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The first bombs of Operation Desert Storm were dropped by F-117 Stealth Fighters

by Till Daisd September 2, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The F-117 lighted the bunker’s entrance and directed two Paveway II LGBs, each weighing 2,000 pounds, toward the intended target. The first one destroyed the door, and the second one entered and destroyed the bunker. Once more, the F-117 pilot struck his intended target square on

The Lockheed F-117 was created in response to a request from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for an aircraft that could attack valuable targets without being seen by adversarial radar. By the 1970s, engineers were able to create an airplane with radar-avoiding or “stealth” characteristics because of new materials and methods. The F-117A, the first operational stealth aircraft in the world, was the outcome.

On June 18, 1981, the first F-117A took to the skies, and on October 1, 1983, the 4450th Tactical Group—later renamed the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing—attained initial operational capability. On December 19, 1989, two F-117As from the 37th TFW bombed military targets in Panama as part of Operation Just Cause.

Fireworks over Baghdad: when the F-117 stealth fighters dropped the first bombs of Operation Desert Storm — Ground crews service the F-117A aircraft of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (37th TFW) on the flight line. The 37th TFW is preparing to deploy to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield.

The 415th and 416th squadrons of the 37th TFW relocated to a base in Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, and the F-117 saw action once more during that conflict.

Operation Desert Shield changed its name to Operation Desert Storm on January 16, 1991, and the biggest aerial bombardment in the annals of contemporary warfare followed. Over 1,000 sorties were carried out on the first night of bombing against targets in Iraq and Kuwait. That is equivalent to every sortie flown during D-Day of Normandy.

The F-117As of the 37th TFW were the first manned USAF aircraft to enter hostile Iraqi airspace, as described by Jim Goodall in his book F-117 Stealth In Action. “At approximately 0130 on 17 January, two squadrons of F-117As dropped approximately sixty 2,000 pound bombs on key Iraqi air defense, command and control facilities, ammunition bunkers, SCUD surface-to-surface missile bunkers, missile storage facilities, and the headquarters of the Iraqi Air Force,” he explains.

Fireworks over Baghdad: when the F-117 stealth fighters dropped the first bombs of Operation Desert Storm — Two F-117A aircraft from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing (37th TFW) sit in a hangar during Operation Desert Shield.

On January 20, 1991, Gen. Schwarzkopf, the commander of American and Allied forces in the Gulf, showed a media outlet an infrared film of F-117A striking important targets in Iraq. “One of the key targets that showed the capability of the F-117A was a view of a SCUD storage facility that had three air ducts on its roof, each approximately a meter in diameter. The main air duct was identified by the F-117A pilot and the laser cursor was locked on the center of the air duct. A 2,000-pound laser-guided bomb was released and entered the bunker through the air duct. The SCUD storage bunker was totally destroyed in a spectacular explosion,” explains Goodall.

An attack on an ammo bunker close to Baghdad was another noteworthy incident that was featured on CNN and other major television networks. “The F-117A illuminated the front door of the bunker and guided two 2,000-pound Paveway II LGBs into the target. The first blew down the door; the second one went inside and blew up the bunker. Again the F-117A pilot hit his target dead center,” says Goodall.

The most impressive attack, according to Gen. Kelly, Commander of Air Force Operations in Desert Storm, was made against “My counterpart’s headquarters in downtown Baghdad.” The video depicted a rectangular, ten-story structure. An elevator shaft was located in the middle of the roof. An F-117A flew straight above the structure, locking its laser on the elevator shaft and firing a BLU-109 deep penetration weapon. The bomb has a delayed-action fuse and a reinforced steel shell that can pierce up to six feet of concrete. It appeared to go some distance inside the structure before exploding after falling through the top of the elevator shaft. The building’s four walls were visible being blasted outward in the footage.

