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planes

The last F-14 Tomcat used by the US Navy transferred from Bethpage to the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

by Till Daisd September 22, 2023

The last Tomcat in US Navy service, Felix 101, F-14D BuNo 164603, which was previously outside an empty office building in Bethpage, has been relocated to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale

According to Newsday, Felix 101, F-14D BuNo 164603, the last Tomcat in US Navy service, which had been parked in front of an empty office building in Bethpage, has been relocated to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale.

Once a California company, Prologis Inc. decided to buy the former Grumman Corp. office and surrounding land for a planned 218,150-square-foot warehouse, the status of the F-14 was uncertain.

According to Alert 5, the company asked the county for a sales tax exemption as well as property tax relief. Nevertheless, until the new location for the Tomcat was decided, the Industrial Development Agency could not vote on the tax-aid package.

The migration was supported and assisted in part by Northrup Grumman.

Since 2008, when the Grumman Retiree Club, a former employee group, and Grumman’s successor, Northrop Grumman Inc., built a monument, F-14D BuNo 164603 was parked at 600 Grumman Rd. West. The aircraft is one of the 711 F-14s that Grumman constructed on Long Island throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

In accordance with Tony Holmes’ account in his book F-14 Tomcat Units of Operation Enduring Freedom, F-14D 164603 was initially delivered to VF-124 Gunfighters, the West Coast Tomcat Fleet RAG, on May 29, 1992, at NAS Miramar. In June of the following year, it was one of the first D-model aircraft assigned to VF-2.

The aircraft was moved to VF-213 in late 1997 and stayed there until it was transferred to VF-101 in early 2002. When F-14s and F/A-18s from CVW-11 attacked an SA-3 SAM battery and its attendant target acquisition and guidance radars near Kabul’s international airport on October 7, 2001, this Tomcat served as the strike leader.

BuNo 164603 was assigned to VF-31 in the summer of 2003, where it quickly became the “Felix 101” jet for the unit. After completing two more cruises with the unit, the Tomcat achieved the honor of carrying out the last Navy F-14 flight on October 4, 2006, when it took off from NAS Oceana and landed at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York.

As we have previously documented, the Cradle of Aviation Museum already has two F-14 cockpits, noses, and flight suits in addition to the third and oldest surviving F-14 ever constructed, which flew from 1971 until 1990.

U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Randall Damm

September 22, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

The real top speed a Lockheed Blackbird has ever achieved

by Till Daisd September 21, 2023

written by Till Daisd

“During early flight testing at Area 51 with the A-12s, Jim Eastham told me that A-12 #128 flew as fast as any A-12 during testing. On the particular day that the A-12 red lined everything,” Jim Goodall.

As the U-2 spy plane’s replacement, the CIA created the highly classified A-12 Oxcart in order to satisfy the need for a very quick, extremely high-flying reconnaissance aircraft that could get by Soviet air defenses. It started operating on November 12, 1965.

In addition to the A-12 demonstrating its value throughout its brief operational lifespan, the Oxcart project as a whole gave birth to the SR-71, the second-longest-lasting aerial reconnaissance aircraft in US intelligence history.

The SR-71 Blackbird has historically operated in more hostile airspace and with greater impunity than any other reconnaissance aircraft. It is the swiftest air-breathing engine-powered aircraft. The Blackbird was at the forefront of aviation technology advancements during the Cold War due to its performance and operational accomplishments.

In order to acquire intelligence from locations deep inside Soviet territory, manned aircraft had already been replaced by orbiting reconnaissance satellites by the time the SR-71 went into operation. The Blackbird remained an essential instrument for gathering global intelligence since satellites could not continuously monitor all geopolitical hotspots. The SR-71’s pilots and RSOs frequently provided information that was crucial to the development of successful US foreign policy.

The Blackbird was built to cruise at “Mach 3+,” or more than 2,200 mph or slightly over three times the speed of sound, and at heights up to 85,000 feet.

Well, as we’ve already mentioned, the most commonly asked Blackbird question is probably how high and how quickly it actually flies.

