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F 104 ZELL takeoff

Video of Luftwaffe F-104 Starfighters in SATS and ZELL testings

by Till Daisd August 31, 2021

written by Till Daisd

While ZELL was a system where jet fighters and attack aircraft were planned to be mounted on sizable JATO rockets coupled to movable launch platforms, SATS was a test program for takeoff and landing on short runways

This post features a stunning video of German Air Force (Luftwaffe) F-104 Starfighter aircraft being tested for the Short Air Field for Tactical Support (SATS) and zero-length launch system or zero-length take-off system (ZLL, ZLTO, ZEL, ZELL) programs.

According to the video’s description, the ZELL system was designed to allow jet fighters and assault aircraft to be launched from mobile launch platforms using sizable JATO rockets. During the Cold War in the 1950s, the majority of zero-length launch experiments were conducted.

The SATS was a test program for short runway takeoff and landing that included a catapult, carrier deck-type arresting gear, and a runway with an aluminum surface made of interlocking lightweight metal alloy planking. Several hundred takeoffs and landings were successfully completed during the testing, which were conducted at the Naval Air Test Facility in Lakehurst, New Jersey, in the United States.

The main benefit of ZELL was the removal of the requirement for a vulnerable airstrip for takeoffs. Air forces might deploy efficient air defenses and unleash airstrikes in the case of an unexpected attack, even if their own airbases were destroyed. Although employing rocket boosters to launch airplanes proved to be reasonably trouble-free, a runway was still necessary if aircraft had to land at the same location. Bulky mobile launchers also proved to be expensive to run and challenging to move. Mobile launchers would have also raised security concerns, especially if they were accompanied by strike fighters carrying nuclear weapons.

ZELL tests were carried out by the Luftwaffe, the Soviet VVS, and the U.S. Air Force (USAF). An F-84G was the first manned aircraft to be ZELL-launched in 1955. ZELL was primarily of interest to the Soviet Union because it could be used to protect airfields and important targets with MiG-19 point defense systems. The larger F-100 Super Sabre and MiG-19/SM-30 “Farmer” tests (with the SM-30 using the Soviet-designed PRD-22R booster unit) used similar short-burn solid-fueled boost motors, of much more powerful 600 kN (135,000 lbs) thrust output. The American tests with the F-84s began with using the Martin MGM-1 Matador solid-fuel boost motor with about 240 kilonewtons (52,000 lbs) thrust output.

Due to logistical issues and the growing effectiveness of guided missiles, all work on ZELL aircraft was abandoned.

The development of aircraft with vertical (VTOL) or short (STOL) takeoff and landing capabilities was also driven by the need to field combat aircraft without relying on vulnerable landing strips. British Hawker Siddeley Harrier and Soviet Yakovlev Yak-38 are two examples of this.

Photo by San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives via Wikipedia

August 31, 2021 0 comment

Facts about the KC-135 Stratotanker from the Operation Desert Storm

by Till Daisd August 30, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“The KC-135 was the linchpin of the fight, without fuel, fighters are inoperable”

KC-135 Stratotankers responded to a new demand for assistance in 1990 during Operation Desert Shield, which started a 25-year period of continuous U.S. Air Force (USAF) contingencies.

The tankers needed to be maintained ready to go at a moment’s notice even if combat activities hadn’t started in earnest yet.

The preparation for the upcoming conflict was advancing. As the battle was set to start, things began to pick up about the middle of January. Operation Desert Storm started on January 17, 1991, just after midnight.

“Scud launches would create a flurry of activity, which would require KC-135 support,” said Lt. Col. Larry Dillon at the time KC-135 crewmember with 190th Air Refueling Wing (ARW). “Sometimes they would need 60 or more sorties before sunrise, and the next day the surge would occur in the late afternoon or evening. As a result, our aircrews had no schedule to live by. One day they would sleep days and fly nights, the next day vice versa.”

It would be like this for the next 38 days. It was a terrific pace to keep up.

During the conflict, the KC-135 crew known as “Balls 13” consisted of Lieutenant Col. Kevin Sweeney (pilot), Capt. Jay Selanders (co-pilot), Capt. Greg Mermis (navigator), and Senior Master Sgt. Steve Stucky (boom operator). After takeoff, they came upon jet spray (the turbulence behind a large aircraft). The tanker was suddenly pitched to one side, which caused both of its left-side engines to be torn off and provided very major control issues for the fully laden tanker. The truth is that nobody had ever run with this issue outside of a simulator.

Since there had never been a successful bailout from a KC-135, it required amazing skills and teamwork from the crew, and quite possibly their lives were on the line.

The pilots were under extreme pressure just trying to keep the tanker under control; in order to get it to take off, they had to manually move the tanker around. It was necessary to empty the fuel, map a course back to base, and, most importantly, lower the gear. Sgt. Stucky had to manually pump the gear down to do this. And after accomplishing that, the large tanker landed safely. For their actions that day, the crew members would each receive a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

The KC-135s were initially deployed to ferry material, according to Stephen Yavornitzki, a former boom operator during the fight. However, the task soon required hours of aerial refueling support as well.

