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planes

SR-71 pilot tells when he revealed Blackbird’s true top speed

by Till Daisd January 3, 2024

‘At some point in the evening, the F-111 guys began to press me, in a good-natured way, for classified information about the SR-71. Probably the most frequently asked Blackbird question is, how high and how fast does it really fly?’ Gil Bertelson, former SR-71 Blackbird pilot

No reconnaissance aircraft in history has operated globally in more hostile airspace or with such complete impunity as the SR-71, the world’s fastest jet-propelled aircraft. The Blackbird represented the highest point in aviation technology development during the Cold War due to its performance and operational accomplishments.

The SR-71 could cover 100,000 square miles of land per hour while traveling at Mach 3+, or three times the speed of sound, or more than 2,000 mph, at an altitude of 80,000 feet.

Now, the question that people ask most often when discussing the SR-71 Blackbird is probably, “How high and how fast does it really fly?“

In the book SR-71 Blackbird Stories, Tales and Legends by Richard H. Graham, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Gil Bertelson, a former SR-71 pilot, recalls:

‘When I first joined the SR-71 program, there was one permanent operating location for SR-71s at Kadena AB. The unit at Kadena was known as Detachment 1 (or Det 1) of the 9th SRW. Habus were deployed to Det 1 for six weeks at a time, and each crew made the trip four to six times a year. About twice a year, there was a requirement to temporarily activate an additional Det at RAF Mildenhall in England. Although we’d had two SR-71s permanently stationed at RAF Mildenhall since 1981, it wasn’t until April 5, 1984, that Prime Minister Thatcher formally announced SR-71s would be permanently based at Mildenhall. This unit was known as Det. 4 of the 9th SRW. Dets 2 and 3 of the 9th SRW were U-2 operating locations at Osan AB, Korea, and RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, respectively.

The incredible story of the SR-71 Blackbird that flew an eleven-hour-long mission from Kadena to the Persian Gulf and back

‘There was a significantly different flying environment between the two detachments. The weather was almost at opposite ends of the spectrum. The missions were not quite as “routine” as many of the Okinawa missions.

‘Because of the more demanding missions at Mildenhall, each new SR-71 crew had to fly its first operational sorties at Kadena. Every SR crew lobbied long and hard to get on the schedule for Mildenhall. And London was not far away!

‘Frank Stampf, my RSO crewmate on the SR-71, and I were fortunate to get on the schedule for Mildenhall after only two trips to Okinawa. For both of us, it was like going home. Just before entering the SR-71 program, Frank had been stationed at RAF Alconbury for about four years as an RF-4 crew dog. And I had been stationed at RAF Lakenheath for a couple of years. As the “crow flies,” Alconbury is only 30 miles from Mildenhall, and Lakenheath is only 3 miles from Mildenhall. We were both anxious to visit the old flying buddies we had known and worked with in our careers before we became Habus.

‘On one occasion, I arranged to meet several of my F-111 friends at Lakenheath Officers’ Club for dinner. We met in the bar and had a few drinks (as a real, live, dyed-in-the-wool teetotaler, I assume I was drinking grapefruit juice or 7-Up). We shared numerous laughs while trying to outdo each other with tales of unequaled courage and great feats of airmanship. I’m sure our hands were getting a good workout—pilots gesticulate a lot!

‘At some point in the evening, the Aardvark (F-111 nickname) guys began to press me, in a good-natured way, for classified information about the SR-71. Probably the most frequently asked Blackbird question is: How high and how fast does it really fly? That question was being actively pursued that night at Lakenheath.

‘I need to back up about a year and a half to set the stage as to why they seemed intent on pushing that particular question. In most Air Force buildings, at least the flying squadron buildings I used to frequent, there were numerous locations where the base fire marshal had posted information regarding fire classifications and appropriate reactions upon discovering different types of fires. These posters were displayed in the restrooms, in the halls, near the duty desks, in the crew briefing rooms, and next to all of the fire extinguishers. I can’t remember all the specifics other than there was one fire classification identified as a category or type 3.

‘At some point in my application for assignment to the SR-71, I was requested to go to Beale for my “tryout” for the Blackbird program. The whole process, from departing Lakenheath until returning back to Lakenheath took about two weeks. During the visit to Beale, I heard and read a number of times that the unclassified speed of the SR-71 was listed as Mach 3-plus. A “3+” patch is displayed on flight suits worn by SR-71 squadron crewmembers.

Remembering Gil Bertelson, the SR-71 driver that saw three sunrises on one particular Blackbird mission

‘When I arrived back to Lakenheath, I was really pumped up and excited about the prospects of being selected to fly the SR-71. I didn’t want to forget the experiences I had at Beale or to lose sight of my goal. To help me remember and to keep my attention focused on what I wanted to do, I began adding a black grease pencil + sign to all of the 3s on the fire code posters. There were many added + signs around the base that the very diligent safety officer in 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron actually called the base fire marshal to get information about this “new classification.” When he was told there was no such thing as a code 3+, he finally figured it out and started looking for me. I was given a “cease and desist” order and one by one, he began erasing my “unauthorized” + signs.

