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militaryaircraft

The SR-71 Blackbird, which broke the speed record during a trip from New York to London

by Till Daisd October 21, 2024

The SR-71 Blackbird made the trans-Atlantic flight to be featured in the Farnborough Air Show as a static display. This marked the first time the Mach 3+ spy plane was put on public display outside the US.

The SR-71 Blackbird was an advanced, long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft that was developed in secrecy by Lockheed’s Skunk Works division in Palmdale, California. It operated at Beale Air Force Base (AFB) from January 1966 to January 1990.

Many of the aircraft’s innovative concepts were the brainchild of the renowned aerospace engineer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson.

On September 1, 1974, Linda Sheffield Miller (daughter of Col. Richard (Butch) Sheffield, an SR-71 Reconnaissance Systems Officer) posted on her Facebook page Habubrats that Maj. James V. Sullivan and Maj. Noel Widdifield had broken the global speed record from New York to London.

From New York to London in less than two hours: the story of the SR-71 Blackbird that set a new speed record with New York to London flight — Maj. James V. Sullivan (Left) and Maj. Noel Widdifield set a new world speed record on Sept. 1, 1974, flying the SR-71 from New York to London in less than two hours.

‘It took less than two hours. This might’ve been the ‘gateway plan’ to have SR-71 stationed in England. The United States was fortunate to be able to house two SR-71s at RAF Mildenhall, years later. This was a huge help to have SR-71 in Europe [SR-71 Reconnaissance Operations at RAF Mildenhall was from April 1976 to 1990. Prior to Det 4 being established, UK permission was required for each sortie flown. According to the SR-71 Blackbirds website, the SR’s stay was to be no longer than 20 days for each visit. On Apr. 5, 1982, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced that Det 4 would be a permanent SR-71 Detachment with two aircraft assigned. The UK remained in control of the more sensitive missions. The two aircraft Detachments ceased operations on Nov. 22, 1989. The last aircraft departed the UK on Jan. 18, 1990. The US Government has given the United Kingdom an SR-71 #962 for public display at Duxford Imperial War Museum for its contribution to ending the Cold War.]. Blackbirds based at Mildenhall could fly around the Baltic Sea and take pictures of potential targets in the Soviet Union by means of their side-looking cameras [i.e. without crossing the Soviet border].

‘On September 1, 1974, Major James V. Sullivan, 37 (pilot) and Noel F. Widdifield, 33 (reconnaissance systems officer) flashed across the starting line (radar gates in New York) at approximately 80,000 feet and speed in excess of 2,000 miles per hour. Exactly 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds later, they had set a new world speed record from New York to London England. The average speed was 1,807 statute mph over the 3,461 statute mile course, slowing to refuel one time from a specially modified KC-135 refueling tanker. The aircraft was placed on static display at Farnborough Air Show for 1 week. It marked the first time the secret plane had been on public display outside of the United States. ”Kelly” Johnson, the aircraft designer, was on hand for the event. He remarked, “It (the SR-71) has exceeded all my expectations.”

‘Another historic speed record was set on the return trip to the United States. Captain Harold B. Adams, 31 (pilot), and Major William Machorek, 32 (reconnaissance systems operator), set a speed record from London to Los Angeles. They returned the Blackbird 5,447 statute miles in 3 hours 47 minutes and 39 seconds for an average speed of 1,435 miles per hour. The difference in the two-speed records was due to refueling requirements and having to slow over major US cities.’

Sheffield Miller concludes;

‘Even so, a large number of people in Los Angeles reported broken windows due to the sonic boom.’

Photo by U.S. Air Force

October 21, 2024 0 comment

In-1975-USS-Belknap-Guided-Missile-Cruiser-and-USS-John-F.-Kennedy-aircraft-carrier-collided-in-the

Cold War

In 1975, USS Belknap and USS John F. Kennedy collided in the Mediterranean Sea

by Till Daisd October 20, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The nickname for the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier became “The Can Opener” and for good reason.

The USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) aircraft carrier (on the evening of November 22, 1975, the twelfth anniversary of the assassination of its namesake) and the USS Belknap (CG 26) guided missile cruiser collided in heavy seas off the coast of Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea. Shraderlaw claims that the incident caused fires on Belknap, which quickly spread. Due to the water conditions, several nearby ships found it difficult to help the damaged ship.