“The KC-135 was the linchpin of the fight,” said Yavornitzki. “Without fuel, fighters are inoperable.”

Refueling in the air for the boom operator and the rest of his team’s operations usually lasted three hours, during which the aircrew worked to maintain the airworthiness of aircraft like the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-111 Aardvark.

“We [refueled] them both pre and post-fight,” he said. “Once they would go and drop their ordinance, they would come back up, get their fuel and head back out to the fight.”

Key enemy radars, command centers, air defenses, and different airfields throughout the area were all successfully destroyed by USAF planes.

The KC-135s were busy keeping other aircraft in the air and enabling them to finish the mission, even if these operations were not directly caused by the tankers.

“The KC-135 was the workhorse, the backbone, of the fight,” said Yavornitzki.

Over the duration of the mission, tankers flew more than 4,900 sorties in 19,700 flight hours, according to Air Mobility Command (AMC). To 14,588 receivers, their crews offloaded more than 28.2 million gallons of fuel.

F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft of the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., is refueled by KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during the second day of Operation Desert Storm.

Source: 60 YEARS IN THE AIR: KC-135 supports Gulf War contingencies by Senior Airman Tara Fadenrecht, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs, and U.S. Air Force; Photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Robertson and Senior Airman Kia Atkins / U.S. Air Force; Tech. Sgt. Perry Heimer / Department of Defense

August 30, 2021 0 comment

Focke Wulf Fw 190

Are 50 WWII Focke-Wulf Fw 190 planes interred in Turkey?

by Till Daisd August 30, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The United States demanded the destruction of the German Focke-Wulf Fw 190s in order to sell Turkey its secondhand military aircraft

One of the best fighters flown by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) during World War II, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, may have been buried in Turkey about 70 years ago.

According to a recent article by Hurriyetdailynews.com, since 1947, more than fifty Fw 190A-3 warplanes have been buried beneath the former airfield of the Kayseri Province, which is located in Central Anatolia.

Germany provided 72 Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-3s to Turkey as part of a barter agreement whereby Germany would send these fighters to modernize the Turkish Air Force in exchange for chromium and high-grade iron that Germany’s arms industry required.

The Fw 190A-3 export order was finished between July 1942 and March 1943. The paucity of spare parts forced the aircraft to be withdrawn in 1949, after which they were still in operation.

Instead, it was discovered through recently made public documents that the fighters were retired because the United States required the destruction of German Focke-Wulf Fw 190s before selling its old aircraft to Turkey. Therefore, fifty of them were flown to Kayseri airfield in 1947 to be buried and struck out from the inventory in order to prevent their destruction.

A statement made to HurriyetdailyNews.com by Turkish historian Uluhan Hasdal, who has been researching the subject for almost 25 years confirmed that: “The U.S. wanted to give its planes without charge. However, they had only one condition; the destruction of the German planes. Nearly fifty warplanes were brought to Kayseri Airport and were left outside the inventory. According to the documents, the planes were buried while wrapped in oily canvases.”

If the fifty Fw 190A-3s were discovered, this would be excellent news for any aviation enthusiast as all of the planes might still be in airworthy condition, as stated by Hasdal: “[German authorities] told me that the planes were resistant to corrosion and could fly if they are unearthed.”

Fw 190

Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 30, 2021 0 comment

The Foxbat vs Blackbird battle

by Till Daisd August 30, 2021

written by Till Daisd

SR-71s flew off the coast of Russia, “taunting and toying with MiG-25s sent up to intercept them, scooting up to altitudes the Soviet planes could not reach,” Viktor Belenko, former Soviet MiG-25 pilot

The MiG-25 (NATO reporting name “Foxbat”), an aircraft that seemed to be the deadliest fighter in the world, was made public by the USSR in the latter half of the 1960s. Any fighter in the air, as well as any military aircraft outside the SR-71 Blackbird, could not outrun this aircraft.

Foxbat Vs Blackbird: why the MiG-25 never posed a credible threat to the SR-71 Mach 3 spy plane

The threat posed by either the SR-71 or the B-70 Valkyrie has been attributed at various points to the creation of the MiG-25. The threat posed by the MiG-25 has also been cited as a reason for the cancellation of the Valkyrie, though this explanation is dubious given that the Foxbat wasn’t made public until 1967 and its capabilities weren’t made known until several years later. The new Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs), which posed a threat to the survivability of high-speed, high-altitude bombers, were a more plausible cause of the B-70’s cancellation. Nuclear-armed ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles), which are also less expensive, were also entering service. As a result, the pricey B-70 bomber program was abandoned in 1961 before any Valkyries were finished or sent into service.

However, Foxbat’s research and manufacture continued even after the B-70 was shelved. SR-71 Blackbird In Action author Lou Drendel argues that the Habu posed a considerably more serious danger because of its proven capacity to maintain cruise speeds greater than Mach 3 at altitudes more than 80,000 feet.

As mysterious as the Blackbird, the MiG-25 has sometimes been portrayed as invincible and other times as nearly prehistoric in its approach to high-speed and high-altitude flight.

