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military

The first dual-control Panavia Tornado GR1T in its original color scheme

by Till Daisd January 25, 2024

The sunset/night photoshoot featured not only the Panavia Tornado GR1T ZA319 but also the Hawk T1 XX154 and the English Electric P.1 WG763

The Panavia Tornado GR1T, ZA319, Hawk XX154, and a rare English Electric P.1 are interesting photographs, which were taken on March 18, 2023, at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at the Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury, UK, by Andrew Timmerman from Finn Aviation Photography.

Timmerman explained:

‘On the 18th of March, Threshold.aero organized a sunset/night shoot at the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at the Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury, UK. After loads of rain showers in the morning, it cleared up and the sun was out, giving us good opportunities for some great photos of the main attraction of the photo shoot, the Panavia Tornado GR1T, ZA319, the day after having been unveiled in its original color scheme. Also standing outside for us there was the first prototype of the Hawk T1, XX154. There was also a very rare English Electric P.1 (WG763, the second of only two P.1s built) that was the prototype of the amazing English Electric Lightning that became the backbone of the RAF fighter force.’

The first GR1T (dual-control) in production is the Panavia Tornado ZA319. Before its relocation to the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) at RAF Cottesmore, it spent a brief period at Boscombe Down for the final release to service. On March 17, ZA319 was officially unveiled in its initial color scheme.

The Hawk T1 XX154 was the first prototype of the renowned Royal Air Force trainer aircraft.

The Hawk XX154 aircraft was airlifted from MOD Boscombe Down, where it was in active service with the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) until December 2018, to its new home in the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum Airfield on August 21, 2019, the 45th anniversary of its first flight.

The English Electric P.1 WG763, as previously mentioned, was the second of only two P.1s built. The English Electric (later BAC) Lightning, the RAF’s front-line fighter, was developed from the experimental P.1.

The first of the two prototypes, WG760, achieved Mach 1.22 in level flight, exceeding the speed of sound. P1A WG763, the second prototype, peaked at Mach 1.53.

Later aircraft achieved speeds more than Mach 2.0 thanks to additional fuselage modifications and the installation of powerful engines. The Lightning was operational for almost thirty years.

Aviation enthusiasts frequently visit the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection, also called the Old Sarum Airfield Museum. It is the home of a sizable collection of Cold War-era military aircraft, several of which have accessible cockpits where guests can climb in and play with the controls.

In July 2012, the museum moved from its old location at the Boscombe Down airfield to Old Sarum. Despite the closure of the Old Sarum airfield at the end of October 2019, the aviation collection is still in business.

January 25, 2024 0 comment

History

The C-141 StarLifter, the first aircraft to return Vietnamese Prisoners of War to the US

by Till Daisd January 24, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Despite the fact that C-141 StarLifter aircraft had conducted many military and humanitarian missions, none were more important than the Hanoi Taxi mission

President John F. Kennedy declared August 23, 1963, to be a “great moment for our nation” when he, through a remote control, unveiled the first Lockheed C-141 StarLifter military transport aircraft from the White House. By ceremoniously pressing a gold key in the nation’s capital and enabling the carrier to virtually roll out some 650 miles away in Marietta, Georgia, President Kennedy brought in the first jet-powered airlifter and launched a versatile aircraft that, over its 43-year service, helped write aviation history.

A C-141 Starlifter aircraft, better known as the Hanoi Taxi, flies over its soon-to-be new home at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force adjacent to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on December 13, 2005.

Using the exclusive designs created by its engineers in Marietta, Lockheed built the StarLifter on time and under budget in response to President Kennedy’s directive to develop an all-jet military transport troop and cargo carrier.

It was the backbone of the US military airlift from 1965 to 2006, taking part in every operation from Vietnam to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The aircraft’s 93-foot cargo bay made it simple to discharge about 70,000 pounds of freight per hour, and its speed proved invaluable during the Vietnam War, cutting the round-trip flight time between California and Saigon from 95 hours to 34.

Hanoi Taxi Interior View — Interior view of the Lockheed C-141C Starlifter “Hanoi Taxi” in the Global Reach Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)

None of the military and humanitarian missions that the C-141s had flown were as important as the one carried out by the Hanoi Taxi, the aircraft that is currently on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. On February 12, 1973, this C-141 (serial number 66-0177) took off from Gia Lam Airport in Hanoi, North Vietnam, and airlifted the first American prisoners of war (POWs) to freedom. The Hanoi Taxi conducted four flights from the Philippines to the United States, transporting 76 former POWs, as well as two missions into Hanoi, bringing two civilian returnees and 78 POWs.