According to Col. Al Whitley, the F-117As flew 1,271 missions during the conflict, or around one percent of the 110,000 missions flown by the Allied Air Forces, with an 80% success rate. The F-117As were the only aircraft used in assaults on heavily fortified targets in and around Baghdad on the first night of the war, accounting for 31% of all targets struck during the first twenty-four hours of the conflict.

The first bomb of the conflict was dropped by an F-117A, which was hitting a communications hub in Baghdad.

Fireworks over Baghdad: when the F-117 stealth fighters dropped the first bombs of Operation Desert Storm — An F-117 stealth fighter aircraft takes off on its return flight to the United States following deployment to the region during Operation Desert Storm.

On the night of Jan. 16, 1991 “the F-117A proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that Ben Rich, of Lockheed’s Advanced Development Projects, and this team of dedicated aerospace workers had built the most capable surgical strike aircraft in the story of modern warfare,” Goodall concludes.

The following video, which includes some clips of the F-117A raid on the Baghdad communications center, was shot on the first night of Operation Desert Storm.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

September 2, 2021 0 comment

This is why the A-10 Warthog can’t be replaced by F-16 CAS variants

by Till Daisd August 31, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Due to the F-16’s severe vulnerability to ground fire down low during Desert Storm, the A-10 performed better in the CAS role

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) began work on the A-16, close air support (CAS) derivative of the basic F-16 armed with a 30 mm cannon and 7.62 mm Minigun pods, in the 1980s in an effort to replace the A-10 Thunderbolt II. A number of F-16A Block 15 aircraft were upgraded to this configuration and painted in the “European One” camouflage pattern. The A-16 was never produced because of a Congressional directive issued to the USAF on November 26, 1990, requiring it to keep two wings of A-10s. The type was to have been given the name “Block 60.”

The USAF decided to upgrade 400 Block 30/32 F-16s with new equipment to execute CAS and battlefield air interdiction (BAI) operations rather than upgrading the A-10 as the second result of that instruction. The F/A-16 project included innovative technology such as a digital terrain-mapping system, a GPS for better navigational and weapon delivery precision, and an Automatic Target Handoff System (ATHS) to enable direct digital target/mission data interchange between the pilot and ground forces. But in January 1992, this strategy was abandoned in favor of installing Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pods on Block 40/42 F-16C/D aircraft.

Here's why F-16's CAS variants failed to replace the A-10 Warthog

The 174th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW), a New York Air National Guard unit that switched from the A-10 in 1988, had 24 F-16A/B Block 10 aircraft that were equipped with the 30 mm GAU-13/A four-barrel variant of the seven-barrel GAU-8/A cannon in 1991. On the centerline station, this weapon was kept in a General Electric GPU-5/A Pave Claw gun pod and had 353 rounds of ammo. There were also plans to equip A-10s with the AN/AAS-35V Pave Penny laser spot tracker and convert F-16C aircraft to this configuration. Trials were put on hold after two days due to the gun’s considerable vibration, which made flying and targeting the aircraft challenging.

During Operation Desert Storm, when both aircraft were heavily employed in the conflict and significant data on their success rates in various types of missions was available, the A-10 vs F-16 argument was reignited. The Block 10 F-16 possessed the benefit of speed and full night capability, whereas the A-10 required the employment of flares to light up the battlefield or a second A-10, as recounted by Ken Neubeck in his book A-10 Warthog Mini In Action.

Nevertheless, despite these benefits, the F-16 performed worse than the A-10 in Desert Storm in the CAS role, largely because it was more open to ground fire down low. The F-16 was compelled to fly at higher altitudes because it lacked the A-10’s tough survival features. The Maverick missile and gun strafing capabilities of the A-10 were more precise than the F-16’s weaponry at higher altitudes. The F-16’s 30 mm gun pod attachment turned out to be unstable and inaccurate.

