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Red Tails receives the first three F-35A Lightning II fighter jets

by Till Daisd May 6, 2024

The Red Tails are the third ANG unit slated to transition to the F-35A Lightning II

On December 5, 2023, three F-35A Lightning II fighter jets were delivered to the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field, Alabama.

The 187th Fighter Wing Public Affairs’ 1st Lt. Michael Luangkhot stated that the Red Tails are the third Air National Guard (ANG) unit slated to transition to fifth-generation fighter aircraft in the article F-35s arrive at Dannelly Field.

After more than ten years of planning and preparation, the 187th Fighter Wing members are proud to bring home the most recent fifth-generation capabilities, thanks to Alabama.

“It is an honor to be able to fly one of the first F-35s home,” said Lt. Col. Richard Peace, a pilot for the 187th Fighter Wing. “I have always looked up to the Tuskegee Airmen and can confidently say we will continue their legacy using the F-35s. Everyone at the wing has been hard at work preparing for this moment, and it is finally here. I am excited to see everyone and to be back after months of pilot training preparing for this special day.”

Red Tails receives the first three F-35A Lightning II fighter jets — An F-35 Lightning II parked on the flight line at Dannelly Field, on Dec. 6, 2023. The 187th Fighter Wing received their first aircrafts from Luke AFB, Ariz. and will begin transitioning to their new mission.

The awesome capabilities of the F-35A Lightning II

“The F-35 changes the role that the 187th serves in the United States’ application of airpower,” said Maj. Bart Smith, a 187th Fighter Wing weapons instructor. “I’ve had the opportunity to experience the awesome capabilities that the F-35A brings to the joint fight. What truly separates the 187th apart will never be the aircraft, but the Airmen that equip, maintain and fly it.”

In the past few years, more than 33 core cadre maintainers and other support functions have been vigorously training for the arrival of the fifth-generation aircraft at external training locations. The Airmen will bring back their knowledge and experience to train the members at home station.

“They are highly skilled, highly trained maintainers that dedicated years of their lives and moved from Alabama to embed with F-35 guard or active-duty units to learn best practices,” said Capt. Bryon Townsend, 187th Fighter Maintenance Group’s director of operations. “We are grateful for the work they have put into their training and expect them serve as the leaders that our maintenance members will look to for guidance, expertise and empowerment.”

Over the next five years, the unit will receive a total of 20 F-35s. Over the years to come, construction will cost about $112 million. By 2026, the wing should be completely operational.

Tuskegee Airmen legacy

To honor the legendary legacy of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen, the 100th Fighter Squadron was renumbered from the 160th Fighter Squadron in 2007.
The Red Tail Flyers, commonly known as the Tuskegee Airmen, have made an indelible mark on American aviation history.

The US Army Air Corps, which preceded the US Air Force, employed the first black military pilots, known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Pilots, navigators, maintainers, bombardiers, instructors, and support staff all trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. The Tuskegee Airmen made almost 15,000 sorties throughout World War II across Europe and North Africa.

The Tuskegee Airmen applied a red tail paint scheme to their North American P-51 Mustangs, Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, and Curtiss P-40 Warhawks. It is generally known, according to official USAF documents, that our WWII bomber pilots would look out their windows and feel more confident about the Red Tail fighters that were flying next to them. They found comfort in knowing that, compared to other 12th and 15th Air Force outfits, their chances for survival were higher when escorted by a Red Tail.

Tails painted red

As a tribute to their legacy, some of the F-16s in the 100th Fighter Squadron had their tails painted red, honoring the brave men who paved the way for generations of pilots to come. The F-35 Lightning II will now take its place on the mantle, charged with continuing to accelerate the Red Tail legacy.

Photo by 1st Lt. Michael Luangkhot, 187th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / U.S. Air Force

May 6, 2024 0 comment

History

How the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor could have been prevented with just one Arleigh Burke class DDG

by Till Daisd May 5, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor

One of history’s major turning points was the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In a single, well-thought-out move, the battleship fleet of the US Navy was removed as a potential threat to the Japanese Empire’s southward expansion. Unexpectedly thrown into the Second World War as a full combatant, America was suddenly significantly weakened and unprepared.

Nevertheless, the memory of the “sneak attack” on Pearl Harbor fueled a determination to fight on. Once the Battle of Midway in early June 1942 had eliminated much of Japan’s striking power, that same memory stoked a relentless war to reverse her conquests and remove her, and her German and Italian allies, as future threats to World peace.

As already explained, the 1980 film, The Final Countdown, places the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, just before the Japanese attack. What is the smallest ship currently in the US Navy service capable of fully defending Pearl Harbor in 1941 or destroying the attacking fleet?

Arleigh Burke-class DDG

‘A single Arleigh Burke-class DDG would have stopped the attack cold,’ says Alex Jauch, author of The Kidd Incident, on Quora.

‘A single Burke has:

‘90 VLS Cells. These can be configured in different ways, but normally most of them house anti-aircraft missiles such as the SM-6. You can also “quad pack” the ESSM. Assuming that you have some of those, you probably have at least 100 SAM’s.

Here’s how a single Arleigh Burke class DDG would have stopped the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor

‘These radar-guided missiles would easily see and lock onto the Japanese aircraft, which have zero countermeasures for radar, which wasn’t really a thing back then.

‘One or two CIWS mounts. The CIWS is designed to take out small, fast-moving cruise missiles. A propeller-driven aircraft would be a cakewalk.

‘The CIWS fires depleted uranium (DU) ammunition out to 6,000 yards. They are radar-guided and would decimate any aircraft that get in close

‘SeaRAM. The SeaRAM is RAM equipped replacement for the CIWS. Some Burkes have this. We’ll assume for our example that our ship has one SeaRAM and one CIWS.

‘SeaRAM is a RIM missile launcher mounted in a CIWS mount (note the radar housing). It houses 11 missiles and is good out to six miles.

‘To be fair, over 350 aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor. If the Burke is VERY lucky, it will be able to take out about 100 of them with missiles. However, imagine the impact of 1/3 of your attacking aircraft being taken out before you can even get within attack range of your target.

‘Most likely, the attack ends right there.’

Torpedo bombers

Jauch continues;

‘However, the most damaging attacks were torpedo bombers coming in low and slow over the harbor:

‘The CIWS mount on the Burke would chew up these guys pretty badly.