Foxbat Vs Blackbird: why the MiG-25 never posed a credible threat to the SR-71 Mach 3 spy plane

“Naturally, it is to the advantage of the anti-military press to derogate the threat posed by the MiG-25,” says Drendel. “And they were quick to seize upon the fact that it does not approach the sophistication of the Blackbird, even though it was developed in the same time period.”

The MiG-25 employed titanium sparingly (mostly exclusively on the leading edges of the wings and tail), and its arc-welded surface did appear unappealing. Although its engines were strong, they did not have the same improved high-speed performance as the Blackbird due to their comparatively simple airframe.

“On the other hand, the pro-military press feels the need to enhance the threat posed by the MiG-25,” continues Drendel. “And may attach more significance to its design sophistication than is warranted. After all, without the spur of clear and imminent danger, the American People have shown a great deal of reluctance to invest in defense.”

However, until September 6, 1976, western experts lacked reliable information about Foxbat’s capabilities. Lieutenant Viktor Belenko, a Soviet MiG-25 pilot, successfully flew his Foxbat to Hakodate, Japan, on that day to enter the West. After his defection, the U.S. Government briefed him for five months and then hired him as a consultant for several years. Belenko had carried the MiG-25 pilot’s manual with him in hopes of helping American pilots assess and test the aircraft.

He argues that MiG-25 pilots were not allowed to surpass Mach 2.5 in MiG Pilot: The Final Escape of Lieutenant Belenko, his 1980 autobiography, and he maintains that the Foxbat could not safely exceed 2.8. When informed that MiG-25s were flying above Israel at Mach 3.2, he claimed that the engines had been entirely damaged and that the pilots were lucky to have survived the encounter.

In his autobiography Belenko says that SR-71s flew off the coast of Russia, “taunting and toying with MiG-25s sent up to intercept them, scooting up to altitudes the Soviet planes could not reach, and circling leisurely above them, or dashing off at speeds the Russians could not match.”

The Foxbat could fly up to 78,000 feet when equipped with two R-40 missiles (NATO reporting designation AA-6 “Acrid”), but only 68,900 feet when equipped with all four of its missiles. There was no chance of a tail-chase interception because the SR-71’s cruise speed was faster than the top speed of Acrid missiles, and it appears that the Foxbat’s radar and fire control system was not advanced enough to handle the challenges of a head-on intercept at closing speeds that would surpass Mach 5.

Foxbat Vs Blackbird: why the MiG-25 never posed a credible threat to the SR-71 Mach 3 spy plane

The MiG-31 Foxhound, the ultimate MiG-25 development that posed a real danger to the SR-71, later fixed the majority of these issues. In fact, according to Paul Crickmore’s book L ockheed Blackbird: Beyond the Secret Missions, the super-fast Blackbird found it extremely difficult to enter Soviet airspace due to the MiG-31’s potent combination of high performance, passive electronic scanned array radar, digital datalink with other interceptors, and long-range missiles.

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

August 30, 2021 0 comment

Awsome promotional video demonstrates the advanced skills of the F-14 Tomcat

by Till Daisd August 30, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The AWG-9, a powerful weapons system that was able to support the AIM-54 Phoenix’s unheard-of 100-mile range, was installed on the F-14 Tomcat

The stunning video in this post, titled One Of A Kind, was produced by Grumman to promote the F-14 fighter program. It demonstrates how the formidable Tomcat could operate autonomously in tactical situations with its state-of-the-art Phoenix missile weapon system.

Due to its prominent role in Top Gun, the storied Grumman F-14 is arguably the most well-known Navy fighter. The American teen-series aircraft debuted in that conflict, including the Tomcat as its first model and were built to simulate air battle with MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.

The design of what may be the most well-known fighter of the modern age was the consequence of a failed standardization effort.

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) launched a design competition for a new air superiority aircraft after a Navy variant of the F-111 failed to meet strict specifications for a carrier-based fighter.

The end product was the F-14 Tomcat, an engineering marvel with a distinctive variable-sweep wing.

Despite the F-14’s superior dogfighting abilities, the Tomcat stood out for its use in fleet air defense. The AWG-9, a powerful weapons system that could support the AIM-54 Phoenix, which had an unheard-of 100-mile range and a small onboard radar to direct the missile to the target during the last phase of flight, was installed on the aircraft to carry out this operation.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was replaced by the F-14 in December 1970, and the F-14 made its maiden deployment in 1974 with the US Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The F-14 served as the main platform for the U.S. Navy’s fleet defense interceptor, maritime air superiority fighter, and tactical reconnaissance operations. It started carrying out precise ground-attack sorties in the 1990s after adding the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system.

Photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Steven King / U.S. Navy

August 30, 2021 0 comment

Amazing pic of the B-1A’s First Flight

by Till Daisd August 29, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The Rogers Dry Lake runways were accessible from the 70-minute, 250-mile flight path while the B-1A basic flight evaluation was being carried out

The amazing image in this post depicts the Rockwell International B-1A taking off for its inaugural flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California on December 23, 1974. The aircraft landed at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB).