Here's why F-16's CAS variants failed to replace the A-10 Warthog

As Neubeck says “the war had proved conclusively that the modified F-16 cannot replace the A-10 Warthog and perform all aspects of the CAS mission. The A-10 was truly the only aircraft that was built solely for the CAS mission. Many experts feel that the results of the war show that the U.S. would do well to continue to have a mix of aircraft including the ‘air-to-mud’ types.”

The idea of replacing the A-10 with the F-16 was described by former Pentagon engineer Pierre Sprey, who worked on the F-16 and A-10 programs as “one of the most monumentally fraudulent ideas the Air Force has ever perpetrated.” As told by Neubeck, Mr. Sprey would later summarize the A-10’s war accomplishments in the September 1991 issue of the IEEE Spectrum (the magazine edited by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Sprey stated that “among the aircraft, the ‘low tech’ A-10 – much despised by the U.S. Air Force brass – was the real hero of the air war. Even though it represents only one-twelfth of the fighter force, it flew one-third of the sorties and accounted for two-thirds of the tank kills claimed during the air campaign and better than nine/tenths of the artillery kills. It dominated the interdiction campaigns against the roads. The aircraft proved tough enough to survive the anti-aircraft exposure and fire anti-tank Maverick missiles, while the F-16s, F-111s, and F-18s were just too vulnerable to ground guns to be usable in this role.”

Here's why F-16's CAS variants failed to replace the A-10 Warthog

Block 10 F/A-16s were eventually phased out as a result.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 31, 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

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

VA 146 Corsair IIs

Captain Messerschmitt’s story: the pilot who loved to shoot the A-7 Corsair II’s gun

by Till Daisd August 29, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“One white hat laid into me, calling me ‘Captain Messerschmitt.’ I thought it had to do with my German name. ‘Not exactly,’ he corrected, maintaining that it was actually my nickname among the ‘mechs’ because whenever I flew, I brought the A-7E back filthy from shooting the gun,” Capt. Ralph Wetterhahn USAF exchange with VA-146 Blue Diamonds

The A-7 Corsair II was created by Vought to succeed the storied A-4 Skyhawk, but while the latter aircraft represented the most straightforward, fundamental method of launching a variety of weapons from an aircraft carrier, the A-7, also known as the SLUF (Short, Little, Ugly, Fucker) by its aircrews, went on to become arguably the most effective tactical jet bomber of the Vietnam War.

The A-7E was the ultimate Corsair II for the U.S. Navy, and during the Southeast Asia War, Forward Air Controllers (FACs) came to love it for its durability, precision, and an arsenal of weapons.

The A-7E was built by the U.S. Navy from the A-7D by the U.S. Air Force, which had a significantly more potent engine and an entirely new set of avionics. The impressive and helpful change of switching to the Allison TF41 from the underwhelming Pratt & Whitney TF30 enhanced the A-7B’s output by about 3000 lbs of thrust. The General Electric M61A1 Vulcan, which had a very reliable six-barrel configuration reminiscent of the Gatling gun of the 19th century, replaced the A-7E’s two troublesome 20 mm Colt Mk 12 cannons. Additionally, the cannon’s overall ammunition capacity was boosted from little more than 650 rounds to 1000 rounds.

To many Navy Corsair II drivers, the Vulcan gun was a cool toy, but as Norman Birzer and Peter Mersky explain in their book U.S. Navy A-7 Corsair II Units of the Vietnam War, they did not use it much in combat mostly because there were not enough suitable targets.

Even FACs were hesitant to authorize strafing runs by eager A-7 pilots in some circumstances. While serving an exchange tour with VA-146 “Blue Diamonds” in 1970, USAF Capt. Ralph Wetterhahn (who as a first lieutenant shot down a MiG-21 during Operation Bolo and later became a successful author) preferred to fire the A-7E’s cannon, which did not go over well with his groundcrew.