“I’ve answered this question before, but here goes,” says Jim Goodall, former Master Sergeant at U.S. Air Force and author of the book Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated History of America’s Legendary Mach 3 Spy Plane. “The fastest an SR-71A has ever gone is Mach 3.43 in 974 [Blackbird #61-17974, better known as “Ichi-Ban”], at the time, a Site II bird. It blew out both inlets as it had a dual unstart.”

Goodall keeps going. “ The inlets were designed to fly at its “Sweet Spot” of Mach 3.24, according to Ben Rich. From the A-12 through the final SR-71 constructed, all manned Blackbirds were built with the same top speed in mind.

“But during early flight testing at Area 51 with the A-12s, Jim Eastham told me that A-12 #128 flew as fast as any A-12 during testing. On the particular day that the A-12 red-lined everything.

“During a routine top-speed envelope expansion flight, A-12 #128 was having a hard time getting past Mach 2.7 as the outside air was too warm. The reason for the flight test card that day was to validate a new inlet bypass door schedule.

“Jim said he dropped the nose down a bit to see if he could at least reach Mach 3.0. Out of nowhere, Jim hit good air, and in the dive with good air, he red-lined everything. He went into his descent profile and headed back to the test site.”

Goodall concludes:

“When all was said and done; and for a very brief 15 seconds, Jim hit Mach 3.56, or just under 2,400 mph. Mind you, this was a one-time event and was never duplicated.”

The True Fastest Speed Ever Reached by a Lockheed Blackbird — *SR-71A Blackbird #61-17974, better known as “Ichi-Ban,” and a T-38 chase plane.*

Photo by U.S. Air Force and Central Intelligence Agency

September 21, 2023 0 comment

History

Combat Lancer: The F-111’s first flight

by Till Daisd September 20, 2023

written by Till Daisd

On March 25, 1968, the F-111A began its combat career with a night of strikes, starting with a 500kt, 500ft solo attack that fully displayed the F-111A’s prowess

The first Air Force version of the TFX (for “Tactical Fighter Experimental”), the most divisive of all the joint-service “commonality” airplanes developed during the McNamara era, and intended as “cost-effective” substitutes for aircraft acquired through conventional acquisition processes, saw deployment planning begin at PACAF in the fall of 1967.

The F-4, OV-10, and A-7 programs showed that commonality might succeed if it were carefully planned and implemented, but with the TFX, as told by Richard P. Hallon in his book Rolling Thunder 1965-68, McNamara had tried the impossibility of creating a successful aircraft by combining intrinsically incompatible requirements.

Key to meeting all these was a large variable-geometry wing that fully extended to generate the lift necessary to achieve long-range and long-loiter but swept sharply back to reduce drag, permitting a supersonic dash. In 1963, Congressional investigators found that the McNamara team had rejected the recommendations of service and NASA professionals when it selected General Dynamics over a more highly regarded Boeing design.

After being put through rigorous flight testing, the TFX exposed significant performance and safety flaws, many of which required redesign. The Navy was forced to create a replacement, the Grumman F-14A Tomcat, which first flew nearly a decade after the F-4 had first taken to the skies because the F-111B carrier-based variant, which was significantly overweight and dangerously underpowered, never entered fleet service.

Notwithstanding its flaws, the Air Force F-111A program had a lot of potential since it combined attack avionics on par with those of the A-6, a terrain-following radar (TER) coupled to an autopilot, and a low-level supersonic dash similar to that of the F-105. On March 17, 1968, St. Patrick’s Day, Combat Lancer, formally Det 1 of the 428th TFS, a six-aircraft operational test and evaluation force of the Air Force’s new General Dynamics F-111A, landed at Takhli.

On March 25, the F-111A began its combat career with a night of strikes, starting with a solo attack that displayed the aircraft’s prowess to the fullest extent at 500 kt and 500 ft. With an F-111A SN 66-0018, Colonel Ivan Dethman and Captain Rick Matteis departed from Takhli, flew over Nakhon Phanom, and then lowered their altitude to 500 feet in preparation for a strike on the Vung Chua truck park and storage area on Hon Co Island. Before leaving over the Tonkin Gulf, Dethman and Matteis dropped 12 M117 750 lb bombs with drag-retarding fins.

