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aviation

The story of the T-33 pilot watching a nuclear bomb test without wearing safety glasses

by Till Daisd October 22, 2023

‘One of my friends participated in a nuclear air burst test in Nevada. He was flying an instrumented T-33 jet at about 40,000 feet…,’ Bruce Gordon, former USAF fighter pilot

Between 1946 and 1962, in the years following World War II and during the height of the Cold War, the US detonated more than 200 above- and undersea nuclear bombs. Throughout World War II and the Cold War, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers observed atomic weapon tests.

They were mostly pilots. The majority of them were without safety glasses. How securely can you observe a nuclear explosion from an airplane?

‘I don’t believe there is a safe distance,’ Bruce Gordon, former F-86, F-100, F-102, and F-106 fighter pilot at the US Air Force (1958–1971), said on Quora.

‘One of my friends participated in a nuclear air burst test in Nevada. He was flying an instrumented T-33 jet at about 40,000 feet, some miles away. He wrote: “I was flying the plane… I had put a patch over my left eye and was to be looking down, with my head down, into the cockpit. I can remember that I was holding my breath as I heard 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1! Then everything went white. I mean, it was so bright that you could not see the floor of the plane. Then a very odd thing happened: I could actually see through the floor of the cockpit and see the ground below us! Yes, I could see the ground through the floor of the plane. I could see a bright light even in the eye over which I had put the patch. I find it hard to describe the brightness of the bomb blast. It was not like anything I had ever seen. It was much like how I had envisioned the brightness one would experience if in the presence of God.”

‘He told me that during debriefing, he reported being able to see through the floor of the airplane. They told him that several other people had reported the same phenomena.’

Gordon concludes;

‘I think this may be related to the “Livermore Light” that has been reported, but only in a few cases, because not many people have been looking anywhere near the fireball. In the book “You must be joking, Mr. Fineman,” he was at a nuclear test in the Pacific. He had misplaced his dark glasses, so he just looked away from the blast—at all the other people who were wearing the very dark glasses. He said he could see them as skeletons, with the bones showing. I think there is a lot more to the Livermore Light than we know now…’

Photo by U.S. Air Force and National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office

October 22, 2023 0 comment

History

The B-52 Stratofortress was referred to as “BUFF” during Operation Arc Light

by Till Daisd October 21, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Since they flew too high to be seen or heard, B-52 bombers became one of the Viet Cong’s most feared weapons

The Stratofortress flew her first combat missions as a conventional bomber during the Vietnam War, bombing what were believed to be Viet Cong insurgents’ hideouts in the South Vietnamese jungles, even though the B-52 was intended to be the cornerstone of the United States Air Force’s (USAF) nuclear deterrent. The B-52, the ultimate strategic bomber, was transformed into a functional weapon system during these missions, which were part of Operation Arc Light.

However, the first Arc Light mission against four Viet Cong battalions, flown on June 18, 1965, by twenty-seven B-52Fs, was nearly a failure due to the loss in a mid-air collision of two bombers. The incident was brought on by the bad weather, the poor planning, and the illness, according to Bill Yenne in his book B-52 Stratofortress: The Complete History of the World’s Longest Serving and Best-Known Bomber. Despite this shaky beginning, the Arc Light sorties quickly became routine, and they saw the Stratofortress carry out tactical support flights in support of the US Marine Corps Operation Harvest Moon and the US Army First Cavalry’s operations in the Ia Drang Valley.

To expand the B-52 bomb capability, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) B-52Ds were updated in December 1965 to carry eighty-four 500-pound conventional bombs, with space for an additional twenty-four on underwing pylons. The “Big Belly” upgrade program significantly expanded the B-52D’s bomb-carrying capability over the B-52F, which it replaced in the first few months of 1966, from 43,500 pounds to up to 60,000 pounds.

The B-52D was differentiated by its newly adopted Southeast Asia camouflage pattern, which featured the same B-52F gloss black on the undersides and vertical tail and tan plus two colors of green on the top sides. Incidentally, it was Operation Arc Light that gave the Stratofortress its well-known nickname, “BUFF,” which stands for “Big Ugly Fat Fucker” but is pronounced “Big Ugly Fat Fellow” in polite company and official USAF fact sheets.

These modifications increased the effectiveness of Arc Light missions since B-52s, which flew too high to be seen or heard, were one of the weapons the Viet Cong feared the most, according to the SAC’s official narrative.

A claim confirmed by General Westmoreland said, “We know from talking to many prisoners and defectors that enemy troops fear B-52s, tactical air, artillery, and armor… in that order.”