Wetterhahn was confronted by a plane captain while making an off-duty incursion into a bar in the Philippines’ famed servicemen’s paradise of Olongapo City (the enlisted man in charge of a specific aircraft in the squadron). “We all got merrily inebriated, and one white hat laid into me, calling me ‘Captain Messerschmitt.’ I thought it had to do with my German name. ‘Not exactly,’ he corrected, maintaining that it was actually my nickname among the ‘mechs’ because whenever I flew, I brought the airplane back filthy from shooting the gun. I usually did fire the M61, particularly at night. On one occasion, maintenance wanted the ammo can emptied for some reason, and boy did I accommodate. All 1000 rounds… “zzziiip!’ The cordite would stick to the belly, and being corrosive, it had to be cleaned off before salt spray got to it.

The story of Captain Messerschmitt, the pilot who loved shooting the A-7 Corsair II's gun

“I had figured out a way to drop bombs, then open up with the Gatling gun during pullout – a tactic designed to keep AAA heads low while I cleared the area. Truth be known, I just loved to shoot the gun. ‘The AAA gunners can see your muzzle blast at night a hose you’, another aviator told me. ‘Heck, they see the whole airplane the whole time during the day and miss,’ I retorted, “so because they see a two-second burst at night, they’ll suddenly get more accurate?’

“But that wasn’t the plane captain’s point. He and his fellow PCs had to clean the cordite off the A-7. ‘It’s a real pain, Captain Messerschmitt!’ ‘Fine,’ I told him. ‘Next time I fly, I’ll clean the damn thing myself!’

“Two weeks later, back on the line, I caught a night mission with six Mk 83s and a full load of 20 ‘mike-mike.’ Needless to say, the airplane came back with a black belly. After the A-7 was chained down, I noticed the PC looking underneath, a look of disgust on his face. ‘Don’t touch it,’ I said. ‘Get what you need to clean it at dawn and wait for me.’

The story of Captain Messerschmitt, the pilot who loved shooting the A-7 Corsair II's gun

“I went to debrief and hit the sack for about two hours, then groggily stumbled up to the flight deck. There must have been 200 sailors gathered around that A-7 when I showed up. I grabbed the gunk can and a pile of rags slid under the fuselage and started applying the cleaning solvent. Cameras flashed like a 57 mm gun battery in the heat.

“I was halfway to the tail, and fully appreciative of the work involved, when the plane captain slid next to me and took the rag. ‘Never thought I’d ever see an officer do this. I’ll take over – and another thing. Shoot the gun any time.”

Wetterhahn closed his commentary on this incident by noting that his fellow sailors in the Navy did not use the gun as frequently as he did.

The story of Captain Messerschmitt, the pilot who loved shooting the A-7 Corsair II's gun

“Mostly, when we had a mission in South Vietnam, we used it. In Laos, generally, the bombs did the work, so strafing was required. Also, you had to get pretty close to be effective, putting yourself in the heart of the AAA envelope. I strafed high, the rounds hitting the ground in front of the area where I was pulling out.”

Photo by skyhawkpc (Flickr) via hiveminer.com, screenshot from YouTube video, and Lt. Graves / U.S. Navy

August 29, 2021 0 comment

Operation Secret Squirrel: when the B-52 Stratofortress opened strikes of Operation Desert Storm

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Saddam Hussein’s troops had invaded the neighboring country of Kuwait, and Secret Squirrel prepared the way for American forces to overthrow him

In a single, secret mission that would launch Operation Desert Storm, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) sent seven B-52G Stratofortress aircrew from the 2nd Bomb Wing (BW) to Iraq early on January 16, 1991.

This first salvo, carried out by the 596th Bomb Squadron (BS), made it possible for American forces to overthrow Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein, whose forces had invaded the neighboring country of Kuwait. The covert mission was known as Operation Senior Surprise by the then-Strategic Air Command (SAC).

“Secret Squirrel” mission patch created by the men who took part in the historic mission. The mission marked the first combat launch of the AGM-86C, Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile, a GPS-guided munition.