Afterward, the Hanoi Taxi flew missions all around the world for three more decades, totaling over 40,000 flight hours. Over its lifetime, the Hanoi Taxi has experienced numerous modifications. Originally built as a C-141A model, its fuselage was lengthened, and aerial refueling capability was added in the early 1980s. It was redesignated as a C-141B by the USAF. Later, the aircraft’s wings were strengthened, and advanced avionics were installed, converting it to a C-141C.

When the aircraft left the ground, the POWs knew they really were free.

The Hanoi Taxi got its last planned depot maintenance in 2002. With the exception of the Red Cross, which was added to indicate that it was transporting hospital patients, it was also repainted to look as it did when it traveled to Hanoi in 1973. In honor of its significant past, the Hanoi Taxi flew with these markings for the next four years rather than the typical paint scheme.

Maj. Gen. Edward J. Mechenbier, a POW who was himself repatriated from Vietnam, flew the Hanoi Taxi back to Vietnam in May 2004 to bring back the bodies of two American service members who had been killed in action, once more tapping the timelines of history. The Hanoi Taxi was flown to the museum in May 2006.

In December 2015, the aircraft was moved into the fourth building at the museum. The new hangar opened to the public in May 2016, and the Hanoi Taxi is now on permanent display in the Global Reach Gallery. Visitors to the museum are able to walk inside the cargo bay of the aircraft through a rear ramp door.

POW that flew aboard Hanoi Taxi — Lt. Col. (Ret.) Paul Kari, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam, poses with the Lockheed C-141C Hanoi Taxi in the new fourth building at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 16, 2015. Kari was flown to freedom on the Hanoi Taxi in 1973. (U.S. Air Force photo by Don Popp)

Photo by U.S. Air Force

January 24, 2024 0 comment

History

Marta Bohn-Meyer, the only female crew member to fly in the SR-71 Blackbird

by Till Daisd January 23, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Congresswoman Beverly Byron was the only female woman to have flown on the legendary SR-71 Blackbird; she did it as a VIP guest in 1985

The photos in this post feature Marta Bohn-Meyer, the only female crew member who flew the historic SR-71 Blackbird.

Marta Bohn-Meyer, who was born in 1957, started working in the aerospace industry in the late 1970s while attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. She took part in a cooperative research and education program run by the school at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, for three years, according to Cosmosphere Blog.

After completing her studies, she worked as an aeronautical research and operations engineer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (formerly Dryden). After 22 years at this same place, she would finally advance to the position of chief engineer after holding some more responsible roles, such as:

SR-71-Marta-Bohn-Meyer — Beginning in her teen years, Marta Bohn-Meyer’s favorite place was in and around airplanes, both at work and while off duty. She was an accomplished private pilot and flight engineer and was the first female crew member to fly at Mach 3 in the SR-71.

Project manager for the F-16 XL Supersonic Laminar Flow Control
Deputy director of aerospace projects
Director of safety and mission assurance
Director of Flight Operations

Bohn-Meyer became the first female crew member of the triple-sonic SR-71 Blackbird in 1991. She had worked for NASA for twelve years before she was appointed as a flight engineer. Her job was to assist NASA in gathering data at high altitudes and speeds to enhance the design of future aircraft. Congresswoman Beverly Byron was the only other woman to have flown in the renownedly fast aircraft; she did so as a VIP guest in 1985.

Bohn-Meyer, who was married to NASA test pilot Bob Mayer, served as a stick pilot for the renowned HABU while flying the SR-71B, in addition to being a Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) on the Blackbird.

SR-71-Bohn-Meyer — Marta Bohn-Meyer, Dryden’s chief engineer at the time of her recent death, celebrates her successful 1991 first flight at triple supersonic speeds in the SR-71 Blackbird. Bohn-Meyer was one of two women ever to fly in the storied aircraft and the only one to do so as a crew member; Congresswoman Beverly Byron took a guest VIP ride in 1985.

Known for her precision in aerobatics, Bohn-Meyer passed away on September 18, 2005, when the Giles G-300 she was piloting during an aerobatic routine crashed close to Oklahoma City. Former NASA deputy administrator Fred Gregory remembers being the first person to be assigned as a mentor to her when she first started as a student at Langley:

“She was smart, detail-oriented, opinionated, and professional well beyond her age.”

Kevin Petersen, director of the Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center at the time of her passing, remarked on Bohn-Meyer’s “strength and her commitment to all she pursued.”

“We committed lives to this person’s judgment every day; she was the last line of defense against complacency. And she never let me—or Dryden—down.”