Col. Charles Bock Jr., a veteran USAF pilot and test pilot for Rockwell, flew the B-1A. Col. Emil “Ted” Sturmthal, a B-1 Joint Test Force director and an Air Force pilot, and flight test engineer Richard Abrams were with him. The Rogers Dry Lake runways were accessible from the 70-minute, 250-mile flight path, which was used for the basic flight evaluation.

As a replacement for the B-52, the B-1A was first created in the 1970s. The development and testing of four prototypes of this long-range, high-speed (Mach 2.2), strategic bomber took place in the middle of the 1970s, but the program was discontinued in 1977 before it could be put into production. Through 1981, flight testing was still ongoing.

The Reagan government began the development of the B-1B in 1981 as an enhanced version. The main modifications included an additional structure to enhance payload by 74,000 pounds, a better radar, and an order-of-magnitude reduction in the radar cross-section (RCS). As a result of the considerable modifications made to the inlet as part of this RCS reduction, the maximum speed had to be lowered to Mach 1.2.

In October 1984, the first production B-1 took to the air, and in June 1985, the first B-1B arrived at Dyess AFB in Texas. On October 1, 1986, initial operational capability (IOC) was attained. May 2, 1988, saw the delivery of the last B-1B.

Nearly 50 world records for speed, payload, range, and time of climb in its class are held by the B-1B. The B-1B was honored by the National Aeronautic Association for successfully completing one of the top ten most memorable record flights in 1994. In 2004, the most recent records became legally binding.

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

Source: U.S. Air Force

August 29, 2021 0 comment

How an Habu driver prevented destruction to his SR-71

by Till Daisd August 29, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“On take off, shortly after rotation and beyond the take-off abort point, the SR-71 left engine surged, followed by progressive failure of the second stage turbine wheel…”

Colonel Thomas S. Pugh, one of the most experienced SR-71 pilots with over 900 hours, is the Blackbird pilot you see in the article’s main photo.

He received a “Well Done” medal on October 15, 1973, while serving with Detachment 51 Flight Test in Palmdale, for preventing the destruction of an SR-71. Lou Drendel quotes the “Well Done” in his book SR-71 Blackbird In Action, which reads as follows: “On takeoff, shortly after rotation and beyond the take-off abort point, the left engine surged, followed by progressive failure of the second stage turbine wheel. Aircraft single-engine control at this point was marginal but the take-off was continued. After the aircraft was airborne and during gear retraction, a fire warning light illuminated and was followed by the total failure of the left-hand engine turbine section. After safe single-engine speed was attained, the Commander completed engine shutdown. An intense fire in the left nacelle resulting from shrapnel damage to hydraulic, fuel, and oil lines was extinguished during the shutdown procedure. Extensive damage occurred to the entire nacelle, fuselage, and right rudder. Tower personnel confirmed that the fire was out. An elongated visual traffic pattern was flown in order to configure the aircraft for a single-engine landing. Landing weight was reduced and alternate systems were activated to properly configure the aircraft. A smooth landing was accomplished without further damage to the aircraft.”

Pugh, who was born on September 30, 1935, flew the B-47 and B-52 before being chosen for the SR-71 program. In 1969, he was transferred to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW). He flew SR-71s for the 99th and 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadrons while stationed abroad, conducting global reconnaissance missions. He was chosen for SR-71 Test Force employment at AFP-42, Palmdale, California. He oversaw both the Flight Test Division and the Flight Test Engineering Branch as Chief. On July 20, 1982, he took over as the unit’s commander after serving for two years as the 9th SRW Vice Commander.

On May 13, 2014, Pugh passed away.

Read how this Habu driver saved his SR-71 from certain destruction

Photo by Colonel Thomas S. Pugh / U.S. Air Force

August 29, 2021 0 comment

How an unarmed A-7 managed to repel a MiG-17 over North Vietnam

by Till Daisd August 29, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Junker’s SLUF lacked the typically present AIM-9D Sidewinder. And to make matters worse, a string of M61 faults on VA-146 caused his A-7 to lose its ability to fire. To avoid the MiG-17, he would have to rely on his flying prowess

The A-7 Corsair II, built by LTV Aerospace Corporation (the same company that made the renowned F-8 Crusader), took the role of the A-4 Skyhawk as the primary light attack aircraft for Naval Aviation. The A-7 made its first flight in September 1965 and had many characteristics of the F-8 Crusader, particularly the single jet intake gaping beneath the nose.

But the Corsair II’s short and stubby form exuded toughness and made it clear that it was built with bombs in mind. The A-7’s aircrews dubbed it the “Short, Little, Ugly, Fucker” (SLUF), although it really developed into possibly the most effective tactical jet bomber of the Vietnam War.

Dueling with a MiG was something the SLUF wasn’t supposed to undertake, yet it did so during the Southeast Asia War.

On May 10, 1972, the day Operation Linebacker kicked off, an A-7 pilot had one of his most up-close and personal contacts with a MiG.

It should be noted that during the campaign, American aircraft from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), and U.S. Air Force (USAF) carried out a number of heavy strikes deep inside the enemy’s heart, which was something that the military planners had desired since the early days of Rolling Thunder, more than six years earlier. Navy raids target locations along the coast of North Vietnam, especially the region north of Haiphong and close to the Chinese border.