This opinion was supported by Truong Nhu Tang, the Viet Cong Minister of Justice, who in his 1985 book, A Viet Cong Memoir, eloquently recalled the experience of becoming involved in a B-52 Arc Light operation.

“It seemed, as I strained to press myself into the bunker floor, that I had been caught in the Apocalypse. […] the terror was complete. One lost control of bodily functions as the mind screamed incomprehensible orders to get out.”

Operation Arc Light: when the iconic B-52 Stratofortress earned the nickname — Bombs from a USAF Boeing B-52D Stratofortress on an “Arc Light” mission hitting suspected enemy troop positions

More than 5,000 Arc Light missions were flown in 1966, and that number nearly doubled in 1967 thanks to the use of Thailand air bases like Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base and U-Tapao Royal Navy Airfield, which reduced the distance from South Vietnam and significantly reduced the strain on aerial refueling assets.

Nonetheless, the Arc Light missions reached their peak in 1968, when 20,568 sorties were flown. The most well-known of the Arc Light missions took place the same year when B-52s were used to support and defend American forces during the Khe Sanh siege, which evolved into the biggest and most significant tactical air operation yet seen in Southeast Asia. The AN/MSQ-77 Ground Directed Bombing System, located in ground radar stations throughout the nation, was used to guide the BUFFs, which were in action round-the-clock and arrived over the target in groups of up to six every few hours. Target revisions were allowed by Skyspot with two hours’ notice.

During this operation, code-named Niagara, B-52s dropped 75,631 tons of bombs throughout 2,707 missions; more than 600 of those bombs were detonated less than 300 yards from the American border. No Americans were hurt. These assaults helped break the siege of Khe Sanh and forced the North Vietnamese to leave. A captured North Vietnamese officer revealed that 75% of his regiment had been destroyed in a single B-52 bombardment.

The Nixon administration’s attempt to de-escalate the war resulted in the Arc Light missions slowly declining in 1969, with 19,498 sorties performed that year, 15,103 in 1970, and 12,552 in 1971. The B-52 would have been fully employed the next year during Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas airstrike that was the heaviest bombing campaign the US conducted over North Vietnam.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — Pilot’s view of a typical, three-ship B-52 formation.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

October 21, 2023 0 comment

History

A-6 Intruder and F/A-18 Legacy Hornet are like a ’65 Ford F-100 and a ’84 Pontiac Fiero

by Till Daisd October 20, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘I’m tremendously thankful to have flown both and while the Hornet got me in and out of combat, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the venerable Intruder,’ Tim Hibbetts, a former US Navy A-6 and F/A-18 pilot

The A-6 Intruder was the first fully all-weather attack bomber in the world, able to locate tactical or strategic targets in low visibility and deliver both conventional and nuclear ordnance on them. Two turbojet engines were used to power this incredibly precise, low-altitude, long-range, subsonic weapons system, which was largely hidden in its chubby fuselage. The Intruder didn’t win any beauty contests, but there was no denying that it was excellent at the task it was given. The A-6’s five exterior store stations, which could hold a combined payload of 18,000 pounds, could accommodate all air-to-ground weaponry developed by the US and NATO.

The A-6 was superseded by the then-newer F/A-18 Hornet, and the final A-6 was decommissioned from active duty service in 1997 despite efforts to extend the aircraft’s service life with improved variants and the rewinging of older Intruders.

How does flying the F/A-18 Hornet compare to the A-6 Intruder?

‘So, you just got your license, are fired up about being mo-bile, when your dad hands you those magical keys… to a ’65 Ford F-100. It is not sexy; it is not fast,’ Tim Hibbetts former US Navy A-6E Intruder and F/A-18 Hornet pilot, recalls on Quora.

‘Nor is it going to win any car awards with its odd-colored passenger door, creeping rust, and occasional dent. But it’s got a big motor and a set of wheels, and you’re stoked to just find yourself barreling down those back roads (though it starts to shake pretty good once you get up to 60, highway or no). You have a lot of fun, with your best friend sliding around on the slick, cracked bench seat—laughing and hanging on for dear life when you take those corners a little too fast. You’re only a little wistful when the girls are more attracted to that little sports car next to you in the parking lot. The dang thing looks better dirty than clean.