Check out the Habubrats and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Facebook pages for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by NASA

January 23, 2024 0 comment

History

How Serbs were able to shoot down an F-117 stealth fighter

by Till Daisd January 22, 2024

written by Till Daisd

‘Unfortunately, on the day Vega 31 would be taken out of the sky, the [EA-6B] Prowlers were grounded due to weather. The decision was made for the F-117s to fly their strike mission unsupported,’ Chris Morehouse, USAF Aerospace Engineer

The urgent national need for a jet fighter that could operate entirely undetected by the enemy led to the development of the F-117 Nighthawk. It was developed quickly and in total secrecy, in the traditional Skunk Works style (Skunk Works is Lockheed Advanced Development Projects in Burbank, California).

The “Skunk Works” was given a contract in 1978 to begin manufacturing the F-117A. Just thirty-one months following the full-scale development decision, on June 18, 1981, was the maiden flight over the Nevada test ranges. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), in Ohio, used streamlined management of the Aeronautical Systems Center to quickly deploy the aircraft by combining breakthrough stealth technology with concurrent development and production.

Deliveries of the F-117A began in 1982 and ended in the summer of 1990. The 4450th Tactical Group (later 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico), Air Combat Command’s lone F-117A unit, achieved operational capability in October 1983.

F-117As performed over 1,300 missions and achieved direct hits on 1,600 high-value targets in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. The only U.S. or coalition aircraft to strike targets in Baghdad’s downtown was that one.

To help NATO’s Operation Allied Force, 24 F-117As were sent to Spangdahlem AB in Germany and Aviano Air Base in Italy in 1999. On March 24, 1999, the aircraft led the first-ever Allied airstrike against Yugoslavia. On March 27, three days later, one F-117A (AF ser. no. 82-0806) was lost by enemy action.

Former F-117 Pilot tells the story of when his Nighthawk was nearly shot down over Baghdad during Operation Desert Storm

How were the Serbs able to shoot down an F-117 stealth aircraft?

‘Through a combination of Complacency, Strategy, and Luck,’ Chris Morehouse, US Air Force Aerospace Engineer, said on Quora.

‘First the Complacency. This was on the part of the US Air Force, and joint allied forces. The routes used by the F-117s during the shootdown had been flown previously multiple times. This is contrary to the F-117 operations in the 91 war where they flew into Baghdad, never repeating the same inbound track consecutively.

‘Perhaps this was due to overconfidence in their equipment, and air superiority. During Operation Allied Force, the NATO air campaign, it was standard operating procedure (SOP) for all strike missions to be accompanied by electronic warfare aircraft [EA-6B Prowlers]. These aircraft flew with strike missions to detect, jam, and destroy enemy radar installations. Because of these aircraft, it was difficult for the Yugoslavian anti-air forces to operate their radars and get target-quality tracks on even conventional military aircraft. Keep in mind, during the 78 days of Operation Allied Forces we flew 38,004 air sorties and lost only 2 aircraft to enemy fire. The Prowlers were a big part of that unprecedented record.

‘Unfortunately, on the day Vega 31 would be taken out of the sky, the Prowlers were grounded due to weather. The decision was made for the F-117s to fly their strike mission unsupported.

‘Worse yet, the Yugoslavian anti-air forces knew that the Prowlers were grounded, and knew that the F-117s were going to fly a strike mission anyway. How did they know? Because the Serbs had spotters and human intelligence assets in Italy, where the strike missions were flying from. They had also compromised NATO communications in the area, and had civilian sources in Italy feeding them intelligence who had access to operational information. In short, the NATO forces had a massive failure in operation security, OPSEC, which was feeding valuable data to the enemy. The Serbs knew the strike was coming, knew the general route, and knew the F-117s would be flying without electronic warfare support.

‘It is important to note that the F-117A is a very lean aircraft. It has no radar of its own. When flying for penetration all of its antennas are retracted. It had a single system that could function as a radar warning receiver, but the antennas were not exposed during a strike mission. As such it has no way of detecting search and track radar on its own. Simply put, operating alone, it is effectively blind.’

Morehouse continues;

‘Now let’s discuss the Strategy.

‘The Serbs were leaning every available advantage they could to accomplish a shootdown of American aircraft. They knew war was not a popular option for the US civilian population, and it was perceived that if they could shoot down some American aircraft, they could turn public opinion against the air war. A particularly valued prize would of course be one of the coveted “Stealth Fighters”. As such, they worked diligently to set up anti-air ambushes for NATO aircraft, particularly hunting for the F-117As. How did they do this?