The majority of Linebacker missions were flown by the Navy, with the A-6 and A-7 serving as the primary attack aircraft. The F-4 squadrons’ crews were also tasked with defending the strike groups from marauding MiGs that were more active in the sky.

In their book U.S. Navy A-7 Corsair II Units of the Vietnam War, Norman Birzer and Peter Mersky relate how on May 10, Lt. Allan E. Junker of VA-146 “Blue Diamonds” launched from USS Constellation (CV-64) on a midday strike against the Hai Duong railway marshaling yards, which connected the port of Haiphong to the industrial section of Hanoi. He was flying an A-7E and had eight 500 lb bombs on board.

As he got closer to the target, he questioned why no SAMs had been observed, which is often a sign of MiG activity. He lowered his weapons and turned to face the coast after his strike group. As his flight commander was nowhere to be found, Junker was on his own.

SLUF Vs Fresco: how an unarmed A-7 was able to fend off a MiG-17 in the skies over North VIietnam

Unbeknownst to him, a MiG-17 allegedly piloted by seasoned pilot Duong Trung Tan had targeted Lt. George T. Goryanec of VA-147. Junker noticed what appeared to be an A-6 approaching him as he moved for the sea. Right up until the silhouette turned into a North Vietnamese MiG-17 “Fresco,” he was excited about the promise of the firm. It was Duong Trung Tan, who had recently attempted to kill Lt. Goryanec but had abandoned the mission as the latter turned his SLUF to face the looming MiG.

However, Junker’s aircraft was lacking the regular AIM-9D Sidewinder because all Sidewinders had been delivered to the F-4 squadrons due to a lack of AIM-9Ds. And to make matters worse, a string of M61 mishaps on VA-146 caused his jet to be without a functioning cannon. To avoid the MiG, he would have to rely on his flying prowess.

Lt. Junker dove for the deck after radioing that a MiG-17 was tracking him. The characteristics of the MiG-17 had been made known to pilots during pre-deployment training. They were aware of its unquestionable superiority over the A-7 and how much faster it was. Additionally, its three-nose cannon had a powerful punch. They were also aware that the MiG’s roll rate was significantly lower than the Corsair II’s, so Junker had to work with this advantage.

He swept across the countryside of North Vietnam at very low altitudes (below 100 feet), cottages and meadows flashing by at more than 500 knots as he jinked up and down in a sine-wave pattern. In his rearview mirrors, he could make out the silver-grey MiG, and he could see that he was getting close to the sea. Junker yanked firmly. Red golf ball-sized shells the size of MiG bullets were being fired, and they were so close to the A-7’s cockpit that Junker could hear the muzzle blast. He wondered, “How will it feel when my wing comes off at 500 knots?”

The desperate A-7 pilot, pulling more than six Gs, threw his aircraft to the left and then to the right in an effort to obstruct the MiG pilot’s aim. The MiG had moved up above him and was now turning to the left to re-engage the Corsair II at his “two o’clock.” Junker could make out the MiG’s top.

SLUF Vs Fresco: how an unarmed A-7 was able to fend off a MiG-17 in the skies over North VIietnam

As his squadronmate struggled for his life, his Executive Officer (XO), Cdr. Fred Baldwin was now standing over him. Baldwin, like Junker, lacked a Sidewinder and a functional gun, thus the XO was limited to providing moral support and making turn calls for his less-experienced pilot. Then, it’s said that George Goryanec, who was still nearby, heard Cdr. Baldwin’s warning shouts to Lt. Junker and activated the MiG. He hurriedly fired multiple bursts of 20 mm fire at the communist jet, potentially hitting the fighter’s wings (Goryanec was piloting a VA-147 aircraft, and this unit had not encountered any issues with its gun).

Baldwin’s phone calls were helpful, and Junker managed to repel the MiG. The A-7 was now traveling back toward Hanoi as a result of the frequent reversals, which Junker did not desire. He leveled off and stuffed his jet’s nose down once more. Junker soon created a 2000-foot distance between himself and the MiG as he started to outrun the aircraft. The miffed MiG pilot reversed course as he approached the coast, leaving Allan Junker to return to “Connie” and receive a warm welcome.

“People shook my hand and hugged me,” he recalled. From takeoff to landing, the entire sortie had barely taken 1.6 hours.

The rest of the tale was revealed sometime later during a fortuitous encounter between an F-4B pilot and one of Junker’s squadronmates at an officer’s club. Lt. Ken Cannon and Lt. Roy Morris (RIO) of VF-51 off the Coral Sea had heard Junker’s furious engagement on their radio as they were coming off another strike. Lt. Cdr. Chuck Schroeder and Lt(jg) Dale Arends (RIO), along with their flight leader, sped toward the battle and discovered a MiG returning home.