SAC oversaw the effort known as Operation Senior Surprise during Operation Desert Shield. The operation was officially known as Senior Surprise, but the aircrew and maintainers ingeniously came up with the name Secret Squirrel so they could keep track of timetables and talk about the mission in unclassified areas.

A limited group of airmen and maintainers from the 596th Bomb Squadron (BS) were instructed on the use of a novel type of weapon, the Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM), in battle at the beginning of Desert Shield.

“I was first informed of the mission in August 1990 and then had six months to train on the new weapon. We couldn’t tell anybody anything,” explained Warren Ward, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) deputy chief of programming division and 596th BS B-52G Stratofortress co-pilot, during Operation Senior Surprise. “The 62nd BS and part of the 596th BS were largely deploying forward yet a large portion of the 596th stayed at Barksdale. We were watching our brothers in arms going forward, yet we were staying back. We had to work under a veil of secrecy.”

A B-52G Stratofortress aircraft is serviced on the flight line prior to flying a bombing mission against Iraqi forces during Operation Desert Storm. The aircraft is armed with M-117 750-pound bombs.

The parties started rigorous training after being briefed to make sure the aircraft could fly long-range missions safely and flawlessly.

On the morning of January 16, 1991, seven B-52G Stratofortresses from Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB) launched 35 of the brand-new AGM-86C CALCMs at Iraqi targets, decimating Saddam’s army and damaging critical communication equipment, and then secretly made their way back.

Additionally, it was the first time that a missile had ever been guided to a target using GPS.

DAYTON, Ohio — Boeing AGM-86B (ALCM) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

When he participated in the Secret Squirrel mission as a B-52G electronic warfare officer, Col. Trey Morriss, vice commander of the 307th BW, was a brand-new captain.

“The Secret Squirrel mission was used to blind Iraq by eliminating certain power and communication nodes throughout the country. This severely hampered their response in the initial phase of the war,” Morriss pointed out. “We proved to U.S. citizens, our allies, coalition partners, and even to our enemies that we will do what we say we’re going to do. In doing so, we solidified the B-52 in the realm of long-range strike capability.”

“The B-52 provides a great first-strike capability in any conventional war,” Morriss said. “It gives us the ability to degrade the enemy with the first attack and press in with other capabilities. We also proved to the world that we were on the threshold of a new type of modern warfare with GPS-guided weapons. The results speak for themselves.”

A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft boom operator refuels a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft, center, during air operations for Operation Desert Storm over Southwest Asia Feb. 1, 1991. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Chris Putnam/Released) — A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft boom operator refuels a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft during air operations for Operation Desert Storm over Southwest Asia on Feb. 1, 1991. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Chris Putnam / Released)

When flying to the Middle East during “Secret Squirrel,” the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker, as the B-52 is known) aircrews faced unforeseen risks but remained confident in their training. These dangers included the possibility of hostile action, landing on friendly territory that might not have been ready for U.S. military aircraft, and a variety of system malfunctions with the aircraft itself.

“The risks were the unknown,” explains Russell Mathers. who took part in Secret Squirrel as a B-52 copilot “We didn’t know if anyone was going to take a shot at us.”

The longest combat sortie flight was Secret Squirrel, which covered 14,000 miles in 35 hours and 24 minutes. Additionally, the covert operation established the standard for the long-range strike.

A B-52G Stratofortress aircraft is serviced on the flight line prior to flying a bombing mission against Iraqi forces during Operation Desert Storm. The aircraft is armed with M-117 750-pound bombs.

According to Mathers, SAC gained important knowledge regarding long-range combat missions as a result of Desert Storm. “What we learned as a bomber community is that the bomber is still a huge viable weapons system. We also learned how difficult it is physiologically, to fly these missions and prepare the human body to fly 30 or 40-hour missions.”