‘For these ambushes, they employed two radar systems. First the P-18 “Spoon Rest D” early warning radar. This radar is a Soviet Union radar system that operates in the VHF frequency. Typical it can detect a fighter aircraft out to 200 nautical miles. The Serb discovered that by setting it to its absolute lowest frequency, and thus largest bandwidth, they could detect the F-117As. However, in these settings the radar cannot provide very good information on the F-117s, and the “early warning” radar could only detect them within 15 miles. This is a very poor detection range indeed, however, if you just so happen to know the route your enemy is flying, it is enough to let you know when they are getting within range of your other systems.

‘Even when the P-18 is operating at optimal performance (not at the absolutely lowest frequency) and against a conventional aircraft, it can still not produce a precision track of a quality to guide a weapon on anything more than a kilometer or so away. That is why these systems are considered ‘early warning’ radar. They are not meant to guide weapons. This brings us to the next system the Serbs used.

‘For their anti-aircraft weapon system, they had the S-125, or SA-3 Goa to NATO. The S-125 had three radar systems; The P-15 Flat Face, SNR-125 Low Blow, and PRV-11 Side Net.

‘The P-15 was a C-band target acquisition radar. Nominally it had a detection range for a fighter aircraft out to 150 miles. Against the F-117s it was completely worthless. It could not detect them, even flying overhead.

‘The SNR-125 was the fire control radar, intended to guide the missiles onto their targets. This had two modes of operation for detecting aircraft, essential two different radar bands. Nominal it could detect and track a fighter aircraft between 25–50 miles out, depending on the mode of operation and conditions.

‘The PRV-11 was used as a ‘height finder’ to get an accurate read on a target’s altitude.

‘All these radars were paired with a quad missile launcher carrying the V-600 missile. A two-stage solid-fueled surface-to-air missile with a max range of about 15 miles and a minimum engagement range of a little more than a mile.

‘This SAM system is not usually considered a mobile missile system. But the Serbs had trained diligently, and by only arming their quad missile launchers with two missiles each they were able to relocate the missile system in 90 minutes. Doing so meant they could set up ambush positions with this missile system, and then take down and relocate. So, if a route was flown one day and there were no missile systems detected in the area, the Serbs could be operating in that area just hours later.

‘The Serb had attempted to set up ambushes in this way for the F-117s two times previous to the actual shoot down. They would get an indication of a pending strike mission, and move their missile batteries into place to intercept the suspected routes. The P-18 would be able to detect the F-117As when they got within 15 miles, as was mentioned before. Even with the Prowlers flying, the P-18 did not register on their systems as a radar system when operating at their lowest frequency.

‘With the P-18 indicating the F-117s were in the area, they would time for a possible intercept and when they believed the F-117s were close enough, activate the SNR-125 radar trained in the direction of the incoming F-117s. They limited the amount of time they kept the SNR-125s active due to the risk of being detected by the EW aircraft and then hit with Anti-Radar missiles. On both previous attempts, the SNR-125 was unable to detect or track the F-117s. This brings us to the last bit.

‘Luck.’

Morehouse explains:

‘On the day of the shoot-down, as has been mentioned, the Serbs got intelligence that the F-117s would be flying a strike mission without the support of the Prowlers. Being well drilled in setting up these ambushes, they positioned their S-125 missile system into position on the F-117’s suspected approach.

F-117 canopy (Museum of Aviation, Belgrade)

‘The P-18 radar detected the F-117As when they were about 15 miles out. The Serbs activated their SNR-125 radar and detected…… nothing. Looks like they were going to miss out again.

‘Except for the fact that they knew no Prowlers were in the air. That being the case, they decided to try again. They activated their SNR-125 radars another time.

‘Meanwhile, aboard Vega 31 the Air Force pilot [Lt. Col. Dale Zelko] was preparing to drop his ordnance. His weapon bay doors opened, exposing his very radar-reflective bomb bay interior.

‘The SNR-125 radar detected the F-117A five miles distant. We should point out that this strike mission had 3 F-117s in it, and they only were able to target one of them. This reinforces the fact that they were ONLY able to do so because at that time Vega 31’s weapons bays were open.

‘The Serbs fired at least 2 missiles at Vega 31. The F-117A had no indication it was being painted by a targeting radar, but the pilot did visually acquire two missiles that were launched against him. The first missile flew right by the aircraft, passing it overhead. A close miss. The missiles passing buffeted the stealth fighter but it did not detonate, its proximity trigger likely not detecting the F-117 to initiate detonation. The second missile that approached also failed to hit the F-117 but it DID detonate in close proximity.