‘Now back to the “O” Club a year and a half later. My dinner partners remembered the fuss over the posters and figured now was an appropriate time and place to get the real scoop as to how high and how fast the Blackbird really did fly. They were curious as to what kind of speed that little + sign actually equated to.

‘I played along for a while, dragging out the inevitable answer of Mach 3-plus, which, when all was said and done, was all I really could tell them anyway. I finally got them leaning in toward me as we sat around the dinner table. I did a pretty good acting job as I began nervously looking around the room be sure no one else was eavesdropping on what they thought would be a classified conversation.

‘I have to momentarily divert again. A wonderful aviation poem was written the early days of powered flight. The author is John Gillespie Magee Jr. The poem is entitled “High Flight.” Some of you may remember this poem being recited by Orson Wells late in the evening by TV stations that were about to sign off the air for the night. Yes, there actually was a time when television didn’t operate 24 hours a day. As Orson Wells recited this poem with his marvellously deep and resonant voice, the final TV pictures for the day were that a T-38 dashing in and out of clouds and doing aileron rolls, etc. It was a combination of sight and sound that stirred the blood and emotions of everyone who had the slightest interest in airplanes and the wonders of flight. The poem is as follows:

“Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter, silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds—and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or eagle flew.

And while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”

‘Back to the “O” Club again. With the guys leaning in to hang on every word I was about to speak, I said something like, “You’ve got to promise not to tell a soul what I am going to tell you now. If you do, I’ll deny it till the day I die. I’m sure you know I shouldn’t be talking about this at all. You know how high the pile will be that they’ll stick me in if you tell anyone else.” As they gathered closer to make sure they didn’t miss anything, I said, “I can’t specific numbers, but I can give you a point of reference you can use to figure it out. You know the part in ‘High Flight’—where it talks about putting out your hand to touch the face of God?” Well,” I added, “when we’re at speed and altitude in the SR, we have to slow down and descend in order to do that.”

‘So, the word’s out. Feel free to share this information with anyone you’d care to tell. You can even use me as the source document. I’m retired now, so who cares?’

Photo by Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force

January 3, 2024 0 comment

History

The final mission out of Vietnam before Saigon fell was flown by this C-130A Hercules

by Till Daisd January 2, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Before Saigon fell, on April 29, 1975, C-130A Hercules with tail number 56-0518 completed the final mission out of Vietnam

C-130A Hercules, tail number 56-0518, completed the final mission out of Vietnam on April 29, 1975, just before Saigon fell.

On August 23, 1957, 56-0518 was admitted into the US Air Force (USAF) inventory. According to Master Sgt. Jeff Walston, the 913th Airlift Group was initially stationed at the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee, as mentioned in the article Last “Herk” out of Vietnam. It was in service with multiple Air Force units from 1964 to 1972. The aircraft was sent to the South Vietnamese Air Force on November 2, 1972, as part of the Nixon administration’s effort to support that nation’s defense through the Military Assistance Program against the communist forces who were invading the country from the North.

The day before Saigon fell, on April 29, 1975, North Vietnamese forces destroyed almost every aircraft on the Tan Son Nhut Air Base flightline, totaling over 100 aircraft. The only C-130 to escape destruction was 0-5-1-8.

Maj. Phuong, a South Vietnamese instructor pilot, and his crew were getting ready to take away the last operational aircraft from the demolished Tan Son Nhut air base.

Hundreds of fleeing refugees scrambled in a frenzy to board this last operational C-130, their only hope for freedom. The throng pressed themselves into every nook and cranny, to the point that the humans positioned on the rear ramp prevented it from closing.

The loadmaster alerted Phoung, who had little choice except to slowly taxi the aircraft forward before using the brakes and forcing the passengers forward. The ramp closed.

It would require all of Phuong’s flying skill and more runway than was available to get the laden aircraft off the ground, but the C-130 managed to take to the skies.

Phoung was lost over the Gulf of Siam, delaying his intended 80-minute flight to the safety of Thailand. After locating a map and making adjustments, the C-130 touched down at Utapao Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand three and a half hours later.

There were 452 people on board in total, 32 of whom were in the cockpit. The airplane needed to use every foot of the runway in order to take off because it was overloaded by at least 10,000 pounds. On this historic flight, no lives were lost.