The B-52 continued to play a crucial part in Desert Storm operations after “Secret Squirrel” launched operations. A total of nearly 70 B-52G crews flew 1,741 missions for 15,269 combat hours, dropping 27,000 tons of ammunition.

Staff Sgt. Brian D. Land checks a .50-caliber tail turret gun on a B-52G Stratofortress aircraft during Operation Desert Shield

AFGSC program analyst Jim Bowles participated in Desert Storm as a B-52 instructor pilot and aircraft commander. According to Bowles, it was a blessing to be flying with a copilot, radar navigator, electronic warfare officer, and gunner who were all instructors in their respective fields. “We knew our aircraft, and we knew our training. While there was some apprehension about going into combat and the potential of not coming home, there was also confidence because we knew we could do our mission. When I look back on Desert Storm, it feels like yesterday. It’s a memory deep within myself and my family. It’s a defining moment that shaped me for the rest of my Air Force career.”

Prior to being awarded air, accomplishment, and commendation medals on January 16, 1992, the aircrew members and maintainers who made Secret Squirrel possible remained secret.

Twenty-five years after Operation Senior Surprise, aka “Secret Squirrel”, the aircrew members that kicked off Operation Desert Storm reunited on Barksdale Air Force Base, La. on Jan. 15, 2016. One of the B-52 Stratofortress bombers stationed at Barksdale is displaying the “Secret Squirrel” patch to commemorate the anniversary. This 35-hour mission was the first combat use of the Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM). (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dachelle Melville/Released)

Source: Senior Airman Benjamin Raughton, 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs and U.S. Air Force; Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

When Argentine Air Force Dagger Fighters severely damaged HMS Ardent

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“It was a Sea Harrier going for Captain Robles’ aircraft. Almost simultaneously I saw fire in my mirror and immediately I felt the impact of a missile in my Dagger, which remained without controls,” 1st Lieutenant Luna, Argentine Air Force

The Malvinas/Falkland Islands, an archipelago 300 miles off the coast of South America that was the subject of a dispute between this country and the UK, were invaded by the Argentine Navy and tens of thousands of troops on April 2, 1982. The First Vulcan bomber raids on the islands started British operations on May 1; twenty days later, on May 21, British landings on the Falklands took place.

The Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) undertook numerous attack missions against the Royal Navy fleet.

Escuadrón III Aeromóvil, which was stationed at Naval Air Base Rio Grande in Southern Argentina and outfitted with the Mirage 5A Dagger, was one of the units that participated in the air raids (how the FAA renamed its IAI Nasher examples purchased from Israel before the war). The second round of strikes was started in the afternoon of May 21 after the morning’s initial sorties failed to seriously damage the British ships. Together with Libra flight with Captains Cimatti and Robles, Cueca flight with Captain Mir González, Lieutenant Bernhardt, and First Lieutenant Luna took off at 13.55.

The story of how Argentine Air Force Dagger fighters severely damaged HMS Ardent during the Falklands War — HMS Ardent (F184)

Due to an oil leak, Cimatti Dagger soon started to leave a thick, black contrail, forcing the pilot to return home as Robles boarded Cueca’s flight.

The Hornby Mountains, which the Daggers had to fly over to get to the target area, were obscured by clouds, so the pilots had to find another route to the Royal Navy ships. Robles explains this in the book Latin American Mirages Mirage III/5/F.1/2000 in Service with South American Air Arms by Santiago Rivas and Juan Carlos Cicalesi, “we flew along the hills until we found a small valley through which we could see the other side. We went through it. Now we were only three as we supposed Luna crashed against a hill… On the other side of the sound, at Ruiz Puente Bay/Grantham Sound, we saw a frigate close to the coast. We started the attack thinking ‘For Luna’!” The British ships started firing on them as they were flying quite close to the surface of the ocean. In addition to opening fire with his cannons, Mir González detonated a bomb 10 meters from one of the ships, creating a large wave that struck the ship’s hull.