‘The F-117 took blast and fragment damage. Flight control was lost, and the pilot was forced to eject.

‘Complacency, Strategy and Luck.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force, Srđan Popović via Wikipedia and Petar Milošević via Wikipedia

January 22, 2024 0 comment

History

After being struck by an 88mm shell, a B-17 held its formation and allowed the survivors to safely bail out

by Till Daisd January 21, 2024

written by Till Daisd

As seen from the right waist of an accompanying B-17, this 463rd Bomb Group Flying Fortress received a direct hit beneath the pilot’s feet from what is believed to have been an 88mm shell, which entered the airplane and then detonated

Throughout World War II, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress operated in every combat zone, but its most important missions were over Europe. The B-17, along with the B-24 Liberator, was the mainstay of the USAAF’s strategic bombing force, which contributed to the victory by destroying Germany’s war industry.

To overcome enemy defenses, the B-17’s design placed a strong emphasis on high-altitude flying, speed, and substantial defensive weaponry. Its cutting-edge turbosupercharged engines let it reach altitudes of up to 30,000 feet while carrying a combat load, and its powered turrets and flexible guns provided coverage all around the aircraft.

Unquestionably, one of the most stable platforms in the air was the B-17, as explained by Brent William Perkins in his book Memphis Belle: Biography of a B-17 Flying Fortress. The photos in this post demonstrate this fact. This 463rd Bomb Group plane was hit squarely beneath the pilot’s feet by what appeared to have been an 88mm shell that entered the aircraft before detonating, as observed from the right waist of an accompanying B-17. The outcomes were painfully clear. With all four of its engines still operating, the fatally damaged B-17 started a level descent. All those in front of the top turret were promptly killed.

The headless B-17: this Flying Fortress was hit by an 88mm shell but remained in formation giving the chance to those who survived to bail out safely

The headless bomber was able to stay in loose formation with the Group for some minutes because of the airframe’s inherent stability. Those who survived the explosion from the radio room back were able to safely bail out thanks to the smooth flight attitude.

The crew became staunch and fatalistic as a result of witnessing pals die day after day. For them, completing twenty-five missions was much more than a feat. While many were afraid they wouldn’t live to see that last raid, everyone was looking forward to flying it.

At that point, the odds were simply stacked against the airmen of the Mighty Eighth Air Force. They all understood that they were living on borrowed time following their fifteenth mission. Widespread superstitions led to the attachment of rabbits’ feet, horseshoes, girlfriends’ ribbons, and other things to numerous bombers. A number of them even declined to fly the thirteenth mission, referring to that run simply as mission number 12A.

Memphis Belle: Biography of a B-17 Flying Fortress is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.

January 21, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

How the Valkyrie crew overcame the failure of both hydraulic systems, which prevented both sets of main gear from fully lowering

by Till Daisd January 20, 2024

written by Till Daisd

There was trouble with both sets of main gear on the XB-70A Valkyrie. On the left side, the gear had not fully lowered. The right-side gear was in worse shape as it hadn’t lowered at all before rotating

The B-70 Valkyrie was intended to be the ultimate high-altitude, high-speed manned strategic bomber, with a planned cruise speed of Mach 3 and an operating height of 70,000 feet. But as things turned out, it would have a quite different role in aviation history.

Even though the B-70 was an amazing technological achievement, it was being developed when the future of the manned bomber was unclear. Many people thought manned aircraft were obsolete and missiles were the way of the future in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Kennedy Administration opted to cancel its plans to use the B-70 as a result.

Two experimental XB-70A prototypes were under construction at North American Aviation when the program was canceled. The first XB-70A (Air Vehicle 1 or AV 1) flew in September 1964, and it achieved Mach 3 flight in October 1965. The second Valkyrie (AV 2) first flew in July 1965, but in June 1966, it was destroyed following an accidental mid-air collision. It had made its maiden flight in July 1965. There was never a third Valkyrie (AV 3).

The original XB-70A aircraft was transferred to the U.S. Air Force National Museum in 1969, although it continued to fly and produce useful test data for the research program.

According to Graham M. Simons’ description in Valkyrie: The North American XB-70- The USA’s Ill-Fated Supersonic Heavy Bomber, on March 7, 1966, AV 1’s 37th flight demonstrated the kind of hardship that two seasoned test pilots could endure. Van Shepard was the pilot, and Joe Cotton was the copilot. Halfway through the planned flight, both hydraulic systems began to fail.