Following the landing, the aircraft was reclaimed by the US Air Force and subsequently assigned to the Oklahoma Air National Guard in 1976. In 1979, the aircraft was assigned to Nashville, Tennessee’s 118th Tactical Airlift Group (ANG). The aircraft, which was retired to Little Rock AFB in 1989, is on display at the main gate. It was originally assigned to the 62d Troop Carrier Squadron and the 314th Troop Carrier Wing.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

January 2, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

The US Navy A-4 pilot who fell asleep on a cross-country flight and was woken up by ATC

by Till Daisd January 1, 2024

written by Till Daisd

‘This one pilot had made the Yuma run in a TA-4J on Friday and was returning to Jacksonville on Sunday. Due to the time zone shift it’s likely that he was tired,’ David Tussey, former US Navy A-7E Corsair II pilot

According to a 2013 survey conducted by a pilots’ union, almost half of airline and commercial pilots fall asleep while piloting an aircraft. Out of the 56% of pilots who acknowledged sleeping, 29% said to the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) that they wake up to discover their fellow pilot dozing.

What about military pilots? What happens if a fighter jet pilot falls asleep while flying?

‘Here’s a sea story, or as they say, “this is a no-shitter”,’ David Tussey, former US Navy A-7E Corsair II pilot, says on Quora.

‘I had just arrived at NAS Cecil Field in 1974 to begin training in the A-7E. There was also an A-4 squadron stationed there, VA-45.

‘One weekend, an A-4 pilot (whose name I can’t definitively recall) was scheduled to make a “parts run” to MCAS Yuma where the A-7 RAG squadron had a detachment. Ready-to-replace parts were often loaded in an external store and ferried out to the Yuma detachment over the weekend, returning with a load of the replacement items. Fun stuff and good cross-country flying.

‘When you returned from MCAS Yuma to NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, FL, you almost always arrived at night due to the three-zone time difference. Often quite late at night, depending on when you depart the west. It’s nearly a full “across the US flight” from Arizona to Florida.

‘This one pilot had made the Yuma run in a TA-4J on Friday and was returning to Jacksonville on Sunday. There’s no evidence he was intoxicated; in fact, he was pretty straight-laced, but due to the time zone shift, it’s likely that he was at least tired.

‘The flight from Yuma to Jacksonville in a TA-4J requires two legs, with a refueling stop mid-way at, say, Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City or a similar military base located in the mid-west.

‘On the second leg of the flight that Sunday evening, with the autopilot flying the airplane due east and night falling, the pilot apparently fell asleep. ATC could not raise radio contact and started treating the aircraft as a lost radio incident as the aircraft crossed Louisiana and into northern Florida.

‘However, as the aircraft approached Jacksonville, it did not descend to land (weather was VFR). Instead, the aircraft continued to fly straight-and-level right over Jacksonville and out over the Atlantic Ocean.

‘Well, now ATC is in a panic—has the pilot become incapacitated? What’s gone wrong here?

‘FINALLY, about 50 miles out over the Atlantic, ATC awakened the pilot, who finally woke up and astonishingly acted like nothing had happened!! He turned the airplane around, and despite being way, way too low on fuel DID NOT declare an emergency!

‘He overflew two military airports on his way back to NAS Cecil, …and low and behold finally made it back to NAS Cecil Field, landed safely, taxied into the flight line. Shut down the aircraft. Filled out the paper work and went home… just another day at the office.

‘From when the pilot awakened until he landed at NAS Cecil Field was well over 150 miles, all with the low fuel light illuminated, and well over 30 minutes.

‘Scared the living bejeezus out of everyone.

‘When the details of this emerged, as you can imagine, the Squadron CO, Jax Approach, CO of NAS Cecil Field, were absolutely livid. The Squadron CO even went so far to dip the fuel tank (used a stick to measure the fuel remaining) and found there was 4 gallons left. FOUR GALLONS! What really fried the CO’s ass was that this pilot never declared an emergency despite the extreme low fuel state, and overflew two perfectly good military divert bases instead of landing immediately.

‘Not sure what happened after that. There was no damage done to Navy property, just some very poor judgment and headwork, followed by a major, major ass chewing.

‘But man, that was quite the story around Naval Aviation and particularly at NAS Cecil Field, always ending with a “he did what?”.’

Photo by U.S. Navy

January 1, 2024 0 comment

History

SR-71 vs. A-12: Project Nice Girl

by Till Daisd December 31, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Code-named “Nice Girl,” the recon fly-off between the A-12 and the SR-71 took place between October 20 and November 3, 1967

Unofficially referred to as the “Blackbird,” the SR-71 is a sophisticated, long-range strategic reconnaissance aircraft. Dec. 22, 1964, saw the first SR-71 flight, and in January 1966, the 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base (AFB), California, received the aircraft. On January 26, 1990, the US Air Force (USAF) retired its fleet of SR-71 aircraft due to rising operating expenses and a dwindling defense budget.