‘After a couple years, dad upgrades you to an ’84 Pontiac Fiero. It is fast, sexy, and turns the girls’ heads. You can hug corners, take it over 100, and jump off the line like nobody’s business. It isn’t as fast or good-looking as the Corvette, but it’s a lot more fun to throw around corners than the ol’ truck. It’s got a Blaupunkt and cruise control and just all the bells and whistles you’ve been missing. But, with your books and gear, there’s no room for your best friend anymore. You also can’t haul very much in the back, and it really sucks gas quickly from its tiny tank. And while the power steering makes driving a pleasure and all the lights work (day and night), it might lack a little character. You have a new cadre of Fiero friends, but any time you run into your F-100 brothers, you slip right into badmouthing the unappreciative Pontiac sots. They’ll never know the challenge of bolting down a dirt road at night—only the running lights working—hauling a load of 22 tires in back and hoping you’re going to make that turn coming up, your best friend counting off the bushes until it’s time to crank it hard over.’

Hibbetts continues;

‘The A-6E Intruder, from the famed Grumman Iron Works, was a Clydesdale with a crooked unicorn growth poking from its forehead. You could fly deep into enemy territory, hugging the bushes day or night in all weather, and deliver twenty-two 500-pound bombs, or four 2000-pounders, or a number of guided weapons. It could also be configured to carry a “buddy store” in order to transfer some of its impressive gas load to your buddies (hence the name). It was not fast nor overly agile, but it was a Hell-a-good bomber, very stable and dependable. While there was virtually no air-to-air capability, it could carry the AIM-9 but was minus any cuing, only the Sidewinder growl to note lock-on. It was really nice around the ship in the daytime, but the scan at night was challenging. Some old Pong graphics on the display worked, but once you got close, shifting your scan in and out was like checking the fridge while watching the game—not ideal. It was supposed to be replaced by the A-12, but that was canceled, and the A-6 slid into the history books, unable to hand off the football.

‘The F/A-18 Hornet (not to be confused with the Super Hornet, or “Rhino”) was a modification of the losing aircraft in the competition that saw the F-16 come to fruition. It replaced the A-7 Corsair II and they made tremendous improvements on the basic design. It soon became the backbone of Naval Aviation, inspiring a larger brother that finally started to take over the real duties of the A-6E (minus the huge load). While not as fast as many other fighters, it was quick and agile, its advanced flight control system helping even middling pilots look like stars. It was the jack-of-most-trades, able to carry everything from mines to bombs to air-to-air missiles (minus the F-14’s fat baby, the Phoenix). This made it immensely flexible, but its size and fuel load limited its carry. It also meant that the pilots had to keep up on the delivery of all these weapons with near endless study. The official early tag line was, “One plane, one pilot, two missions.” An unofficial ending was soon put on, “one hour, two bombs” referencing its limited range and load. Naval Aviation modified many of its procedures to better wield the Hornet, to include more gas airborne and shorter cycle times (the amount of time between launch and recovery around the boat). It is a very capable air-to-air platform either beyond visual range, or in-close. It doesn’t have as much feel in the seat when coming aboard, but the Hornet’s HUD is a magic ring for getting aboard at night. You put the velocity vector where you wanted to land and that’s where you go—no looking inside required.’

Hibbetts concludes;

‘An overall comparison could be summed up as the old, capable attack aircraft that could carry a lot, a long way, versus a new, capable multi-role fighter able to carry just about anything and deliver it anywhere (as long as there was enough gas available and you aren’t expecting a huge delivery).

‘I’m tremendously thankful to have flown both and while the Hornet got me in and out of combat, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the venerable Intruder.’

Photo by Cdr. John R. Leenhouts, U.S. Navy

October 20, 2023 0 comment

History

The first and only live test of a USAF AIR-2 Genie nuclear-tipped air-to-air rocket by an F-89 Scorpion interceptor

by Till Daisd October 19, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Photographed on July 19, 1957, the first and only live test of a USAF Genie rocket with a nuclear warhead is shown in the video in this post, which was carried out by a USAF Northrop F-89J Scorpion

The video in this post shows a US Air Force (USAF) Northrop F-89J Scorpion carrying out the first and only live test of a USAF Genie rocket equipped with a nuclear warhead on July 19, 1957.

According to This Day In Aviation “On Friday morning, July 19, 1957, a United States Air Force Northrop F-89J Scorpion interceptor, serial number 53-2547, flown by Captain Eric W. Hutchison, Pilot, and Captain Alfred C. Barbee, Radar Intercept Officer, launched a Genie MB-1 unguided rocket at an altitude of 18,500 feet (5,640 meters) over NTS Area 10.

“The rocket accelerated to Mach 3 and traveled 2.6 miles (4,250 meters) in 4.5 seconds when, at 07:00:04.6 a.m., Pacific Daylight Savings Time (14:00 UTC), its W-25 warhead was detonated by a signal from a ground station. The resulting explosive yield was 1.7 kilotons.”