González was followed by Lieutenant Bernhardt, who detonated his bomb and damaged the upper half of the ship. As he turned, Robles let go of his ammunition and flew dangerously close to the ship’s antenna. He then observed a missile coming in the direction of Bernhardt’s Dagger, which he managed to dodge by swerving to the right. The three Argentine jet pilots could clearly see the frigate blazing as they were returning home.

The story of how Argentine Air Force Dagger fighters severely damaged HMS Ardent during the Falklands War

They were unaware that Luna had missed the hill because, according to Luna, five Sea Harriers intercepted their flight while the Daggers were only three minutes from the target. But because of the terrible weather, Luna was the final Argentine pilot to pass through the valley. Next, he saw a shadow passing above him and to his left, as he explains: “It was a Sea Harrier going for Captain Robles’ aircraft. Almost simultaneously I saw fire in my mirror and immediately I felt the impact of a missile on my aircraft, which remained without controls. I tried to climb and the aircraft turned upside down, I thought I would die. I left the stick and searched desperately for the upper ejection handle. I think I found it when I was again flying normally, as the ejection was normal.”

Lieutenant Andy Auld and Lieutenant Commander Rod Frederiksen piloted the Sea Harriers that intercepted the Daggers. Therefore, it appears that the Sea Harrier element that intercepted the Argentines was made up of only two fighters that were passing close to King George Bay and not five aircraft as previously thought. HMS Brilliant directed the British aircraft towards the Daggers, and when the Sea Harriers were able to see the enemy jets, Frederiksen fired the Sidewinder, striking Luna, who was later saved by the islanders.

The HMS Ardent was the vessel that the Daggers struck. The Mk 17 bomb dropped by Bernhardt, while the bomb dropped by Robles impacted the ship but did not explode, caused the assault aircraft to fully destroy the vessel hangar, the ship’s helicopter, and the Sea Cat missile system.

Later that day, Ardent was struck by three A-4Q Skyhawks from the Argentine Navy. At least two bombs were dropped on the ship’s stern, and numerous unexploded bombs tore into the hull.

The story of how Argentine Air Force Dagger fighters severely damaged HMS Ardent during the Falklands War

The Ardent sank the following day as a result of the airstrikes carried out by Dagger and Skyhawk.

Photo by Jorge Alberto Leonardi and Horacio Claria via Wikipedia, U.S. Navy, and screenshot from YouTube video

August 28, 2021 0 comment

How the Buff was trasformed into a MiG Killer by B-52 tail gunners

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The two BUFF MiG kills occurred during Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas-time strategic air assault against the logistical and industrial hub of North Vietnam

The Boeing B-52 is the quintessential example of strategic airpower in action. Originally designed to carry a hydrogen bomb over intercontinental distances, the Stratofortress saw extensive use in conventional bombing during the Vietnam War, turning it into a MiG killer by downing two MiG-21 fighters.

Both MiGs were destroyed during Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas-time air onslaught against North Vietnam’s logistical and industrial core that got underway after the Paris peace talks ended in failure. Two B-52D tail gunners from the 307th Strategic Bomb Wing stationed at U-Tapao RTAFB (Royal Thailand Air Force Base), Thailand, continued the long tradition of tail gunners from prior wars by shooting down two North Vietnamese Fishbeds during this air operation.

Here's how B-52 tail gunners made of the BUFF a MiG killer

The four.50-caliber M3 machine guns installed at the rear of the D model of the Stratofortress made it possible for these accomplishments, and they possibly made the B-52 the last strategic bomber to shoot down an enemy fighter. The 600-round weapons on board the A-3A fire control system search and tracking radar may be handled remotely from the forward fuselage by the gunner or manually by a tail gunner.

