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militaryaircraft

USAF F-16 pilots cautioned by New Zealand authorities for flying “close to tree level” over Fox Glacier

by Till Daisd September 19, 2021

The incident took place during a pre-Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow training session, during which the F-16s approached the area from the south, flying close to tree level as they neared Fox Glacier

U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-16 pilots who took part in the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow in New Zealand have been cautioned by the local authorities after complaints that they flew “close to tree level” over Fox Glacier.

The incident is said to have taken place during a pre-show training session, during which the F-16s approached the area from the south, flying close to tree level as they neared Fox Glacier.

New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority said “no further incidents occurred” after “the Royal New Zealand Air Force reminded the pilots of New Zealand’s aviation rules.”

As reported by NZ Herald, Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow general manager Ed Taylor said he had been contacted by tourism operators who “expressed concern,” and he passed that on to USAF personnel in Christchurch, where the two F-16s were based the week before the air show.

The tourism operators, who were concerned about safety issues, told him the jets were “flying low in our airspace.”

When he contacted USAF personnel, they said they would talk to their aircrews.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) would also have “shown them where they could and couldn’t go and do that sort of flying”.

F-16 pilot Richard Smeeding said before the show the jet would “let me pull minus 3 to 9.0gs, go twice the speed of sound, rage through the mountains at 100ft fully loaded for war and all the time flying like an extension of my body.”

Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow is a biennial centerpiece of Central Otago’s tourist attractions. The airshow was conceived in 1988 by aviation entrepreneur Sir Tim Wallis who wanted to share his passion for Warbirds and Classic Aircraft with the public.

The first airshow and country fair attracted 14,000 visitors to Wanaka Airport.

Delighted with this success, he decided to expand on the theme and hold a biennial event over the long Easter weekend. As the show grew so did its support and now around 50,000 people make the pilgrimage to Wanaka for their weekend of excitement.

Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow that celebrated its 30th anniversary this year is acclaimed as the largest Warbird Airshow in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the world’s top four Warbird airshows.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

September 19, 2021 0 comment

F-14 Tomcat

Last Time Baby! Cool video features VF-103 Jolly Rogers last deployment flying the F-14 Tomcat

by Till Daisd September 18, 2021

written by Till Daisd

VF-103 Jolly Rogers made it’s last deployment flying the F-14B Tomcat in 2004 aboard the USS John F. Kennedy, conducting missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and the squadron transitioned to the F/A-18F Super Hornet in February of 2005

Called “VF-103 Jolly Rogers Combat Cruise 2004,” the following cool video features the squadron’s last deployment flying the iconic F-14 Tomcat.

As we have previously explained, following VF-84’s decommissioning in October 1995, the decision was made to retire the “Club and Cloverleaf” insignia of the VF-103 “Sluggers” and have Fighting 103 adopt the Jolly Roger insignia and the Tactical callsign, “Victory,” on Oct. 1, 1995. Prior to assuming the Jolly Rogers name and insignia, VF-103, commissioned in 1952, had consistently proven ready and willing to accomplish all assigned missions while flying successively more complex and more capable aircraft. VF-103 flew numerous sorties in the moonless skies over Vietnam and achieved the only night MiG kill of the entire conflict.

VF-103 made its last deployment flying the F-14B Tomcat in 2004 aboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), conducting missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and the squadron transitioned to the F/A-18F Super Hornet in February of 2005, becoming re-designated VFA-103. In October 2006, VFA-103 deployed with CVW-7 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) to the CENTCOM AOR in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and Horn of Africa Operations off the coast of Somalia. Returning in May 2007, the squadron completed an eight-month surge period.

In 2008, the Jolly Rogers transited the Straits of Magellan aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) during the Partnership of America’s deployment before beginning workups in June. The Jolly Rogers deployed again in February 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During five months of supporting coalition ground forces engaged in close combat with the enemy, the squadron led the air wing in kinetic effects.

Less than six months later, the Jolly Rogers returned to sea for a seven-month surge deployment beginning in January 2010 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). VFA-103 continued their role as Carrier Air Wing SEVEN’s (CVW-7’s) go-to squadron for the most demanding combat and combat support missions. While deployed, the Jolly Rogers led the air wing in combat operations, flying over 1850 sorties and nearly 5900 hours.