For the Air Defense Command, Northrop created the F-89 as an all-weather fighter-interceptor. The F-89 could find, intercept, and kill enemy aircraft day or night in any weather, with the radar operator in the back seat guiding the pilot. The first F-89 took to the air for the first time in August 1948, and the Air Force started receiving them in July 1950. For the Air Force, Northrop produced 1,050 F-89s in all.

As the first fighter-interceptor for the Air Defense Command to carry nuclear weaponry, Northrop modified 350 F-89Ds into J models. The F-89J’s cruising speed was 465 mph, and it was powered by two Allison J35 engines, each of which had an afterburner and could provide 7,200 pounds of thrust.

For use against enemy bomber formations, the air-to-air AIR-2A Genie rocket has a nuclear warhead. It is propelled by a solid-propellant rocket motor and has no guiding system. The AIR-2 (formerly known as the MB-1) was test-launched for the first time in 1956 and went into service in January 1957.

Interceptor planes like the F-89J, F-101B, and F-106A were principally used to transport the AIR-2A. Before manufacture ceased in 1962, thousands were constructed for the USAF; they were still in use until the mid-1980s. The ATR-2, a training version of the Genie without a nuclear warhead and with an inert rocket motor, was also in use.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

October 19, 2023 0 comment

History

Carmine Vito, the sole U-2 pilot to fly over Moscow, nearly bit his poisonous cyanide pill

by Till Daisd October 18, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘He started to suck on it. Luckily, he realized his mistake in a split second and spit it out in horror before it could take effect. Had he bit down, he would have died instantly and crashed right into Red Square.’ Marty Knutson, the first pilot selected to fly the U-2

Even now, the U-2 is regarded as one of the most cutting-edge aircraft ever created. Since its primary function was strategic reconnaissance, its development in 1954 was shrouded in intense secrecy. It is essentially a powered glider with a sail-plane-like wing and a lightweight structure, designed to fly for extended durations at very high altitudes.

The aircraft was built with high-altitude communications intelligence, electronic intelligence, and all-weather surveillance in mind. Depending on the mission, the U-2 has been equipped with a variety of cameras, electronic intelligence systems, and radar homing and warning systems.

In the late 1950s, early flights over the Soviet Union gave the president and other US decision-makers crucial information on Soviet military capability.

Marty Knutson the first pilot chosen to fly the U-2, recalls this in Ben Rich’s book “Skunk Works.”

‘I was the first pilot selected to fly in the U-2 program and made the third flight over the Soviet Union on the morning of July 8, 1956. I was a twenty-six-year-old with a thousand hours of fighter time. Now here I was flying over Russia in a fragile little airplane with a wingspan as long as the Brooklyn Bridge—and below I could see three hundred miles in every direction. This was enemy territory, big time. In those days, especially, I had a very basic attitude about the Soviet Union—man, it was an evil empire, a forbidding, alien place, and I sure as hell didn’t want to crash-land in the middle of it. I had to pinch myself that I was actually flying over the Soviet Union.

‘I began the day by eating a high-protein breakfast, steak, and eggs, then put on the bulky pressure suit and the heavy helmet and had to lie down in a contour chair for two hours before taking off and breathe pure oxygen. The object was to purge the nitrogen out of my system to avoid getting the bends if I had to come down quick from altitude.

‘I knew from being briefed by the two other guys who flew these missions ahead of me to expect a lot of Soviet air activity. They tracked me from the minute I took off, which was an unpleasant surprise. We thought we would be invisible to their radar at such heights. No dice. Through my drift sight, I saw fifteen Russian MiGs following me from about fifteen thousand feet below.

‘The day before, Carmine Vito had followed the railroad tracks right into Moscow and actually saw two MiGs collide and crash while attempting to climb to his altitude.

‘Vito had a close call. The ground crew had put his poison cyanide pill in the wrong pocket. We were issued the pill in case of capture, torture, and all that good stuff, but given the option whether to use it or not.

‘But Carmine didn’t know the cyanide was in the right breast pocket of his coveralls when he dropped in a fistful of lemon-flavored cough drops. The cyanide pill was supposed to be in an inside pocket. Vito felt his throat go dry as he approached Moscow for the first time—who could blame him? So, he fished in his pocket for a cough drop, grabbed the cyanide pill instead, and popped it into his mouth.

‘He started to suck on it. Luckily, he realized his mistake in a split second and spit it out in horror before it could take effect. Had he bit down, he would have died instantly and crashed right into Red Square. Just imagine the international uproar!