Regrettably, three were lost very quickly—two from mechanical issues and the third from an SA-2—and only one crew was saved. This shoot-down was so critical that then-Soviet military minister Andrei Grechko personally briefed Leonid Brezhnev on it. There was no doubt that the F-111A needed improvement. Despite the arrival of three extra F-111As to make up for lost aircraft, Combat Lancer saw little more action in Southeast Asia before flying back to Nellis AFB in the middle of November 1968. Having reached maturity, the F-111A returned to Vietnam in 1972 and, during Operation Linebacker, proved to be a lethal and extremely effective night attacker.

Almost exactly two decades later, the outstanding F-111F proved to be a pillar of Operation Desert Storm thanks to its increased power and Pave Tack self-designating attack system.

Rolling Thunder 1965-68 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: U.S. Air Force

September 20, 2023 0 comment

History

The story of the XB-52 and YB-52, the scrapped B-52s prototype

by Till Daisd September 19, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The designations XB-52 and YB-52 were assigned to these prototype B-52 aircraft. X stands for “experimental,” and Y stands for “prototype.”

The B-52 was the primary long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force during the Cold War after it went into service in 1955, and it is still a crucial component of the USAF bomber force today.

In his book Boeing B-47 Stratojet & B-52 Stratofortress Origins and Evolution, Scott Lowther explains how the Model 464-49, which was chosen as the XB-52’s winning design, evolved into the Model 464-67. Although they were similar in many ways, there were several noticeable variations, most notably the enlargement of the forward Fuselage. 464-67 had the cockpit well in front of the wing, as opposed to 464-49 which had the cockpit canopy’s rear behind the leading edge of the wing roots. The engine nacelles were modified, and the spoilers on the wings’ comparatively large area were shrunk. With these modifications, Boeing was prepared to start building two Model 464-67s after receiving an Air Force “letter of intent” for B-52 tooling in March 1951.

The designations XB-52 and YB-52 were assigned to these prototype B-52 aircraft. X stands for “experimental,” and Y stands for “prototype.” Usually, an “experimental” aircraft is constructed before a “prototype,” but in this instance, the YB-52 took flight first on April 15, 1952, while the XB-52 (serial number 49-230) rolled out on November 29, 1951, and the YB-52 (serial number 49-231) followed on March 15, 1952. This was because the XB-52 needed major repairs after damage occurred during testing of the pneumatic system’s pressurization.

On October 2, 1952, the XB-52 took to the skies after the prototype. The YB-52’s two-hour initial flight was powered by YJ57-P-3 prototype engines. The XB-52 and YB-52 were basically the same despite having different names.

In terms of appearance, the prototype B-52s and the finished aircraft shared many similarities. The cockpit, however, was a feature that stood out between the two planes right away. The pilot had good visibility thanks to the low-drag tandem fighter-style canopy, which was used on the B-47.

The layout of the landing gear used by the rest of the B-52 fleet was pioneered by the prototypes. Though at first appearing to be fairly comparable to the B-47’s bicycle arrangement, the B-52’s gear was very different. Four separate dual-wheel bogies were stored within the B-52 fuselage, but instead of deploying straight down, they deployed out to the sides, twisting around so that the bogies stored fore-and-aft ended up side-by-side. This gave the B-52 not a bicycle arrangement, but a quadricycle.

The main landing gear of the B-52 would allow it to sit levelly without leaning to one side or the other. It continued to use smaller outrigger gear close to the wingtips, although this was done to prevent wingtip impact with the ground during heavy takeoffs or bumpy landings.

Moreover, the B-52 was able to land while “crabbing” into the wind with its fuselage oriented significantly off the plane’s groundpath because to its forward bogies’ ability to swivel up to 20° side to side. This would allow for risk-free landings in strong winds.

The main wings of the prototypes had flapperons, ailerons, and spoilers. The inboard engine pylon was right outside the ailerons, which were small and placed far from the wingtip. The ailerons would have had better control if they had been positioned at the wingtip, but that would have placed them in a much thinner and more flexible area of the wing. The inboard spot was suitable for the maneuvers the bomber was supposed to make.

In any case, the spoilers were to handle the majority of the aircraft’s control requirements, making the ailerons redundant over time. The prototypes lacked the capacity to refuel in flight, unlike the subsequent production aircraft. The external fuel tanks that often adorned the outer wings of B-52 production models were also absent at first, but they were finally fitted later in the testing phase.