The squadron’s relentless effort to prepare for operations on the tip of the spear culminated in the successful delivery of 14 precision weapons, over 600 rounds of 20mm, and more than 80 non-kinetic shows of force/presence in direct support of coalition forces fighting in Afghanistan.

The Jolly Rogers most recently completed a cruise for the ages, embarked upon the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). During this deployment, the Jolly Rogers once again proved to be the most lethal squadron in the Air Wing (CVW-7), which saw them employing more Precision Guided Munitions (490 pieces of ordnance) than any other single squadron in Naval History.

Photo from video screenshot

Source: VFA-103 and U.S. Navy

September 18, 2021 0 comment

F-14 Tomcat

F-14 Cockpit Selfie – The Untold Story

by Till Daisd September 17, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“The F-14 Tomcat, with its huge canopy, spacious cockpit, and two-person crew, was perfect for selfies. Here’s the story behind one of my selfies that has gotten much more exposure than I ever expected. (Exposure, get it?),” Dave “Bio” Baranek, former F-14 Tomcat RIO

Although the word “selfie” didn’t come into popular use until the early 21st century, people have been taking self-photos since the dawn of photography. Pilots (and another aircrew) took selfies back in the day, and Wikipedia even shows a selfie that astronaut Buzz Aldrin took during a spacewalk in 1966.

I started carrying a camera shortly after I joined my first F-14 squadron (VF-24, 1981) and got comfortable enough in the jet. Pretty soon I was taking selfies. Being an RIO, I had a lot of space to work with: the whole area above the radar display was open, and with that spacious canopy I was limited only by my arm’s length and ability to push the shutter while holding the camera out. I shot with a typical 35 mm camera – it wasn’t too heavy, and with a little practice, I could manage the shutter. Here’s one of my early attempts:

That’s our wingman in the background. I might have gotten better results if I’d taken multiple shots or been more diligent in evaluating the results and adjusting my technique. But this was during a deployment in 1981-82 and of course, I was shooting on film, so it was about three weeks between the time I took the photo, mailed it to the USA for processing, and got the photos back. Selfies just weren’t a priority for me.

Another photo from that tour may be interesting, not as a selfie but because it gives a sense of what the F-14As’ TF30s looked like in zone 5 … at night … from the cockpit. In case you can’t quite tell what’s what, that’s my blurry face in helmet and oxygen mask on the left side of the image, and one of our tails above the burner glow. My tinted visor was up since it was nighttime. As I look at this now, I think of photos that I could’ve taken if someone had invented the digital camera about 20 years sooner.

After VF-24 I reported to Topgun as an instructor, where I managed to get a few decent selfies in the F-5F before and after the dynamic dogfights that filled our demanding flights. The F-5F had a roomy cockpit for such a small aircraft. This shot shows Topgun’s other two F-5Fs alongside my jet.

In 1987 I reported to my second F-14 squadron, VF-2, and was able to pursue photo ideas that had been percolating – including more selfies. By the way, we generally called them “face shots,” which was also the slang term for forward-quarter Sidewinder missile shots. At VF-2 I tried a few more dramatic shots such as this one taken just after the cat shot:

I was most likely influenced by the work of other RIOs, especially “Tumor” Twomey, who created some of the best “face shots.” His work can be seen in the commemorative book, Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Bye-Bye Baby…! Some pilots also took good selfies, such as “Nick” Nickell, who published some of his along with a great article on The Drive website.

After looking critically at my images, I realized that I needed a wide-angle lens and a way to mount the camera at a distance greater than my arm’s length. The wide-angle was easy, as I recall it cost around $40. The camera mount took a little thought, but eventually, I took a collapsible tripod and used zip ties (cable ties) to securely attach a Vise-Grip tool to one leg. Once we were airborne, to use the tripod I unstrapped from my ejection seat and clamped the Vise-Grip to a metal tab on the back of the pilot’s ejection seat! Believe me, I coordinated with my pilot before doing this, and I selected a tab that wasn’t movable. I also used a 6-foot cable release to take photos.