‘The other thing is that the Burke has a radar guided five inch mount:

‘The Mark 45 can fire about 20 rounds a minute. It supports proximity-fueled anti-aircraft rounds and uses the ship’s radar for fire control. This weapon would also be deadly to any low-flying propeller aircraft. It has an autoloader that holds 20 rounds, but a fully manned Burke would have a crew down there reloading as necessary.

‘So, the Japanese would be faced with, guided SAM attacks, radar-guided gunnery, and a massive rate of fire that would have just stunned them. All of this is coming from just one ship?

‘Of course, a Burke is not armored. Any dive bomber or torpedo bomber that goes through would damage the Burke just as badly or worse than a contemporary ship.

‘However, I think the odds are low that any attacking aircraft would get close enough to successfully deliver their weapons.

‘All of this assumes the Burke is ready to fight. If the crew is all ashore, then the Burke would also be in trouble, just like what happened in 1941. If the weapons are not loaded, they might also get jumped before they can shoot. However, a fully armed and alert Burke would be deadly in 1941.’

The Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor would have been stopped by a single Arleigh Burke-class DDG

Jauch concludes;

‘Most likely, the Burke could take out 10 aircraft per minute with a combination of the CIWS and the five-inch. The CIWS has a limited magazine also, but crews would be reloading constantly. There are also smaller machine gun mounts, but I’m not really counting those.

‘This is a DEVASTATING rate of fire and would probably end the attack. Self-directing radar-controlled gunnery was not a thing during the actual attack on Pearl Harbor and would completely stun the attacking pilots.

‘Even proximity fuzing wasn’t a thing until later in the war and it was a HUGE advance in anti-aircraft gunnery.’

Photo by U.S. Navy, Norwegian Armed Forces, and Pearl Harbor Warbirds. Pearl Harbor Warbirds offers the best Hawai‘i flight adventure tours available. Immerse yourself in the details of the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor.

May 5, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

SR-71 pilot recalls a tense mission over the Barents Sea where he spotted a Soviet MiG-31

by Till Daisd May 4, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The SR-71 Blackbird

The most sophisticated spy plane in the Blackbird family, the SR-71, which also included the A-12 and YF-12, was created by a group of Lockheed personnel under the direction of Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who was vice president of Lockheed’s Advanced Development Company Projects at the time. Known as the “Skunk Works,” this group is now a division of Lockheed Martin. On December 22, 1964, the Blackbird’s maiden flight was accomplished.

The SR-71 was built to cruise at heights of up to 85,000 feet and at “Mach 3+,” which is over three times the speed of sound, or more than 2,200 miles per hour.

Soviet MiG-31 too close for comfort

An SR-71 was briefly beyond Russian territorial seas on October 6, 1986, near the Murmansk area coastline. The SR-71 had flown over the Soviet Union’s coast before, and this was not the first time. The Blackbird was assigned the task of taking side-looking pictures. The US was searching for nuclear submarine activities, which is why they were looking into the Soviet Union. However, this time a Soviet interceptor got a little too close for comfort. Ed Yeilding explained to Paul Crickmore, for his book Lockheed Blackbird: Beyond the Secret Missions (Revised Edition);

‘Flying straight toward each other in our supersonic jets, I was reminded of two gallant medieval knights galloping full speed toward each other, only I did not have a weapon,’ Ed Yeilding, former SR-71 Blackbird pilot recalls.

‘In the distance far ahead, at perhaps 100 miles, I could see a long, bright white Russian contrail flying directly towards us, but at much lower altitude.

‘I knew it must be a Soviet fighter, probably a MiG-31, then the newest Soviet interceptor.

‘I raised my periscope and saw too that we were leaving a long contrail and I knew the fighter could see our contrail as easily as I could see his.

Orders to fire missiles at USAF SR-71 Blackbird

‘I also assumed he had orders to fire his missiles if I was late with my turn and slipped over Soviet territorial waters to within 12nm of Soviet land, and I assumed the pilot would like nothing better than an opportunity to fire his missiles at an SR-71 Blackbird.

‘I believed the Soviet fighter would not fire his missiles as long as we stayed on our usual track, but I also knew he or his ground controllers could mistake our position as being closer than we actually were.

‘We had no defences like flares against heat-seeking missiles, but again, we believed that missile “probability of kill” was very low due to our high speed and altitude.

‘I was determined to fly the track as planned and get the pictures.

‘For survival, Curt [RSO Lt Col Curt Osterheld] and I depended on accurate navigation to keep us just outside Soviet territorial waters to prevent a launch, and we depended on our superior speed and altitude in case missiles were launched.

‘From my F-4 experience with intercepts and visual acuity, my best guess is that eight miles was his closest approach.

‘He appeared to run out of airspeed at the top of his contrail, at maybe 65,000ft or 10,000ft below us.

‘I saw his nose below the horizon and fall away. Curt and I stayed on course and got the pictures.

The MiG-31, the premier Soviet supersonic interceptor

“During my three years of flying overseas reconnaissance missions, I frequently saw contrails far below of potentially hostile fighters, but that day, above the Arctic Circle over the Barents Sea, was the only time I saw a Soviet fighter get close enough that I could actually see metal, though barely larger than a dot and only because our routine track was predictable. Back at Mildenhall, during our debriefing, our intelligence officer told us, with near certainty, that the interceptor was a MiG-31, the premier Soviet supersonic interceptor at that time.”

Check out Habubrats SR-71’s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder’s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

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

May 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

When an F-16 crashed, hydrazine vapors forced all of the crews participating in a Red Flag sortie to remain inside their aircraft and prevent them from taking off

by Till Daisd May 4, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Exercise: Red Flag

In order to lessen pilots’ susceptibility and high loss rate in their first five combat missions, the US Air Force planned to offer realistic operational training within Tactical Air Command (TAC) by the mid-1970s, following lessons learned from experiences in Korea and Vietnam.

The idea was to set up a training complex with electronic countermeasures, guns, missiles, and air defense fighter radars that would simulate Soviet air defenses and follow their operating procedures. The idea, which was located at Nellis AFB in Nevada, was later dubbed Exercise Red Flag. Its operations took place in the training ranges in the desert north of the base.

