22, 2023 0 comment

History

U-2 Vs SR-71: why the Blackbird was retired while the Dragon Lady still flies Spy missions

by Till Daisd November 21, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The US Air Force (USAF) retired its fleet of SR-71s on January 26, 1990, although the U-2 is still in use today

Before Gary Power’s U-2 was shot down, development on a breakthrough spy plane had already started at Lockheed’s famed Skunk Works in Burbank. This unique aircraft had to fly higher, faster, and with a minimal radar cross section (RCS) than any other aircraft.

The SR-71, also called the “Blackbird,” was developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft. It made its first flight on December 22, 1964, and the 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to enter service in January 1966.

Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 maintained its position as the fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft in the world, reaching a maximum speed of Mach 3+. It could cover 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from 80,000 feet. The U-2 Dragon Lady, on the other hand, can reach a top speed of 410 mph and fly above 70,000 feet. Nevertheless, the US Air Force (USAF) retired its fleet of SR-71 aircraft on January 26, 1990, but the U-2 is still in use today.

Why is that? What is so special about the U-2?

‘Mostly expense,’ Damien Leimbach, former USAF Avionics Technician, says on Quora.

‘The SR-71 was insanely expensive to fly.

‘For a mission over a target in the Middle East with the planes based in England, it needed to have multiple airliner-size aircraft in the air to support it. ‘It was not capable of taking off with a full load of fuel (or rather, not advisable for many reasons), so in order to take off, there had to be a tanker waiting in the air to top it off once it got airborne. It would then make a high-speed run to the target zone, where it would meet up with another tanker before doing its Mach 3 run over the target. It would then need to tank up again once the recon run was done for the trip home, and then there would still be a tanker in the air on standby in case it needed gas before landing or in case it needed to divert for weather or something. So that’s a minimum of four airliner-sized support aircraft, including all of their parts, fuel use, and crew, flying out of a minimum of two different bases just to make a single SR-71 operational mission happen. And that’s on top of all the crew, fuel, parts, and mechanics just to operate the SR-71.

‘This is true for operational missions and usually true just for training runs back home as well. The planes were stationed at Beale AFB in California, and there was an entire squadron of tankers stationed there just to support the SR-71.

‘(Notice all the tankers in the back? They were there just for the SR-71)

‘They also had a squadron of T-38s there so the pilots could get their minimum training hours (night, instrument, supersonic, cross-country) in each month without having to fly the more expensive SR-71.’

Leimbach continues;

‘So that’s TWO ADDITIONAL squadrons of aircraft that have to exist just to support SR-71 training operations back at home station, complete with all the parts, fuel, mechanics, housing, etc., etc. for those extra planes. And that’s not even taking into account the specially formulated radioactive jet fuel it used. The list of special oils, lubricants, and tires the SR-71 needed to be able to operate in those flight regimes (Mach3.2 at 80K feet) alone made the SR-71 ruinously expensive to fly per hour.

‘(Aluminum mixed with latex so the tires could take the 400 °F temperatures in the wheel wells.)

‘Contrast that with the U-2, which only needs a crew of one, could easily be forward-based, and could take off on a single load of fuel good enough to keep it in the air for 14 hours. For training missions back home, just put less gas in it and let the pilot take it for a spin. A refueling plane does not need to be up just for the thing to take off. A U-2 would use less fuel on a 14-hour mission than the SR-71 did just taking off.

‘There really was no technology gap between the SR-71 and other planes like the U-2 as far as cameras, sensors, or EW suppression. The U-2 has been upgraded many, many times since the 1990s, when the SR-71 was retired. Cockpit, sensors, cameras, and anti-missile systems have all been upgraded. But they would have been upgraded in the SR-71 if it had been kept in service as well.

‘The SR-71 never directly overflew Soviet territory, and the MiG would have had to come out into international airspace to take a shot at the Blackbird.

‘The Russian SAM threat is not an issue. The SR-71 was fired on over 800 times by Warsaw Pact SAMs and was never downed. And that was when our ECM was in its infancy.

‘Speaking as a U-2 electronics guy, we fly in warzones covered by all of Russia’s latest and greatest, including the S-200, -300, and -400. The SR would have been upgraded with the same EWS suite the U-2 has.’

Leimbach concludes;

‘Satellites and drones aren’t the answer either. Drones didn’t exist then (when the SR-71 was retired) the way they do now, although the satellites are much better. However, we still fly the U-2 around the clock, despite SAMs, satellites, and drones, because it can do stuff on call in a way drones and satellites just can’t. But the SR-71 would have been useful for the same reason.

‘Like I said, it was mostly cost.’

Photo by Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force

November 21, 2023 0 comment

History

The story of FedEx Flight 705

by Till Daisd November 21, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘To keep the bad guy off his feet, the first officer threw the FedEx DC-10 cargo aircraft into all sorts of maneuvers, including inverted flight,’ Keith Shergold, former airline transport pilot

Auburn R. Calloway attempted to hijack Federal Express Flight 705 (FedEx Flight 705) on April 7, 1994, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 cargo jet transporting electronic equipment from Memphis, Tennessee, to San Jose, California. The prosecution claimed Calloway was attempting suicide.