I was always looking for opportunities to get more coverage for VF-2, and one of the best publications at the time was the Tailhook Association magazine, The Hook. So I came up with the idea to take a photo of myself reading an issue of The Hook in the cockpit. The new wide-angle lens and tripod rig was perfect for this shot. Our combat air patrol (CAP) flights over the Indian Ocean provided the opportunity to get the shot since they were often solo airspace patrols, involving no “combat” and sometimes not even any training. I discussed the photo with my pilot, Pager, and he was game. I set up my equipment, got out a copy of The Hook, and shot about 10 frames as Pager did the gentle roll we’d discussed.
Three weeks later when I got the pictures, I saw one keeper:

None of the other shots were good, mostly because as we rolled inverted the cockpit was in shadow and no details could be seen. I sent in the photo and was happy to see it published in The Hook. Once we returned from deployment I gave the negative to the Miramar Photo Lab, which sent it to the Navy Office of Information in the Pentagon. Not much else happened until the Navy digitized their photo collection a few years later and made it available online. After that, this photo appeared in several publications, websites, and collections of humorous military photos – none of which crossed my mind when I shot the photo in 1987.

Looking at it now, there are two things I wish I’d done differently. First, I should’ve turned the other direction so the magazine front cover was more prominent, instead of the back cover. Second, I wish I’d made my own name visible somewhere; nametag, oxygen mask, something. But I can assure you, that’s me.

In addition to the Hook magazine photo, I used the rig to take a few other photos, such as this shot when I was flying with Lumpy in 1989 on a humid day above the Indian Ocean. The vapes on top of the wing and wingtip vortices were fascinating to see and I was glad to capture them.

If you’ve ever seen that photo of the aviator reading the magazine, now you know the full story. One more thing: The Hook is still a great magazine!

One sharp-eyed reader pointed out that the issue of The Hook magazine that Bio is reading in the cockpit selfie was the Spring 1989 issue, and he’s correct! That means the photo was taken in 1989 while flying with Lumpy, instead of in 1987 while flying with Pager.

September 17, 2021 0 comment

Carriers

LSO remotely takes over F/A-18 thanks to ATARI – no, not the iconic gaming system from the 80s

by Till Daisd September 17, 2021

written by Till Daisd

ATARI technology gives LSOs the ability to take over and maneuver aircraft during recovery operations

For the first time, a landing signals officer (LSO) was able to remotely take over a F/A-18 on the glide path and bring it aboard an aircraft carrier for a touch-and-go.

The technology, dubbed aircraft terminal approach remote inceptor (ATARI), was tested out at sea on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) last month.

“I was really impressed with LSO’s ability to get me to touch down,” said Lt. John Marino, a carrier suitability pilot from the “Salty Dogs” of Air test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23, and the first pilot to land on a flight deck using ATARI. “The conditions were really varsity (difficult), and it was really impressive the system worked the way it did. On a calm day, it would have been a little bit boring, but this was definitely more challenging.”

Developed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), ATARI was originally been tested in a Learjet in 2016, performing shore-based low approaches. In 2017, F/A-18s were fitted with this technology and after extensive testing and quality assurance, VX-23 was confident enough to test their system at sea.

“There was some nervousness because the sea state was so bad,” said Marino. “Back on the airfield, testing was benign.”

As told by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Josue L. Escobosa, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs, in the article Abraham Lincoln Tests ATARI, LSOs are capable of taking over an aircraft from up to five miles away using the ATARI. The system demonstrates a potential method for recovering an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by using the LSO’s ability to observe and fix glideslope and lineup errors. Though not intended to be a primary method for recovering aircraft, it does provide a relatively inexpensive backup system in the case and an LSO needs to step in and use their expertise and training to safely guide an aircraft.

LSO remotely takes over F/A-18 thanks to ATARI - no, not the iconic gaming system from the 80s — Landing signal officers work with the aircraft terminal to approach remote inceptor (ATARI) in preparation for incoming aircraft to land on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

Along with the ATARI, a van outfitted with the ATARI system was brought aboard and set up behind the LSO platform to allow the engineers to watch the approaches in real-time, monitor safety-of-flight data, and ensure passes were going smoothly. The van recorded flight data for engineers to analyze later and allowed VX-23 to test their system without having to install it Abraham Lincoln.

“We don’t have unmanned carrier-based vehicles in the fleet today, but they are coming soon, said Dan Shafer, a NAVAIR air vehicle engineer. “This is a potential alternative landing method and our system performed well.”

Much like its namesake, ATARI uses a joystick to control a UAV, or in this case for testing purposes, a F/A-18 outfitted with the system and a safety pilot sitting in the cockpit. The LSOs use the joysticks to make corrections and safely land the aircraft on the flight deck.

“We took the guy who’s flying the aircraft and we moved him to the LSO platform,” said Buddy Denham, a senior engineer at NAVAIR and creator of ATARI. “You’re effectively using little joystick controllers to guide a 40,000 lbs. airplane, and it’s almost like you’re playing a video game.”