There was some proof that the MiG’s pilot, Duong Trung Tan, was still prepared for combat. Although the MiG pilot immediately moved into a favorable position behind the Phantom II and engaged Cannon’s flight lead, he chose not to fire. He most likely used all of his ammo on the A-7. Cannon approached the MiG-17 from behind and downed him. However, according to a different version of this event, Duong Trung Tan had really gone back to his post in Kep after being wounded by Lt. Goryanec.

SLUF Vs Fresco: how an unarmed A-7 was able to fend off a MiG-17 in the skies over North VIietnam

Despite all of this aerial combat, on May 23, 1972, a MiG-21 claimed to have shot down an A-7 for the North Vietnamese. American records do not support the allegation, which is a recurrent point of contention. On that day, A-7B BuNo 154405 from VA-93 was lost and formally attributed to a SAM attack. After his death, Cdr. Charles E. Barnett’s remains were returned in 1988. When Barnett was a lieutenant commander and flying an A-4 with VA-195 in December 1966, he managed to avoid being shot down by a SAM.

Photo by skyhawkpc (Flickr) via hiveminer.com, Lt. Graves / U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force

August 29, 2021 0 comment

The commitment of the B-52 bombers during Operation Linebacker II

by Till Daisd August 29, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The B-52 community significantly contributed to returning North Vietnam to the negotiating table during Operations Freedom Train and Linebacker

As part of Operation Linebacker II, Andersen launched 729 sorties from December 18 to December 29, 1972, targeting 34 targets in North Vietnam. During the height of the Vietnam War, Andersen became home to almost 15,000 Airmen, 153 B-52 bombers, and 20 support aircraft.

The bombing campaign was successful because, as a result, the North Vietnamese freed 591 American POWs and went back to the negotiating table, where, less than a month after the operation, the Paris Peace Accords were signed. During Operation Linebacker II, the goal of bringing “peace through strength” was more prevalent than ever.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — B-52s at Andersen Air Base, Guam, during preparations for Operation Linebacker II in Dec. 1972.

In memory of the 15 aircraft and 33 crew members who perished during Operation Linebacker II, we share the following article by Yancy Mailes, Command Historical, Air Force Global Strike Command.

B-52s at Andersen Air Base, Guam, during preparations for Operation Linebacker II in Dec. 1972. — B-52 takes off for a mission over North Vietnam

President Richard Nixon and his administration received concrete proof that North Vietnam was preparing a massive operation to strike South Vietnam from American intelligence services in the early months of 1972. In order to eliminate the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and simultaneously undermine South Vietnam’s weak government, north Vietnam planned to invade as much of South Vietnam as they could.

B-52s at Andersen Air Base, Guam, during preparations for Operation Linebacker II in Dec. 1972. — B-52 crews are briefed prior to departing Andersen Air Base, Guam, for missions in Operation Linebacker II in Dec. 1972.

Nixon’s Vietnamization program made the North aware that the United States was gradually drawing down its forces, with just 65,000 troops actually stationed in the South at the time. The Nixon administration intended to respond by ordering the B-52 crews to commence airstrikes in order to pressure the North to discuss a peace agreement.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — B-52 is being loaded with bombs.

Under Operation Bullet Shot, a fast buildup of B-52 troops started in early February 1972. By the end of 1971, just about forty B-52Ds, all based at U-Tapao, Thailand, were still operating in the theater after the ArcLight sortie rate at Guam and Kadena had decreased since September 1970. Strategic Air Command (SAC) intended to send 200 B-52s to the area in order to support the upcoming operations.

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 known as a cell.

Beginning in February of that year, SAC crews from the 7th, 96th, and 306th Bomb Wings rebuilt Guam’s B-52 force over the course of the five stages of Bullet Shot. Although there were eventually 54 B-52Ds at U-Tapao and approximately 50 B-52Ds assigned to the 43d Strategic Wing in Guam, SAC still required roughly 100 bombers to meet the demand. As a result, the Air Force established the 72d Bomb Wing Provisional later in July 1972 and sent a complement of B-52Gs to Guam as the preparations continued. In April 1972, the 2nd Bomb Wing alone sent out almost 1,500 personnel and 23 bombers to aid in this operation.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — B-52Ds from the Strategic Air Command line up for takeoff as they prepare for strikes over Hanoi and Haiphong, North Vietnam, during Operation Linebacker.

With sortie rates increasing to 1,500 per month on February 14, 1972, the Air Force restarted the Arc Light missions supporting units within South Vietnam’s boundaries. Nixon hesitated to begin an all-out bombing campaign against North Vietnam as the B-52s were deploying to Guam and U-Tapao in preparation for strikes north of the Demilitarized Zone. He had placed all of his faith in the Parisian peace talks. After those talks fell through, North Vietnamese forces launched the Easter Offensive on March 30, 1972, while it was still dark outside.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — B-52s at Andersen Air Base, Guam

Soon after, on April 5, the Nixon administration gave the go-ahead for strikes on the region north of the DMZ, and Operation Freedom Train began. Heavy strategic bombing was used at the outset of the B-52 campaign, as various military authorities had repeatedly advised since 1965. Strategic bombing was viewed by many senior USAF officers as a way to force the adversary to the negotiating table; this idea was obviously influenced by World War II.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — B-52 attacks caused tremendous and terrifying destruction.

However, every B-52 crew heading north was concerned about the risk of losing a B-52 to an enemy surface-to-air missile (SAM). While the SA-2 was occasionally launched at B-52 crews flying over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in 1967, none of them were in the line of fire.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — Even long-range bombers like the B-52 needed refueling to reach their targets and return to base on far-off Guam. Bombing operations such as Arc Light and Linebacker depended heavily on air refueling.

Twelve B-52D crews bombed Vihn facilities on April 9 after taking off from U-Tapao. An enemy SAM struck one of the B-52s during this flight, tearing off the majority of an external wing tank. The crew managed to fly the injured bomber south and land at Da Nang airport despite the damage. Bomb crews tested the main ring of SAM sites surrounding that city as well as the fortifications close to Haiphong Harbor a few days later after attacking a rail yard and a POL store close to Hanoi. The adversary fired 35 missiles, but none of them were able to harm us. But it soon became apparent that the B-52 might be pursued by the enemy.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — Aerial refueling made bombing missions from Guam possible.

Up until May 8, when the Air Force changed the operation’s name to Linebacker, Operation Freedom Train was still in effect. According to the Air Force, Linebacker was used to disrupt the extensive rail system that North Vietnam used to import supplies and weaponry from China. Before those supplies reached North Vietnam and vanished on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the United States determined it would be preferable to intercept them. The activity persisted until October 23, 1972. Nixon suspended all air operations above the 20th parallel because it looked that the bombing campaign had gotten the North back to the bargaining table at that point. However, Arc Light missions kept going in South 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 — With their shipping plugs replaced by fuses, these bombs are ready to load onto a B-52 at Andersen AFB, Guam, for Operation Linebacker II.

The B-52 community was crucial in bringing North Vietnam back to the negotiating table during Operations Freedom Train and Linebacker. But regrettably, SAC planners continued to deploy strategies from the early stages of the conflict because SAC had been fortunate and the enemy had not been able to shoot down a B-52. A three-ship color-coded cell embedded in a wave made up a typical mission. SAC launched about twenty-two cells every day during Linebacker.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — A pilot’s window damaged by a fragment from an SA-2.

Throughout these operations, bombs were routinely dropped from a height of 30 to 35,000 feet by a trail of aircraft that included two or three waves, spaced an hour or more apart. Additionally, the formation would maintain a constant airspeed of 470kt over SAM-infested areas and roughly 430kt over targets with weak defenses. Most of the time, the cells took identical directions, elevations, and departure paths. Due to the enemy’s ability to launch massive SAM salvos, they were able to swiftly understand the B-52 community’s tactics. Fortunately, during Operations Freedom Train and Linebacker, they did not hit a B-52, but this mistake would be disastrous for the subsequent campaign, Operation Linebacker II.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — USAF maintainers worked day and night to keep LINEBACKER II going.

The adversary ultimately shot down a B-52 during the bombing pause that Nixon ordered to allow the North time to negotiate. The crew of Olive 2, one of 18 B-52Ds belonging to the 307th Strategic Wing at U-Tapao, Thailand, participated in a bombing strike against targets in and near Vihn on November 22, 1972.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — A U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52G-125-BW Stratofortress (s/n 59-2582) from the 72nd Strategic Wing (Provisional) waits beside the runway at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam (USA), as another B-52 takes off for a bombing mission over North Vietnam during Operation Linebacker II on 18 December 1972.

Two SAMs sped up from the ground and detonated beneath the jet just as the crew unloaded their bomb load.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — A U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52D Stratofortress from the 43rd Strategic Wing waits beside the runway at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam (USA), as a B-52G-110-BW (s/n 58-0244) from the 72nd Strategic Wing (Provisional) approaches for landing after completing a bombing mission over North Vietnam during Operation Linebacker II on 15 December 1972.

Before crossing the Mekong River and flying over Thailand, the crew of the crippled B-52 flew their aircraft more than 100 miles. Once there, the crew made a forced landing and the six soldiers were swiftly rescued from the jungle by a combat rescue team. Only 10 B-52s had been lost in battle up to this time, but this was the first to be hit by enemy fire.

Impressive photos show B-52 bombers taking part in Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas bombings over North Vietnam which took place 45 years ago — The wreckage of a B-52 shot down over North Vietnam

Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 29, 2021 0 comment

How A-6 Intruder crews dodged SAMs and MiGs over Vietnam

by Till Daisd August 29, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Sheets started to jink, making it difficult for the MiG-17 pilot to keep the A-6 in his sights while attempting to draw the MiG down the coast in an effort to run it out of fuel

The Grumman A-6 was developed as a carrier-based attack aircraft to replace the Douglas Skyraider. It stood apart from every other U.S. Navy aircraft thanks to a unique crew arrangement that placed the pilot and bombardier/navigator (BN) side by side to increase mission effectiveness. With improved crew communication, the Intruder became one of the best assault aircraft of the Vietnam War.

Here's how A-6 Intruder crews dodged SAMs and MiGs in the skies over Vietnam

The “Iron Hand” mission, officially known as Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), which required the Intruder to attack and destroy SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) and AAA (Anti Aircraft Artillery), was one of many carried out by the A-6 and required good crew cooperation. In these types of sorties, Intruder pilots had to rely on both their own proficiency with low-altitude flying and the sight of their BNs in order to dodge SAMs.

“You could outfly the SAMs with the A-6,” explains the former A-6 pilot (retired) Rear Admiral Rupe Owens in Rafael Lima’s article Legends of Vietnam: Shoulder to Shoulder The Grumman A-6 was ugly, but it sure could cook; published on Air & Space magazine.com “What you did was make hard turns. At their intercept speed of about Mach 3, the SAMs couldn’t turn with the A-6, especially at a low level.” Owens, who has flown almost every version of the Intruder, remembers approaching a target when several SAMs pointed towards its aircraft, streaming long, bright tails of flame, five in all. “We managed to out-turn them all, but I remember the sound of those five rocket motors from the SAMs as they went by. It got loud. Real loud.”

The Digital Integrated Attack and Navigation Equipment system, or DIANE, which combined an innovative tool that could take into account any angle of climb or dive, speed, G force, and wind with an analog computer to calculate when dropping a payload accurately, allowed the Intruder to demonstrate that it had a true all-weather capability. According to Lima, while Intruders were attacking various objectives, A-7 Corsairs and F-4 Phantoms were flying in formation and releasing their bombs as the A-6 crews instructed using DIANE.

The A-6s attacked moving targets that crossed the Ho Chi Minh Trail and other supply routes with the assistance of Forward Air Controllers (FACs). To complete this mission, the A-6s used specialized equipment like an Airborne Moving Target Indicator, a special doppler radar that collected returns from moving ground objects, as well as ground-based seismic and acoustic sensors that were airdropped along supply trails.

In order to give the Intruders’ crews the opportunity to carry out a second strike by dropping Mk 82s, these sorties were carried out by first dropping Rockeye cluster bombs to destroy vehicles’ gas tanks or ammunition caches. If the secondary fires were insufficient, they then moved on to preplanned secondary targets. According to Marine Corps Bruce Byrum (now a retired general), another Vietnam veteran who logged more than 3,000 hours as an A-6 pilot, these flights might be extremely terrifying and the A-6 could end up being the ideal target for AAA. Byrum detailed this possibility to Lima.

“Sometimes at night, the enemy anti-aircraft fire used colored tracer rounds fired aimlessly into the night sky when aircraft were detected flying in the area, to warn all vehicles on the road that we were there.”

However, the night strike against pre-designated targets was the most frequent mission carried out by the Intruders throughout the Vietnam War. Sometimes these missions were carried out in broad daylight, as was the case in May 1972 when a flight of four A-6s carrying Mk 20 Rockeye bomblet canisters proceeded toward the enemy airstrip of Bai Thuong. Roger Sheets, a Navy pilot, and air group commander piloted the lead Intruder. He directed the flight to Bai Thuong with the aid of the radar and visual indications provided by his BN Charlie Carr, a Marine Corps captain. “The A-6 was the all-weather attack aircraft,” says Carr to Lima “Monsoon season never affected our operations.”

Here's how A-6 Intruder crews dodged SAMs and MiGs in the skies over Vietnam

However, because it was a bright day, Sheets and Carr could see North Vietnam clearly, and any other aircraft in the area could as well, including the enemy MiGs that Carr noticed as the Intruders climbed to 200 feet and approached their objective. However, Sheets armed the more than three tons of ordnance carried by its Intruder while the MiGs were 1,500 feet in the air.

“We came in underneath this wheel of MiGs,” Carr says, “maybe 12, 15 of them. We were hoping to catch them on the ground and bomb the hell out of ’em.” Despite the fact that the airbase had been informed, Sheets kept the A-6 level and straight. A little while later, he thumbed the release on the stick to release all 12 Mk 20s over the airstrip before turning the Intruder hard to the left.

But now the Intruders had another problem. “Now the MiG-17 was on our tail,” Carr says. Even though Sheets had no chance of positioning himself to fire given the A-6’s slower speed, Carr chose to arm the aircraft’s Sidewinder missiles. Instead, he started jinking, making it difficult for the MiG pilot to keep them in his sights while attempting to drive the MiG down the coast in an effort to run it out of fuel.

Carr recollects seeing smoke rising from the MiG’s 37-mm cannon before an F-4 finally showed up like a big brother arriving late to a fight. Sheets and Carr managed to return to the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) after the Phantom launched a missile, which caused the MiG to burst into flames. This story makes it clear that MiGs were one of the reasons A-6 crews chose the safety of darkness or bad weather.

Here's how A-6 Intruder crews dodged SAMs and MiGs in the skies over Vietnam

No matter the hour, A-6 aircrew were able to fly low and quickly thanks to the usage of the terrain-following radar. However, as Carr says, only approximately a quarter of his trips from the Coral Sea were at night due to the complexity of carrier operations. “But missions from land,” he concludes, “were almost all at night.”

Photo by U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps

August 29, 2021 0 comment

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