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military

Why the F-15 Eagle was chosen by the Israeli Air Force over the F-14 Tomcat

by Till Daisd September 15, 2023

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) needed about 50 4th-generation fighters to last them into the 1990s and maybe beyond. The McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B Eagle and the Grumman F-14A Tomcat would be the two primary candidates for such a procurement

The US was constantly attempting to “tread carefully” in the Middle East throughout the 1970s. Even though it seems strange to us now, at the time, they were working to protect and preserve the balance of power in the area. Following the end of the Yom Kippur War in October 1973, the UN-backed agreement between Israel and Egypt in January 1974, the subsequent Israeli withdrawals, and the signing of the second disengagement agreement in September 1975, there was reason to believe that the US government would view Israel favorably regarding any potential purchase of 4th-generation fighters.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) needed about 50 4th-generation fighters to last them into the 1990s and maybe beyond. Shimon Peres, the country’s defense minister, made the request in June 1974 for a limited group of seasoned IAF pilots to be permitted to test and assess the two primary candidates for such a purchase. These candidates would be the McDonnell Douglas F-15A/B Eagle and the Grumman F-14A Tomcat, as described by Bertie Simmonds in his book F-15 Eagle.

The Shah, a pilot himself, was impressed by the F-14A’s performance at this point, and the Iranian government had already examined it and placed an order before the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The AIM-54 Phoenix, a 100-mile missile that helped give the F-14A the reach to protect the fleet against long-range Soviet bombers and cruise missiles (since the Tomcat was designed around it), was one of the features that set the F-14 and F-15 apart from one another. It might even start a dogfight in the appropriate hands.

Yet, both would be carefully considered. The F-15, on the other hand, was built for air superiority over the battlefield, something the Israelis found appealing when you consider the battles they had fought since gaining independence in 1948.

One of the first TF-15s was flown by IAF commander Benny Peled in 1974, but because it was a preproduction model, it was lacking several of the systems that would have made it combat-ready. When visiting Naval Air Station Miramar, David Ivry, a former IAF P-51 Mustang and Dassault Ouragan pilot, also piloted a Tomcat. He is said to have been impressed by the F-14, if not a little let down by the need to take special care with the problematic TF-30 turbofans during air combat maneuvers with a US Navy A-4 Skyhawk.

While the US had not authorized the Israelis to actually pitch Tomcat against Eagle, a team was eventually established to independently analyze both machines. Amnon Arad, a former Mirage and F-4E pilot and squadron leader, would serve as the team’s leader. In addition to Israel Baharav, a former Mirage pilot and squadron leader during the most recent Yom Kippur War, Assaf Ben-Nun, an F-4E pilot, Omri Afek, and navigator Aharon Katz would be flying with him. The remaining members of the team were ground crew and employees from Israeli Aircraft Industries.

Operation Wooden Leg: how the F-15 Baz fighters became bombers and performed the longest air strike in IAF history

The evaluations, coming from the most seasoned and combat-tested jet fighter pilots at the time—these pilots had a combined total of about 24 kills—would have been fascinating to read at the time. They intended to mimic the annoying MiG-25Rs that were flying obtrusively over Israel, seeing how these teen-series jets handled everything from low and slow targets to fast targets.

The two-seat F-15, a full-scale development aircraft with the new systems on board, was flown around ten times, and the McDD F-15 simulator was used a lot. Sorties were conducted against A-4 and F-4 aircraft, and the Israelis were particularly taken by the F-15. They discovered the F-15 could easily outperform both aircraft, the weapons systems were “user-friendly,” the Eagle’s agility was astonishing, and the power allowed them to “sustain” like no other aircraft they had flown previously. Also, the cockpit provided unmatched visibility for dogfighting.

They were disappointed in the Tomcat’s dogfighting capabilities, which the IAF excelled in, compared to the two-seat F-14 that the team flew at Miramar. An air combat maneuver mission against the unassuming A-4 Skyhawk frequently ended in a deadlock. It was soon obvious that the F-15 Eagle was the finest option for the IAF, and even better, the plane was far more affordable per unit than the Tomcat.

However, political obstacles to an F-15 sale would not be resolved until that second disengagement agreement in September 1975, and a month later, the US decided to supply the Eagle in large quantities. In accordance with the provisions of the ‘Peace Fox I’ agreement, Israel started getting its new fighter in the form of four full-scale development aircraft in December 1976. Under the terms of ‘Peace Fox II,’ Israel then started receiving two F-15Bs and 19 F-15As.

Israel would have to pay roughly $625 million for this, which was replaced by Peace Fox III, for which 18 F-15Cs and eight F-15Ds were ordered. Also, in the early 1990s, the US government handed the IAF 10 early F-15A and B aircraft that had been refurbished as a thank you for Israel’s assistance during Desert Storm, when it was attacked by Iraqi Scud missiles.