All of the horizontal stabilizers could move, although this movement was intended to stabilize the trim. Real control was carried out via small elevators around the back. Trim tabs were present in the elevators of the B-52F. The folding vertical fin was a significant but underappreciated characteristic of all B-52s that came after the prototype. Up until the G-model, the fin was a sizable structure that was far too tall to allow the B-52 to fit inside conventional hangars.

As a result, it could fold over 90 degrees, significantly decreasing the aircraft’s effective height. The fielding fin is not a self-contained system; an additional crane is required to lay it over and hoist it back up again, in contrast to naval aircraft that have wings that can fold to fit in the constrained area on board aircraft carriers.

The Boeing Seattle factory essentially handcrafted the prototypes. Jigs were not finalized, therefore production processes were not applied, and frequently, standard instruments and equipment were not used. The tail turrets on either prototype were represented by static fairings with painted-on lines; none was equipped with defensive armaments.

After 783 hours of flight, the YB-52 was handed to the US Air Force Museum on January 27, 1958. It was on display for a while, but the XB-52 and YB-52 were both scrapped sometime in the 1960s as a result of a “beautification” plan coordinated by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. The available literature does not sufficiently explain how the official museum of the United States Air Force was ‘beautified’ by turning one of the most beautiful airplanes ever made into razor blades and soda cans.

Boeing B-47 Stratojet & B-52 Stratofortress Origins and Evolution is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here.

Photo by: U.S. Air Force

September 19, 2023 0 comment

History

During the USAAF’s Oil Campaign, Me 163 Komet Rocket fighters protected the Leuna chemical complex

by Till Daisd September 18, 2023

written by Till Daisd

To safeguard the important Leuna chemical complex, the first Me 163 Komet rocket-fighter squadron was deployed at Brandis

Due to the loss of German oilfields on the Eastern Front by retreating forces, Germany was dependent on its own infrastructure, especially for the production of coal-based synthetic oil. But the more powerful Allied air forces could reach them. General Carl Spaatz, the commander of the US Strategic Air Forces, embarked on a new offensive in 1944 with the intention of sapping the German war machine of fuel.

During the summer of 1944, the USAAF’s Oil Campaign gained speed and began to attack these refineries and plants with its daylight-heavy bombers. German communications that had been decrypted revealed that the Oil Campaign was having an impact on the Wehrmacht.

According to Steven J. Zaloga’s explanation in his book The Oil Campaign 1944–45 Draining the Wehrmacht’s Lifeblood, Me 163 Komet rocket fighters were among the Luftwaffe aircraft participating in defending the Reich during the Oil Campaign

In the middle of August, there were several raids on oil refineries, but few of them were devoted specifically to fuel targets. Mission 556, which took place on August 16 and involved 976 bombers and 612 fighters, was the only significant Oil Campaign raid. All five Me 163 rocket fighters from 1./JG 400 were among the 121 fighters that the I. Jagdkorps successfully launched into the air. It’s important to note that this Staffel was specially sent to the Brandis airbase to guard the enormous Leuna complex and the Leipzig fuel complex.

Two of the new rocket fighters were destroyed, one by P-51 of the 359th Fighter Group and the other by B-17 gunners. Three “shot-out-of-formation” victories for the Me 163 fighters were recorded, despite the fact that none of the B-17s were really shot down. Ten B-17s, mostly from JG 302, and three P-51 Mustangs were among the other claims. 32 German fighters were said to have been downed by escort fighters.

On August 24, the Oil Campaign continued with Mission 568, which included numerous well-known synthetic fuel targets, including Brüx, Misburg, Stade, and Leuna/Merseburg. Only 99 of the 222 fighters launched by the I. Jagdkorps made interceptions. The 1st Bomb Division was stopped by the Gefechtsverband in the vicinity of Lüneburg, and they reported 16 total losses, with 10 B-17s destroyed and seven more shot out of formation or destroyed stragglers.

With the largest commitment to date of eight rocket fighters, the Me 163 fighters returned to combat. The common strategy was for the fighters to fly over the bomber formations with high acceleration. Afterward, they could either turn off their rocket motors to save fuel and glide through the American bombers or turn them on to rapidly descend into the bomber line. The two 30mm MK 108 cannons were deadly against bombers, although it was quite challenging to target the bombers as they were rapidly descending.