The aluminum superstructure of Belknap quickly melted and collapsed due to its inability to withstand the fire’s intensity. It was not until the following day that the fires were contained, and by that time Belknap was not seaworthy. Along with one John F. Kennedy, seven sailors perished on the Belknap, and 47 other crew members were hurt.

‘The nickname for the JFK became “The Can Opener” and for good reason,’ says Paul Montgomery, Boiler/Eng Controls USS JFK CV67 (79-81), on Quora.

‘The JFK was doing night flight ops and would have been traveling at nearly 30 knots because of this. US Carriers have to have at least 25 knots to launch and recover planes.

‘The ship it smashed into, the USS Belknap was alongside at around 1500 yards when there was some confusion as to an order the captain gave. He intended to slow and make a left (port) turn behind the JFK. A junior officer took the order to mean “hard left turn” which cut right in front of the JFK. Luckily it was not a broadside. Here the story is vague even after just two years and me asking crew that was on the JFK at the time. What I have concluded is that the Belknap had time to turn her course about 120 degrees and nearly pass in front of the JFK before contact. Here is the resulting damage to the Belknap.

The night USS Belknap Guided Missile Cruiser and USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier collided in the Mediterranean Sea — An overhead amidships view of the damaged superstructure of the guided missile cruiser USS *BELKNAP* (CG-26) the day after it collided with the aircraft carrier USS *JOHN F. KENNEDY* (CV-67) during night operations.

‘This is what she looked like before.’

Montgomery continues;

‘The JFK did not hit the ship with the bow. Had it done this, the Belknap would have most likely sunk in two parts. The Belknap is a guided missile cruiser and not a small ship. They dwarf Destroyers, Frigates and Escorts. All the damage was done by the superstructure on the underside of the Kennedy. Here is what she looked like.

‘A refueling line carrying Jet Fuel was ruptured on the JFK during the collision and sprayed fuel over and into the Belknap which caused a raging fire, a boiler to explode and munitions to cook off.

‘You should not get the idea that aircraft carriers are tougher than other warships; they are not. Had the JFK plowed into the Belknap broadside, the ship’s bow would have been punctured near the water line, and she would have taken on water. How much would depend on the ship’s condition state? During general quarters, all watertight doors are kept closed and flooding would have been minimal. Still, the ship would have been severely crippled in the speed it could make.

‘Seven sailors lost their lives that night, six on the Belknap and one on the Kennedy.’

The ship’s superstructure was completely destroyed after the fire, but the hull was basically intact. After being towed back to the United States, Belknap was decommissioned and brought into the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. The ship was rebuilt from the weather deck up throughout the following four years.

After rebuilding was complete, Belknap was re-commissioned and returned to service in 1980. The ship played a role in several major deployments over the remainder of its active career, including the American intervention in Lebanon in 1983 and as the flagship of the Sixth Fleet in 1985 and 1986. In 1989, Belknap served as an accommodation vessel for the President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, during his meeting in Malta with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Belknap remained with the Atlantic Fleet until 1995 when it was decommissioned. During a training exercise in 1998, naval gunfire sank the ship. After the disastrous fire in 1975, it was decided that all cruisers in the future would have steel superstructures. This decision was further supported when the British ship HMS Sheffield, which had an aluminum superstructure, was struck by an Exocet missile during the Falklands War and was largely destroyed by fire.

Photo by U.S. Navy

October 20, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Why Israel picked the Skyhawk over the Jaguar

by Till Daisd October 18, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Skyhawk

For more than ten years, France was Israel’s primary supplier of weapons. However, by the middle of the 1960s, it was determined to acquire advanced and powerful US weapons, so it purchased the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, which had been proven in combat, to carry out light strike operations. In 1966, the Israeli Air Force ordered about 48 A-4Hs, which quickly became the backbone of its attack arm.