F-15 Eagle is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

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

September 15, 2023 0 comment

History

The Royal Navy Ice Patrol Vessel that during the Falklands War escaped harm from Argentina’s Navy

by Till Daisd September 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Barker transformed HMS Endurance into a combat helicopter platform and photo-spy ship with just a pair of 20mm AA guns, small weapons, and missiles for her Wasp Helicopters

The narrative of another Endurance resonates as photographs of Shackleton’s Endurance’s wreck are sent throughout the globe, especially as the 40th anniversary of another fight draws near. Her Majesty’s station ship in the Falkland Islands in 1981 was the HMS Endurance. HMS Endurance served an incredible career during the Falklands Conflict with Argentina, and a Pebble Mill documentary produced the year before the Falklands War vividly depicted her prewar history.

The documentaries listed below demonstrate how dangerous exploring the Antarctic was even in the early 1980s. The arrival of Captain Nicholas Barker, who expertly led her in both exploration and combat, demonstrates his skill as an officer. Captain Barker successfully hid his ship from Argentine forces when the Falklands War broke out by using satellite communication to hide his bright red ship among ice floes while he waited for UK reinforcements.

Before giving up to the overwhelming force of the Argentinian amphibious assault on South Georgia, where Shackleton’s grave still lies, Endurance’s Royal Marine Detachment, left there, managed to shoot down an Argentinian Puma Assault Helicopter and damage an Argentinian Naval vessel with their anti-tank weapons.

Barker managed to convert his ship into a combat helicopter platform and photo-spy ship with only two 20mm AA guns, small arms, and missiles for her Wasp Helicopters. This while keeping his crew alive and causing no deaths. In order to maximize damage against the enemy war effort in the event of a confrontation with the Argentinian Naval Forces, his strategy was to ram whatever tankers they had nearby.

Endurance was one of the vessels that assisted in the successful recapture of South Georgia, and she was able to escape harm from Argentina’s Navy until reinforcements arrived. In South Georgia’s Grytvken Harbour, her Wasp Helicopter helped to sink the Argentinean Santa Fe submarine. In one of the last operations of the Falklands War, she was also able to help with the recapture of South Thule Island.

Aboard Endurance, the war’s ultimate surrender took place in the South Sandwich Islands.

Due to his continuing opposition to Thatcher’s prewar Defense Minister John Nott’s decision to retire Endurance as a cost-saving measure just before the War, Captain Barker was put to pasture postwar and retired as merely a Captain despite all of his accomplishments. Barker’s opposition was based on the abundant resources of the Falklands and South Georgia, as well as those islands’ respective Exclusive Economic Zones and their significance as staging areas for the British Antarctic Territory, which is home to a vast potential resource base, including the possibility of substantial petroleum reserves that could result in a sizable financial windfall for the British government and people as well as the islanders themselves.

HMS Endurance, Langley South Part 1. Ignore the messed-up beginning, that is likely bad VCR Tape. To Deception Island Prewar.

HMS Endurance, Langley South Part 2 To Sir James Ross Island, with a re-enactment by Endurance 1981’s crew of Endurance 1915’s harrowing adventure.

War Stories, Captain Barker Postwar, at his reunion party aboard Endurance, visiting the Falklands, shows the Governor General of the Falklands. The Royal Marines’ Lieutenant Keith Mills is also present to share his incredible tale. This will also provide viewers a look at the particular species of Whitehall Office Mole that made the kinds of choices that ultimately resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. Moreover, Lord Shackleton makes an appearance; he is a recently found direct descendent of Shackleton the Great of the Original Endurance.

Be sure to check out William Cobb’s Facebook Page Pensacola Aerospace Museum for awesome aviation’s photos and stories.

September 14, 2023 0 comment

History

When a Saudi Prince arrived in the US to buy F-15s pulling out a roll of $1,000 bills

by Till Daisd September 13, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘I reminded him that Saudi Arabia would be billed directly for the total cost and so he didn’t need to pay now. The roll disappeared back in the folds of his robe and he went inside to wait,’ Ron Wagner, former T-39A Sabreliner pilot with 89th AW

The 89th Airlift Wing (89th AW) is a tenant unit headquartered at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland and is one of 17 Air Force active duty wings assigned to Air Mobility Command (AMC). For the president, vice president, cabinet members, combatant commanders, and other senior military and elected leaders as assigned by the White House, Air Force chief of staff, and AMC, the 89th AW provides global Special Air Mission airlift, logistics, aerial port, and communications.

According to the US Air Force (USAF), the unit’s mission is to “Advancing national interests by delivering diplomacy… safe, comfortable, reliable, connected, and protected. “Perfection is our standard!”’ At this point, one may think that the 89th AW performs its mission by flying luxury business jets…

‘The Air Force does not have luxury business jets!,’ Ron Wagner, former T-39A Sabreliner pilot with the 89th AW, recalls on Quora.

‘I was there. As a pilot in the 89th Military Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force base I flew the jets there. They are absolutely not luxury and here’s how I know that.

‘As you can imagine, most of our passengers were U.S. government people. The most famous, of course, is Air Force One. But we also flew Air Force Two and Executive One Foxtrot (first family). And then, often under the “SAM” call sign (Special Air Missions), we flew in direct support of the White House.

‘However, we were also tasked with flying foreign dignitaries within the borders of the USA. They would fly into Andrews on their own jets, but they were not allowed to fly domestically in their jets with their crews, so their jets were parked on our North Ramp and they rode with us. When they needed security details, that service was provided by the State Department, which has a branch that is a carbon copy of what you know as the Secret Service—same mission, same type of people, just for the protection of non-U.S. VIPs.

‘I first learned of how not luxury our jets were when I carried a Saudi prince and his entourage from Andrews to Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas because Saudi Arabia wanted to buy F-15s. They were going to get a very special F-15 show out there.’

Wagner continues;

‘When the prince stepped on board, I was watching from the cockpit and he landed at the top of the stairs in shocked disgust at the interior of our jet.

‘He at first refused, but the State Department “escort” reminded him that his only choice was to ride in a U.S. Air Force jet or go commercial because his plane and crew could not fly within the USA. He was insulted at the total lack of “luxury” in our jets.

‘I got more insight into his expectations when we stopped for fuel halfway there. Before he walked away he reached into his robe and pulled out a large roll of $1,000 bills and started peeling them off, asking how many I needed to pay for the fuel.

‘I reminded him that Saudi Arabia would be billed directly for the total cost, so he didn’t need to pay now. The roll disappeared back in the folds of his robe, and he went inside to wait.

‘My eyeballs were still bulging when I turned to the State Department guy and asked how much money he had. “He has 235 one-thousand-dollar bills on him.”

‘I about passed out as this was about 1977 or so and that was enough money to retire on, but then the State Department guy continued, “But that’s just his pocket money for the first time we hit the tables. The real money is in my briefcase.”

‘“How much is in the briefcase?”

‘“Ten million.”

‘“In cash?”

‘“Of course, in cash.”’

Wagner concludes;

‘NOTE ABOUT THE BILLS: I’ve received many comments saying that I’m lying about this because it was not possible to get $1,000 bills in 1977. I finally got confirmation that there were plenty of them around then, and that it was possible for the right person to get them. And a Saudi prince visiting the USA to buy 60 of the top fighter in the world was definitely “the right person” to get them.’

Photo by: U.S. Air Force and Rob Schleiffert from Holland via Wikipedia

September 13, 2023 0 comment

Civil

After moving to Leipzig, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Antonov restored operations with its final five AN-124 cargo aircraft

by Till Daisd September 12, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The remaining five AN-124 cargo aircraft will continue to be flown by the Antonov team from Leipzig, where the company has been able to relocate

In a presentation given to the Worldwide Project Consortium (WWPC), which convened its 20th annual membership conference in May 2022 in Vienna, Antonov acknowledged the level of damage caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International claimed that the AN-225, AN-74, and AN-26-100 aircraft, as well as the airline’s home base at Kyiv-Antonov airport in Hostomel, were all destroyed. At the airport, two aircraft—an AN-124 and an AN-22A—were damaged.

The remaining five AN-124-100 aircraft will continue to be flown by the Antonov team out of Leipzig, Germany, where the company has been able to relocate. The airline claimed that in order to accomplish this, it must relocate a complete base to the airport, transport spare engines, parts, and other specialized equipment from Ukraine, procure Western versions of the components when possible, and relocate technical experts, flight crew, and important office personnel to Leipzig.

The possibility of managing commercial flights exists, however, the airline currently gives priority to flights for the Ukrainian government, NATO/EU under the SALIS program, and humanitarian missions. In the following 12 months, Antonov expected to fly 385 times and land 1,270 times. As previously reported, officials from Antonov evaluated the damage to one of its An-225 Mriya (Dream) aircraft.

Early in February, the largest aircraft in the world arrived at Hostomel Airport for maintenance before being damaged during the Battle of Antonov Airport, which took place as the Russian invasion of Ukraine got underway. Entry to the airport remained impossible until Ukrainian forces reclaimed the area from Russia on April 2 when Russian troops withdrew to the country’s east, according to Simple Flying.

‘It is believed that the nose and wings of the aircraft, in particular, suffered considerable damage.’