On December 18, 1972, 129 bombers (42 B-52Ds from U-Tapao, 87 BUFFs between B-52Ds and B-52Gs from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam) were launched to attack rail yards and logistical facilities in and around Hanoi as well as the MiGs bases at Kep, Hoa Loc, and Phuc Yen. This was the first of the two MiG kills. B-52 Stratofortress: The Story of the BUFF from Drawing Board to the Skies over Afghanistan by Bill Yenne claims that the bombers flew in three aircraft cells for mutual ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) defense.

The B-52D Tail No. 56-0676, callsign Brown III, which had Sgt. Samuel O. Turner working as a tail gunner was one of the bombers. Numerous SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) were fired throughout the bomb run to the target, and anti-aircraft fire of all calibers exploded close to Brown III.

Here's how B-52 tail gunners made of the BUFF a MiG killer

When the B-52Ds arrived at their objective and dropped their bombs, several MiGs took off to intercept them as they were flying back to base. Turner was able to lock on to the incoming Fishbed and, as it was in the firing line, he opened fire on it, hitting the back of the MiG-21, which burst into a big inferno. One of the MiG-21s was prepared to launch its missiles toward Brown III. According to Donald J. McCarthy, Jr. in his book MiG Killers A Chronology of U.S. Air Victories in Vietnam 1965-1973, this kill was the first for a bomber crew since the Korean War, and it had also been confirmed by MSgt. Lewis E. Le Blanc, who was a tail gunner on another B-52.

At the Fairchild AFB Heritage Park in Spokane, the B-52D with the tail number 55-0676 is still on display and still carries the iconic MiG Killers logo, a red star under the cockpit.

On December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve, the second Stratofortress aerial victory of the Vietnam War occurred. During the bomb run, the B-52s were assaulted by the MiGs, and thirty BUFFs that took off from U-Tapao had to hit rail yards at Thai Nguyen and Kep, 40 miles north and northeast of Hanoi. A1C Albert E. Moore, the tail gunner of the B-52D Tail No. 55-0083, Diamond Lil, noticed one of them on the radar sight. At 4,000 yards, he latched onto the Fishbed and started firing at the blip on his radar scope until it vanished.

Here's how B-52 tail gunners made of the BUFF a MiG killer

In his combat report, according to a lengthy essay by Tom Docherty that was published in FlyPast magazine’s December 2015 issue, Moore wrote: “I observed a target on my radar scope 8 o’clock low at 8 miles. I immediately notified the crew, and the ‘bogey’ started closing rapidly. It stabilized at 4,000 yards, at 6 o’clock. I called the pilot for evasive action and the EWO for chaff and flares. When the target goes to 2,000 yards, I notified the crew that I was firing. I fired at the bandit until it ballooned to three times in intensity then suddenly disappeared from my radar scope at approximately 1,200 yards. I expected 800 rounds in three bursts.”

This kill too was confirmed by another tail gunner, TSgt. Clarence W. Chute, reported: “I went visual and saw the ‘bandit’ on fire and falling away. Several pieces of the aircraft exploded, and the fireball disappeared in the undercast.”

Also preserved and on display at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado is the B-52D tail number 55-00083. According to Vietnamese authorities, a B-52 downed a MiG-21 on April 16, 1972, earning its third air-to-air win.

General George L. Butler, who was in charge of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at the time, announced the removal of the gunner post and the deactivation of the B-52’s guns on September 16, 1991. As a former B-52 gunner explained to us “we (Gunners) were done away with for two reasons 1) Budget. It was very expensive to maintain the Fire Control System. It was the ONLY system on the jet that had never been updated. It still used vacuum tubes! If a part broke and couldn’t be located, it had to be made. This was very expensive. And 2) Missile technology had become advanced enough to shoot aircraft down from beyond visual range. The guns were obsolete unless a fighter was dumb enough to try and get close enough to use its guns on the BUFF. Those are the facts.”

Since then, a generation has passed since the BUFF had a tail gunner, and the days of a fighter having to be cautious when attempting to get behind a B-52 are long gone.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

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