Vulcan bombers invited to participate in Red Flag

The exercise quickly spread due to its early success; by 1977, offers to take part were sent to other US Air Commands, the US Navy, and the US Marine Corps. The RAF was invited to take part early on, using the Avro Vulcan bomber as well as tactical aircraft.

In the book Vulcan Boys True Tales of the Iconic Delta V Bomber by Tony Blackman, Anthony Wright, a Vulcan Navigator Radar who participated in Red Flag 82-2 in 1982—the last Red Flag exercise with Vulcans just before Operation Corporate, the Falklands campaign, and as the V Force was winding down as a deterrent—tells an intriguing tale;

‘Because we were operating at low level, at night, flying across miles of uninhabited desert, apart from take-off and landing at Nellis, our pilots were flying practically blind in the darkness and had to trust the navigation teams. It was only on returning from the desert range and climbing to height that sometime later a huge bright area suddenly appeared and attracted the pilots’ attention. It was the lights of Las Vegas.

‘Each night on landing there followed the same pattern. First there was debriefing followed by a swift exit to the Nellis officers’ club for a wind down, chatting to other American participating crews, including our ‘F-16 enemies’ [the red forces on the exercise flew the F-15 and the F-16], and then back to our Casino.’

F-16 crash

Wright continues;

‘There is one story concerning the F-16 that springs to mind and proves the Red Flag statistics were correct. One evening just as we were about to enter base operations, I heard a shout and turned round to see an F-16 on fire, smoke billowing out behind it, flying, or not as the case might be, low across the airfield parallel to the runway and with a bang the pilot ejected.’

‘I had my camera on my shoulder and was just able to take a photograph of the aircraft on fire as it hit the ground. It was that quick.

F-16 uses hydrazine to fuel its emergency power unit

‘We carried on to plan, briefed and eventually walked out to the aircraft on the huge apron with smoke still coming from the F-16. When we got into the aircraft and onto intercom we were told by air traffic control that all aircraft crews were to close any hatches, windows and doors and not to venture outside as it was hazardous.

‘We complied and were then told the reason. Unknown to us the F-16 used hydrazine, which is highly toxic and highly inflammable to fuel the aircraft’s emergency power unit (EPU). If the F-16’s engine failed then there was no power to restart the engine or operate the flying controls.

F-16 Hydrazine vapors under control

‘The EPU was there to try a restart. Failure of the EPU to generate power means that the pilot has no option but to eject. This one did. Once the fire teams and others in breathing apparatus and contamination suits got the situation under control we were cleared for take-off.’

Wright concludes;

‘Looking back, the flying on Red Flag was very testing, with much adrenalin used by all concerned. Despite that we learnt a good deal and were extremely satisfied to have completed it. Definitely an exercise not to be missed.’

Vulcan Boys True Tales of the Iconic Delta V Bomber is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Vulcan Navigator Radar recalls when due to hydrazine vapors caused by the crash of an F-16 all the crews taking part in a Red Flag sortie had to stay closed inside their aircraft and could not take off — Vulcan Mk 2 at Nellis AFB with F-16 taxiing out (Bill Perrins)

Photo by Bill Perrins via Mortons Books

May 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

When a KC-135Q crew flew through a thunderstorm with their tanker’s throttles frozen to refuel a Blackbird

by Till Daisd May 3, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The KC-135Q

It’s impossible to overemphasize the essential role played by the KC-135Q tanker crews, without whom successful prosecution of the SR-71 Blackbird mission would have been impossible. As told by Paul F. Crickmore in his book Lockheed Blackbird: Beyond the Secret Missions (Revised Edition), it became apparent to Strategic Air Command (SAC) that the tanker force dedicated to supporting SR-71 operations would need to be expanded beyond the original 21 Q-model aircraft, and in 1967, the decision was made to modify an additional 35 aircraft. Some 20 KC-135As from the 70th AREFS, 43rd BW at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, and 15 from the 306th AREFS, 306th BW at McCoy AFB, Florida, were therefore converted.

The only crews qualified to refuel the SR-71 Blackbird

KC-135Q crews and their aircraft were unique from the rest of the Air Force in several ways. As explained by Col. Richard H. Graham, a former Blackbird pilot, in his book SR-71 The Complete Illustrated History of THE BLACKBIRD The World’s Highest, Fastest Plane, their aircrews were the only ones certified in Blackbird’s specific radio-silent rendezvous procedures, and their boom operators were the only ones qualified to refuel the SR-71. The Q-model tankers had special plumbing between their fuel tanks, allowing them to transfer JP-4 and JP-7 fuel between various tanks. Their engine could burn JP-4 or JP-7 fuel.

If the SR-71 landed in an area without JP-7 fuel, the Q-model tankers would fly in with the fuel and refill the aircraft using ground-based transfer hoses.

No SR-71 story would be complete without KC-135Q

No story on the SR-71 would be complete without an understanding and appreciation of just how valuable the KC-135Q model tankers and their crews were to the successful and safe completion of every mission. It suffices to say that an SR-71 never ran out of gas, as proved by the following story told by former Blackbird pilot David Peters.

‘There are many stories of the loyalty, bravery, and reliability of our Q tanker guys. This is a great one for sure.

The story of the SR-71 Blackbird that pitched up and collided with a KC-135Q tanker during an air refueling over El Paso

KC-135Q crews bravery

‘Ed Bethart and I were flying a mission out of Kadena and it was definitely thunderstorm season. We were in heavy clouds headed to the tanker after takeoff and as we got DF and distance contact, we couldn’t see a thing. As we closed in, we had our 2000 ft altitude separation and, at a mile, had no contact. So, we told the guys to recheck their altimeter setting because we were coming up a thousand and in 1/2 mile. They confirmed their setting and altitude and airspeed so we moved up and in.

‘Still nothing.

‘Restated the whole thing and that we would come up 500 and close to a 1/4 mile. Still nothing, then like bursting through a curtain there he was right where he said he was.’

Throttles frozen

He continues;

‘We closed for hook up and got contact. I noticed that I kept ducking my head beside something was hitting the windscreen. It was ice falling off the tanker.

‘I said “Hey Teddy (Ted Bittel) you have Ice coming off.” About that time Ed says “we are at 290 kts and descending.” Of course, Teddy could hear that on the boom interphone and he says “yes we have had the throttles frozen for the last half hour so we are trying to get the speed up for when you get heavier.” It all worked out and we got filled up.