As explained by Shlomo Aloni in his book Israeli A-4 Skyhawk Units in Combat, the first group of would-be A-4 engineers left Israel for America in December 1966, with the second following three months later. Pilots were scheduled to join the technical staff undergoing the Skyhawk conversion on the US front in May 1967 again in two groups. The lead group included the two future A-4 squadron commanders, while the follow-up group included the two senior deputy squadron commanders. All four pilots in these senior positions were vastly experienced.

The Ramat David-based unit (No. 109 Sqn) was to be led by Ohad Shadmi, who had graduated with Flying School Class 17 in May 1955 and gone on to fly the Mystere during the 1956 Suez War. CO of No. 109 Sqn since April 1964, he was to oversee the unit’s transition from Mysterès to Skyhawks. Shadmi’s counterpart at Hatzor was Yossi Sarig, who had graduated with Flying School Class 19 in January 1956 and flown Meteors during the Suez War. He later commanded Vautour-equipped No 110 Sqn for a year from July 1964, before becoming head of the Operations Branch Attack Planning Section in late 1965.

Israel picks the A-4 over the Jaguar

Sarig recalls;

‘IDF/AF Commander Ezer Weizman invited me to join him during the 1965 Paris Airshow. There, we went to the Dassault chalet for a presentation on the Jaguar. Our operational requirement was for an attack aircraft that would be capable of flying a low-low mission profile from Ramat David to the Suez Canal Zone with a certain number of bombs. While examining the presented graphs, I came to the conclusion that the Jaguar was unable to fly this baseline mission profile. I reported my finding to Ezer. He asked me if I was sure, and I immediately replied in the affirmative. He stood up, abruptly ended the presentation, and ordered me to follow him out.

‘We exited the Dassault chalet in a big fuss and went to the Douglas chalet. Ezer presented himself and asked for the company’s Skyhawk presentation. The Douglas response was “We are not ready now, but we will organize a presentation for you this evening at the Hotel George V”. That evening three of us — Ezer, Arie Hillel (the Head of Material Department) and I – attended the briefing. I delved into the graphs and quickly realized that this aircraft was absolutely right for us.

`A year later the Skyhawk became a reality for the IDF/AF.’

Israeli A-4 Skyhawk Units in Combat is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by Oren Rozen Own Work via Wikipedia, Israeli Air Force and U.S. Air Force

October 18, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

USMC F-8 pilot survived a massive storm after parachuting from 47,000 feet

by Till Daisd October 17, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Lieutenant Colonel William H. Rankin fell from 47,000 feet into “one of the most violent storms ever recorded on the East Coast,” parachuted over 65 miles in 40 minutes, and came to a stop by colliding with a tree.

A Cold War accident launched Lieutenant Colonel William H. Rankin (Oct. 6, 1920–July 6, 2009), a pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and a veteran of both World War II and Korea, to fame. The fire warning light on his instrument panel flashed on July 27, 1959, when the engine of his F-8 Crusader, the renowned carrier-based jet fighter dubbed “the last of the gunfighters,” abruptly stalled.

When Rankin triggered his ejection seat, he was launched through the cockpit canopy of his aircraft. Without a pressure suit, he was flying over 47,000 feet, and he got out of the aircraft at the top of a massive thunderstorm cloud mass. There are very few similarities to his harrowing experience riding the thunder down; it would be difficult to accept it as fiction.

“I was convinced I would not survive; no human could,” Rankin recalls in his book ‘The Man Who Rode the Thunder’. He fell from 47,000 feet into “one of the most violent storms ever recorded on the East Coast,” parachuted over 65 miles in 40 minutes, and came to a stop by colliding with a tree.

He remembered: “I was terrified, but not petrified. It’s a brave distinction of terms.”

According to Huckberry, Rankin suffered frostbite, decompression, vomiting, extreme abdominal swelling (“as though I were in well-advanced pregnancy,” he pointed out), a severed finger, and bruises. Once grounded, he walked to a dirt road and hitchhiked to the hospital. “I was not panicky,” he understated.

A fire warning appeared on the instrument panel of Rankin’s F-8 Crusader as he flew over Norfolk, Virginia. He ejected, nine miles above the earth, out of fear of an explosion. It was hell for the next forty minutes. Rankin released his chute in the middle of a thunderstorm after free-falling in the -50°F air.

Hail the size of baseballs beat him to near unconsciousness. “I thought I had died.” And Rankin nearly did.