For almost 24 years, the SR-71 held the record for being the fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft in the world. It could cover 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from 80,000 feet. The SR-71 was derived from the A-12 Oxcart, another Mach 3 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.

The CIA operated the A-12, but its operational lifetime was short-lived because the CORONA reconnaissance satellite, which was first launched in June 1959, began providing worldwide imagery without much of the risk associated with airborne reconnaissance. The A-12 was retired in 1968 as a result of the SR-71 joining the US Air Force (USAF) at the same time. Why did the A-12 Oxcart lose out to the SR-71 Blackbird?

Code-named “Nice Girl,” the recon fly-off between the A-12 and the SR-71 took place over the United States from October 20 to November 3, 1967. It involved refueling and flying identical routes one hour apart on three different days, and both aircraft completed the entire sortie with collection sensors operational.

The SR-71 performed well on the first attempt, but the A-12 had an issue. The situation was the opposite on the second day. Both aircraft completed the trip successfully on day three. That day, there was an undercast over the northern region (from California to Kentucky); therefore, the SR-71 was able to collect ELINT and SLR data while the A-12 could only take pictures of the clouds. Both increased speed and altitude over the Gulf of Mexico after receiving air refueling. The weather was CAVU from New Orleans to the San Francisco area, and both aircraft were able to provide all of the data they needed for the evaluation.

The aircrews that took part in the program were:

Lt. Col. Al Hichew and I, Maj. Tom Schmittou, flew mission #1.
Maj. John Storrie and Maj. Coz Mallozzi flew mission #2 Maj.
Bill Campbell and Capt. Al Pennington flew mission #3.
Jack Weeks flew all three A-12 missions.

The first two flight days were inconclusive. Intelligence evaluators concluded that the SR-71 was a better overall investment after the third day of flying. While the A-12s’ cameras were superior due to their wider swath and higher resolution, the SR-71 was able to gather a greater variety of intelligence than the CIA aircraft. These additional sensors included side-looking airborne radar, infrared detectors, and ELINT-collection devices required for the SR-71 post-nuclear strike reconnaissance mission.

The conclusion was that they picked the SR-71 to continue flying. The A-12s were retired. The A-12s were put in hangars until 1984.

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

Photo by Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force

December 31, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

The Blackbird’s nose has two small dents that prevent surface-to-air missiles from hitting the SR-71

by Till Daisd December 30, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Their placement was for the sophisticated ECM systems the SR-71 Blackbird got in the 1970s and 1980s but they are not dents

The SR-71 Blackbird collected intelligence in some of the most dangerous settings in the world during its service. For almost 24 years, the SR-71 held the record for being the fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft in the world. It could cover 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from 80,000 feet.

Because of the extreme temperatures, altitudes, and speeds at which it was designed to operate, the SR-71 was the first aircraft built with titanium, since the friction produced by air molecules passing onto its surface at Mach 2.6 would have melted an aluminum frame.

Its engineering was so advanced that new tools had to be created in order to assemble the SR-71.

Richard-Butch-Sheffield-and-Bob-Spencer — Richard Butch Sheffield and Bob Spencer

When the former SR-71 RSO Richard “Butch” Sheffield’s daughter would visit him at the Udvar Air and Space Smithsonian Museum in Virginia, he would point to the nose of the SR-71 Blackbird. Butch got his moniker from his 1960s hairdo. He would point to the dimples and say, “This is really important, but I can’t talk about it.”

He would smile. She could just tell him he wanted to tell her, but he didn’t.

When he and Bob Spencer intercepted the SA-5 Missile Signal as it was approaching the Russian border, it was one of the most significant missions they conducted in the SR-71. Receiving that signal was important to the SR-71’s defense. An SR-71 was never shot down; none ever got close to it. It was impossible due to defense and speed.

The nose is coming off! How a T-38 trainer helped a SR-71 that was losing her nose section in flight to RTB — SR-71 Nose Section

In his book “SR-71 The Complete Illustrated History of THE BLACKBIRD The World’s Highest, Fastest Plane,” former Blackbird pilot Col. Richard H. Graham claims that the SR-71’s nose section allowed the installation of a ballast, an advanced synthetic aperture radar system (ASARS) for radar imaging, or an optical bar camera (OBC) for photographic imaging while the faun-massive fasteners held the part of the nose in place.

However, her doubts remained unanswered.

What are those two little dents on the nose of the SR-71 Blackbird?

‘I’m assuming you’re talking about the two “dents” in the Chinese at the front part of the nose, one on each side? Those aren’t dents; those were put there on purpose for the more advanced ECM systems the Blackbird got in the ’70s and ‘80s,’ says Kelly Pedron, an aviation expert, on Quora.