Dmytro Antonov, the main pilot of the An-225, and Antonov’s team of investigators traveled to the scene to assess the damage and perform a preliminary study of the repair expenses. They collaborated with Ukroboronprom, a Ukrainian defense company.

Simple Flying says that ‘The full findings of the damage assessment have not yet been released, although previous statements from the Ukrainian defense company Ukroboronprom put the cost of repair at $3 billion over five years. It also declared that the aircraft would be rebuilt at Russia’s expense.

‘However, if the An-225 has been as badly damaged as some pictures suggest, repairing the aircraft may not even be possible. Many of the aircraft’s parts were constructed in the 1980s and replacements may be difficult to come across today, almost 40 years later.

‘Both Antonov and aviation enthusiasts worldwide are keen to see Mriya back in the skies, and the manufacturer recently called on public donations to support the rebuild.

‘Yet perhaps a more feasible option would be to continue construction of its second An-225, which was started but never completed.’

According to reports, this partially completed aircraft appears to be unharmed despite being kept in the same hangar at Hostomel Airport at the time of the attack.

Photo by: Md Shaifuzzaman Ayon Own Work via Wikipedia

September 12, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

F-106 vs F-4: 6 pilots describe how Delta Dart Squadron defeated a Phantom II unit during scramble maneuvers

by Till Daisd September 11, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘In the post-action debriefing, we found that ALL the F-106 Delta Dart aircraft got to the runway before the FIRST F-4,’ Bruce Gordon, former USAF fighter pilot

The sudden mobilization of military aircraft is known as scrambling in military aviation. In response to an immediate threat, scrambling may occur, typically to intercept hostile aircraft.

What is the time required to scramble a jet?

‘In the Air Defense Command, we had several different alert categories,’ Bruce Gordon, former F-86, F-100, F-102, F-106 at US Air Force (1958–1971), fighter pilot, explains on Quora.

‘Normal status: Off duty. I was once scrambled from the bathtub at home when Russian bombers penetrated Alaska in 1963. I got my F-102 airborne in about 45 minutes. I was also scrambled from bed in the barracks in Alaska when a Russian bomber was coming up the Aleutian Chain of Islands and the planes tracking him were running low on fuel. It took about 45 minutes

‘30-MINUTE Alert: We could go anywhere on base, but were in our flight suits and carried radios for recall. I never was scrambled from that condition.

‘15-MINUTE Alert: We were assigned aircraft and had our gear in the aircraft, but we could perform normal duties in the squadron, such as training.

‘5-MINUTE Alert: This was our normal Alert status. Our gear was in the plane, we had set up the cockpit for SCRAMBLE. We were in the Alert barn, we could sleep, play cards, watch movies, and we could get airborne in less than 5 minutes.

‘BATTLE STATIONS: Pilots in the cockpit, but don’t start the engine. We could get airborne in 2 minutes.

‘BATTLE STATIONS, ENGINES RUNNING: pilot in the cockpit, engine running, but at idle, so we weren’t using much fuel. We could get airborne in less than two minutes.

Gordon continues;

‘The aircraft had a lot to do with it. The F-102 was a little faster than the F-106, and the F-106 was faster than the F-100 or F-4.

‘In Vietnam, the F-100 had to go through end-of-runway arming of the bombs and charging the guns. I was scrambled several times in the F-100, and think it took about 10 minutes to get off the ground.

‘In Korea, we had an unusual test. A COCO SCRAMBLE, where the object was to go to the end of the runway and start your takeoff roll, pop your afterburner, but then come out of the afterburner and taxi down to the end of the runway and come back to your parking spot. I was in an F-106 squadron, and right beside us was a F-4 squadron. The COCO SCRAMBLE was a complete surprise in the early morning, as both squadrons were asleep in barracks that were right beside each other. A major difference was that the F-4 pilots were provided with four-passenger pickup trucks, while the F-106 pilots had all purchased our own motorcycles. The base golf course was between our barracks and the flight line.

Former F-106 pilot explains why the Delta Dart - although fast and agile - was never used in Vietnam

‘We were all in bed when the air raid siren blew and the loudspeakers called: “COCO SCRAMBLE! COCO SCRAMBLE!” I jumped out of bed, put on my flight suit and boots, and ran out to my motorcycle. As I started the motorcycle, I could hear the F-4 pilots climbing into their pickup trucks and calling to each other: “Where’s Joe? Tell him to GET MOVING!”

‘I started my motorcycle and ran directly across the base golf course. I went to Squadron Operations, where I got my helmet, parachute, clipboard, and the F-106 assigned to me and its location. Back on my motorcycle, I raced to the aircraft and ditched the motorcycle. The crew chief barracks were much closer to the aircraft, and my crew chief was already at the plane, with the cockpit open, and he was putting up the ladder as I arrived. He helped me strap in; I started the engine while he took down the ladder and pulled the chocks.

‘I was the second aircraft to the runway (the Squadron Commander beat me by a few seconds), started my takeoff roll, came out of the afterburner, and taxied down the length of the runway. I turned off at the end and taxied back. I stopped short of the F-4 squadron because the F-4s were starting to taxi out.’

Gordon concludes;

‘In the post-action debriefing, we found that ALL the F-106s got to the runway before the FIRST F-4. I don’t remember the time, but it seemed like about twenty minutes for me. The fact that the F-106s had motorcycles and the F-4s had pickup trucks was probably a factor, but the F-106 was quicker to start and taxi than the F-4.’

Photo by: U.S. Air Force

September 11, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

US Navy F-4 Phantom II pilot, recalls the one-on-one duel that made him America’s First Ace Pilot since Korea

by Till Daisd September 10, 2023

written by Till Daisd

After having downed two MiGs with one Sidewinder apiece, Showtime 100 disengaged and approached the coast at 10,000 feet, when Randy Cunningham saw an enemy MiG-17 (NATO reporting name Fresco) closing nose-on

Lt. Randy “Duke” Cunningham was returning from a mission to suppress flak over Haiphong, North Vietnam, on May 10, 1972, while piloting an F-4J Phantom from VF-96 Fighting Falcons (callsign “Showtime 100”) from the carrier USS Constellation (CV-64). Willie Driscoll, a radar intercept officer (RIO), was seated in Cunningham’s back seat.

After the strike, an air fight broke out above the objective, separating Cunningham and Driscoll from their wingman. Duke noticed an adversary MiG-17 (NATO reporting name Fresco) closing in on them as Showtime 100 disengaged and approached the coast at 10,000 feet after downing two MiGs with one Sidewinder each.

In the book Fighter Aces of the U.S.A. by Raymond F. Toliver & Trevor J. Constable, Randy Cunningham’s own account of his fifth victory is presented from Lou Drendel’s book “…And Kill MiGs.” Cunningham wrote the following about the famous air battle that made him an ace (he and Driscoll had previously scored two confirmed MiG Kills in the preceding months):

“I bored in on the 17… head on. Suddenly his whole nose lit up like a Christmas tree! I had forgotten that the A-4s didn’t shoot at you, but this guy was really spitting out the 23mm and 37mm! I pulled hard up in the vertical, figuring that the MiG would keep right on going for home. I looked back and…there was the MiG… canopy to canopy with me! He couldn’t have been more than thirty feet away…I could see the pilot clearly…leather helmet, goggles, scarf… we were both going straight up, but I was outzooming him. He fell behind, and as I came over the top, he started shooting. I had given him a predictable flight path and lie had taken advantage of it. The tracers were missing me, but not by much! I rolled out, and he pulled in right behind me.

Leading jet ace Giora Even-Epstein on his friendship with US Navy’s ace Randy Cunningham and on a tempting offer he received from Blue Angels CO — Lts. Cunningham and Driscoll

“Now I don’t know if it’s ego…you know, you don’t like to admit that the other guy beat you…or what, but I said: ‘That SOB is really lucky!’ Anyway, I told Willie, ‘Alright, we’ll get this guy now!’ I pulled down and I was holding top rudder, trying to knuckle at the nose. As soon as I committed my nose, he pulled right into me! I thought ‘Oh-Oh, maybe this guy isn’t just lucky after all!’ I waited for his nose to commit, then I pulled up into him…that’s a rolling scissors. Well, here’s where my training came into play again. In training, I had fought against Dave Frost in the same situation, and I had learned that if he had his nose too high, I could snap down, using one G of gravity to advantage, and run out to his six o’clock. I would be a mile, a mile and a half out of range before he could get turned around. This is just what happened. We separated, turned around, and engaged again. Same thing. Up into a rolling scissors…advantage, disadvantage…advantage disadvantage… disadvantage… disadvantage… disengaged, came hack, engaged again, and went up in the vertical again. This is one of the very few MiGs that ever fought in the vertical. They like to fight in the horizontal. We kept engaging. and I never could get enough advantage on him to get a shot. Everything my airplane did, he reacted to instinctively.

“He was flying damn good airplane! Well, he kept at it with me outzooming him in the vertical, and him shooting every time I got out in front. I thought, ‘He’s going to get lucky one of these times!’

“The next time we started up in the vertical, an idea came to me…I don’t know why… your mind just works overtime in a situation like that.

“Anyway, as we’re going up, I went to idle and speed brakes… and he shot out in front of me! I think it really surprised him… being out in front for the first time. Anyway, we’re both going straight up and losing speed fast. I was down to 150 knots and I knew I was going to have to go to full burner to hold it. I did, and we both pitched over the top. As he came over, I used rudder to get the airplane to turn to his belly side. He lost lift coming over the top, and, I think, departed the airplane a bit. I thought, ‘This is no place to be with a MiG-17…at 150 knots…that slow, he can take it right away from you.’ But he had stayed too long. He was low on fuel, and I think he decided to run. He pitched over the top and started straight down. I went after him and, though I didn’t think the Sidewinder would guide straight down with all the heat of the ground to look at, I squeezed one off anyway.

“The missile came oil the rail and went to his airplane. There was just a little flash, and I thought, ‘God, it missed him!’ I started to fire my last Sidewinder and suddenly…a big flash of flame and black smoke erupted from his airplane. He didn’t seem to go out of control, but he flew straight down into the ground. He didn’t get out.”

This marked the demise of Colonel Tomb, the top-scoring ace of the entire Vietnam War. Tomb had shot down thirteen American aircraft, and in an aerial battle, nobody was fooled, as Randy Cunningham’s account so graphically reveals.

Even though Tomb now appears to have been a propaganda mashup of multiple excellent North Vietnamese pilots, the Showtime 100 crew faced a great dogfighter that day.

On the way back to the carrier, America’s first ace pilot since Korea ran afoul of a SAM. He and Driscoll had to ditch in the Gulf of Tonkin. Marine helicopters plucked the triumphant pair from the sea. Their return to the “Constellation” – drenched but delighted – was an occasion of great rejoicing.

A firm believer in the team concept while still being an outstanding individual, Cunningham later became a TOPGUN instructor, as did his RIO, Willie Driscoll.

Fighter Aces of the U.S.A. is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Navy

September 10, 2023 0 comment

History

Here is what the Luftwaffe’s leadership said about the famous B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft

by Till Daisd September 9, 2023

written by Till Daisd

What did the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber’s leadership think of the aircraft?

The B-17 Flying Fortress is among the most well-known aircraft ever produced.

When the British Royal Air Force received four B-17s for high-altitude missions in 1941, the first B-17s entered battle. The bombers needed more armor and armament as World War II progressed. The Fortresses were also renowned for their resilience in the face of terrible poundings.

An 88-year-old veteran wrote to The Boeing Company 75 years after the B-17’s debut flight (which occurred on July 28, 1935). After explaining how he returned to England after a bombing raid over Germany with 179 flak holes and only two out of the four engines, he wrote: “I’m glad to be alive. Thank you for making such a good airplane.”

What did the Germans think of the B-17?

‘I’ll discuss the Luftwaffe’s leadership’s first encounter with a downed B-17 and their exact reactions to it,’ Carl Brutananadilewski, Former Electrican’s Mate Nuclear (EMN2), USN 2015-2021, says on Quora.

‘In early as October 1942, the Luftwaffe was able to examine its first B-17 up close. A crashed B-17, which the Germans managed to down only after it had drifted out of formation, was reassembled at Rechlin, the Luftwaffe’s experimental aircraft testing facility. There, it was examined by senior Luftwaffe leadership.

‘This is significant because the first intact B-17 was only captured in December, more than two months later.

‘So, what did Luftwaffe leadership have to say about their first up-close examination with a B-17? I’ll let them speak for themselves!

‘Then Colonel Adolf Galland, Chief of the Day Fighter Squadrons, and later General of Fighter Aircraft had this to say about it, “It unites every possible advantage in one bomber: firstly, heavy armor; secondly, enormous altitude; thirdly, colossal defensive armament; and fourthly, great speed.”

‘It’s no wonder he had that to say! The Germans discovered the aircraft was clearly designed for daylight operations: it had an enormous eleven heavy machine gun positions, loaded with incendiary ammunition then unknown to the Germans. Then, from another B-17 crash, the Germans had recovered almost intact the famous Norden bombsight (which funnily enough a German agent had already delivered the blueprints to the Luftwaffe before the war). That left no doubt about the Americans’ potential bombing accuracy.

Luftwaffe-B-17 — A B-17F Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24585), formerly of the 303rd Bomb Group, in Luftwaffe markings after being captured by the Germans.

‘Then combine the above knowledge with these two facts: American production figures, and that German reconnaissance flights over Eastern England showed extensive airfield construction. From this crash and that knowledge, it was clear 1943 would see the onset of a crushing bombing offensive against Germany.’

Brutananadilewski continues;

‘Field Marshal Erhard Milch, State Secretary for the Luftwaffe, saw the writing on the wall after examining the crash when he said, “The Reichsmarschall (Hermann Göring) told me that there is no cause for anxiety about the American aircraft and that, four-engined though they may be, we can contemplate future equanimity. I told him that I do not agree.”

‘Milch, in fact, had much more to say than that later that month, “These are worries I just can’t get over. We have got to accept that one day the enemy bombers attacking Germany will be flying at altitudes of 28,000 or 30,000 feet.”

‘The strange thing is, this crash didn’t have the entirety of German air staff very worried! Or perhaps not so strange, when one takes into account that military officers are expected to be optimistic. Göring was not alone in his rosy analysis seen in Milch’s above quote. Hans Jeschonnek, Chief of General Staff in the Luftwaffe, had this to say about the incident, “We will fetch these four-engined bombers down just as quickly as the twin-engined ones, and the loss of a four-engined bomber means a much higher loss to the enemy.”

‘Despite some telling German victories against the allied bomber offensive, overall, history does not bear out Göring and Jeschonnek’s view in this matter.

‘As one can see, some realistic German leadership really saw the danger of these new aircraft, while others were confident they could fight them effectively and easily. But one this is for certain, Erhard Milch’s grim predication from this event about 1943, calling it, “The Year of Clenched Teeth,” certainly bore out to be the truth.’

Brutananadilewski concludes;

‘I’ll end with another quote from Milch, from March 1943:

‘“Things don’t look rosy for our big cities.”’

Photo by: Unknown and U.S. Air Force via IWM

September 9, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

The SR-71 had to refuel immediately after takeoff, and Blackbird Pilot explains why

by Till Daisd September 8, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The crews of the SR-71 Blackbird remember the KC-135Q Stratotanker crew with gratitude for their attention to their safety

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird requires JP-7 fuel, which the KC-135Q variant of the renowned KC-135 Stratotanker was modified to carry by separating the JP-7 from the KC-135’s own fuel supply (the body tanks carrying JP-7, and the wing tanks carrying JP-4 or JP-8). Also, the tanker included unique fuel systems for transferring various fuels across tanks. The KC-135T model, which could separate the main body tanks from the wing tanks where the KC-135 gets its engine fuel, was renamed after the KC-135Q model when it was given the CFM56 engines.

The KC-135Q crews and their aircraft set themselves apart from the rest of the Air Force in a number of ways, including the fact that they were the only ones certified in the specific radio-silent rendezvous techniques used by the SR-71 and that their boom operators were the only ones capable of refueling the Blackbird.

If it weren’t for the SR-71’s ability to refuel in the air, its range would only be about 2,000 NM. The aircraft’s range was increased through numerous air refuelings to the limit of the crew’s endurance. Several missions have traveled more than 12,000 NM. The SR-71 and KC-135Q tankers’ forward basing enabled them to respond more quickly, conduct missions with shorter ranges and shorter durations, require fewer air refuelings, and operate more efficiently overall.

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

If the SR-71 landed somewhere where JP-7 fuel was not accessible, the Q-model tankers flew in with the fuel and were able to refill the SR-71 using transfer hoses on the ground.

In his book SR-71 The Complete Illustrated History of THE BLACKBIRD The World’s Highest, Fastest Plane, former SR-71 pilot Col. Richard H. Graham explains why the Blackbird needed to refuel immediately after takeoff.

“Many people believe we refueled after takeoff because the aircraft leaked fuel so profusely that we needed to fuel up quickly. We had to refuel right after takeoff for only one reason, and it wasn’t because we leaked JP-7 fuel on the ground. Yes, the plane does leak fuel, but not enough to require refueling after takeoff.

“The JP-7 fuel reaches temperatures well over 300 degrees F. during Mach 3 cruise, making the fumes in each of the six fuel tanks very volatile and potentially explosive. The metal skin of the aircraft approaches 400 degrees F., adding to the volatility of the fuel inside the tanks. One of our aircraft limitations was a maximum speed of Mach 2.6 without an inert atmosphere inside the fuel tanks.

“The aircraft had three liquid nitrogen Dewar flasks containing 260 liters of liquid nitrogen, located in the nose wheel well. The only way to ensure a 100 percent inert atmosphere in each fuel tank was to refuel the plane inflight completely full of JP-7, allowing ambient air in each fuel tank to vent overboard. Once full of fuel, gaseous nitrogen would now dominate each fuel tank’s empty space above as it burned off JP-7. The nitrogen gas pressurized each fuel tank to 1.5 psi above ambient pressure and inerts the space above the heated fuel to prevent autogenous ignition. This is why we refueled after takeoff. Then we could safely accelerate beyond Mach 2.6.

“There was one other way of achieving tank inerting, called a Yo-Yo. but this was a maintenance nightmare. A few of our missions required the SR-71 to accelerate to Mach 3+ right after takeoff with a 65,000-pound fuel load. The Yo-Yo procedure had the crew chief completely refuel the plane to full tanks of 80,000 pounds of fuel. Then, with the nitrogen pressurization system working, they de-fueled 15,000 pounds of JP-7, ending up with a 65,000-pound fuel load and a plane that was capable of going immediately to Mach 3+.”