An untimely gust of wind forced his chute to entangle his body, and he reentered a free-fall. He recalled, “I had the distinct feeling that I was being sliced in two, as fate rallied against him.”

Then, suddenly, the winds shifted. His chute reopened. Soon, he found himself gliding out of the storm toward a forest. After entangling in a tree, he cut away and arrived on the ground, “lying on my left side. I simply could not believe that I was on the Earth—that I had survived.”

Rankin’s bout with the thunderstorm brought him national attention, especially when he returned, a few weeks later, to active duty. He enjoyed fifty more years of life, dying at 89.

Now, his legend lives on—he’s the only guy to fight and beat a thunderstorm, and he’s earned the right to say (without irony): “I didn’t hear the thunder, I felt it.”

Here’s an excerpt from Rankin’s book here, or buy it on Amazon.

A recap of Rankin’s flight can be found in the video below.

Photo by U.S. Navy

October 17, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

How SR-71’s J58 Turbo-Ramjet engine works

by Till Daisd October 16, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Above Mach 2.2, some of the airflows are bled from the fourth stage of the compressor and dumped into the augmentor inlet through six bleed-bypass tubes, circumventing the core of the J58 engine and transitioning the propulsive cycle from a pure turbojet to a turbo-ramjet.

The intriguing video in this post, titled The Mighty J58—The SR-71’s Secret Powerhouse, describes how the famous Blackbird’s engine works.

The J58, often known as “black magic,” pushed the SR-71, the A-12, and the YF-12 from zero to Mach 3.2.

In his NASA Technical Memorandum Predicted Performance of a Thrust-Enhanced SR-71 Aircraft with an External Payload, Timothy R. Conners outlined the three main parts of the SR-71 aircraft’s propulsion system. These include Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet engines, airframe-mounted convergent-divergent blow-in door ejector nozzles, and axisymmetric mixed compression inlets.

The inlet spike translates longitudinally, depending on the Mach number, and controls the throat area: the spike provides an efficient and stable inlet shock structure throughout the Mach range. At the design cruise speed, most of the net propulsive force derives from flow compression pressure on the forward-facing surfaces of the spike. Besides the spike, other inlet controls include the forward and aft bypass doors, used to maintain terminal shock position and to remove excess air from the inlet; and cowl and spike bleed used to control boundary layer growth.

The SR-71 aircraft is propelled by two 34,000 lbf (151,240 N) thrust-class J58 afterburning turbojet engines, just as its predecessors, the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A prototype interceptor.

The J58 engine was developed in the late 1950s by the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corp. to meet a U.S. Navy requirement. It was designed to operate at speeds of Mach 3+ and at altitudes of more than 80,000 feet. The J58 was the first engine designed to operate for extended periods using its afterburner, and it was the first engine to be flight-qualified at Mach 3 for the U.S. Air Force.

An SR-71 set a global speed record of 2,193 mph and a world altitude record of 85,069 feet in July 1976 thanks to J58 engines.

Each engine contains a nine-stage compressor driven by a two-stage turbine. The main burner uses an eight-can combustor. The afterburner is fully modulating. The primary nozzle area is variable. Above Mach 2.2, some of the airflows are bled from the fourth stage of the compressor and dumped into the augmentor inlet through six bleed-bypass tubes, circumventing the core of the engine and transitioning the propulsive cycle from a pure turbojet to a turbo-ramjet. The engine is hydromechanically controlled and burns a special low-volatility jet fuel mixture known as JP7.

The inlet bleed and aft bypass flow mix with the engine exhaust flow just forward of the airframe-mounted ejector nozzle. Blow-in doors on the ejector nozzle remain open at low speeds and entrain additional mass flows into the exhaust stream. At high speeds, the doors close, and the airframe nozzle ejector flaps reposition to form a convergent-divergent geometry. The blow-in doors and ejector flaps are positioned by aerodynamic forces.

The engine spikes and forward bypass doors are positioned by commands from the digital automatic flight and inlet control system (DAFICS). The DAFICS provides precise control of the terminal shock position. The DAFICS has significantly improved vehicle performance and range and has virtually eliminated inlet unstart, compared to the older analog control system.