Shepard quickly brought the Valkyrie home as Cotton extended the landing gear. No green indicators came on, and that was soon followed by a call from the chase aircraft that there was trouble with both sets of main gear. On the left side, the gear had not fully lowered before rotating to meet the direction of travel, leaving the rear wheels higher, rather than lower, than the front set of wheels.

The right side gear was in worse shape as it hadn’t lowered at all before rotating. Even more concerning was the fact that, although being close, it hadn’t fully rotated in the direction of travel. The issue wasn’t resolved by either the emergency or backup system. The pilots must have spent hours in the cockpit before engineers on the ground called up their plan. Shepard would land the Valkyrie on the dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), so there would be plenty of room.

The engineers thought that the left gear would level out on touchdown because the XB-70A’s weight would force the gear into its proper position. Though the right gear was likely to be much lower than the left, the landing should at least force the gear to finish swinging in the direction of travel and allow the wingtip to clear the ground. The right gear was behind the main strut’s centerline, so it was unlikely to level out.

When Van Shepard positioned AV 1 on the lake bed, all of the main gears performed as the engineers had intended. The aircraft was down and rolling, but it wanted to turn sharply to the right, threatening to ground-loop, which, although probably not fatal to the pilots, would probably destroy the aircraft. Shepard continued to provide power to the No. 6 engine in order to maintain the XB-70A in a nearly straight line.

After rolling almost three miles across the lake bed, the XB-70A came to a stop, having swung over half a mile to the right and turned 110 degrees. The sole factor enabling this landing was the size of the lake bed. As soon as the damage was assessed and fixed, AV 1 was able to get back to flight on March 22.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

January 20, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Why the tires of the SR-71 Blackbird were silver and changed after ten takeoffs

by Till Daisd January 19, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The SR-71 Blackbird’s tires could withstand about 15 full-stop landings, but after ten takeoffs, they were replaced

The SR-71 Blackbird collected intelligence in some of the world’s most dangerous settings during its service. The SR-71 was designed to fly at very high altitudes, speeds, and temperatures. It was the first aircraft built of titanium since the air molecules’ friction against it at Mach 2.6 would have melted an aluminum frame.

Its engineering was so advanced that new tools had to be created in order to build the SR-71. There are a plethora of fascinating details regarding the legendary Blackbird. The SR-71, for example, had silver tires.

Why were SR-71 tires silver?

Powdered aluminum was infused into SR-71 tires, such as the one shown in the article’s featured image, according to the sign that goes with the tire on exhibit at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas. When aluminum was added to rubber, the tire’s flash point increased significantly, which made it more resistant to the intense heat produced by friction with the ground when landing at very high speeds.

Nitrogen was also injected into the tires. Because there would be less oxygen in the tires when inflated with nitrogen rather than air, a fire would be less likely to ignite. The SR-71’s tires have 415 psi of pressure, whilst your car tires have 32–35 psi. The lifespan of each $2,300 tire is estimated to be about 15 full-stop landings.

As former A-12 and SR-71 pilot Colonel Ken Collins says, the tires could withstand about 15 full-stop landings, but they were changed after 10 takeoffs;

‘The tires were changed after 10 “takeoffs”. The wear & tear was during takeoff. The extreme pressure was at that point of rotation. That the reason we took off with half fuel load and air-air refueled shortly after takeoff, that reduced the tire stress. The temperature in the cockpit at the front windshield got up to 650 degrees F. Early in the experimental flight testing we wore silver suits. At cruise, if you touched the side canopy glass it would melt the silver coating on you glove. The coating on the suit was not “silver” metal. The cockpit and the pressure suits were air-conditioned. The cockpit got hotter as you burned the fuel. You were ready to get new fuel as it would cool it down.’

The SR-71 flew at an average speed of Mach 3, roughly 2000 mph, so it had to deflect a lot of heat! The SR-71’s metal skin would heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit at this high speed. To withstand the extreme heat, titanium made up more than 90% of the aircraft’s frame. To further dissipate excess heat, the SR-71 was coated with an extremely advanced and specifically blended black paint.

By disturbing incoming radar energy, the special paint also offered defense against detection by making the aircraft harder to identify by hostile forces.

One of the SR-71 tires is on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum.

The following video shows how the SR-71’s tires are kept from melting by Scott Willey, a docent at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.