Prior to landing, the aircraft first had to perform three wave-offs to ensure all conditions were safe and the system could indeed take over the aircraft while at sea. On the fourth approach, the system engineers and LSOs felt comfortable doing touch-and-goes.

“The deck was pitching significantly and yawing and rolling,” said Denham. “It was particularly difficult to land that day, and we showed it’s possible to use this system even when the conditions aren’t ideal.”

The ATARI testing was conducted over the course of two days in conjunction with carrier qualifications. Though not currently slated for fleet-wide implementation, yet the success gives it potential for future application. The ATARI engineers will analyze the data collected aboard Abraham Lincoln and make adjustments for further at-sea testing.

Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Clemente A. Lynch and Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Josue Escobosa / U.S. Navy

September 17, 2021 0 comment

Carriers

French Navy Rafales, E-2C deploying to Hampton Roads this month

by Till Daisd September 17, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The deployment will occur just before French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) is expected to complete a major maintenance period which started in 2015

The French Navy is bringing 12 Rafale Ms and one E-2C to Hampton Roads, Virginia for a deployment that will eventually see them embarking aboard USS George H.W. Bush.

Twenty-seven naval aviators will practice air–to–air and air–to–ground training missions from NAS Oceana and NS Norfolk – as well as Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress.

According to Wavy TV, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 will host French aircraft during their stay in Hampton Roads.

They will then proceed to spend two weeks aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Aviators from the French Navy will be in Hampton Roads starting in April to train with the U.S. Navy.

As we have previously explained the deployment will occur just before France’s aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) is expected to complete a major maintenance period which started in 2015.

However, even if the aircrews will do carrier qualifications aboard Bush, Capt. Jean-Emmanuel Roux de Luze, French Naval Attaché to the U.S. said last January that the aim of the attachment is beyond just carrier qualifications and cross-deck operations.

“We want to demonstrate our ability to integrate with U.S. military services,” Roux de Luze said. “We want to show we do maintenance, demonstrate we can load weapons.”

He said that this kind of joint operation is aimed to demonstrate how the services can work together. “With the U.S. Navy, the technology used, procedures, communications equipment are all basically the same,” Rouz de Luze pointed out.

French carriers in fact have similar catapult systems to U.S. carriers.

“Embarking our French allies and 13 Marine Nationale aircraft demonstrates our interoperability to deliver sustained air power from the sea. This underway is greater than two professional navies working together; rather we are flying side by side as one team,” Capt. Sean Bailey, USS George H.W. Bush commanding officer, said in a statement.

French Rafale fighters to operate from USS George H.W. Bush this spring

The training is slated to last from early April to mid-May.

September 17, 2021 0 comment

Airshows

Crew member killed in Red Arrows Hawk crash at RAF Valley

by Till Daisd September 13, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The engineer was killed, while the pilot survived the crash and is believed to have ejected shortly before the Hawk aircraft hit the ground at the base in Anglesey

According to U.k. Ministry of Defence, a Red Arrows Hawk jet (reportedly “Red 3”) crashed shortly after take-off at RAF Valley in north Wales, on Mar. 20, 2018.

As explained by The Telegraph two people – the pilot and the engineer – were on board the Hawk aircraft which crashed at the RAF base in Anglesey.

The engineer was killed, while the pilot survived the crash and is believed to have ejected shortly before the Hawk aircraft hit the ground at the base in Anglesey.

An RAF spokesman said: “It is with great sadness that the MoD must confirm the death of an engineer from the RAF Aerobatics Team (the Red Arrows) in a tragic accident today.

“The serviceman’s family have been informed and have asked for a period of grace before further details are released. The pilot of the aircraft survived the incident and is currently receiving medical care.”

The aircraft crashed at around 1.30 pm shortly after take-off as the Hawk was due to head back to the Red Arrows base at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

A plume of black smoke could be seen billowing over the base as witnesses claimed they saw the aircraft burst into flames.

The Red Arrows had been training on RAF Valley’s flight simulators ahead of the forthcoming display season.

Sources said North Wales Police will lead a full investigation into the crash.

An MoD spokesman said: “We are aware of an incident today at RAF Valley involving a Hawk aircraft.

“We are investigating the incident and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

The Royal Air Force asked to send in any information or pictures of the incident, urging the public not to share them on social media.