October 16, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

The F-14 Demo, which beat that of the F-15, sold the Tomcat to Shah of Iran

by Till Daisd October 15, 2024

written by Till Daisd

“The F-14 crew caught a detail in the weather briefing and flew that 95 knots pass into a shear-wind (opposed to the F-15A-pilot), and then did a few turns no F-15 could ever do…” Tom Cooper.

This 1974 movie, which is hosted by Rear Admiral Leonard “Swoosh” Snead, the Navy’s F-14 Tomcat project manager, provides an update on the ongoing efforts to integrate the aircraft with the fleet. The film shows the Grumman’s remarkable efforts to test, manufacture, and deploy this amazing fighter. Only 13 Grumman aircraft had been delivered to Miramar at this time, and the full capabilities of the aircraft were unknown. The movie depicts VF-124 operating the Navy’s newest aircraft at twice the expected rate, while VF-1 and VF-2 start independent operations.

The footage also features the Shah of Iran visiting Andrews Air Force Base (AFB) in July 1973 to observe the F-14 Tomcat performance before making up his mind about it. At 13:50, the Shah of Iran gets a demonstration of the F-14’s capabilities.

As the famous modern military aviation author Tom Cooper explains, the clip portrays an “F-14A from VF-124 performing for the Shah of Iran during the famous fly-off against an F-15A, in July 1973…

“The Tomcat was flown by Don Evans and Dennis Romano – and they had few tricks up the sleeve. For example, they were the second to take off but started their engines early, and thus burned lots of fuel to lighten their aircraft before take-off. Then they caught a detail in the weather briefing and flew that 95 knots pass into a shear-wind (opposed to the F-15A-pilot), and then did a few turns no F-15 could ever do… Even though Iranians have already made their decision – well before the fly-off”

At 15:33, the Shah sits in the aircraft cockpit. Iran would eventually become a customer, purchasing 80 Grumman F-14A Tomcats and 633 Hughes AIM-54 Phoenix missiles for $2 billion.

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. Following the failure of the F-111B project, the Tomcat was created for the US Navy’s Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program. Designed to incorporate air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War, the F-14 was the first of the American teen-series fighters.

The F-14 replaced the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II on its first flight in December 1970 and its first deployment with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in 1974. Up to the 1990s, the F-14 was the main fleet defense interceptor, tactical aerial reconnaissance platform, and maritime air superiority fighter for the U.S. Navy. In the 1990s, the Tomcat started carrying out precise ground-attack missions with the addition of the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system.

October 15, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

The best F-4 Phantom footage in history

by Till Daisd October 14, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The footage features USAF F-4 and RF-4 Phantom IIs flying extremely low with J79 noise (along with some spectacular sonic booms) and no background music

The Noise You Hear is the Sound of Freedom!

The video in this post from the Sierra Hotel may be the best F-4 Phantom footage ever filmed.

The video shows USAF F-4 and RF-4 Phantom IIs flying very low, with no background music and J79 noise (along with some amazing sonic booms).

The mighty Phantom could exceed Mach 2 thanks to the General Electric J79 turbojet engine, which produced a maximum of 17,000 pounds of thrust when the afterburner was operating.

One of the most adaptable fighters ever constructed was the McDonnell two-place, twinjet, all-weather F-4 Phantom II, which is currently retired. More Western air forces deployed it as their first-line aircraft than any other. The F-4 became the fastest, highest-flying, and longest-range fighter in the U.S. Navy only 31 months after its maiden flight. Starting to fly on May 27, 1958, it went into operation in 1961.

On July 3, 1959, at a ceremony commemorating the company’s 20th anniversary at the McDonnell plant in St. Louis, Missouri, the aircraft was given the name Phantom II. Until the company’s 40th anniversary, it continued to be produced. The number “II” was no longer used by that point; it was only named Phantom.

16 speed, altitude, and time-to-climb records were set by the F-4. Its prototype reached a record altitude of 98,556 feet (30,000 meters) in 1959. On a 15-mile circuit in 1961, an F-4 achieved the world speed record with a speed of 1,604 mph (2581 kph). By 1985, McDonnell had produced 5,068 Phantom IIs, whereas Mitsubishi, located in Japan, had produced 127.