‘However, the weather was so bad, when we tried to climb out, we hear very heavy turbulence, rain and lightning. Tried three times to accel but got violent unstarts each time. I tried going to manual inlets to open up and try to make it but it just couldn’t do it so we had to abort and return to Kadena.

A 20 lb block of ice

’In the debrief, the maintenance guys came in and showed us that the wave guide antennas in the nose were gone totally eroded by the rain. Then Chief Kelly came in and dropped a 20 lb block of ice on the table. He said it came from the flight control mixer quadrant.’

Peters concludes;

‘So, another of those stories where circumstances were incredibly difficult to the point of losing the mission but not because our incredible Q guys weren’t there for us.’

Check out Habubrats SR-71’s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

May 3, 2024 0 comment

History

This aviator injured himself to show the North Vietnamese that he would rather die than surrender to their demands

by Till Daisd May 2, 2024

written by Till Daisd

James Stockdale

James Bond Stockdale, US Naval Academy Class of ’47, is the embodiment of leadership and inspiration, as well as the perfect naval aviator. Admiral Stockdale is one of the most highly decorated officers in the naval service and received the Medal of Honor for his performance of duty during his eight years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

Prisoner of War

On September 9, 1965, he was shot down while flying a VA-163A-4E Skyhawk. He became the senior Navy prisoner of war confined in Hanoi’s infamous Hao Lo prison. Because Stockdale assumed command of the Prisoners of War (POWs) and exercised underground organizational leadership in defiance of his captors’ orders, he was subjected to 15 torture sessions throughout his two years in leg irons and four years in solitary confinement. For purposefully hurting himself almost to death to convince the North Vietnamese that he would sooner die than give in to their demands, Stockdale was granted the Medal of Honor.

Permanently disabled

During his incarceration, he was promoted to captain and got significant medical care for injuries sustained during his ejection and subsequent torture. He was released on February 12, 1973. Despite having a locked left knee joint as a result of these injuries that left him permanently disabled, then-RADM Stockdale was able to resume his naval career when he took over as commander of Antisubmarine Warfare Wing Pacific in January 1974. Prior to concluding his 37-year active service career with a 1979 return as vice admiral, he served as president of the Naval War College.

Stockdale recalls his final mission for Carrier Air Group Commanders by Robert L Lawson.

Strike against Thanh Hoa railway bridge

Stockdale led a strike against the problematic, nearly legendary Thanh Hoa railway bridge on September 9, 1965, using his A-4E. However, bad weather rendered the original plan unfeasible, so Stockdale sent the various elements in search of secondary targets.

“I had neglected to mention to Wynn Foster, XO of VA-163, who found himself on my wing, what exactly our alternate target would be. I remember we loitered offshore listening to VA-163 CO Harry Jenkins’ division comparing notes on their detections of SAM radars, on their just-acquired gear, flying in the soup, down near Vinh. That SAM was the southern-most one yet detected, I believe.

Getting rid of the bomb load

“I knew of a place where we could normally get rid of a bomb load into a worthwhile target without prior arrangements, and with surprisingly little flak: a railroad siding four or five miles west of Highway 1, about 15 miles south of Thanh Hoa. The ceiling was low up there and, since Wynn and my planes had 500-pound bombs with an option switch for snakeye or steep dive delivery, we went in under the clouds. We proceeded up the coast past our target, then swung west to a nice ‘180’ turning point, and swept in to line up on those beautiful boxcars.

“I didn’t even have my oxygen mask snapped across my face. We were coming in flat, in trail, right on the deck at about 500+ indicated, I, and undoubtedly Wynn, both totally relaxed. I had pulled this foul-weather snakeye maneuver on this same train parking area a couple of days before and got no flak.

James Stockdale ejection

“Then I heard it!! ‘Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!’ I knew right where to look—the noise came from two o’clock. And there it was, firing at me point blank, 200 yards at three o’clock. It was, I think, a 57mm mobile cannon. I watched it belching fireballs directly at me and, by the time I recognized all this, every red light in my cockpit was on and pulsating: fire! Hydraulics gone! Everything unwinding!

“I had to get that oxygen mask up to give Wynn a Mayday. That took an instant, and by that time the plane was out of control with me just along for the ride. The stick didn’t work, and I was heading for the deck. The confusion of `g’ forces interrupted my grabs for the curtain, so I went for the alternate handle between my legs. I remember craning my head back to see the chute blossom, and a strange feeling coming over me as I watched the chute unravel that `something about that ejection was just not right.’

‘American Air Pirate’

“I later figured I had ‘sensed’ something awry with my bones; I had forgotten to grab my right wrist with my left hand, and it was hours later before I realized I couldn’t raise my left arm. Instantaneous wind blast flail, of which I was never conscious, had broken bones in my left shoulder and back. But I had a lot more going through my mind than checking bone structure.

“Even when, seconds later, I touched down right on the main street of a little country town named Tin Gia (just after I floated over highway one), longing for that open ocean I could see less than a mile ahead, I could hear feet pounding down the street. Then I caught them out of the corner of my right eye at three o’clock—the town’s rough-necks, sprinting forward, just about to gang tackle this ‘American Air Pirate.’ It was maybe two minutes before the police whistle started to blow. The pummeling and gouging and twisting suddenly stopped, and I was sat up in the street and motioned to disrobe by the pith-helmeted official.

Crippled for life

“Eventually I saw my left leg—broken at the knee and sticking out at a right angle toward nine o’clock. Crippled for life! I knew it in an instant. What a letdown.

“You see, between the time I pulled the ejection handle and came to rest in that main street, I had become a man with a mission. I can’t explain this without unloading a little emotional baggage that was part of my military generation’s legacy in 1965.

Every man for himself

“In the aftermath of the Korean War, just over 10 years before, we all had memories of reading about and seeing early television news accounts of U.S. government investigations into the behavior of some American prisoners of war in North Korea and Mainland China. There was a famous series of articles in the ‘New Yorker’ magazine that later became a book entitled In Every War But One!’ The gist of it was that in the prison camps for Americans, it was every man for himself.