Three members of the flight crew were present in the cockpit during this flight, according to Wikipedia: 49-year-old Captain David G. “Dave” Sanders, who had worked for FedEx for 20 years and previously served with the US Navy for nine years during the Vietnam War; 42-year-old First Officer James M. “Jim” Tucker Jr., who had worked for FedEx for 10 years and previously served with the US Navy for 12 years during the Vietnam War and People Express Airlines for three years; and 39-year-old Flight Engineer Andrew H. “Andy” Peterson, who had worked for FedEx for 5 years.

In the aircraft was Calloway, a 42-year-old FedEx Flight Engineer, Stanford University alumnus, former Navy pilot, and expert in martial arts who was in danger of losing his job due to fabricating his flight log.

Arriving on time, he was a deadhead traveler with a guitar case that included a speargun and multiple hammers. He attempted to turn off the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the airplane before takeoff and then, after it was in the air, killed the crew members with hammers so that their wounds would seem more like those of an accident than a hijacking. However, the flight engineer realized he had forgotten to turn on the CVR and turned it back on.

Former airline transport pilot Keith Shergold recalls on Quora;

‘Basically, a deranged flight engineer who was traveling as a passenger on a FedEx cargo DC-10 was suicidal and had brought a hammer, spear gun, and other crap with him. His intention was to kill the crew and die in the crash. Because he was an employee and it was a cargo plane, he was able to smuggle his weapons aboard.

‘Once in the air, he came into the cockpit and used his hammer to bash in the heads of the pilots and the flight engineer. Despite receiving terrible brain injuries, the Captain and the Flight Engineer went into the back to fight the bad guy, while the third tried to control the plane. To keep the bad guy off his feet, the first officer threw the plane into all sorts of maneuvers, including inverted flight. His brain injury made it impossible to control half of his body, but he used his remaining one arm and leg to do aerobatics in this enormous jetliner until his mates in the back managed to subdue the bad guy. Despite their horrifying injuries, the three crewmates then landed the plane. None of them were ever able to fly again. The bad guy is in jail for two consecutive life sentences, obviously.’

The tale of Federal Express Flight 705 and its heroic crew is presented in the video that follows.

Photo by X Pilot

November 21, 2023 0 comment

History

The Blackbird engines were started by the SR-71 crew using controlled explosions caused by triethyl-borane

by Till Daisd November 20, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘The NTSB lists Triethylborane [TEB] as the following most dangerous material, one step below fissionable nuclear material,’ Former SR-71 Blackbird pilot David Peters

The amazing photo in this post, taken at RAF Mildenhall in 1986 by Stuart Freer, shows an SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 spy aircraft performing at the Air Fete Air Show and creating amazing fireballs.

According to Lt. Col. Doug Soifer, a former Blackbird RSO, this is mentioned in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Revealed The Inside Story.

‘During that pass we [Soifer and Mike Smith, the pilot] had “13 fireballs” come out of the plane’s exhaust. It looked beautiful, and people wanted to know if it could be done again. They used the picture of us with the flames coming out for the next year’s Air Fete poster. Mike and I became known as the “Fireball Twins.” The maintenance people figured it was the TEB [triethylborane] shooting out of its container and igniting the JP-7. With that start, we had an exciting six weeks in England.’

JP-7 fuel was used by the SR-71, a unique fuel that retains its integrity at very high temperatures by adding an additive that increases its flash point.

Graham recalls;

‘The high flashpoint brings up another problem. Most jet engines use igniter plugs—nothing more than a very hot spark plug if you will. Using these igniter plugs they used with the JP-7 and just drowns it out, it won’t ignite. Kelly [Johnson] put his engineers to work, and he said, ‘OK, gentlemen, how are we going to start this?’ They came up with a very unique way. Triethylborane (TEB for short) Each engine has a one-and-a-quarter pint. If I had it in a squirt gun and I squirted it into the atmosphere, it would go Kaboom!—it explodes with contact with the atmosphere. And that’s how we started the engines. As the engines rotate, at the right time, it sprays this amount of TEB into the turbine section, which goes kaboom, which in turn lights the engine. When you take the throttles up into the afterburner, it puts this metered amount of TEB in that lights up the JP-7. You get 16 shots for each engine.’

Every engine had a sealed tank installed on it, inerted with nitrogen gas, that was filled with 600 cc of TEB by maintenance before each flight.

Former SR-71 Blackbird pilot David Peters explains: ‘An interesting note to this is the transport of it. If we landed away, servicing had to be hauled to our location. The NTSB lists TEB as the next most dangerous material, one step below fissionable nuclear material. The folks that handled this stuff were highly trained and good.’

Check out the Habubrats Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by Stuart Freer

November 20, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd November 19, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by U.S. Navy

November 19, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd November 18, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Peter Rolt

November 18, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd November 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

The AFAA has three categories of membership:

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

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

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

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

AFAA-Ritchie — Ritchie (US Air Force photo)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 17, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd November 16, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He added;

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

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

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

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

November 16, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd November 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Successful because:

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

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

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

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

Photo by U.S. Air Force

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

November 15, 2023 0 comment

Helicopters

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

by Till Daisd November 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taylor continues;

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

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

‘You’re looking at this:

‘versus THIS:

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

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

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

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

Taylor concludes;

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

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

November 14, 2023 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts