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President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the YF-12A, the Blackbird Mach 3+ Interceptor, on February 29, 1964

by Till Daisd August 10, 2023

The USAF ordered 93 F-12B Blackbird Mach 3+ Interceptors, each of which was equipped with three Hughes AIM-47A Falcon air-to-air missiles in secure compartments at the fuselage’s bottom

On February 29, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson made the top-secret Lockheed YF-12A, a Mach 3+ interceptor created by Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson’s “Skunk Works,” publicly known. The interceptor was referred to as the “A-11” by President Johnson.

The YF-12A interceptor shares a lot of similarities with the A-12 Oxcart and SR-71A Blackbird. It is a large delta-wing aircraft with twin engines, piloted by a weapons system operator. The crew of the F-12 wears S901F full-pressure suits made by the David Clark Company due to the altitudes at which it travels.

A YF 12 was sought after by the media following Johnson’s statement. To witness it, they went to Edwards Air Force Base. Since he had just arrived from Groom Lake, Area 51, the airplane was still hot. Johnson announced the YF-12 in part to conceal the CIA’s A-12.

The US Air Force (USAF) ordered 93 F-12B production aircraft, which would have been outfitted with three Hughes AIM-47A Falcon air-to-air missiles in secure bays at the bottom of the fuselage, according to This Day in Aviation. But for three years in a row, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara refused to release the funds for the acquisition, leading to the eventual cancellation of the project. Even though the F-12 interceptor program was terminated in early 1968, the aircraft functioned admirably. The cancellation was a result of several factors, including high expenditures, the ongoing war in Southeast Asia, and a lesser priority given by the US to air defense.

Variants:

YF-12A Pre-production version. Three were built.
F-12B* Production version of the YF-12A with various improvements such as an increased combat radius from 1,200 to 1,350 nautical miles and an improved fire control system with increased bomber detection range from 100 to 125 miles, was canceled before production could begin.
YF-12C Fictitious designation for an SR-71 provided to NASA for flight testing. The YF-12 designation was used to keep SR-71 information out of the public domain from 1971 to 1978, 61-7951 was temporarily loaned to NASA from the Air Force as “YF-12C #06937.”

August 1963 saw the first of three YF-12 flights. The first and third YF-12s broke numerous records in May 1965, setting marks for speed (2,070.101 mph) and height (80,257.65 feet), respectively. Col. Robert L. “Fox” Stephens, the pilot, and Lt. Col. Daniel Andre, the fire control officer, were awarded the 1965 Thompson Trophy for their speed record flight. The Museum of the Air Force, which is close to Dayton, Ohio, is home to the sole YF-12.

Check out Facebook Page Habubrats for further Blackbird photos and stories

Photo by: U.S. Air Force

August 10, 2023 0 comment

History

The first Corsair combat proved a fiasco with nine American aircraft being lost for a single Zero-sen shot down

by Till Daisd August 9, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Although the F4U Corsair subsequently proved to be a better fighter in Pacific operations, its initial use in this theater of operations exposed its flaws

Although the F4U Corsair ultimately proved to be a better fighter in Pacific operations, its early use in battle in this theater exposed its flaws. In fact, the debacle known as the “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre” displayed outstanding Zero-Sen fighter strategies.

The first F4U 1s to arrive at Guadalcanal in the afternoon of February 12, 1943, flew into Fighter 2 airfield, according to Michael John Claringbould’s explanation in the book F4U Corsair versus A6M Zero-sen Rabaul and the Solomons 1943-44. Later that day, another seven Corsairs joined the original 17 Corsairs.

A PBY assigned to retrieve downed US Marine Corps Wildcat pilots Lt Jefferson DeBlanc and SSgt James Feliton was escorted by two Corsairs from this second group just a few hours after they landed. When the first Corsair combat patrol was finished, 11 aircraft from VMF-124 were assigned to escort nine US Navy PB4Y-1 Liberators as they bombed Japanese ships off the southern coast of Bougainville in the Buin-Shortland area the following day. A few Zero Sens in the Buin airport circuit gave them a cursory glance from a distance but kept their distance.

The mission on February 14 was essentially a repetition of the action the day before, except this time it was the first Corsair vs Zero-Sen combat. Again, the F4Us were escorting PB4Y Liberators as they conducted a shipping strike off southern Bougainville. Because of the significant loss of American aircraft, the mission was dubbed the “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre.”

The first to see the approaching American formation was a 252nd Kokutai Zero Sen patrol commanded by FPO2c Tamotsu Okabayashi over southern Bougainville; shortly after, more A6Ms were scrambled from Ballale airfield. The 204th Kokutai’s 13 more Zero aircraft scrambled as the incoming American pilots observed the dust from Buin airfield rise. Lt Zenjiro Miyano led the fighters into the air. The 802nd Kokutai’s 11 A6M2-N “Rufe” floatplane fighters were also scrambled from their base in the Shortland Islands, raising the total number of IJNAF forces to 41.

Once the Liberators dropped their bombs and retreated southeast with their escorts around midday, a ferocious dogfight broke out. The ensuing melee claimed the lives of a PB4Y, three P-38 Lightnings, and two Corsairs flown by 1Lts Gordon Lyon Jr. and Harold Stewart of VMF-124.

The story of Koga’s Zero, the captured A6M that helped the F6F Hellcat become the most effective carrier fighter of World War II — Koga’s Zero

During the battle, at a height of roughly 20,000 feet, Stewart rejoined his element leader, 1Lt Lloyd Pearson, with gasoline vapor coming from multiple bullet holes in his wing. Ten minutes later, the Corsair ran out of fuel due to the streaming, at which point Stewart nosed down into the ditch. Minutes after the clean ditch, Following Zero Sens quickly located the downed fighter and dived to strafe Stewart in his yellow dinghy. He vanished without a trace.

Since both Zero Sen units claimed Corsairs in this pivotal combat, it is challenging to compare the belligerents. In response, the PB4Y gunners claimed nine A6Ms, while Lightning pilot Capt. Bill Griffith claimed one Zero Sen. VMF 124 was credited with downing a “Pete” floatplane and three Zero Sens. The 252nd Kokutai pilot FPO2c Yoshio Yoshida, who collided with Lyon’s Corsair during the dogfight, was the lone IJNAF loss, as opposed to 14 American claims. The 252nd Kokutai’s remaining Zero Sen pilots fired a total of 5,126 7.7mm and 1,369 20mm rounds, highlighting the fierceness of the battle. Even though the Liberator crews made generous shipping claims, only the 6,500-ton merchant ship Hitachi Maru was lost.

The Americans performed poorly in this first Corsair vs Zero Sen battle, losing nine of their aircraft, demonstrating the efficacy of Japanese fighter tactics and highlighting the strength of both the Zero Sen and the “Rufe” floatplane fighter. Because of the size of the American losses, additional daytime bombing operations against Bougainville were suspended until fighter escort strategies could be reviewed.

Five fighters should, in theory, cover each bomber, but at this point in the war, the Cactus Air Force (the name by which Allied air power on Guadalcanal was known from August 1942) was unable to provide such a generous ratio, according to the mission’s post-mortem. Instead, lengthy operations with aircraft escort to Bougainville were momentarily postponed. As a result, Corsair pilots only sometimes engaged in aerial combat throughout the months of March and April, and they played a minor role in the opposition to the IJNAF’s Operation I Go strike on Guadalcanal on April 7.

F4U Corsair versus A6M Zero-sen Rabaul and the Solomons 1943-44 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: U.S. Navy and Kogo Own Work via Wikipedia

August 9, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

B-1B Bone Vs Tu-160 Blackjack

by Till Daisd August 8, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Tu-160’s performance and design attributes, according to the Russian military and many of the world’s best aviation specialists, theoretically give it an advantage over the B-1B and the stealthy B-2A

On September 23–25, 1994, the Tu-160 and the B-1B “rubbed noses” (thankfully not literally) for the first time at Poltava AB in Ukraine during the 50th anniversary celebrations of Operation Frantic (the shuttle raids against Germany), to which the USAF sent a sizable delegation. This provided an opportunity to compare the two vive types on an objective basis. Both the flight and ground crews of the bombers had the chance to look at the other’s aircraft and form their own opinions.

The Blackjack has an advantage in offensive capability to some extent, as explained by Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov in their book Tupolev Tu-160, Soviet Strike Force Spearhead, because its primary weapon, the Kh-55SM cruise missile, is well-mastered by both the industry and the bomber crews, as well as the Kh-555 and Kh-101/Kh-102 cruise missiles. Budgetary restrictions prevented the Americans from modifying the B-1B to accommodate the pricey AGM-86B, which would have required significant changes to the avionics suite in addition to the bomb bays. In 1994, the AGM-69A had to be removed from the inventory because the missile stockpile’s shelf life had expired and the solid propellant had begun to deteriorate.

Just the B61 and B83 free-fall nuclear bombs were left in the B-1B as a result (although a small number of B28 nukes remained available in 1996). The USAF intended to equip the B-1B with the General Dynamics AGM-129A (ACM) advanced cruise missile as of 1996. Another proposed aircraft, the Boeing AGM-131A (SRAM II), was shelved in September 1991. The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guided bomb, the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD), the Raytheon AGM-154 Joint Stand-off Weapon (JSOW), and the Lockheed Martin AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Munition) were later added to the B-1B in stages (referred to as blocks), greatly enhancing its offensive capability.

In 2007, the B-1 fleet adopted the Lockheed Martin Sniper external laser targeting pod. Moreover, the defensive avionics suite received upgrades, including the installation of the ALE-50 towed decoy system and anti-jam radios.

The Lancer didn’t get a conventional capacity for ammunition until after the First Gulf War (true, live weapons tests began in 1991 but the fleet-wide upgrade came too late for the action). The OPB-15T electro-optical bombsight was included to the targeting suite because the Tu-160 was designed to have a conventional capability from the start; nevertheless, it never actually employed free-fall bombs.

The way that weapons are carried is also different. The Tu-160 features two larger armament bays compared to the B-1B’s three (two front of the wing pivot box and one aft). The Blackjack carries all of its armament internally, whereas the Lancer has six exterior hardpoints under the forward, center, and rear fuselage that can be used to load missiles. This helps reduce the bomber’s RCS and reduce drag, thereby increasing range, even if it also explains why the Tu-160 is larger in size.

The Westinghouse AN/ALQ-161 synthetic aperture radar and the B-1B’s extensive defensive suite give it an advantage over other aircraft in terms of avionics and equipment. The flight deck of the Lancer has an electronic flight instrumentation system as compared to the Tu-160’s traditional mechanical instruments. According to press accounts, Russian and Ukrainian pilots regarded the flight instrumentation as outstanding. The two aircraft are roughly comparable in terms of crew comfort and cockpit ergonomics, albeit the B-1B’s flight deck has a little less headroom due to the nosewheel well invading it from below.

Russian Tu-160 Mach 2 Bomber Reportedly Left Two F-35A Fighters Behind in the Skies Over Japanese Sea

The Tu-160’s performance and design qualities are thought to potentially give it an advantage over the B-1B and other American bombers, including the stealthy B-2A, according to the Russian military and many of the world’s best aviation specialists, but theory is one thing and reality is quite another. First, when Tu-160 crews were only getting to grips with the aircraft and were constrained by several restrictions, the B-1 B was already well mastered.

The Russian Air Force then had fuel shortages and bomber fleet serviceability concerns throughout the 1990s as a result of ongoing funding shortfalls. As a result, it became difficult to give the crews enough flying time, which made it hard for the Russian airmen to retain proficiency. The ‘Bone’ and the ‘Blackjack,’ for example, both had IFR capability; nevertheless, B-1B pilots trained for aerial refueling virtually every week, something their Russian counterparts could only dream about. The Tu-160 crews’ circumstances started to improve in the twenty-first century as a result of easy access to fuel and extensive training opportunities.

In terms of operational reliability, the two types are largely comparable. Both have experienced their fair share of avionics and powerplant dependability issues.

Lt. Gen. Mikhail M. Oparin, a former 37th VA Commander, had the following opinion:

“I have a deep respect for the people who charted the development perspectives for Long-Range Aviation in the 1980s/early 1990s time frame. The structural strength reserves and upgrade potential of the Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers allow them to be called aircraft of the 21st century and with good reason — the missile strike aircraft still have unused potential. These bombers are not only a match for the best Western hardware but excel it in certain respects. I know what I’m saying because I have had a chance to study the strategic aircraft of our ‘friends and rivals’ firsthand. I had the opportunity to fly a real B-52, and I made several flights in the B-1 simulator; after this, I was enchanted by the Tu-9SMS and especially the Tu-I60.”

It would be appropriate to end with these remarks from previous commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, Army General Pyotr S. Deynekin:

“What do you best compare the ‘Il’ya Muromets’ (the Tu-160 – Auth.) with? The Tu-95? Or perhaps the An-124? (The An-124 is the world’s heaviest operational military airlifter — Auth.) I guess the correct answer is the B-1B Lancer, the Tu-160’s American counterpart. In May 1992, I made three flights in a B-1B over the Nevada Desert, flying the bomber from the left-hand seat, with multiple top-ups from a KC-135 tanker. I have a commemorative picture signed by the Commanders of USAF bomber wings. I daresay they are both good aircraft and worthy rivals — as, incidentally, are the men who fly them. This is why we’d better be friends than foes, and the Americans are well aware of this.”

Tupolev Tu-160 Soviet Strike Force Spearhead is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: U.S. Air Force, Dmitry Terekhov from Odintsovo, Russian Federation and Alex Beltyukov via Wikipedia

Top image: (L) Tu-160 © REUTERS/Grigory Dukor; (R) B-1B Lancer © Christopher Quail/Handout via REUTERS via RT

In Soviet Times the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber established 78 world records officially recognised by the FAI

August 8, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

SR-71 pilot recalls when his Blackbird flew so fast that he and his RSO arrived at Beale AFB nearly a day before

by Till Daisd August 7, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘I am really tired of hearing the “LA speed story” so I thought I would relay a mission that gives real perspective to the speed of the Blackbird,’ David Peters, SR-71 Blackbird pilot

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft maintained its position as the world’s fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft for approximately 24 years. It could survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from an altitude of 80,000 feet.

It is therefore not surprising that the aircraft has set multiple speed and altitude records throughout its history because of its incredible flight qualities.

SR-71 Pilot tells the story of when his Blackbird flew So Fast that He and his RSO arrived at Beale AFB almost a Day Before They Left Kadena AB — David Peters in SR-71’s cockpit

SR-71 pilot David Peters shares the amazing tale below to provide some context for the legendary Blackbird’s extraordinary top speed:

‘I am really tired of hearing the “LA speed story” so I thought I would relay a mission that gives real perspective to the speed of the Blackbird.

David-Peters-and-Ed-Bethart — David Peters and Ed Bethart

‘We were TDY to Det. 1 at Kadena AB, Okinawa. One of the birds was scheduled for swapping out, and my backseater, Ed Bethart, and I were to fly it home. The replacement came in on Friday, and we were to leave Saturday morning. So, in true Habu tradition, we welcomed the incoming crew and went to a happy hour Friday evening at the officers club.

‘We got up Saturday morning and got ready to go home. Departure was scheduled for 1000. Everything went well, and we left right on time. Headed out to do a pass through the Korean DMZ then into the tankers in the Sea of Japan. Good refueling and a climb out headed for the Sea of Okhotsk and the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia, and from there to more tankers off of Adak in the Aleutian Islands. Another good refueling, and on to Beale AFB, California. We arrived with a low approach, pulled up into a closed pattern, and landed. Following de-suiting and debriefing, we deposited our classified flight documents, jumped in a car, and arrived at the officers club for Friday night happy hour at 1630, 17 1/2 hours before we left Kadena.

‘Try that in any aircraft other than the SR-71. Besides this is actually a true story.’

Check out the Facebook Page Habubrats for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by: David Peters and U.S. Air Force

August 7, 2023 0 comment

History

Col. Gail Halvorsen, a.k.a. the “Candy Bomber,” died at 101. He made history because of his selfless actions in 1948 and 1949 during the Berlin Airlift

by Till Daisd August 6, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The “Candy Bomber,” retired colonel Gail Halvorsen, came in to tell the kids which plane was carrying the chocolate while rocking the wings of his C-54 Skymaster aircraft

Retired Col. Gail Halvorsen, also known as the “Candy Bomber,” passed away on Feb. 16, 2022. He was 101 years old.

After beginning his career in the US Army Air Corps in 1942 and accruing more than 8,000 flying hours over the course of his 31 years of service, Halvorsen retired from active duty in 1974. Halvorsen’s heroic deeds during the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and 1949 cemented his place in history. By affixing handkerchief parachutes to chocolate bars and dropping them to the children below from his aircraft, then-Lt. Halvorsen decided to help lift the spirits of the kids in West Berlin.

He started going by the name “Uncle Wiggly Wings” among the German kids. He would also rock the wings of his aircraft as he approached to let the kids know whose plane was delivering the chocolate, according to a US Air Force (USAF) news release.

In order to launch the first “Operation Little Vittles” drop from his C-54 Skymaster on July 18, 1948, he combined his candy ration with that of his co-pilot and engineer at Rhein-Main Air Base, constructed parachutes out of handkerchiefs and string, and tied chocolate and gum to them.

“The only way I could get back to deliver it was to drop it from the airplane, 100 feet over their heads, on the approach between the barbed wire fence and bombed-out buildings,” Halvorsen recalled during an interview with Airman Magazine. “A red light came on that said you can’t drop it without permission. But I rationalized it by saying that starving 2 million people isn’t according to Hoyle, either, so what’s a few candy bars?”

Berlin-Airlift — Children in West Berlin watch U.S. Air Force transport planes land at Templehof Airport during the Berlin Airlift in 1948. During the height of the operation, an aircraft landed every thirty seconds in West Berlin. The USAF delivered 1,783,573 tons and the RAF 541,937, on a total of 278,228 flights from June, 1948 to May, 1949.

For three weeks, the number of kids waiting and the supply of candy progressively increased until a Berlin newspaper published a picture of the now-famous “Candy Bomber.” Eventually, piles of letters addressed to “Der Schokoladen Flieger” or “Onkel Wackelflugel” started to arrive at Templehof base operations.

The C-54 squadron commander, Col. James R. Haun, called Halvorsen one day after he got back from Berlin. Haun had gotten a call from Brig. Gen. William H. Tunner, who was the airlift’s deputy commander of operations, asking who was parachuting above Berlin.

When Haun showed Halvorsen the newspaper with the image of little parachutes flying out of his C-54, he immediately realized he was in trouble. “You got me in a little trouble there, Halvorsen,” Haun told him.

“I’d had a long relationship with him, but he was put out because he was sandbagged,” Halvorsen said. “So when I talk to kids, especially high school kids, I say, ‘when you get a job, don’t sandbag your boss.’ He said to keep [dropping candy] but keep him informed. It just went crazy after that.”

Yet, Operation Little Vittles received funding and support from the general public. Pilot buddies contributed their candy supplies. They eventually ran out of parachutes thus until the wives of noncommissioned officers and officers at Rhein-Main AB started making them, they created more out of cloth and old shirt sleeves.

Eventually, the American Confectioners Association donated 18 tons of candy, most of which was sent via the then-Westover Air Force Base in Berlin after being tied to parachutes by students at a Chicopee, Massachusetts, school.

250,000 parachutes and 23 tons of candy had been dropped by American pilots by the time the Berlin Airlift came to an end in September 1949.

“Willie Williams took over after I left Berlin,” Halvorsen said. “And he ended up dropping even more candy than I did.”

Halvorsen’s efforts serve as a testament to the positive effects one modest deed may have on a whole community.

“As I look back at Operation Little Vittles and the years that have followed, there is one human characteristic above all others that gave it birth – the silent gratitude of the children at a barbed wire fence in Berlin, July 1948,” he wrote in his autobiography.

Indeed, the Berlin Airlift was the operation that made heavy aircraft famous. It was the US Air Force’s first significant victory over the Soviet Union during the Cold War and a huge accomplishment for the service. After retiring in 1994, Halvorsen asked to help in the distribution of food to refugees escaping the conflict in Bosnia.

“We have our freedom to choose, and when the freedom is taken away, air power is the only quick way to answer a crisis like that,” Halvorsen said.

Photo by: Rosario “Charo” Gutierrez and Bennie J. Davis III / U.S. Air Force

Colonel-Gail.-S.-Halvorsen — Retired US Air Force Colonel Gail. S. Halvorsen holds a candy bar parachute similar the ones he dropped during the Berlin Airlift in front of C-54 Skymaster like the one he flew during WWII at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona. During the Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949, then Lt. Gail S. Halvorsen dropped candy attached to parachutes made from handkerchiefs to German youngsters watching the airlift operations from outside the fence of the Tempelhof Airport in West Berlin.

August 6, 2023 0 comment

History

The passing of Hauptmann Eduard Tratt, the Zerstörer ace who scored the most during WWII

by Till Daisd August 5, 2023

written by Till Daisd

His death marked the end of the Luftwaffe’s capacity to effectively oppose the growing American bombing campaigns against Germany with the heavily equipped twin-engine Me 110G and Me 410 aircraft

Hauptmann Eduard Tratt, 24, was the highest-scoring Zerstörer pilot in World War II with 35 victories officially recorded. His death marked the end of the Luftwaffe’s ability to effectively use the heavily armed twin-engine Me 110G and Me 410 aircraft against the growing American bombing operations against Germany.

Tratt was credited with shooting down three Hawker Hurricane planes over Dunkirk on June 1, 1940, while flying the Me 110 heavy fighter with I./ZG 1 beginning in 1939. Before being wounded on August 12, he downed ten more RAF aircraft over the course of the subsequent ten weeks of Channel battles.

After the Zerstörer’s failure as an escort fighter in the Battle of Britain, as explained by Douglas C. Dildy in his book “Big Week”, 1944, Operation Argument and the breaking of the Jagdwaffe, it was re-purposed primarily as a ground-attack fighter-bomber, which Tratt successfully piloted in the invasion of Russia. He is credited with downing nine Soviet aircraft, destroying another 17 on the ground, along with 24 tanks and 312 vehicles. On April 12, 1942, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross).

Eduard-Tratt — Hauptmann Eduard Tratt, the highest-scoring Zerstörer ace of the war.

His leadership of Erprobungskommando 25 allowed him to test the new Me 410A-2 Hornisse (Hornet) in the heavy bomber interceptor role and bring down two B-17s in May and June 1943 after he had recovered from his fourth set of wounds. He was consequently given command of the resurrected II./ZG 26, which was operating the Me 410 out of Hildesheim in central Germany.

He was more than ready to take on the P-38, the USAAF’s equivalent heavy fighter, and he was also given credit for downing four Lightnings. On February 20, 1944, the opening day of “Big Week” (Operation Argument), he gained his final victory over a retiring 1st Bomb Division Fortress.

When the 91st BG attempted to bomb Oschersleben on February 22, Tratt and his gunner Oberfeldwebel Gillert were reported to have “single-handedly attacked” them. Their Me 410B-1/U2 may have suffered damage from retaliatory fire from a 401st BS Fortress. However, the main assault was to the south, where 99 B-17s were bombing Halberstadt, Bernburg, and Aschersleben. 46 P-51s from the 354th FG escorted them.

Captain Robert J. Brooks’s 356th FS observed an estimated 16 Me 110Gs (ZG 26) arriving from 11 o’clock at 23,000ft, being escorted by a high cover squadron of Me 109Gs, five minutes after joining the 40th CBW. Once the two formations clashed, a downward-spiraling dogfight started. Four aircrewmen from I. Gruppe, two from III./ZG 26 Zerstörers, all eight of Major Johann Kogler’s Zerstörers, and five other aircrew members were killed or wounded. Four fighters were lost by the Me 109G units, but no pilots.

Tratt’s Me 410B was shot down over the Harz Mountains north of Nordhausen by Captain Jack T. Bradley (CO 353rd FS) and his wingman, Lieutenant Wah Kau Kong, as shown in the following image. Tratt and his gunner were killed. Soon later, a Me 110G cannon fire hit Kong’s P-51B hard, causing it to explode in midair.

“Big Week,” 1944, Operation Argument and the Breaking of the Jagdwaffe is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: Graham Turner via Osprey and Unknown source

August 5, 2023 0 comment

History

The legendary Albatross flying boat was once again produced using the enhanced G-111T variant

by Till Daisd August 4, 2023

written by Till Daisd

An updated model of the renowned Albatross flying boat will be produced by the Australian company Amphibian Aerospace Industries

A new variant of the renowned Albatross flying boat was produced by the Australian company Amphibian Aerospace Industries (AAI). The “new Albatross,” known as G-111T, is powered by brand-new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F engines, which offer significantly better performance, fuel economy, and reliability.

The announcement of the project’s advancement, including the engine choice, was made at the beginning of December 2022, according to Aviacionline, following years of coordination between the company and the Northern Territory government to encourage the development of a manufacturing sector in Darwin.

AAI President Khoa Hoang praised the Australian Territory government for its efforts in reestablishing aircraft production in the nation:

«It had been a long time since sovereign aircraft manufacturing on this scale was considered viable in Australia, but the G-111T Albatross has one of the largest business cases in aircraft manufacturing, which makes it ideal to be manufactured locally and perfect to do right here in the Northern Territory.

«Minister Michael Gunner shared our view that the G-111T Albatross is an incredible aircraft of great practical utility to mankind, regardless of whether it is for passenger transport, humanitarian aid, search and rescue, cargo transport, coastal surveillance, fight against drugs, or a range of other roles.

«[This] announcement is just the very beginning, as we are already working on next-generation technologies to produce new variations, such as the Albatross with a zero-emission hybrid engine and even a stretched 44-seat variant.»

According to the Amphibian Aerospace Industries website, the company was established as the manufacturing and product development arm of the Australian-owned Amphibian Aircraft group of companies. AAI’s goal is to become a global leader in the design and manufacture of amphibian aerospace capabilities.

G-111T-Albatross — Amphibian Aerospace Industries G-111T Albatross

AAI is the holder of the US Federal Aviation Administration “Type Certificate” for the HU-16 and G-111 Albatross amphibious aircraft. The HU-16 and G-111 Albatross amphibious aircraft’s “Type Certificate,” issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration, is held by AAI. In addition to developing its own twin turboprop variants, the company offers continuing product support and development for the Albatross family of aircraft.

The G-111T served as the new Albatross base design.

According to AAI, several variants will follow the G-111T on the market:

Combi Passenger/Cargo – 28 pax plus 3 crew and luggage in a comfortable cabin equipped with a galley and restroom easily reconfigured to 4.5 T of useable cargo capacity for water operations.
Aeromedevac – capable of transporting up to 12 stretcher cases in a single lift with basic patient monitoring systems.
Aeromedical – 4-6 stretchers with the capacity for more sophisticated medical monitoring and treatment capabilities.
Search & Rescue – capable of missions of up to 12 hours, (extendable to 20 hours with external fuel tanks) equipped with mission systems and sensors tailored to specific customer requirements.

The Albatross was initially created by Grumman to fulfill a US Navy request for an amphibious utility aircraft that could also take off and land on snow and ice using skis. Over 1,000 United Nations personnel were rescued by albatrosses during the Korean War from rivers and coastal waters, frequently from behind enemy lines. Also, they performed a great deal of dangerous and dramatic rescues in Southeast Asia, occasionally taxiing across long distances of rough, open water when unable to take off.

On October 24, 1947, the prototype made its first flight. Shortly after, the US Air Force ordered a number of them for use in air-sea rescue missions like the SA-16As. 297 A types were delivered by Grumman to the Air Force, primarily for the Air Rescue Service. The USAF changed the name to HU-16 in 1962.

A new variant with a 16 1/2 foot increase in wingspan and wider aileron and tail surfaces was created by Grumman in 1955. With these upgrades, many A models were upgraded to the B configuration starting in 1957.

Photo by: U.S. Navy modified by FOX 52 via Wikipedia and Amphibian Aerospace Industries

Amphibian Aerospace Industries G-111T Albatross

August 4, 2023 0 comment

History

Oberleutnant Oskar Romm, a member of the Luftwaffe Experten, flew his final mission while piloting a Focke-Wulf FW 190D-9

by Till Daisd August 3, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Oberleutnant Oskar Romm, the Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 3, was one extremely skilled Luftwaffe pilot who ended his war flying the Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9

One of Germany’s top fighter aircraft during World War Two, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, flew for the first time on June 1, 1939. It first saw action in September 1941 over northwest France and quickly established its dominance over the Mark V Spitfire, Britain’s greatest fighter at the time.

Most Fw 190s were “A” series models with BMW radial engines. But, towards the end of 1943, the more effective “D” series, propelled by the more powerful Jumo 213 inline, liquid-cooled engine, began to engage US bombers in combat. The Fw 190D-9 had to have a 20-inch portion of its fuselage added slightly ahead of the tail because the larger engine elongated its nose.

The Fw 190D-9 was one of the few fighter types to reach service in World War 2 that had been designed after hostilities began, as Robert Forsyth explains in his book Fw 190D-9 Defence of the Reich 1944-45.

Oberleutnant Oskar Romm, the Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 3, was a highly skilled Luftwaffe pilot who finished his war flying the D-9. His personal victory score by the end of April 1945 was 92, with the most recent one coming on March 21 when he shot down one of several Il-2s that had attacked the Prenzlau base of his Gruppe. During the raid, a few Focke-Wulfs were able to take to the skies, and D-9 pilots Feldwebel Oskar Bösch and Leutnant Karl-Alfred Schulte each claimed two more Shturmoviks as their 16th and 3rd claims.

After this incident, Romm continued to fly missions, but five weeks later he would encounter his match over a frontal region where Soviet forces had recently made a breakthrough, as he recalled (Price, At War, pg. 132-133):

‘My last combat mission was on 24 April 1945, to the south of Stettin, when, with my wingman, I attacked a formation of Russian Shturmovik ground-attack aircraft. I selected full emergency power, and with our superior speed, we went right through the Russian fighter escort without difficulty. I was just about to open fire on one of the Ilyushins when my cooling gills suddenly opened automatically. The oil and coolant temperature gauges showed that the engine was overheating. Either my engine had been hit by enemy fire or it had suffered a failure. I broke off the action by rolling over onto my back and pulling away in a steep dive. The Russian fighters endeavoring to follow were soon left behind and abandoned the chase.’

Oskar-Romm — Oberleutnant Oskar Romm was
awarded the Knight’s Cross on
Feb. 26, 1944, when his
the score stood at 76 and by war’s
end he was credited with 92
aerial victories.

Sparks and exhaust smoke trailed behind Romm’s “Dora” as he steered it southwest, back toward the German frontline. The engine was broken and overheated. ‘As the last of the lubricating oil burned away between the aluminum pistons and the steel cylinder block,’ he recalled, ‘the engine burst into flames.’ Romm had returned to territory controlled by the Germans, but he was too low to bail out. A short while later, the Jumo cut out, and the Fw 190D-9 crashed to the ground 20 kilometers northwest of Prenzlau, close to Brüssow. He remembered how the plane:

‘. . . proceeded to smear its pieces all over the landscape. However, the same rugged construction that had saved my life in earlier emergency landings proved itself once again.’

Romm sustained a broken skull, facial lacerations, a concussion, and other minor injuries despite the D-9’s tough construction. Thankfully, soldiers at a nearby divisional headquarters noticed his landing and radioed his location to the local Luftwaffe leadership. After that, the soldiers dragged the fighter pilot out of his aircraft and transported him to their headquarters, where an army doctor tried his best to take care of him.

Romm was taken from the crash site a short time later by members of IV./JG 3 under the direction of an officer from the Stabskompanie. He was first taken to a Luftwaffe hospital in Wismar, and then four days later he was taken to a hospital on the Timmendorfer-Strand on the Baltic coast close to Travemünde. He had won the war.

Fw 190D-9 Defence of the Reich 1944–45 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: Gareth Hector via Osprey Publishing and EN Archive

August 3, 2023 0 comment

Military

War attrition between Iran and Iraq in 1983

by Till Daisd August 2, 2023

written by Till Daisd

At least 24 of the 80 Iraqi aircraft that were shot down by IRIAF air defenses between 16 January and 18 February 1983, according to several Western publications, were credited to Tomcats. However, a thorough investigation within the small group of Iranian fighter pilots has shown that just a handful of kills were recorded during this time. This stage of the conflict was very quiet, according to official Iranian media.

The IRIAF High Command had accordingly instructed all units to undertake operations with caution after realizing that the fight had turned into a war of attrition. Nevertheless, the Iranians started employing a new strategy in which interceptors and SAM sites were combined to create ‘killing fields’ for Iraqi fighters. The fact that so little is known about this strategy suggests that it is still effective. Nonetheless, it appears to have involved F-4 or F-14 aircraft acting as the “hammer” to drag or force Iraqis onto the SAM “anvil.”

For instance, it is known that three unidentified Iraqi fighters (likely J-6s, which were Chinese MiG-19 duplicates) were shot down on January 16. They were followed on the 21st by a Mirage and a MiG-23, the 27th by a Su-20, and the 29th by another MiG-23.

Despite Iranian caution, fighting persisted throughout the rest of 1983 at a similar pace, with both forces conducting constant airstrikes against different targets. Even with the addition of more than 200 new aircraft from China and the USSR, the IrAF nevertheless suffered losses. Even the improved MiG-25s that were outfitted with the most recent Soviet avionics and ECM equipment continued to show themselves to be vulnerable to IRIAF interceptors.

On August 6, two MiG-25PD aircraft suddenly appeared near Tabriz while flying through Turkish airspace. Nevertheless, their scheme was thwarted by a single TFB 1 F-14A that was on CAP nearby with its AWG-9 in standby mode to conceal its position. Once the MiGs had flown far into the AIM-54 engagement envelope, the Iranian crew turned on their radar and fired a Phoenix. The Iraqi pilots responded swiftly as they had in similar MiG-25 interceptions before once they knew the danger they were in. The AIM-54 cut the range and detonated near one of them, destroying its engines and fins. Both fighters turned around and accelerated. Although fatally injured, the MiG was still in flight.

Although his wingman had successfully eluded capture, the aircraft’s pilot attempted to nurse it out of Iranian airspace without support. Meanwhile, below the action, IRIAF Capt. Kazem Zarif-Khadem was in command of two F-5E Tiger II aircraft equipped with AIM-9 and napalm as they attacked Iraqi positions. Zarif-Khadem was busy navigating his way through the target while flying at a very low altitude as per usual. He was shocked to see a MiG-25 flying low and quickly cross his path. As soon as the MiG was hit, Zarif-Khadem dropped his bombs and drop tank, pushed the throttle to full afterburner, and made a U-turn behind it. He then fired both of his Sidewinders while in a “deep-six” position a few seconds later.

As the Iraqi pilot became aware of the strike and broke, the missiles were halfway to the target. The pilot ejected and was recovered by the Iraqis, but it was too late as both AIM-9s hit their targets and exploded. This was the fifth “Foxbat” that IRIAF interceptors claimed, and as a result of its loss, the IrAF stopped making other ventures into Iranian airspace.

The book Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat is available to purchase here.

August 2, 2023 0 comment

History

B-17 Pilot returned to England from a mission with bombs still aboard, seven injured crew members, and two engines on fire

by Till Daisd August 2, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The nation’s highest award was given to B-17 pilot 1st Lt. William R. Lawley Jr., for his gallantry, while flying a Flying Fortress bombing mission over Leipzig as part of Operation Argument

The massive USAAF bomber forces of World War II were intended for the unescorted, precise daytime bombing, but nobody anticipated the destruction that German radar-directed interceptors would cause to them. The Allies had a pressing need to end the Luftwaffe’s ability to thwart the landings after the failure of the Schweinfurt-Regensburg attacks in 1943 and the approaching D-Day.

Operation Argument, also known as “Big Week,” was the first effective offensive counter-air (OCA) campaign ever planned and executed by the Allies in February 1944. It attempted to both reduce aircraft production and draw the Luftwaffe into conflict by attacking German aircraft factories with large numbers of heavy bombers and the new long-range P-51 Mustang, allowing the new Mustangs to damage the German interceptors.

First Lieutenant William R. Lawley Jr. of the 364th Bomb Squadron (BS) B-17 pilot received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest honor, on February 20 for his bravery while risking his life during a Flying Fortress bombing mission over Leipzig as part of Operation Argument.

First-Lieutenant-William-Robert-Lawley — 1st Lieutenant William Lawley was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions under fire.

The 305th Bomb Group (BG) formed the 40th Combat Wing’s lead combat group on that day, with its 364th BS flying – at 28,000ft – as its high squadron, as explained by Douglas C. Dildy in his book “Big Week” 1944, Operation Argument and the Breaking of the Jagdwaffe.

First Lieutenant William R. “Bill” Lawley, flying one of the group’s newest B-17Gs, 42-38109 “Cabin in the Sky,” kept formation with his leader as the wing crossed their target and dropped their loads of 500lb GP HE and incendiary bombs. The “Cabin in the Sky’s” eight 500-pound bombs refused to fall due to the icy temperatures at high altitudes that caused the releasing mechanism to freeze.

About 20 Me 109G interceptors that had raced north from Neubiberg, near Munich, struck the formation head-on as it rolled out of its turn-off target. I./JG 301’s vicious frontal attack, which was led by Major Walter Brede, shattered the B-17’s cockpit, killing Lieutenant Paul Murphy, the co-pilot, injuring Lawley and seven other men, and igniting the number two engine.

The damaged Fortress fell from the formation as the injured pilot struggled to recover level flight at 12,000 feet by using all of his effort to hold the co-pilot’s body off the controls. Lawley gave the order for the crew to leave, but he soon learned that two of the gunners were mortally wounded.

Cabin-in-the-Sky — Wreck of Lieutenant Lawley’s Douglas-built B-17G Flying Fortress 42-38109, “Cabin in the Sky,” at RAF Redhill, Surrey, England.

His Medal of Honor citation reads, “…Forcing the copilot’s body off the controls, he brought the airplane out of a steep dive, flying with his left hand only. After the order to bail out had been given, one of the waist gunners informed Lieutenant Lawley that two crew members were so severely wounded that it would be impossible for them to bail out. With the fire in the engine spreading, the danger of an explosion was imminent. Because of the helpless condition of his wounded crew members 1st Lt. Lawley elected to remain with the ship and bring them to safety if it was humanly possible. Enemy fighters again attacked but by using masterful evasive action he managed to lose them. 1st Lt. Lawley remained at his post, refusing first aid until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion caused by loss of blood, shock, and the energy he had expended in keeping control of his plane. He was revived by the bombardier and again took over the controls. Coming over the English coast [one] engine started to burn and continued to do so until a successful crash landing was made on a small fighter base. Through his heroism and exceptional flying skill, 1st Lt. Lawley rendered outstanding distinguished, and valorous service to our Nation.”

“Big Week” 1944, Operation Argument and the Breaking of the Jagdwaffe is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: U.S. Air Force via This Day in Aviation

August 2, 2023 0 comment

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