The SR-71’s refueling process took at least 15 minutes, but at times it felt much longer. As opposed to other SAC tankers, the KC-135Q did not require constant alertness. The KC-135Q crew members are remembered warmly by the SR-71 crews for their attention to detail in ensuring their safety.

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Photo by: U.S. Air Force

September 8, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

As the cable connecting the catapult to the US Navy F-4B Phantom II snapped, the shuttle that had been released crashed into the nose wheel

by Till Daisd September 7, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The video in this post was captured on board the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CV-43) and shows a mishap on CAT-3 as an F-4B Phantom II of VF-151 is pushed down the deck by its damaged nose gear following a miscue

The video in this post, which was shot on board the USS Coral Sea (CV-43), shows an accident on CAT-3 in which a VF-151 F-4B Phantom II is dragged down the deck by its damaged nose gear. If you look attentively, you can see the nose gear collapsing before becoming entangled in the bridal/shuttle that is dragging the Phantom II into the water.

As AO2 Tom Pokora explains in a video comment:

‘I was also on deck that day when the skipper and LCdr Keating had to eject. I was standing right across from the waist cat when the accident occurred. I have always maintained that the hold-back “apple” prematurely broke and the F-4 in full burner lurched forward just before the cat fired. The cables fell off and the plane rolled down the deck ways and the shuttle blew the nose gear up into the radome. The plane continued down the deck on it’s nose and ejection occurred just before it went off the angle deck. Canopies and ejection seats were coming down and I had to scramble. I looked aft and saw Cdr. Winton blowing down the deck and over the fantail. I remember he did not want us to try and grab him as he knew there was no stopping him with the deck wind. A very sad day.’

John Chesire, a former US Navy F-4 Phantom II Pilot, describes on Quora;

‘Aircraft carrier’s catapult catastrophic malfunction happens, but it is thankfully a rare occurrence. Nevertheless, the possibility is in the back of the mind of everyone who sits on the catapult at full power, waiting to be shot off the ship within two seconds time.

‘The more common failure is called a “cold cat” whereby the end speed off the catapult is not enough to maintain flight and the aircraft falls into the water off the ship’s bow.

‘However, other failures can occur. The video below was my squadron just before I joined them. The cable from the catapult to the aircraft snapped, and the freed shuttle came forward, breaking the nose wheel. The aircraft could not stop, both pilot and RIO ejected, but the RIO died.’

Video: Coral Sea PLAT video from Gary Schreffler

September 7, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

Before the SR-71 maiden flight, the cockpit had to be rearranged or the USAF would not buy it

by Till Daisd September 6, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Blackbird’s cockpit needed to be rearranged prior to the aircraft’s first flight, but the cost was high and it wasn’t functional.

The SR-71 Blackbird collected intelligence during its service in some of the most difficult environments on Earth. The SR-71 remained the fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft for approximately 24 years of its life. It could survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from an altitude of 80,000 feet.

The SR-71 was intended to operate at high speeds, altitudes, and temperatures; in fact, it was the first aircraft to be built using titanium since a typical aluminum frame would melt under the friction of air molecules passing over it at Mach 2.6.

Because of its cutting-edge engineering, even the tools used to construct the SR-71 had to be created from scratch. The SR-71’s task was to collect pictures while also using its sensors to detect electronic surveillance and cautiously navigate close to the enemy’s border. All of that and more was managed by the Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO).

The officer in the SR-71 who completed the checklist for the pilot was known as the RSO. Both his and the Pilot’s jobs had to be known to him. He did the SR-71’s Navigation. The Pilot would ask his RSO, “Where am I landing?” to acquire the precise coordinates if he had to make an emergency landing, which happened more frequently than you would imagine.

There is a saying: “You’ve never been lost until you’ve been lost going 2,100 mph!”

The cockpit of the SR-71 was rearranged prior to the aircraft’s first flight. The redesign of this cockpit was highly expensive, yet it still wasn’t usable. Thus, Butch Sheffield, Tom Schmittou, and Coz Mallozzi, the first three RSOs selected for the program, took a look at it and demanded that they redo the cockpit, which they did.

A quote from Colonel Richard “Butch” Sheffield’s unpublished book. ‘I asked one of the Lockheed Skunk Works engineers who design this, and he said; “NO ONE”. He went on to say, “Kelly told us to put the instruments anywhere they would fit.” What a mess! Airspeed on one side, attitude on the other, altimeter in the middle, we couldn’t even tell what time it was, it was a nightmare.’

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Photo by U.S. Air Force

September 6, 2023 0 comment

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