‘I kept my cyanide pill in an inside pocket and prayed that I would not have an engine flameout.’

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

Photo by U.S. Air Force

October 18, 2023 0 comment

History

The Gloster Meteor F8 “Prone Pilot” between gravity and flying lying down

by Till Daisd October 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

In the fall of 1954, Meteor F8 WK935 joined the Institute of Aviation Medicine after being chosen for modification

The ‘prone position’ Meteor, which is depicted in the images in this post, is a heavily modified Meteor F8 fighter that was used to test the benefits of flying while lying down. The challenges of using the aircraft’s controls actually outweighed the benefits.

The adoption of a prone-position cockpit in upcoming combat aircraft designs was attractive in the early 1950s for two reasons. First off, such a layout made it possible to decrease the frontal area of the airframe, which decreased drag. Second, because jet combat aircraft must maneuver at ever-faster speeds, crews can withstand greater “g” forces if they are not sitting upright.

In order to take advantage of these benefits, the Bristol Aeroplane Company included a prone pilot position in its Bristol Type 178 rocket-powered fighter concept. The RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine needed a jet aircraft that could be flown by a pilot lying on his stomach to test the viability of a prone pilot cockpit. In the fall of 1954, Meteor F8 WK935 joined the Institute of Aviation Medicine after being chosen for modification.

The prone position concept was shown to be feasible after around 55 hours of flight testing, but only under the most extreme circumstances for aerodynamic reasons. The front cockpit was never used for solo flight of the aircraft. The prone posture was abandoned as a result of the creation of specialized aviation clothing, which provided a more straightforward answer to the issue of reducing “g” forces.

‘Its mission was to see if there were any benefits to the prone pilot position. It proved, conclusively, the opposite,’ David Powell, an aviation expert, explains on Quora.

‘Aside from being more difficult to fly due to the unconventional layout, the prone pilot also had limited rear vision – which in mock combat scenarios proved to be a major drawback. Also, it was unclear how the pilot could eject from such a position. The final nail in the coffin was the fact that pressurized g-suits were becoming better and better and they were a far simpler and effective solution.

‘My Grandfather Robin Peter Reginald Powell was a test pilot at the end of WWII and flew early Meteor prototypes, though not the prone version which was a one-off modification to the last production Meteor airframe.’

At the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford in the UK, where the Gloster Meteor F8 Prone Pilot is preserved and still survives.

Photo by Crown Copyright and Alan Wilson from Peterborough, Cambs, UK via Wikipedia

October 17, 2023 0 comment

History

Bombing Japan cost the lives of 414 B-29s. About two Superfortresses were destroyed in accidents and crashes for each that the enemy destroyed

by Till Daisd October 16, 2023

written by Till Daisd

During World War II, the Pacific theater saw the bulk of the use of B-29s. Up to 1,000 Superfortresses dropped bombs on Tokyo at once, destroying major portions of the city

The B-29 Superfortress was one of the most technologically advanced aircraft of World War II and had several novel innovations, such as remote-controlled weapons. Crewmen could crawl between the two pressurized crew areas—fore and aft—that were joined by a long tube over the bomb bays. Only at altitudes where pressurization was not necessary could the tail gunner enter or exit his separate pressurized space.

Due to its increased range, bomb load, and defensive needs, the B-29 was also the heaviest production plane in the world.

During World War II, the Pacific theater saw the bulk of the use of B-29s. Up to 1,000 Superfortresses dropped bombs on Tokyo at once, destroying significant portions of the city. Ultimately, the B-29 Enola Gay delivered the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. A second B-29 named Bockscar dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days later. After a short while, Japan gave up.

Over Japan, how many B-29s were lost?

‘Four hundred and fourteen (414) B-29s were lost bombing Japan—147 of them to flak and Japanese fighters, 267 to engine fires, mechanical failures, takeoff crashes, and other “operational losses,”’ Pete Feigal, Former Pro Military Artist, explains on Quora.

‘Do the math and you’ll see that for every B-29 lost to the enemy, almost two were lost to accidents and crashes.

‘The grim jest among B-29 crewmen was that they were being killed more by Curtiss-Wright, the makers of the B-29’s big R3350 radial engines, than by the Japanese. Except it wasn’t a joke.

‘The B-29 had 4 × Wright R-3350-23 Duplex-Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled turbosupercharged radial piston engines, making 2,200 hp each, and they were terrible, and the LAST time magnesium was ever used on an engine again.

‘The light-weight crankcase of the R3350 was made out of very flammable magnesium crankcase, and when they went up like shooting stars, they could quickly burn right through a wing spar.’

Feigal concludes;

‘With the unreliability of the incredibly complex remote-aimed guns, the severe engine problems, and the many, many other issues in the very technical (and rushed, IMO) aircraft, give me a B-17 every time.’

B-29-Crash — Returning from an Empire strike where it was “badly shot up, this Boeing B-29 Superfortress made an emergency landing on Iwo Jima’s 7th Fighter Command base. Damage to hydraulic systems caused a locked brake and a crash resulting in this fire. The entire crew escaped, some with minor injuries. The huge plane plowed up some Mustangs and construction equipment

Photo by U.S. Air Force via Cool Old Photos and 7th Fighter.com

October 16, 2023 0 comment

History

The stunning photo of the Flying Fortress with one wing blown off

by Till Daisd October 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The B-17G Flying Fortress “Wee Willie” was destroyed after completing 128 missions

The main image in this post is “Wee Willie,” a Boeing B-17G-15-BO Flying Fortress 42-31333, going down after being struck by anti-aircraft artillery over Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, on April 8, 1945. It is one of the most spectacular photographs of World War II.

This horrific image was captured by the automatic bomb strike camera of a B-17, as Dan Sharp explains in his book Spitfires over Berlin. The photo sequence captures the last 18 seconds of B-17G 42-31333 “Wee Willie” over Stendal, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, after it was struck by an 88mm flak burst. This aircraft was the 302nd Boeing B-17G to roll off the production line at Boeing Plant 2, King County Washington.

In the first image, the port wing of Willie has already sheared off, and it is spinning over its tail while engulfed in flames.

The second image, which, as we’ve already noted, is widely used to illustrate the atrocities that American aircrews had to endure during the daytime bombing campaign over Germany, captures the plane as it enters its final seconds of flight. There were still all nine crew members inside.

The story behind the horrific photo of the B-17 Flying Fortress with one wing blown off, plummeting to its doom

In the last photograph, ‘Wee Willie’ has exploded. The fuselage, wings, and tail are torn apart and fall to the ground, burning.

‘Wee Willie’ was part of a 73-bomber raid on the locomotive repair shops at Stendal and was flown by Lt. Robert E. Fuller for this sortie.

The official report from the 322nd noted that the operation was a remarkable success: “The high squadron was furnished by the 322nd, led by Lt. Johnson. Strike photographs for the high squadron’s bombs show an excellent concentration of hits covering the aiming point.

“Almost the entire concentration lies within a 1000ft circle over the MPI. Meagre to moderate tracking AA fire on the bomb run which was extremely accurate, resulted in minor damage to 13 aircraft and major damage to four in the group. The high and lead squadrons each lost one aircraft in the target area from flak damage.”

Lt. Peter Pastras was the pilot of the B-17G-50-B0 42-102504 Times A-Wastin’, which was lost from the 401st, the lead squadron. A navigator on another B-17, Lt. Mike Fodroci, saw its demise. He observed the four gun batteries on the ground following bursts of flak through the lead formation as they drew ever closer to The A-Wastin’ until the fourth one went straight into the bomb bay of the aircraft, which was still open.

In his report, he states, “The pilot must have been killed instantly, for the ship pulled up and veered to the right, climbing directly over our ship. Captain Shelby put our ship into a dive so steep that I was thrown up against the astro hatch of the ceiling in the nose — seems I hung there for a brief second or two.

“I also observed that a bad fire was burning on the aircraft’s forward bomb bay area and that the co-pilot was trying to climb out of the small window with his backpack on. Somehow, we saw three chutes emerge from #504 as she spun toward the earth.”

The B-17 exploded in midair, killing all of the crew members except for two—engineer Lyle Jones and radio operator Bob A. Smith—who were captured on the ground. Bob Morris, the co-pilot of the Times A-Wastin, was also killed. Wee Willie, 42-31333, was the high squadron’s lost aircraft.

S/Sgt. George Little, a gunner on board a 401st B-17, writes in the Missing Air Crew Report: “I observed 42-31333 receive a direct flak hit approximately between the bomb bay and the number two engine. The aircraft immediately started a vertical dive. The aircraft fuselage was on fire, and when it had dropped approximately 5000ft the left wing fell off.

“It continued down, and when the fuselage was about 3000ft from the ground, it exploded, and then exploded again when it hit the ground. I saw no crew members leave the aircraft or parachutes.”

Another witness who saw what happened at “Wee Willie’s” end was able to provide an even more precise account of what occurred. On any given mission, around a third of the B-17 aircraft were outfitted with bomb-strike cameras. These were fitted under the floor in the radio room, and the lens cone was exposed to the elements.

The cameras were set to run automatically from “bombs away” until the film ran out or until a predefined number of exposures had been made. Every six seconds, they took an exposure, and then the system wound the film onto the camera in preparation for the next picture.

In this manner, it was sometimes possible to assess the images to determine whether a mission was successful or unsuccessful. The three images above were taken during the final 18 seconds of “Wee Willie” by the automated camera on another B-17 that was flying alongside or below it.

Lt. Robert E. Fuller was blown clear out of the cockpit, and Willie was torn apart by an explosion that tore right through the fuselage just before the final of the three. He opened his parachute and made it through the descent somehow. The rest of his crew perished in the incident.

Fuller’s destiny is unknown, despite the fact that it is noted that he was taken prisoner; in some sources, he is simply listed as “killed in action” along with his crew. After completing 127 missions, “Wee Willie” was destroyed on mission 128.

Spitfires over Berlin is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force via American Air Museum in Britain

October 15, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

A fellow F-4 Phantom II pilot had to eject because he ran out of fuel from staying in the afterburner for too long

by Till Daisd October 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘A guy who received his wings at the same time as I did was in the F-4 training squadron with me. Being new to the aircraft, and especially one with an afterburner, he did a very dumb and costly thing.’ John Chesire, former US Navy F-4 Phantom II pilot

As a more powerful successor to the General Electric J47 turbojet, the General Electric J79 turbojet’s development started in 1952. With the afterburner running, the engine produced a maximum thrust of 17,000 pounds (-15 version).

At full dry power, fuel consumption was about 35–40 gallons per minute; the afterburner increased it by roughly 50.

The Convair B-58 Hustler, the first US bomber with a Mach 2 top speed, was powered by this engine. Several fighters developed during the late 1950s also employed the J79. The Lockheed F-104 and McDonnell Douglas F-4 are the two most well-known models, both of which could travel at Mach 2.

The J79 engine allowed the twinjet, all-weather Phantom II, with top speeds above the speed of sound, to become one of the most versatile fighters ever created.

John Chesire, former US Navy F-4 Phantom II pilot, recalls on Quora;

‘A guy who received his wings at the same time as I did was in the F-4 training squadron with me. Being new to the aircraft, and especially one with an afterburner, he did a very dumb and costly thing.

‘During some Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) training off the coast of San Diego, he failed to monitor his fuel quantity. Being in afterburner too long, and burning fuel rapidly by massive bucket loads, he ran out of fuel, flamed out, and had to eject over water.

‘He was grounded for awhile as his record was reviewed. Eventually, he was reinstated into flight status again.’

Chesire concludes;

‘His was a good lesson for the rest of us. I watched my fuel quantity while using afterburner thereafter, like a hawk.’

Photo by U.S. Navy

October 14, 2023 0 comment

History

F2H pilot tells the story of a memorable Banshee training mission

by Till Daisd October 13, 2023

written by Till Daisd

F2H pilot tells the story of when he flew the longest non-stop Banshee flight off of and back onto a carrier

The F2H Banshee, McDonnell’s FH-1 Phantom’s successor, was chosen to escort B-29 bombers over Korea because it was a fast and efficient high-altitude fighter. Because the aircraft’s engines “screamed like a banshee,” that phrase became its official moniker. But it was affectionately referred to as the “Banjo” by its pilots.

The US Navy also decided to deploy its first nuclear capabilities in a carrier-based tactical jet aircraft with the F2H-2. The Banshee was the ideal option given its high altitude and long-range capabilities for the new mission.

The initial capabilities placed in North American AJ Savages and Lockheed P2V-3C Neptunes did not sufficiently meet the needs of the US Navy, as detailed by Rick Burgess in his book F2H Banshee Units. As a result, the F2H-2 was chosen for further development, and the F2H-2B was produced, becoming the first carrier-based tactical jet to be used for nuclear strike missions.

Lt. Cdr. Edward L. “Whitey” Feightner, who would later become Rear Admiral, flew F2H-2Bs at NAS Atlantic City as a test pilot with VX 3 starting in September 1952. Feightner, a World War II ace, led the VF 10 “Grim Reapers” aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and later the second VF-8 aboard the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) to nine wins over Japanese aircraft.

‘I got tagged with “Whitey” by [US Navy ace Lt Cdr] “Butch” O’Hare’, Feightner explained during a 2009 interview.