‘There weren’t any good places to put the ECM receivers in the front of the aircraft, so those “dents” were put in the chine to allow the installation of ECM receivers there. If you’ll notice, the flat part of the “dent” is facing about 60 degrees forward in order to cover that quadrant of the airspace around the aircraft. Earlier models of the SR, including the A-12, were more concerned with attack radar signals from the rear, so front-mounted ECM receivers weren’t as necessary at the time. With the advent of more advanced Soviet SAM systems, like the S-200 and S-300, a forward warning receiver and jammer were required, hence the development of the so-called ECM “dents” in the nose.’

Pedron concludes;

‘So, yes, those were put there on purpose; nobody accidentally taxied an SR-71 into a solid object.’

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

Photo by Linda Sheffield Miller and U.S. Air Force

December 30, 2023 0 comment

History

The F-15 that broke eight Time-to-Climb World Records

by Till Daisd December 29, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The F-15 Streak Eagle was extensively modified, with as much weight reduction as possible, to carry out his mission.

When McDonnell Aircraft was chosen to compete in the second phase of the US Air Force’s FX competition in 1967, the company developed the concept for the F-15. Faced with the F-4 Phantom II, which was becoming known as a formidable fighter, McDonnell applied lessons acquired from the Vietnam War on the changing nature of jet-age air-to-air combat for his competition against Fairchild Hiller and North American Rockwell. Following over two years of rigorous testing and assessment, the Air Force awarded McDonnell Douglas the contract for the F-15 Advanced Tactical Fighter on December 23, 1969. Out of the three competitors, the McDonnell Douglas team had the lowest contract price and placed first in each phase of the competition.

The F-15 proved to be an extremely useful test aircraft in addition to being the world’s greatest air superiority fighter.

F-15 Streak Eagle aircrews — Streak Eagle Drivers: Maj. Roger Smith, Maj. Dave W. Peterson, and Maj. William R. “Mack” MacFarlane

The 19th pre-production aircraft, airframe 72-0119, was involved in one of the most interesting experimental programs of the Eagle. The F-15A was designated as “Streak Eagle,” and the name perfectly captured the type of flights the aircraft would have performed: breaking the previous F-4 and MiG-25 time-to-climb records while setting new ones. In order to complete its mission, the Streak Eagle underwent extensive modifications to minimize its weight.

According to Steve Markman and Bill Holder’s explanation in their book One Of A Kind Research Aircraft: A History Of In Flight Simulators, Testbeds & Prototypes, all superfluous components were taken out of this F-15, including the radar, cannon, tail hook, utility hydraulic system, flap and speed brake actuators, and missiles. Additionally, the aircraft gained an additional 40 pounds by not being painted.

The aircraft also had some instrumentation installed, including a nose boom equipped with alpha and beta probes to measure sideslip and angle of attack, as well as specific battery packs and controls. The aircraft also had a restraint device inserted in place of the tail hook. Additional special tools included a camera mounted over the shoulder, a G-meter, a standby attitude gyro, altitude verification equipment, and ballast.

After making these modifications, the Streak Eagle saved 2,800 pounds of fuel, compared to the 3,000–6,000 pounds of fuel carried in each record attempt. Three USAF F-15 pilots—Major Roger Smith, Major W.R. Macfarlane, and Major Dave Peterson—who flew the Streak Eagle from January 16 to February 1, 1975, achieved the eight new records for altitude and time stated below.

3,000 meters (9,843 feet) 27.57 seconds

6,000 meters (19,685 feet) 39.33 seconds

9,000 meters (29,685 feet) 48.86 seconds

12,000 meters (39,370 feet) 59.38 seconds

15,000 meters (49,212 feet) 77.02 seconds

20,000 meters (65,617 feet) 122.94 seconds

25,000 meters (82,021 feet) 161.02 seconds

30,000 meters (98,425 feet) 207.80 seconds

When compared to the upward numbers, the Streak Eagle reached 9,000 meters in less than a minute, but a Boeing 727 takes over 15 minutes. The National Museum of the US Air Force now has the F-15 Streak Eagle on display.

The story of the F-15 Streak Eagle record flights is presented in the video below.

One-of-a-kind Research Aircraft A History Of In Flight Simulators, Testbeds & Prototypes is published by Schiffer Military and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

December 29, 2023 0 comment

History

Tomcat RIO shares true story behind Top Gun’s famous inverted flight scene

by Till Daisd December 28, 2023

written by Till Daisd

‘Of course, for safety reasons, there wasn’t any aircraft flying inverted one above the other, and that iconic scene was obtained thanks to one of the few special effects in the film,’ Dave “Bio” Baranek, F-14 Tomcat RIO

After serving in the Navy for 20 years, Dave “Bio” Baranek had a successful and fulfilling career. He was assigned to F-14 Tomcat squadrons and the prestigious TOPGUN training program, and he also served with the US 7th Fleet and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He once oversaw an F-14 Tomcat fighter squadron, which was responsible for fourteen aircraft valued at over $700 million and close to 300 personnel. Upon his retirement, he scored 2,499.7 flying hours in an F-14 Tomcat and 688 carrier landings. In addition, 461.8 flight hours in the F-5F Tiger II are recorded in his logbook.