James Stockdale — Stockdale exiting his A-4 fighter-bomber weeks before becoming a POW

“Since those days, I’ve come to know officers who were prisoners of war there, and I now see much of that reporting as selective and a bum rap. However, there were cases of young soldiers who were confused by the times, scared to death, in cold weather, treating each other like dogs fighting over scraps, throwing each other out in the snow to die and nobody doing anything about it.

The American Fighting Man’s Code of Conduct

“This situation could not go on, and President Eisenhower commissioned the writing of the American Fighting Man’s Code of Conduct to guide future POWs.

“It is written in the form of a personal pledge. Article Four: ‘If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.’ In other words, as of the moment Eisenhower signed the document, American prisoners of war were never to escape the chain of command; the war goes on behind bars.

The only wing commander to survive an ejection

“As an insider, as CAG aboard Oriskany, I knew the whole setup—that the North Vietnamese already held about 25 prisoners, probably in Hanoi and, that as the only wing commander to survive an ejection, I would be their senior—their commanding officer—and would remain so, very likely, throughout this war that I felt sure would last at least another five years. And here I was starting off crippled and flat on my back.

“All told, the disaster of this business of my being impeded in my duty by being permanently crippled, was only a temporary set-back from things that were important to me. Being cast in the role of sovereign head of an American expatriate colony that was destined to remain autonomous, out of communication with Washington, for years on end, was very important to me. Months later, I was 42 years old, still on crutches, dragging a leg, at considerably less than my normal weight, with hair down near my shoulders, my body unbathed since before I was catapulted from Oriskany and with a beard that had not seen a razor since I arrived, when I took command (clandestinely, of course—the North Vietnamese would never acknowledge our rank) of about 50 Americans.

James Stockdale, CAG for eight years

“That expatriate colony would grow to more than 450—all officers, all pilots or NFOs. I was determined to play well the given part. And all Americans continued to refer to me as ‘CAG’ until after I got home. “I was `CAG’ from February 1965, when on the eve of our departure for WestPac, I took the job at a ceremony on the flight deck of Oriskany alongside at North Island, until February 1973, when I arrived back at North Island after an eight-year absence. CAG—the boss of American flight crews—for eight full years. Can any-body top that?”

Official Citation for Medal of Honor recipient James Bond Stockdale

‘For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while senior naval officer in the prisoner-of-war camps of North Vietnam. Recognized by his captors as the leader in the prisoners’ of war resistance to interrogation and in their refusal to participate in propaganda exploitation, Rear Adm. Stockdale was singled out for interrogation and attendant torture after he was detected in a covert communications attempt. Sensing the start of another purge, and aware that his earlier efforts at self-disfiguration to dissuade his captors from exploiting him for propaganda purposes had resulted in cruel and agonizing punishment, Rear Adm. Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of resistance regardless of personal sacrifice.

‘He deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all the prisoners of war. By his heroic actions, at great peril to himself, he earned the everlasting gratitude of his fellow prisoners and of his country. Rear Adm. Stockdale’s valiant leadership and extraordinary courage in a hostile environment sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.’

Carrier Air Group Commanders is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.

Stockdale POW — Captain James Stockdale stepping off the plane after being released as a POW 1973

Photo by U.S. Navy

May 2, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

An F-14 pilot almost fired an AIM-7 Sparrow at a Boeing 727 while escorting an RC-135

by Till Daisd April 30, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-14 Tomcat

When it came to Cold War fighter jets, the US Navy’s Grumman F-14 Tomcat was unmatched overall. Six long-range AIM-54A Phoenix missiles could be guided by the F-14’s AWG-9 weapons control system against six different threat aircraft at a long range. Sparrow missiles were carried for medium-range warfare; Sidewinders and a 20mm were available for dogfighting.

As Chuck Hunter, former US Navy F-14 pilot, recalls on Quora, firing a missile for a Tomcat crew ‘is always a thrill. We spend most of our deployed flight time carrying them around, prepping them, practicing with them, and then usually landing back with them. Dropping dumb bombs is fun, but when you can light a rocket motor hanging on your wing and watch it fly off, then track a target to a kill, it is a special day.

The AIM-9 Sidewinder

F-14 pilot recalls when he nearly fired an AIM-7 Sparrow against a Boeing 727 on intercept vector to the RC-135 his Tomcat was escorting

‘I was able to shoot an AIM-9L Sidewinder, AIM-7F Sparrow, and the big one an AIM-54C Phoenix. The AIM-9 is cool because it comes straight off the rail and you can see it from the moment it leaves and flies right out in front of you. It is also a short-distance missile so you get to see if it hits the target.

The AIM-7 Sparrow

‘The AIM-7 and AIM-54 are ejected downward away from the aircraft, so there is a thump and you feel the release of the weight. The Sparrow is 500 pounds, and the Phoenix was 1,000 pounds. After they leave, they fly out in front of you toward the target, but you see them coming up from under the nose. With radar missiles, often you are still focused on making sure that they are tracking, as they may be using information from the aircraft’s radar and you need to be sure you are continuing to send the information.’

F-14 Tomcat AIM-54 Phoenix shot

Hunter continues;

‘The Phoenix was an amazing shot, the 1,000-pound big white telephone pole’s rocket motor burns for 22 seconds so you have this beautiful white plume to follow. Our shot was in a heavy ECM environment against a PRN (Pseudo Random Noise) target so not as exciting as a turning and burning dogfight AIM-9 shot, but a very technical shot with lots of work and communication between the RIO and myself. We saw the missile guide but had to wait on the results as we were shooting at a QF-86 with a jamming pod on the wing. While launching the big white wingman was exciting, when we found out the missile hit the jamming pod on the wing of the QF-86 at 20+ miles, there was a real high five.’

Short of pulling the trigger

‘I was never able to launch one in combat but was close a few times. The training was there and short of pulling the trigger, it felt pretty much like the other shots. In one case the Master Arm was on, missile ready, and one-inch trigger squeeze before the Sparrow would be heading toward the target. We were already 3+ miles inside of cleared-to-launch range when we finally got a visual through broken clouds of a 727 airliner. I could have been famous, glad I wasn’t.’

AIM-7 Sparrow nearly fired against Boeing 727 airliner

Hunter concludes;

‘That was a big YIKES. In and out of puffies, they were on an intercept vector to the RC-135 we were protecting, 10 miles cleared to fire, Master Arm ON since we took the vector, missile selected and really wanted to pull the trigger, but waited…waited… 9miles… 8miles… no tally… 7 miles…. 6 miles…. oh crap 727… Master Arm OFF. We still intercepted, but low to high came up underneath and took pictures.’