‘Everybody had to have a nickname, of course, in those days, and “Butch” was teaching us all to be spear fishermen, and I was the only guy in the squadron that didn’t get a tan—I got red—so he called me “Whitey”. I had blond hair and couldn’t tan’.

F2H-2B-Banshee — F2H-2B with extra pylon near intake for carrying a nuclear bomb

Feightner served as the F7U solo pilot for the US Navy’s Blue Angels flying demonstration squadron as well as a project pilot for the Vought F7U Cutlass fighter. The creation of nuclear delivery strategies for the AD-4B Skyraider and F2H-2B Banshee was one of his efforts at VX-3.

‘We were the pioneers [in nuclear weapons delivery], especially in that low-level delivery business’, Feightner said. ‘It was done purely by the VX squadrons in the US Navy. Of course, that was the reason they set us up for it. It was interesting work’.

During that productive period, World War II hero Cdr. Noel Gayler oversaw VX-3. The Banshees’ qualification for their nuclear weapon role and the development of the delivery tactics were greatly aided by VX-3, which was based at NAS Atlantic City. Feightner contributed to such growth.

‘Gayler was a really capable guy. He fully understood the mission of the VX squadron. During the years he was there, we made more progress on this very kind of stuff, all of it. We had so many really good projects up there. He was a guy with great vision. He was the perfect guy to be the head of that outfit. We had the Banshee 2, which, in its day, could fly higher and further than its contemporaries. There was a tremendous range on that airplane, and it’s the airplane that gave us that true Mk 7 capability [The nuclear ‘Banjo’ was modified to carry two types of nuclear weapons, the Mk 7 and the Mk 8]. We worked out all of the delivery tactics for the [F2H-2B]: the low-level tactics, no electronics allowed, avoiding the AAA, and so forth, with a pop-up [manoeuvre] at the end.

‘That Banshee 2 was a really maneuverable airplane, but it had its limitations. McDonnell built what we ordered, but what we ordered should’ve been 100 percent stronger. The Banshee was a phenomenal airplane. I remember Noel Gayler and I took off from Atlantic City and we flew down to Jacksonville, circled Florida for something like an hour, and then went 200 miles out to sea and landed aboard and still had fuel enough to go back to Jacksonville. That’s long legs for an airplane of that size. You could get it up to altitude and, of course, it was the first airplane that would go up to about 40,000 ft and stay there. It was a phenomenal machine.’

F2H-2s-cat-launch — The US Navy aircraft carrier USS *Intrepid* (CVA-11) prepares to launch a McDonnell F2H-2 *Banshee* of Fighter Squadron VF-44 *Hornets* from the starboard catapult, June 1955.

One of Feightner’s accomplishments with the Banshee was the 3220-mile sortie that set a record for the longest non-stop round-trip flight from an aircraft carrier. He took off from Midway in an F2H-2B Banshee with Gayler and Lt(jg) Mike Ames, all carrying Mk 7 nuclear shapes.

‘We were working off of Midway, which was 100 miles east of Guantanamo, and we had [the] entire air defense [on] the entire East Coast alerted’, Feightner recalled. ‘They knew we’d be coming during daylight hours sometime, and our target was in Lake Erie. They had a target located out there.

‘We took off from the carrier east of Guantanamo and refueled from the AJ tankers before we got to the coastline down around St Augustine, in Florida. Then we dropped down to sea level and we flew at treetop level from St Augustine clear up to Lake Erie without being detected. This was a terrible thing for the air defenses in our country at that time. We flew up there, and the first time they ever saw us – it was a really clear day – they saw the bombs go off on the targets.

‘All the [Air Force] F-86s and F-89s in the world then came screaming down at us. We built up speed and stayed low and, when they got down to about 5000 ft, we pulled the nose on those Banshees up and we didn’t stop until we hit 55,000 ft. None of those other birds could get up there. We flew back in bright daylight to our carrier, with everybody in the world trying to get to us. They’d get up to maybe 38,000 40,000 ft before spinning out. They couldn’t even get within weapons range of us. We just sat there and watched the show as we went home. We topped off again [from] the tankers out over the ocean on the way back.

‘Gayler, Ames and I still hold the record for the longest non-stop Banshee flight off of and back onto a carrier. We were airborne close to eight hours.’

F2H Banshee Units is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by US Navy

McDonnell-F2H-2-Banshee — A U.S. Navy McDonnell F2H-2 *Banshee* (BuNo 123222) in flight near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland (USA), circa in the early 1950s.

October 13, 2023 0 comment

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