Improvements to engines, radar, avionics, and weapons were among the modifications. For aerial reconnaissance, the RF variants were outfitted with cameras and surveillance gear. Weapons included missiles and cannons.

F-4s operated with the air forces of 11 different countries in addition to the United States and saw action in both Operation Desert Storm and the Vietnam War. The Phantom II was flown by the Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels, two U.S. military flight demonstration teams, between 1969 and 1973.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

Video credit: F4Flys F4Flys@gmail.com

October 14, 2024 0 comment

Accidents and equipments

The only KC-10 lost by the USAF: the sad story of the Extender that exploded on the ramp at Barksdale AFB

by Till Daisd June 3, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The KC-10 Extender

A modified McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing Company) DC-10, the KC-10A entered service in 1981.

Twenty KC-10s were modified to add wing-mounted pods further enhancing their aerial refueling capabilities.

During operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991, the KC-10 fleet provided in-flight refueling to aircraft from the US armed forces as well as those of other coalition forces. In the early stages of Operation Desert Shield, in-flight refueling was key to the rapid airlift of materiel and forces.

In March 1999, a NATO air campaign, Operation Allied Force, was launched against the government of Yugoslavia. The mobility portion of the operation began in February and was heavily tanker dependent. By early May 1999, some 150 KC-10s and KC-135s deployed to Europe where they refueled bombers, fighters and support aircraft engaged in the conflict. The KC-10 flew 409 missions throughout the entire Allied Force campaign and continued support operations in Kosovo.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, KC-10s have played a prominent role. The KC-10 has flown more than 350 missions guarding US skies as a part of Operation Noble Eagle. During operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, KC-10s flew more than 1,390 missions delivering critical air refueling support to numerous joint and coalition receiver aircraft.

The only KC-10 Extender lost by the USAF

The KC-10 Extender has been a stalwart workhorse in the United States Air Force’s fleet for decades. However, by September 2024, the US Air Force’s inventory of KC-10s will be decommissioned and gradually replaced by the new KC-46 airframe.

Taken on Sep. 17, 1987 at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB) the photos in this post shows the only KC-10 Extender lost by the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

The aircraft, KC-10 tanker tail number 82-0190, known through most of its career as “Lady Luck,” was often in the public eye as a flying ambassador and goodwill vehicle. So much so, in fact, that in January 1987 then-Secretary of the Air Force Pete Aldridge helped rename it as “Rollin’ Out the Red,” with sporty new nose art.

The KC-10 Extender that exploded at Barksdale AFB

As reported by Shreveport Times, the airplane lost whatever luck it had just a few months later, on Sep. 17, 1987, when it exploded on the Barksdale ramp while undergoing routine maintenance after a mission. Three airmen were on the airplane when it turned into a pillar of smoke and flame. Two escaped, miraculously, but one airman, Sgt. Joseph Burgio — a former Olympic wrestling hopeful and two-time New York state wrestling champ who volunteered as a coach at Parkway High School — died.

Burgio, married and the father of a young son, had previously served at Sprangdahlem Air Base, Germany, and one year prior to his death had earned the 2nd Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 2nd Bomb Wing Maintenance Technician of the Month awards.

The only KC-10 lost by the USAF: the sad story of the Extender that exploded on the ramp at Barksdale AFB

It could have been much worse. Just two hours before, the plane had arrived with 17 people on board. When it exploded, it still had 63,000 pounds of fuel on board. The explosion destroyed the entire center section of the airplane, leaving only the tail intact and severing and dropping the cockpit to the ramp, according to an online report.

Design flaw

Former 2nd Bomb Wing commander Brett Dula recalled that day in a memoir for the Air Force Academy Class of 1964 alumni association.

“One day, General Jack Chain, (commander in chief of Strategic Air Command) visited and spent much of the day with the 8the Air Force commander,” he wrote. “A subsequently confirmed design flaw caused a massive fire aboard one of our KC-10s, which had just completed an afternoon mission. One man, Sgt. Joey Burgio, died of smoke inhalation and the aircraft burned to the ground with the four-star and three-star watching the whole thing. … Some really talented people came together to perform incredibly under tough circumstances.”