Check out Habubrats and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Facebook pages for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and The Unwanted Blog

January 19, 2024 0 comment

History

The DC-8 was the first commercial aircraft to go supersonic flight before the Concorde

by Till Daisd January 18, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The first airliner to reach supersonic flight was not the Soviet-built Tupolev Tu-144 or the well-known Concorde, which wouldn’t break the sound barrier until a test flight in October 1969. Instead, it was a modest DC-8

The DC-8 was the first aircraft powered by a Douglas jet. On September 18, 1959, it went into service concurrently with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The DC-8 could reach speeds of over 600 mph (966 km/h) as it was powered by four jet turbine engines. The DC-8 saw seven distinct versions throughout its 14-year production run, totaling 556 aircraft in all.

Even more, a DC-8 became the first airliner to fly supersonic on August 21, 1961. It was a modest DC-8, specifically no. N9604Z, rather than the renowned Concorde, which wouldn’t break the sound barrier until an October ’69 test flight, or the Soviet-built Tupolev Tu-144.

William Magruder, a Douglas test pilot, planned the test flight, which was scheduled to depart from Edwards Air Force Base (AFB). As flight test engineer Richard Edwards told Air & Space Magazine, the idea was to “get it out there, show the airplane can survive this and not fall apart.” Commercial carriers had been using the DC-8 for roughly three years, competing with the Boeing 707 at the time. The DC-8 wasn’t intended to reach supersonic speed, but the importance of being the first to do so made the effort worthwhile.

The jet needed to be in a dive to reach Mach 1. This entailed taking it up to 52,000 feet, a record altitude, according to Mentalfloss.com.

As Edwards tells Air & Space Magazine, “We took it up to 10 miles up… and put it in a half-a-G pushover. Bill maintained about 50 pounds of push. He didn’t trim it for the dive so that it would want to pull out by itself. In the dive, at about 45,000 feet, it went to Mach 1.01 for maybe 16 seconds, then he recovered. But the recovery was a little scary.”

The stabilizer was overloaded, and the plane stalled when Magruder tried to pull it back.

“What he did, because he was smart, is something that no other pilot would do,” explains Edwards. “He pushed over into the dive more, which relieved the load on the stabilizer. He was able to run the [stabilizer] motor…and he recovered at about 35,000 feet.” The crew successfully turned a mass-produced airliner into the world’s supersonic commuter jet. (Right by their side the entire time? Chuck Yeager, the first person to ever go supersonic in 1947. He escorted the DC-8 during its test in an F-104.)

“That’s an unofficial supersonic record, payload record, and of course an altitude record for a commercial transport,” Edwards points out.

Following the test, Canadian Pacific Air Lines received DC-8 no. N9604Z, which it operated for over twenty years until retiring. Unfortunately, this piece of aviation history isn’t housed in a museum. Following its decommissioning, Canadian Pacific sold DC-8 number N9604Z for scrap.

Photo by Douglas and Eduard Marmet via Wikipedia

January 18, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Amazing nighttime pics of the iconic Blackburn Buccaneer attack aircraft

by Till Daisd January 17, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Two Blackburn Buccaneer strike aircraft (XW544 and XX894) are featured in the excellent pictures in this post, which were captured at the former Royal Air Force (RAF) Kemble base (now known as the Cotswold airport) by Andrew Timmerman from Finn Aviation Photography

The amazing pictures in this post, taken recently at the former Royal Air Force (RAF) Kemble base (now known as the Cotswold airport) by Andrew Timmerman from Finn Aviation Photography, include two Blackburn Buccaneer strike aircraft (XW544 and XX894).

Timmerman explained:

“The event was organized by Threshold.aero. The day started with an anti-deterioration run on both engines on the Buccaneer XW544. After sunset, XX894 was used for the wing folding shoot.”

Threshold.aero Aero often performs photo shoots at various UK locations with the express purpose of helping aviation photographers capture that unique moment.

Both XW544 and XX894 are Buccaneer S.2Bs, and they served with the RAF, according to the Buccaneer Aviation Group (TBAG). A few weeks before its retirement, XX894 was painted to represent Fleet Air Arm Buccaneer XV869 “020” in honor of the Buccaneers’ service in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

Following the Buccaneers’ retirement, Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground acquired both XW544 and XX894. At almost every Cold War Jet and TBAG event, both aircraft participated in fast taxi runs.

As previously reported, Bruntingthorpe’s days of watching historic Cold War aircraft fast taxi down the 2-mile runway regretfully came to an end in 2020. After much discussion, The Buccaneer Aviation Group elected to move both XX894 and XW544 to Cotswold Airport as this prospering location allows both aircraft to continue doing what they do best…. blasting down the runway!

During its time in the Royal Navy and later the RAF, the Blackburn Buccaneer proved to be a reliable carrier-borne strike aircraft. The Buccaneer’s extremely robust build was intended from the beginning for low-level operations over land and sea. In 1961, the Royal Navy began the Buccaneer’s service trials.