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

April 30, 2024 0 comment

History

Why, during the Vietnam War, UH-1 helicopters (almost) always flew with their doors open

by Till Daisd April 29, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The UH-1 Huey

The UH-1 “Iroquois” helicopter, also known as the “Huey” for the phonetic sound of its original designation, HU-1, served as the Army’s workhorse during the Vietnam War. The Army had great expectations for the helicopter’s combat effectiveness, but it took some time for the technology to reach that level of development during World War II. During the Korean War, early helicopter models—like the widely used OH-13 “Sioux” and the USAF H-19—were used for medical evacuation and resupply operations. These early craft’s combat experiences taught valuable information that helped create the UH-1.

The UH-1 Huey during the Vietnam War

The first Hueys were sent to Vietnam in 1958, when they were used in “dustoff” medical evacuation (medevac) operations by US advisors. The Army incorporated the helicopter into its wider operations during the Vietnam War, extending the platform’s role beyond medevac. Because of its reputation for “doing anything a horse could do,” the Huey went from being a tool for troops and supply transport to providing direct support for combat guns.

Many movies about the Vietnam War showed Huey helicopters flying with their doors open. Did UH-1s actually fly, as seen in the movies? Did anyone fall out?

UH-1 Huey helicopters with doors open

Patrick Holland, a former US Army officer who flew aboard UH-1 Hueys, explains on Quora:

‘They always flew with the doors open.

Huey crew members explain why UH-1 helicopters (almost) always flew with doors open during the Vietnam War

‘1. The crew chief and gunner needed to be able to operate their weapons.
‘2. Loading and unloading in enemy territory was much faster.
‘3. It was the only air conditioning we had.
‘4. I never heard of anyone ever falling out. There are some urban legends of bad guys getting tossed out but I discount these as exaggerated war stories.’

Gordon Wilson, former US Army Colonel who flew aboard UH-1 Huey helicopters in Vietnam, recalls on Quora;
‘In my experience, yes. In the RVN Republic of Vietnam], Hueys of the 101st Airborne Division virtually always flew with doors open and… their doors were installed (i.e., not removed).

‘LOH-6, Light Observation Helicopters, normally flew with doors open, as well. See below:

‘Only one time did I fly in a LOH-6 with doors installed/closed. This, because of declaring a Tactical Emergency (Tac-E) during the Northern Monsoon. The General Support Helicopter Company installed doors, put two pilots in the helicopter and they flew nap-of-the-earth at top speed. It was very exciting and stressful.

‘Some may have fallen out (of Hueys), I can’t say. Normally, they orbited tactical situations and centrifugal force kept one inside despite not wearing a seat belt. Passengers in LOH-6s normally were belted. GEW, Col, USA, (Ret).’

Doors open in the Delta

Paul DeNicola, former UH-1 Huey crew member, recalls:

‘Yes, we flew with doors open in the Delta too. Sometimes there was so much slippery mud on Huey’s floor we thought we might slide out, but no one did to my knowledge. Welcome home.’

Jethro D., another former Huey crew member, says;

‘Doors open.

‘Anyone who suggested they flew with the doors closed never experienced the oppressive heat, miserable smells. Smells? How about dried blood not washed out, the smell of unwashed bodies and underclothes, possibly vomit from the door gunner being caught unawares…

‘Yeah… no… doors open all the time.’

Doors closed at 3000ft

Ray Mason, former UH-1 crew members, recalls;

‘We always flew with Huey doors open except when we got to 3000ft then closed them because of the cold. Sometimes we door gunners flew with field jackets because of the cold. The Loaches [the LOH-6 was nicknamed “Loach” from the acronym for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH)] flew with the doors off, not open.’

Photo by U.S. Army

April 29, 2024 0 comment

History

A pilot who test-flew captured Soviet fighter jets explains why the F-5 won against the MiG-21 and MiG-23 in every engagement

by Till Daisd April 27, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-5 shown in the photos of this article is a captured F-5E that was made up in Soviet markings for testing purposes, not a faux “MiG-28” from Top Gun

The F-5 Freedom Fighter

When a Northrop team visited Europe and Asia in 1954 to examine the defense requirements of NATO and SEATO nations, the Northrop F-5 development process got underway. a 1955 company study for a lightweight, affordable, easily maintained supersonic fighter that could be used on short runways. The plan was not initially well received by the Air Force because it did not require a lightweight fighter, according to the Pacific Coast Air Museum website. It did, however, require a replacement trainer for the Lockheed T-33, and the Air Force declared in June 1956 that it would purchase the T-38 Talon trainer version.

The aircraft was selected by the Department of Defense for its Military Assistance Program (MAP), and this announcement was made on April 25, 1962. Now, America’s allies in SEATO and NATO would be able to affordably purchase a top-notch supersonic warplane. The aircraft was officially designated as an F-5A Freedom Fighter on August 9, 1962. With its limited air-to-air capability and lack of a fire-control radar, the F-5A was primarily designed for the air-to-ground role. The F-5B was the two-seat version of the F-5A. It shared many characteristics with the F-5A single-seater, but it had two seats in tandem for dual fighter/trainer duties.

From F-5 Freedom Fighter to F-5 Tiger

The USAF “borrowed” 12 combat-ready F-5As from MAP supplies in October 1965, even though the whole F-5A production was meant for MAP, and sent them to Vietnam with the 4503rd Tactical Fighter Wing for operational service trials. The F-5 acquired its Tiger moniker during this tour of duty, and this program was given the code name “Skoshi Tiger” (Little Tiger).

The Northrop entry was proclaimed the winner of the International Fighter Aircraft (IFA) competition on November 20, 1970, and it was intended to replace the F-5A/B. The focus was on the function of air superiority for countries that had to defend themselves against opponents using late-generation MiG-21 aircraft. Three hundred and twenty-five production and five development aircraft were ordered. It was redesignated as F-5E in January 1971. The aircraft was dubbed “Tiger II” over time.

F-5s tested by Soviets

After Saigon fell, the Soviets tested a number of F-5s, as pilot and aviation expert Tyler Monson explains on Quora;

‘[The F-5 featured in the pictures of this article] is not a faux “MiG-28” from Top Gun but a captured F-5E made up in Soviet markings for testing. They were eager to get a close look at one and see how its engines, systems, and performance held up against their own frontline aircraft.