He retired from the Navy in 1999.

In 1985, he got the unique opportunity to fly aerial sequences used in the Tom Cruise movie “Top Gun,” which was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. He was a TOPGUN air-to-air combat instructor. He also served as a dialogue advisor on the project and took some of the few available photographs of the movie’s black F-5 fighters in flight.

In his book Topgun Days: Dogfighting, Cheating Death and Hollywood Glory as One of America’s Best Fighter Jocks, Bio provides some never-before-told details about Top Gun.

One of the best-known sequences in the movie, for example, is when Maverick and Goose’s F-14 flies upside-down over the black, two-seat F-5F (also known as the MiG-28). Naturally, none of the aircraft were flying inverted, one atop the other. For safety reasons, one of the few special effects in the movie was used to create that memorable scene.

As Bio explains, many of the movie’s flying scenes were filmed on a specially equipped Learjet by former fighter pilot Clay Lacy. “I was to fly (aboard the F-5F) with Rat (actually Bob “Rat” Willard was the Topgun squadron’s primary coordinator for the movie), who briefed the flight. […] We would have two F-14s and four F-5s available, but the first scene would involve only the two-seat F-5F flying in formation alongside the Learjet. On a call from the Lear, both Rat and I would look up, acting as startled as we could. Although there would be nothing above us, Rat explained how this shot would be used for the scene where Maverick’s Tomcat is inverted above the MiG-28. The F-14 would be added later in one of the few special effects in the film.”

Rat radioed for the three F-5Es to be detached so they could join the Tomcats once the aircraft took off, and he and Bio formed a tight formation on Lear’s right side, where Baranek saw “the glass window that made up a large panel on this side of the fuselage. One high-quality camera sat behind the glass; others were mounted on the top and belly of the Lear.”

Then, as Bio explains, a voice came from the Learjet. “‘A little forward. That’s good. When I count to three, both of you look up as quickly as you can. Remember, you’re startled. One, two, three!’ I looked up. It was hard to act startled in all my flight gear and oxygen mask. No feedback, just a small voice: ‘OK, let’s do it again. Remember, you are startled that there is an F-14 above you. One, two, three!’ They didn’t teach us this in Pensacola.”

Photo by Paramount and David “Bio” Baranek

December 28, 2023 0 comment

History

Test pilot Phil Oestricher recalls the first unintentional flight of the YF-16

by Till Daisd December 27, 2023

written by Till Daisd

When the YF-16 lifted off the runway while test pilot Phil Oestricher was conducting high-speed taxi tests, he decided to go around and make a standard landing instead of running the risk of damaging the aircraft

On January 20, 1974, the General Dynamics YF-16 made its maiden flight when it took off unintentionally from Edwards Air Force Base (AFB). The test pilot was Phil Oestricher.

The aircraft lifted off the runway as Oestricher was carrying out high-speed taxi testing, as he describes in the video included in this article. Rather than run the risk of damaging the aircraft, Oestricher chose to lift off and go around for a standard landing. On February 2, the first “official” flight took place.

John G. Williams, a structural flight test engineer on the YF-16, recalls in the article What A Wonderful Airplane: YF-16 First Flight (Flight 0) by Joe Stout appeared on www.codeonemagazine.com: “During the first high-speed taxi test, a violent lateral oscillation had set in as a direct result of pilot-commanded oscillations (several maximum left/right commands) as the airplane reached rotation speed (~120 kt). Remember, this was the first airplane to have a fixed stick, and there was no opportunity for Phil to gain any feel for the airplane until that high-speed taxi test. As the nose of the aircraft rose, the tailplane inadvertently scraped on the runway. The left wingtip missile and the right tail static probe also lightly contacted the runway. Phil chose to take off because the bird had begun to veer off to the left side of the runway, and he was faced with plowing through the desert or flying. Thankfully, he chose to fly and possibly saved the entire program. After takeoff, Phil regained control, and stayed up for six minutes, and landed uneventfully. Prior to the next flight, the stick sensitivity was reduced by 5% with gear down. Later, after complaints of not enough sensitivity, it was returned to the original.”

Secretary of the Air Force John L. McLucas declared at Edwards AFB on January 13, 1975, that the YF-16 had defeated the Northrop YF-17 in the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) competition for being developed on a full scale as the USAF’s next Air Combat Fighter.

The LWF program aimed to create an air superiority day fighter that was lightweight, compact, inexpensive, and easy to maintain. numerous in the fighter community felt that aircraft such as the F-15 Eagle were too large and expensive for numerous combat tasks, which led to the creation of the LWF.