With the withdrawal from the Royal Naval service (with the retirement of their carriers), 62 Buccaneers were assigned to the RAF, and an additional 49 “new-build” Buccaneers were added to the fleet. These new aircraft had a 16,000 lb weapon load, a larger weapons bay, more fuel capacity, and a greater all-up weight. 16 Buccaneers were sold to the Air Force of South Africa.

When the type was in service with the RAF, it was fitted with laser designation equipment for “Paveway” laser-guided bombs and performed excellently in the 1991 First Gulf War. In 1994, the remaining Buccaneers were removed from the RAF.

January 17, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Tomcat RIO describes how he and his pilot shot down a supersonic target drone with an AIM-7 from their F-14

by Till Daisd January 16, 2024

written by Till Daisd

“Halfway through the turn, my “radar lock” lights went out. I had messed up the intercept! ‘Broke lock,’ I growled to Drifty. ‘Going to search.’ I didn’t have to include the dammit!” Dave “Bio” Baranek, F-14 Tomcat RIO

Dave “Bio” Baranek found success and fulfillment serving in the Navy for 20 years. He began his career with assignments to F-14 squadrons as a Tomcat Radar Intercept Office (RIO) and in the prestigious TOPGUN training program. Later, he was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the US 7th Fleet. He commanded an F-14 Tomcat fighter squadron, which was in charge of fourteen aircraft valued at over $700 million and close to 300 people. Upon his retirement, he logged 2,499.7 flying hours in an F-14 Tomcat and 688 carrier landings.

The first of the American teen-series fighters, the Grumman F-14A Tomcat, was built to integrate lessons learned during air combat against MiG fighters in the Vietnam War. The F-14 was an excellent dogfighter, but the Tomcat’s ability to defend the fleet’s air space was what set it apart. In order to complete this mission, the aircraft was outfitted with the powerful AWG-9 weapons system, which supported the AIM-54 Phoenix, offered an unheard-of one hundred-mile range, and had a small onboard radar to help it locate the target in the last stages of flight.

The remarkable capabilities of the AWG-9 required the need for a RIO in the F-14’s back seat in order to optimize it at different stages during a mission.

Among all the training scenarios encountered by a Tomcat crew, one of the most difficult ones for a RIO would have been a “MISSILEX” (a Missile Exercise, in which a “live” missile is fired against a drone that imitates an airborne target). Baranek describes the second AIM-7 Sparrow he ever shot in his book Before Topgun Days. In December 1982, while serving with the VF-24 Fighting Renegades Fleet squadron, he and Lieutenant Commander Steve “Drifty” Smith were chosen to fire a Sparrow at a target over the Pacific Ocean off Southern California.

The drone and the Tomcat had to fly supersonic because the missile shot had to follow a test and evaluation (T&E) profile. This requirement added another level of complexity to the already difficult drill scenario.

Drifty shoved the throttles to Zone 5, the F-14A’s highest afterburner, as they got closer to the launch range. They accelerated over Mach 1, and an A-6 Intruder from the Pacific Missile Test Center fired an AQM-37 target drone.

Let’s join Bio again in the Tomcat cockpit to live with him the tense moments he experienced during the MISSILEX: “Our range to the target was thirty miles. That may sound like a long distance, but we were supersonic, and so was the drone. Add the two speeds, and you find that the range was shrinking by more than two thousand feet each second. […] One minute after the start [of the intercept], we were at the right range and angle to launch the Sparrow. I pushed the red ‘missile launch’ button. The 500-pound weapon jumped off the jet with a strong thump—that was the small explosive charges that made sure it cleared the plane—and rocketed out ahead of us. […] I sweated the radar picture. I had two small green lights indicating the radar was still locked on the drone. But the track was near the edge of my scope. If it went off the scope, that meant the radar antenna could not turn enough to follow target. Our radar would break lock, the AIM-7 would go ‘stupid,’ and I would have to try to find that little drone again. That was hard enough when fighter and target were going 300 knots or less; at over 600 knots… I didn’t want to think about it. Halfway through the turn my “radar lock” lights went out. I had messed up the intercept! ‘Broke lock,’ I growled to Drifty. ‘Going to search.’ I didn’t have to include the dammit! that I was thinking. ‘Bio, relax,’ Drifty drawled. ‘It was a direct hit. We broke lock because the target is gone. We just blew it out of the sky.’”

Photo by all images used with permission of author Dave “Bio” Baranek

January 16, 2024 0 comment

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