‘Their initial reaction was that the MiG-21 was a superior fighter, especially thanks to its higher thrust-to-weight ratio. They promptly tested the F-5 against the MiG-21 and found that the MiG… lost every time.

‘At high speeds and energy fighting, the two aircraft were considered to be equals. But as energy bleeds off and speeds get slower, developing into a maneuvering dogfight, the F-5 pulled the advantage and got into a position to kill the MiG-21. This shocked the Soviets and they determined that the F-5’s superior aerodynamics made up for its lesser power-to-weight ratio and gave it an edge at slower speeds.

‘If you want to know more about the tests and to see how the F-5 also held up against the MiG-23M, you can read this excerpt from the book Life-Long Runway written by Soviet Air Force test pilot Vladimir Kondaurov.’

Why the F-5 beat the MiG-21 in every engagement?

In the summer of 1976, a disassembled American F-5 fighter jet was delivered to our base at Aktubinsk. To be correct, it was F-5E – the latest variant with increased engine thrust. By size it was smaller than MiG-21, had two engines installed side-by-side in the fuselage, a sharp swept-down nose, and short tapered wings. The war in Vietnam had finished, and the United States Air Forces were leaving this long-suffering country, hastily abandoning several aircraft of this type on one of the airfields. One of them was handed over to the USSR together with its pilot manual.

There were no technical descriptions, but our engineers figured everything out, assembled it to the last bolt, and made it flyable, bringing not only the foreign hard pieces together but also tons of electric wiring. A test brigade was formed to conduct special flight tests, and a program was written, that assumed 35-40 test flights. I was one of the test pilots, our lead was Nikolay Stogov.

Soviet Pilot who test flew captured F-5 against MiG-21, MiG-23 explains why the Tiger beat the Fishbed, Flogger in every engagement

After proper training, I was trusted to perform the first speed run on the runway and then a run with a 3-6 feet jump. These precautions had their reasons in our uncertainty, that all the systems had been assembled and connected correctly.

The Foreigner

And finally, we were alone. The “Foreigner” hid within. From the manual, I knew, that it had had no problems in operation whatsoever. But I also knew that every manufacturer had their own zest in the product. Unlike our fighters in production, the “Foreigner” had brakes on pedals, which we had on heavy aircraft only. The cockpit was not cluttered by various switches and circuit breakers unneeded in flight. They were all concentrated in a single horizontal “stock” away from the working area. I understood that F-5 was a way not the most modern plane and that it was inferior even to MiG-21, but, nonetheless, I liked the cockpit layout.

I decided to make the run on the second runway, which was the longest one. “There is never too much runway ahead,” I thought, taxiing to the runway. It was the winter of 1976–77. Of course, there was no reason to hide I was proud that the only aircraft of this type available in the USSR was trusted to me.

I turned on the extension of the nose strut—the electrohydraulic retractor engaged, and the nose of the aircraft started to “crawl” up. “How about that?” I shook my head, surprised. “Couldn’t you do without it on this little one?” As for me, not a common way to reduce your takeoff roll. In the USSR, only Myasischev used this on M-3 and M-4 – the heavy long-range bombers with a tandem gear layout, thus with very short nose struts.

Unhappy with runway condition

“Alright,” I thought, “we kneeled, so let’s run. It is awkward to fool around this way.” I increased thrust and released the brakes. The aircraft started to roll. It rolled evenly, reluctantly gaining speed. Aha! That’s why they raise the nose strut! The engines are feeble, and the wing is too small. I lifted the nosewheel off the ground and held the airplane from the premature liftoff. Enough for this time.

I powered back and lowered the nose. And then… what the heck? The entire nose started to shake and vibrate, then it started to wander left and right so violently, I thought it would just fall the hell off in a moment. Something was screeching and rumbling below. My first thought was about the nosewheel shimmy, but then I realized the nosewheel had been destroyed. I pulled the drag chute handle. “Not the brakes… Main wheel damage is the last thing we need: we don’t have spares,” the thoughts were rushing in my mind.

Gradually reducing the speed, I stopped. I switched everything off, opened the canopy, and impatiently jumped down onto the tarmac. I looked and I was puzzled: the wheel was intact. “That’s strange! So what were you so unhappy with?” I looked at the “Foreigner” suspiciously. It turned out that he was unhappy with our runway condition: rough grooves and seams were so deep, and the surface of the concrete was decayed, so he just didn’t stand it. One bolt was cut off, and the strut together with the wheel was turning around.

– “Nice! Ours don’t do things like that,” I gave his nose a pat and whispered: “Don’t worry, we’ll find a new bolt for you and you’ll gallop around again!”

Not an ordinary F-5

As I got to know the “Foreigner” I grew up in my respect for him both as to the flying machine and as to the fighter jet. Unapt to aggressive maneuvering when in “cruise” configuration (flaps and slats up), he would have changed when the pilot put it into the “maneuvering” configuration (flaps and slats down). Then from a heavy clodhopper, he turned into a swallow. Checking out the capabilities of the optical sight, I enjoyed keeping the reticle on the target while attacking with a 6g pull, whereas on MiG-21 it would disappear from the view at 3g

After determining the basic specification we decided to set up for a mock air-to-air combat with MiG-21bis. I would fight on my “native” MiG-21, and Nikolay Stogov – on F-5. The close air combat started head-on in equal positions. Every flight ended with the same result: MiG-21 lost, although he had a much higher thrust-to-weight ratio. I laid myself out just to keep the initial position. I took the most out of the aircraft, took all he could give, but the targeting angle grew steadily and in a few minutes the “bandit” was on my tail. Only tactics could save me.

What I was stricken by the most is that the result of the mock fights took not only the generals by surprise (one could explain this somehow), but also the military research departments of the Air Force and even the aviation engineers. They would review the data records for thousand times, and ask the pilots, especially me. Frankly, I was somewhat confused as well, but when I tried the F-5, I realized that it was not an ordinary one.

F-5 Vs MiG-23

So, what was happening in flight? At the speeds of 800 km/h (430 kts) and above the fight was on equal terms, nobody had explicit advantages, but the fighting was not literally maneuvering because of the large radii of the maneuvers. We would both stay at the equal maximum allowable g-loads. Whilst at the speeds below 750 km/h (400 kts) one couldn’t sustain these g-loads even with the afterburner. And the lower the speed was the faster it decayed, thus lowering the maximum available g-load. It turned out that the aerodynamics was what won the day, not the thrust/weight ratio. But how was I to explain all this to the people above? They wouldn’t have patted our backs for this. Then the MiG company representatives suggested:

– “Let’s set MiG-23M against him.”

– “But they cannot be compared to one another; they are from different generations.” The chief of our research institute objected.

Why the F-5 beat the MiG-23

The chief of our institute, Colonel General I. Gaidayenko had been a fighter pilot during World War II and a wingman of the very P. Kutakov, who was the supreme commander of the Air Force at the time of our struggle with the F-5. The result of the test flights was supposed to be reported to Kutakov.

– “So what? We will kick his ass anyway!” 2nd lead engineer of MiG-23M spoke out, rubbing his hands in expectance of the revenge.

Well, the ass was kicked, for sure… but one of our own. The result was the same with the only exception that the agony lasted for 4-5 minutes. You have also to keep in mind that I had been considered a pilot capable of any stall and spin recovery and I had been permitted to break any angle of attack limitations. In the dogfight, I set the optimal wing sweep manually, but all in vain. The foreigner would slowly, but steadily, approach my tail. After these flights all calmed down for some time, all discussions ceased. The chief of the RI ordered to promptly compile a statement on the tests and directed me and Stogov to Moscow, to the Central Research Institution No. 30, which was involved in elaboration of the long-term problems of aviation advancement.

MiG-21 advantages over the F-5E

Paying a visit to one of its departments we asked, what they could tell us about the MiG-21 advantages over the F-5E.

– “Oh!” The military scientists immediately exclaimed. “With pleasure! There is a fray right now between Ethiopia and Somalia, and these very aircraft fight each other there. And we are busy preparing recommendations for the pilots on how to successfully fight the F-5 in aerial combat.”

– “And what you’ve got?” I asked with an interest.

– “Take a look at the graph of the attack success probability. See? We beat him everywhere.”

– “Indeed,” I droned, looking at the so familiar graph in front of me and feeling somewhat hurt for the “Foreigner”.

Much better thrust-to-weight ratio

– “And what’re the odds?” My friend asked, making a face of a village gull.

– “We’ve got much better thrust-to-weight ratio,” the scientist replied in a voice of a mentor, who knew his worth.

– “Alright, then could you read this Statement and give us your final conclusion, please? And…”

– “And we’ll go have a lunch,” Nikolay suggested, “You know, on an errand it’s like in defense: the meal is the ultimate thing.”

The end of the comparative evaluation

This was the end of our work on the comparative evaluation of the “Foreigner” and our Soviet fighters. I don’t know what kind of discussions were held “up there”, but I know for sure, that the recommendations for the Ethiopian pilots were changed. Our “experts” suggested not to engage in a close dogfight, but to use the “hit-and-run” tactics instead. What about MiG-23, everyone preferred to forget about it. You bet! It had been supposed to fight even more advanced aircraft! Our Statement was classified as top secret and removed somewhere away from the eyes. The “Foreigner” was given to the aviation industry specialists with a strict clause: no flying, but to disassemble and study the structural features to use the knowledge in further projects.

Some time passed, and the Su-25 close air support aircraft emerged. It had the wheel brakes on the rudder pedals, “maneuvering” wing configuration, and a different approach to the cockpit layout. In terms of the pilot workstation, our engineers went even further, and nowadays the cockpit of MiG-29 can serve as an exemplar for similar foreign combat aircraft. The same can be said about the aerodynamics. The aerodynamic capabilities of the Su-27 fighter are considered unexcelled so far. It appears that what is clear for one is a revelation for the other. I believe that similar situations arose in the USA as well, as they got our aircraft at times from MiG-21 to MiG-29. We had luck only once.

Photo by Unknown

April 27, 2024 0 comment

History

USAF Museum painted the F-15 Streak Eagle to match the record-setting time

by Till Daisd April 27, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-15 Streak Eagle

On November 9, 2023, the National Museum of the US Air Force stated on Facebook that the F-15 Streak Eagle would be painted bare metal to match the record-setting time.

Dubbed “Streak Eagle,” F-15A AF Ser. No. 72-0119, flown by Maj. W.R. Macfarlane, Maj. Roger Smith, and Maj. Dave Peterson broke eight world records for the fastest time to climb between January 16 and February 1, 1975. It broke the last eight records when it took off and reached an altitude of 98,425 feet in just 3 minutes and 27.8 seconds. After that, it “coasted” to almost 103,000 feet before starting to descend.

To save weight for flights that would establish records, it was flown in its natural metal finish. The “Streak Eagle” is an early preproduction aircraft.” Returning to operational service would have been too expensive due to differences in internal structure and system operation.

After it was no longer functional as a flight test vehicle, it was donated to the museum in December 1980. McDonnell Douglas painted it in the gray color scheme of the majority of F-15s in service to prevent corrosion.

The Streak Eagle, the Hot-Rod Stripped Down F-15 that climbed faster than the Saturn V moon rocket — F-15 Streak Eagle in a gray color scheme

The F-15 Eagle

When the company was chosen to compete in the US Air Force’s FX competition, McDonnell Aircraft formalized the concept for the F-15 in 1967. Faced with the F-4 Phantom II, which was becoming known as a formidable fighter, McDonnell applied lessons acquired from the Vietnam War to his competition against Fairchild Hiller and North American Rockwell.

Following over two years of rigorous evaluation and testing, the Air Force awarded McDonnell Douglas the contract for the F-15 Advanced Tactical Fighter on December 23, 1969. Out of the three competitors, the McDonnell Douglas team had the lowest contract price and placed first in each phase of the competition.

The first US fighter to have engine thrust greater than the normal weight of the aircraft

The USAF acquired the Eagle in November 1974, having flown it for the first time in July 1972. It was the first American fighter to accelerate during a vertical climb because the engine thrust was higher than the aircraft’s normal weight. The Eagle is incredibly agile thanks to this and its low aircraft weight to wing area. There were single-seat and two-seat models of the Eagle.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

April 27, 2024 0 comment

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