One of Burgio’s friends, Air Force retiree Reagan Moon, now living in Bossier City, also recalls that fateful episode.

“I remember that sad day on the KBAD ramp like it was yesterday,” he said. “I was in our squadron, the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, and was downstairs when I just happened to look out on the ramp. Then I saw this big flame come up … I looked and saw the fire coming up. That was the first explosion.”

A second explosion

With other squadron personnel, they ran out onto the ramp and drove out to the stricken airplane as a second explosion took place. Flight engineers such as Moon and pilots were told to start the engines of other KC-10s parked wingtip to wingtip and fore and aft of the burning airplane to taxi them out of danger.

Moon saw his friend taken from the charred KC-10 and knew that Burgio was gone.

“He suffered from massive smoke inhalation, but he wasn’t burned at all,” Moon recalled.

Moon misses his friend.

“Burgio was just a super nice guy,” he said. “You wouldn’t meet a nicer person.”

The KC-10 Extender which exploded at Barksdale was not the only tanker that blew up on the ground

The cause of the incident was attributed to a fuel vapor explosion in the center fuel tank.

Investigators found that fuel had leaked, and vapors probably had been ignited by arcing from a battery near the pump area for the tank.

Shortly after the incident, the USAF ordered checks of all KC-10s and found a dozen similar leaks.

Noteworthy this was not the only time we tell the story of a tanker that blew up on the ground: CLICK HERE to read our article about a KC-135 Stratotanker that exploded after a failed pressure test.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

June 3, 2024 0 comment

Accidents and equipments

Old warriors never die: US Navy Surging C-2A Greyhound COD aircraft as V-22 Groundings Continue

by Till Daisd June 3, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Uncertainty about the return of the V-22 tiltrotor

Air Boss Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, the head of US naval aviation, said in a panel at the WEST 2024 conference, co-hosted by the US Naval Institute and AFCEA on Feb. 13, 2024, that the US Navy could rethink its plans on how it resupplies its fleet of aircraft carriers in the short term with more uncertainty in the long term given the uncertainty of the return of the V-22 tiltrotor to full operations.

As reported by USNI News, the service initially planned to retire its remaining 15 remaining C-2A Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft over the next two years and replace them with a total of 38 CMV-22B Ospreys.

The C-2A Greyhound COD aircraft is still available

“Lucky for the Navy the C-2A Greyhound is still available,” Cheever said. “Limited operational impacts at this point but there are still operational impacts. And as you look into the future, significant operational impacts.”

The US Navy stopped training new C-2 pilots and has begun to wind down spares and logistic support for the 60-year-old design as part of the planned retirement for the Greyhounds.

Because of the crash of an Air Force Special Operations CV-22 off the coast of Japan late in 2023, that transition, completed on the West Coast, is now stalled with the grounding of the V-22 across the Marines, Navy and Air Force.

V-22 Ospreys out of operation

As of Feb. 13, the Ospreys have been out of operation for 69 days with no indication how long the grounding could continue.

The grounding force the Navy to swap out the V-22s aboard West Coast carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN- 71) with C-2As the East Coast “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support (VRC) 40.

“VRC-40 is currently surging to meet the [COD] mission for deployed aircraft carriers in U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets,” reads a statement from Naval Air Forces provided to USNI News this week.

“There has been no change on the planned 2026 sundown of the C-2A.”

No change in plan for the C-2A Greyhound COD aircraft yet

While there is no change in plan for the C-2s yet, there is little indication from any of the services how long the V-22s could remain out of service.

For the US Marine Corps (USMC) the situation is more dire. Operations for the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 26th MEU deployed on the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the 15th MEU preparing to deploy aboard the Boxer ARG have seen dramatic impacts.

Marine officials have told USNI News that Marines are allowed to use Ospreys deployed aboard the Bataan ARG in specific emergency situations.

The USMC risks losing proficiency with the aircraft the longer their grounded.

The CMV-22B Osprey

The US Navy will use the CMV-22B to replace the C-2A Greyhound COD (carrier onboard delivery) aircraft for transporting personnel, mail, supplies and high-priority cargo from shore bases to aircraft carriers at sea. The CMV-22B carries up to 6,000 pounds of cargo and combines the vertical takeoff, hover and landing (VTOL) qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft.