Witness Sian Williams told the Daily Post: “I was sat at Rhosneigr train station waiting for the train and you can see the airfield from there.

“I was watching the Red Arrow flying because you hardly ever see them and then it looked like it was about to land.

“The next thing I saw was the parachute and then the plane hit the runway and went up in flames.”

Local aviation enthusiast Wyn Evans said the aircraft took off and then got into difficulty.

He said it continued banking towards the railway line and back again towards the airfield.

It then approached the runway and he saw two people eject before the Hawk crashed on the airfield.

Noteworthy this was the third Red Arrows accident in seven years following two fatalities in 2011.

In August 2011, Flt Lt Jon Egging was killed during an air show near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset.

Egging was the first Red Arrows pilot to die in a crash for 33 years. His wife Emma had been watching him perform just minutes before he went down.

Three months later, Red Arrows pilot Flt Lt Sean Cunningham died after being blown 300ft into the air when the ejection seat in his Hawk T1 fired as he prepared for taking–off at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.

An inquest heard that the pilot died of multiple injuries when he hit the ground and his life would have been saved if his parachute had opened.

Photo by BBC

September 13, 2021 0 comment

Carriers

Check out this video of when a typical U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing was filled with many beautiful, colorful and different aircraft

by Till Daisd September 10, 2021

written by Till Daisd

There was a time when the Carrier Air Wings crowded the decks with airplanes of different shapes, sizes and capabilities

Today a typical U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing (CVW) is associated with the McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing, F/A-18 variants.

In fact, the typical mix of a current CVW is one F/A-18F (two-seat) Super Hornet squadron, and three single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet squadrons or a mix of F/A-18E Super Hornet and F/A-18C Hornet squadrons and it’s becoming common seeing the Strike Fighters Squadrons (VFA) equipped only with Super Hornets which are replacing the oldest legacy Hornets. Another version of the F/A-18, the EA-18G Growler has replaced the EA-6B in the Electronic Warfare role. The CVW is completed with the E-2 Hawkeye for the Airborne Early Warning (AEW) mission and with the SH/MH-60 Seahawk as Search And Rescue (SAR) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) platform. The logistic duty of the Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) is provided by the C-2 Greyhound.

As we can see the today’s flight deck is nearly all Hornet.

But, as the beautiful video in this post shows, there was a time when the Carrier Air Wings crowded the decks with airplanes of different shapes, sizes, and capabilities. Called Air Power at Sea, the clip includes several footages used for the motion picture “The Final Countdown”, during which the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) travels through time to the day before the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

This video shows the typical composition of a CVW between the end of the 1970s and the early 1980s. In fact, the Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8) then embarked onboard the Nimitz consisted of two Fighter Squadrons equipped with the F-14 Tomcat, one medium Attack Squadron which flew with the A-6 Intruder, and two light Attack Squadrons that flew the A-7 Corsair II, while a dedicated version of the Intruder, the KA-6D, ensured the aerial refueling. Another A-6 variant, the EA-6B Prowler, was the dedicated electronic attack platform, while the S-3 Viking performed both the ASW and the Sea Control duties. The CVW was completed by the E-2C Hawkeye for the AEW mission and with the SH-3 Sea King for SAR role, whilst another Grumman bird, the C-1 Trader still flanked the C-2 as COD.

As it can be noticed, not only a wide variety of aircraft composed a standard CVW, but the Grumman Aerospace Corporation, the builder of the historic airplane for the U.S. Navy, still ruled the deck of the flattops. Today with the F-14 and the A-6 retired and the EA-6B replaced by the Growler, the only Grumman Ironworks product left in the CVWs is the E-2, with the Hawkeye fleet upgrading to the D variant.

Once the CVWs were also more colorful: as you can see in the video, in fact, most of the aircraft were painted in beautiful high visibility liveries, even if the F-14 Tomcats from the VF-41 Black Aces already sported the low visibility markings, a steady constant of today Carrier Air Wings airplanes.

Photo by Pinterest

September 10, 2021 0 comment

Civil

IMPRESSIVE VIDEO SHOWS SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BOEING 737-700 SUFFERING ENGINE COMPRESSOR STALL BEFORE CONDUCTING EMERGENCY LANDING

by Till Daisd September 9, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The Boeing 737-700 crew decided to return to the airport “after receiving a cockpit indication of a performance issue with one of the aircraft engines. Following established protocol and procedures, the pilots completed an uneventful landing,” Southwest Airlines statement

Taken from one of the passengers aboard Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N431WN performing flight WN-604 from Salt Lake City, UT to Los Angeles, CA (USA) with 110 people on board, the following interesting video shows the aircraft right engine suffering a compressor stall 25 minutes after the takeoff.