In October 1980, the F-16 Fighting Falcon was declared combat-ready. Since then, the F-16 has been acquired by other foreign countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel.

Thanks to the H/T from Earl Belz

Photo by Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force

December 27, 2023 0 comment

History

US company recovers F4F-3 Wildcat flown by four US Navy Aces

by Till Daisd December 26, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighter had been previously flown by LT Edward ‘Butch’ O’Hare, LCDR John Smith ‘Jimmy’ Thach, LT Noel A. Gayler, and LT Albert ‘Scoop’ Vorse, all Aces and revered naval aviators

A and T Recovery, a US-based company that specializes in WWII aircraft recovery, started a project to retrieve four WWII American aircraft that are considered “historically significant” from the Pacific Ocean’s bottom.

According to the USS Lexington Aircraft Recovery Project “The team seeks to recover and present to the American population at least four (potentially more) Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo-bombers and a singularly historic Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighter, which had all been on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) that was lost at the Battle of the Coral Sea (8 May 1942).”

The ship was deliberately scuttled following a Japanese aircraft bombing.

The proposal continues:

“During the Battle of the Coral Sea, the USS Lexington (CV-2) was a casualty on the side of the United States of America. She went to sea floor with many historic aircraft on her deck, including a number of Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo-bombers and a significant Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighter, which had been previously flown by LT Edward ‘Butch’ O’Hare, LCDR John Smith ‘Jimmy’ Thach, LT Noel A. Gayler, and LT Albert ‘Scoop’ Vorse, all Aces and revered naval aviators. O’Hare became the Navy’s first Ace of World War II and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Thach, Gayler, and Vorse all survived World War II and all became Admirals. These aircraft were in the forward position of the flight deck and unmanned when the ship was scuttled by the destroyer USS Phelps (DD-360). Upon the sinking, these aircraft drifted to the bottom after detaching from the flight deck of the Lexington (CV-2), finally settling well removed from the main section (hull) of the Lexington (CV-2).

“According to the classification system of the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution, all of these aircraft are Category I—aircraft that are historically significant by their use in a specific event of note.”

The Flyer website states that 40 aircraft lost in Lake Michigan during aircraft carrier qualification flights for novice pilots were successfully recovered by A & T Recovery. Funding for that mission came from the US National Naval Aviation Museum.

The Battle of the Coral Sea was the first time since the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that the enemy’s seemingly relentless advance into the Pacific was checked. It was also the first major US Navy fleet action against Japan and the first naval engagement in history in which the participating ships never sighted or fired directly at each other.

The rugged and highly armed F4F Wildcat, which made its debut in February 1939, went on to become the Navy/Marine Corps’ top fighter until late 1942.

By the time the US entered World War II, the enemy already had felt the Wildcat’s bite; on Christmas Day 1940, two British Martlet Is (the Royal Navy’s designation for the exported F4F-3) downed a German Ju-88 near Scapa Flow, and on Sep. 21, 1941, two Martlet IIs (equivalent of the F4F-4) from HMS Audacity downed a giant Focke Wolf Fw-200 bomber.

For the Navy and Marine Corps, the Wildcat became a mainstay during the first year of the war. By the end of 1942, Navy and Marine F4F pilots had amassed a 9:1 kill ratio over the Japanese, despite the reputation of the vaunted Mitsubishi A6M Zero. By war’s end, the stubby Grumman design had accounted for 1,006 enemy aircraft and listed 58 Aces among its pilots.

Photo by U.S. Navy

December 26, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

The story of the RAF Tornado GR1 that destroyed an Iraqi fighter landing at Al Asad air base using the JP233

by Till Daisd December 25, 2023

written by Till Daisd

During their attack run, Sqn Ldr Pete Batson and Wg Cdr Mike Heath caught an Iraqi Air Force Mirage F1EQ landing on the runway instead of a “MiG” in their JP233 weapons footprint.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) responded to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, which set off the Gulf Crisis, by dispatching Tornado F3 fighters to Saudi Arabia to assist in protecting the nation against any aggression. Following these, Tornado GR1 strike/attack aircraft were sent to Bahrain. In the end, a detachment of Tornado GR1A reconnaissance aircraft was established, along with three wings of Tornado GR1s in Bahrain, Tabuk, and Dhahran. Using the JP233 runway denial weapon, the Tornado GR1 wings carried out low-level night attacks against Iraqi Main Operating Bases at the onset of hostilities in January 1991.

As described by Michael Napier in his book RAF Tornado Units of Gulf War I, the Tabuk Wing was tasked with mounting Mission 2621/G against the runway surfaces at Al Asad air base in central Iraq on the evening of January 17, 1991. The eight Tornado GR 1s of Dundee formation, all equipped with JP233 runway denial weapons, were led by Sqn Ldr P K Batson and Wg Cdr M C Heath and were aimed at the airfield.