Bell Boeing designed the Navy variant to have the expanded range needed for fleet operations. Two additional 60-gallon tanks and redesigned forward sponson tanks can cover more than 1,150 nautical miles. The mission flexibility of the Osprey will increase operational capabilities and readiness, in addition to ferrying major components of the F-35 engine.

Photo by Seaman Kevin T. Murray Jr. / U.S. Navy

June 3, 2024 0 comment

Accidents and equipments

U-2 Avionics Technician explains why Dragon Lady pilots breathe pure oxygen for as much as 14 hours straight

by Till Daisd May 31, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The U-2

Built in complete secrecy by Kelly Johnson and the Lockheed Skunk Works, the original U-2A first flew in August 1955. Early flights over the Soviet Union in the late 1950s provided the president and other US decision makers with key intelligence on Soviet military capability. In October 1962, the U-2 photographed the buildup of Soviet offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba, touching off the Cuban Missile Crisis. In more recent times, the U-2 Dragon Lady has provided intelligence during operations in Korea, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. When requested, the U-2 also provides peacetime reconnaissance in support of disaster relief from floods, earthquakes, and forest fires as well as search and rescue operations.

The U-2R, first flown in 1967, was 40 percent larger and more capable than the original aircraft. A tactical reconnaissance version, the TR-1A, first flew in August 1981 and was structurally identical to the U-2R. The last U-2 and TR-1 aircraft were delivered in October 1989; in 1992 all TR-1s and U-2s were designated as U-2Rs. Since 1994, $1.7 billion has been invested to modernize the U-2 airframe and sensors. These upgrades also included the transition to the GE F118-101 engine which resulted in the re-designation of all Air Force U-2 aircraft to the U-2S.

U-2 pilots breathe pure oxygen for as much as 14 hours straight

Despite all these upgrades, one thing that hasn’t changed much at all over the years is oxygen.

U-2 Avionics Technician explains why Dragon Lady pilots breathe pure oxygen for as much as 14 hours straight

‘[U-2 pilots] breathe pure oxygen for as much as 14 hours straight,’ Damien Leimbach, former USAF Avionics Technician on U-2 aircraft, says on Quora.

‘The plane flies at extreme altitudes (above 70K ft) which many people know. What most people don’t know is that the cockpit is not a pressure vessel. Look at the three panels under the windscreen in this photo.

‘Opening any of those up would allow a maintainer to look directly into the cockpit. The only thing holding the air inside is a thin smear of sealant, and some screws for the panel. As a result, the cockpit is only pressurized to the equivalent of about 29k ft, which for reference is roughly equal to standing at the top of Everest.

‘Why? To save weight. Putting a pilot in a space suit weighs less than building a pressure vessel into the plane.

U-2 pilots pre-breathing pure oxygen

‘You see that suitcase close to them? Yeah, that’s not their spare underwear and a toothbrush. It’s a liquid oxygen supply. They just spent an hour or more like this,

‘pre-breathing pure oxygen to purge his system of nitrogen.’

As highlighted above, one thing that hasn’t changed much at all over the years is oxygen: in fact, pre-breathing took place in the 1950s just like it takes place today.

Leimbach explains;

‘Just like scuba divers, rapid decompression in an emergency could cause the bends. So, the pilot will spend an hour or two before a mission taking a nap and breathing pure oxygen, then hooking up to the LOX case for the ride out to the jet, where PSD (physiological support division) will then connect him to the liquid oxygen supply on the jet. Then they get to spend the next 8–12 hours continuing to breathe pure oxygen during the mission. They do NOT mix the pure oxygen with air. That would defeat the purpose of the nitrogen purge. Anyone suggesting that this is somehow harmful or fatal to pilots needs to stop relying so much on bots so write her answers.

‘Here is a crew chief servicing the LOX tanks on the U-2.’

Photo by Staff Sgt. Kenny Holston, Airman 1st Class Luis A. Ruiz-Vazquez, Senior Airman Colville McFee, SrA Andrew Buchanan 9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs / U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin

May 31, 2024 0 comment

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