According to the video description, the Boeing was climbing out Salt Lake City when the crew reported they were experiencing an engine compressor stall. The crew leveled off at 10,000 feet, shut down the engine, and returned safely to Salt Lake City.

As reported by CNN passenger Crystal Bangerter was taking her first flight ever when she saw “huge flames just coming right out of the engine.” “Suddenly there was a huge explosion,” she explained. “I kinda looked over and saw the look on my husband’s face, and I knew right away that this wasn’t normal.”

Passenger Traci Scarce said she heard a loud pop that sounded like a boom. “What do you do? You’ve got shooting flames out the engine. It’s crazy,” Scarce told the station.

Southwest Flight 604 left its gate in Salt Lake City around 6:38 a.m., according to tracking site FlightAware, and landed back at Salt Lake City International Airport around 7:20 a.m. Throughout the ordeal, the crew stayed calm and landed the plane safely, passenger Torrence Elegante pointed out.

Passengers took another plane to Los Angels.

The pilots decided to return to the airport “after receiving a cockpit indication of a performance issue with one of the aircraft engines. Following established protocol and procedures, the pilots completed an uneventful landing,” Southwest said in a statement to CNN affiliate KTVX.

September 9, 2021 0 comment

Airshows

75 Years of Airpower: the 2016 Aviation Nation Air Show highlights

by Till Daisd September 8, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The Aviation Nation Air Show also featured the final performance of the year for the United States Air Force Thunderbirds

As explained by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum, 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs in his article Aviation Nation highlights “75 Years of Airpower,” Aviation Nation, Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) air show and open house, took place on Nov. 12-13, showing off numerous acts from past and present while giving the community the chance to interact with Airmen.

“Nellis, Creech, and the Nevada Test and Training Range have enjoyed decades of support from the communities across Southern Nevada,” said Col. Paul Murray, 99th Air Base Wing commander. “The open house and air show is just one way to give back and show our gratitude for all the support the community provides to our Airmen.”

Noteworthy the air show offered members from the community and those who traveled from abroad a chance to view multiple acts and experience the unique aspects of what occurs at Nellis AFB.

An RV-6 lands after an aerial demonstration during the Aviation Nation air show on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Nov. 11, 2016. The aircraft was one of more than 60 acts and static displays showcased during the two-day event. More than 300,000 spectators came from around the world to watch the performances. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum/Released)

“Ranging from Vicky Benzing’s 1940 World War II Stearman to present-day 5th Generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35, variety and heritage are showcased this year,” explained Murray. “With more than 100 static displays bringing in everything from a DC 10 water drop, to a smoke and thunder jet car, and of course our Nellis capabilities featuring air-to-air and air-to-ground demos.”

By means of these acts and air shows static displays, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) strengthens its bonds with the surrounding community.

Lt. Col. Ron “Elvis” King and Jim Harkins, pilots from Holloman AFB, N.M., perform aerial acts in QF-4 Aerial Targets during the Aviation Nation air show on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Nov. 11, 2016. The event brought more than 295,000 spectators to view one of their final performances before retiring the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by A1C Kevin Tanenbaum/Released)

“There are many aerial acts and static aircraft during the Nellis Air Show which are snapshots of aviation history,” pointed out Murray. “The air show gives Nellis AFB an opportunity to demonstrate the Air Force’s mission and military capabilities, as well as the skill and professionalism of the Airmen assigned here.”

A B-25 Mitchell World War II bomber aircraft flies in front of the crowd during an air-to-ground demonstration at the Aviation Nation air show on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Nov. 13, 2016. The many aerial acts and static aircraft displayed during the Nellis Air Show are snapshots of 75 years of aviation history. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum/Released)

Actually, the biennial open house included demonstrations from many exciting aircraft including F-18 Hornet, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, F-86 Sabre, C-17 Globemaster, and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

The airshow also featured static displays of aircraft such as A-10 Thunderbolt, C-5 Galaxy, B-1B Lancer, CH-47 Chinook, HH-60 Pave-Hawk, KC-10 Extender, P-51 Mustang, MV-22 Osprey, MQ-1 and MQ-9 drones, and many more.