‘With the minimum of radio chatter, aircraft taxied at their designated time to arrive at the runway hold in the correct order for takeoff at 2200 hrs Saudi time’, recounted Batson. ‘Departure from Tabuk involved a climb to medium level en route to meet the Victor tanker in the nominated AAR area. The refueling was all carried out in silence using light signals. It was a bit turbulent, and with the weight of the two JP233s, it required much throttle pumping to get the aircraft to close on and stay in the basket. I could not recommend this technique as an AAR instructor, but it worked.

‘There was no moon, so it was all a bit dark out and about, but there were some aircraft lights well below us. After refueling, checks were completed in preparation for descending to low level and going “sausage side” – this involved switching all the external lights off and switching our EW equipment on. Once at 200 ft using the auto TF, the aircraft was kept on course purely by the navigator keeping the “kit” in order. My job at this time was to change speed as ordered and monitor the TFR to ensure it was doing what it was supposed to.

‘As we crossed the border, looking out the window, all I saw was a lot of nothing, just varying amount of blackness. We overflew what appeared to be flaming aircraft wreckage at some point and saw something quite odd at several points along the route. As we crossed major roads, a spotlight parked on the road would illuminate, not aimed at us, just into the sky. It soon became apparent that it was a very basic but clever system of early warning. No doubt a conscript had been ordered to switch on the light if he heard an aircraft. The lights were quite well spaced along the road, and it gave a beam of light to the left of us and a beam of light to the right of us, forming a surreal corridor of our progression into Iraq.

‘The closer we got to the target the faster we went, progressing in stages from 450 knots up to about 500 knots – the aircraft needed small bursts of reheat to overcome the drag effect of the JP233 at the latter speed. As the leader, we were at the front of the package attacking Al Asad. I thought that this could work in our favor, as we would be well over the airfield and out the other side before anyone knew we were there. The target area could be seen from about eight miles out – one minute’s flying time – and all I saw was the lights of the airfield and the lights of an aircraft in the visual circuit. At this point, I disengaged the autopilot to prevent the TFR giving pull up commands and was flying manually.

Tornados — Panavia Tornado GR4 ZG750. The aircraft is liveried like an Operation Granby Tornado, marking 25 years of Tornado GR operations and features “MiG Eater” nose art.

‘Mike and I rapidly discussed the threat the enemy aircraft could be to the rest of Dundee formation, so I attempted to lock my AAM onto it, but no reassuring growl came back. One of the disadvantages of using Air to Air mode when the weapon aiming system is in attack mode is that it cancels the latter, and that is exactly what happened.

‘It was at about this time—30 seconds out, and with no weapon steering in the HUD—that our presence was known to the enemy, and the sky was filled with AAA tracer and bright white star shells exploding just above us. I manually selected pilot weapon aiming and moved my aircraft to ensure the munitions would go over the still-lit runway. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the aircraft that had been in the circuit rolling down the runway, so I adjusted the track and hit him as well. As the munitions deployed, the most satisfying sound I heard was the two weapon containers departing the aircraft with a “clunk, clunk”.

‘We were now in the middle of the inferno, where it was relatively clear of AAA, but we had to get out the other side. Off target, we visually sighted a missile launch so I maneuvered the aircraft hard to the left to get on to our escape heading ASAP. It was at this point, flying manually at about 150 ft in a 60-degree turn to the left, that Mike shouted “roll left, turn left.” I didn’t really understand why he wanted me to increase the angle of bank, so I checked the artificial horizon and kept what I had, only to hear again “roll left, roll left.” As I rolled out onto the escape heading and put the autopilot back in, all became clear. As I maneuvered off target Mike had become disorientated with the stream of tracer around the cockpit and thought we were in a roll to the right, hence his urgent need for me to roll left. We left the target area at a now achievable speed of 520 knots, racing for the border.

‘The gaggle set track for home, picking up their respective route and times to make the allocated exit gate to leave Iraqi airspace. At the border, the quietly ecstatic formation climbed to medium level, and then we checked in on the radio – all present and correct with no losses, job well done!’

After its first JP233 operation against Al Asad on January 17, 1990, the aircraft piloted by Batson and Heath (Tornado GR1 ZA447/EA, originally from No 15 Sqn at Laarbruch) was dubbed MiG Eater. But when it landed on the runway during its attack run, Sqn Ldr Pete Batson and Wg Cdr Mike Heath caught an Iraqi Air Force (IrAF) Mirage F1EQ—not a “MiG”—in their JP233 weapons footprint.

RAF Tornado Units of Gulf War I is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Artwork by artist Gareth Hector via Osprey Publishing

Photo by Top Image unknown via Pinterest, Crown Copyright and Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK via Wikipedia

December 25, 2023 0 comment

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