Staff Sgt. Kenneth, 432nd Wing MQ-9 sensor operator, stands in front of an MQ-9 Reaper during Aviation Nation Nov. 11, 2016, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Kenneth, along with many other maintenance, intelligence, and aircrew members of Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, briefed spectators about the capabilities and basic functions of the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christian Clausen/Released)

To strengthen this relationship, the 2016 Aviation Nation “75 Years of Airpower” Air Show played host to a record number of attendees from all around the globe and also featured the final performance of the year for the United States Air Force Thunderbirds.

“This event also marks the end of the air show season for the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron ‘Thunderbirds’ who will thrill their hometown crowd with precision and professionalism,” said Murray.

According to Jones, Aviation Nation played host to more than 300,000 spectators from the community.

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron performs in the last show of 2016 during the Aviation Nation air show on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Nov. 13, 2016. Aviation Nation hosted spectacular aerial demonstrations, static displays and featured the Air Force Thunderbirds. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum/Released)

Photo by U.S. Air Force

September 8, 2021 0 comment

Carriers

GORGEOUS VINTAGE FOOTAGE FEATURES JAGUAR M TRIALS ABOARD CLEMENCEAU AIRCRAFT CARRIER

by Till Daisd September 7, 2021

written by Till Daisd

French Navy opted to buy the Super Etendard which was no better or worse than the Jaguar M, but yet again it was the chance to buy a solely home grown product against one jointly developed with the British

Taken in 1970, the interesting footage in this post shows the trials of the short-lived Jaguar M aboard the French carrier Clemenceau.

Noteworthy the Jaguar M was the only variant of the type to incorporate a number of modifications. The aircraft had to conduct trials to look at the chance of the Jaguar M being operated by the French Navy from its aircraft carriers. The Jaguar M could perform lightweight strike operations and appear ideally suited to the role with its strong undercarriage, ability to carry a useful weapon load, and also the lower cost and that development were well underway. Politically it was better than purchasing aircraft from the U.S.

As explained by Glenn Ashley says in his book SEPECAT Jaguar In Action, the Jaguar M differed from the S by way of having an extendable twin nose wheel, single main wheels on strengthened undercarriage legs. Also, it was fitted with a 5..5-G capable arrestor hook and catapult fittings under the lower forward fuselage.

The sole Jaguar M, M05/F-ZWRJ, made its maiden flight on Nov. 14, 1969, at Melun-Villaroche with an initial flight lasting about an hour. The aircraft was then flown to Bedford in England for trials on the land-based deck set up there. The trials were a success and so the aircraft proceeded to the next stage, full sea trials.

Gorgeous vintage footage features Jaguar M trials aboard Clemenceau aircraft carrier

For the purpose of sea trials, the French Navy had made the carrier Clemenceau available, and on Jul. 8 the Jaguar M made its first true carrier deck landing. For the next couple of days, checks were made to see that no stress damage had been inflicted on the aircraft, and on Jul. 10 the aircraft was prepared for its first catapult launch. This took place without a hitch, and so the trials continued until Jul. 13 by which 12 take off and landings had been completed.

Towards the end of July, the aircraft returned to Bedford to carry out preparatory trials for carrier operations with various stores fitted.

On Oct. 20 the second series of trials began aboard Clemenceau, and it was during these trials that disaster very nearly struck.

The Jaguar failed to catch the arrestor wire and was struggling to gain enough power to lift cleanly from the deck in order to make another approach to the wire. The pilot just managed to keep the aircraft from hitting the water and managed to make a successful landing on the second attempt. The cause of the near-crash was put down to the slow response from the throttle and engines which left the French Naval officials less than impressed.

Another problem that was creeping in was the growing development costs which would mean that only half the planned order would be able to be bought. Even more so when the final cost was measured against purchasing A-4 Skyhawks or A-7 Corsairs from the U.S. Finally, the Navy’s patience snapped and they announced that they would be buying the Super Etendard, against the wishes of the French Government. The Etendard was no better or worse than the Jaguar, but yet again it was the chance to buy a solely homegrown product against one jointly developed with the British.

The prototype Jaguar M was then simply reduced to flying tests with the Navy before it made its last flight on Dec. 12, 1975. It was delivered to Rochefort to become a ground instructional machine.

Photo by BAE Systems

September 7, 2021 0 comment

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