That same day, Leutnant Bott of the same Staffel claimed to have shot a B-17 out of formation at around the same position a short while after Feldwebel Schubert claimed to have shot down two B-17s northwest of Leipzig at 1208-1209. The Me 163 fighters also engaged in a pointless battle with the P-51 fighters that were escorting them.

The Oil Campaign 1944–45 Draining the Wehrmacht’s lifeblood is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: Edouard A. Groult via Osprey

September 18, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

When Argentinian Super Étendards and A-4C Skyhawks sunk MS Atlantic Conveyor and HMS Coventry

by Till Daisd September 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The British Task Force off the Falklands suffered some of its worst losses due to Argentine Air raids on May 25, 1982

The British Task force off the Falkland Islands suffered some of its worst losses to Argentinean air strikes on May 25, 1982, which is ironic given that Argentina named its aircraft carrier after their Day of Independence. On this date, the ships HMS Coventry and MS Atlantic Conveyor were both sunk, Coventry by a stick of three dumb bombs dropped by V Brigada Aerea A-4C Skyhawks, and Atlantic Conveyor by Exocet Missiles fired by Super Étendards from the 2nd Escuadrilla de Ataque Squadron, Armada de Argentina.

Given that the ship carried a sizable fraction of the Task Force’s utility helicopter capability, her loss had a considerable effect on the logistics of Britain’s ground campaign. Bravo November, the only surviving Chinook from the ship, would go on to accomplish a number of logistical feats, including the transport of 81 soldiers in a single emergency. Unfortunately, one of the nine men who perished with the ship was her captain, 57-year-old World War II veteran and merchant mariner Ian North.

Here is a story from UPI on the fatalities aboard the Atlantic Conveyor. Coventry was lost while working alongside HMS Broadsword as a radar picket and missile defense ship. The website hmscoventry.co.uk claims:

‘On 25th May 1982 – Argentina’s National Day – Fuerza Area Argentina (Argentine Air Force) A-4B Skyhawks from Grupo 5 had been given a mission specifically targeted at Coventry and Broadsword. The two ships had been on picket duty, North-West of the Falkland Islands, acting as both early warning and the first layer of defenses. They had become quite a thorn in the side for the Argentine forces as a result. Two raids were scheduled against the ships. The first raid descended into chaos and was abandoned when Coventry shot down one of the aircraft with a Sea Dart. The second raid, unfortunately, had more luck.

‘Flying extremely low and initially hiding behind West Falkland and Pebble Island to the South, Coventry’s radar was unable to pick up any of the incoming aircraft. Broadsword, however, could see two targets and called off a Sea Harrier CAP, confident that they could deal with the raid. Coventry’s radar was still unable to break out the contacts from the ground return of Pebble Island, and her lookouts spotted the aircraft first. Small arms and Oerlikon fire opened up, and the two A-4s altered course away from Coventry and towards Broadsword, which had a firm Sea Wolf lock on a single contact.

‘Just before the Sea Wolf was ready to fire, however, the single target it had locked became two, confusing the system. The launcher slewed to its stowed fore/aft position, and was unable to be reset in time before these first two A-4s attacked the Broadsword.’

On this mission, the Argentinian Air Force attempted to maximize damage while eliminating a number of dud bombs that were caused by their aircraft having to fly extremely quickly and low due to the Task Force’s defenses. The Coventry would be lost to retarded dumb bombs dropped from the ultra-low flying A-4C Skyhawks of V Brigada Aerea. This frequently led to bomb fuses not having enough time to arm, which in turn led to many hits that did not sink the targeted ships.

The bombs that hit Coventry were time-delayed, and according to various reports, 2-3 500–1000 lb bombs were used. This would lead to the loss of another British-guided missile destroyer. The crew of HMS Broadsword once again chose Monty Python’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” as their abandon ship anthem after one of her Lynx aircraft was destroyed by a dud bomb and she personally saved Coventry survivors.

A Fuerza Aérea Argentina (Argentine Air Force) Douglas A-4C Skyhawk from IV Brigada Aérea during the Falklands War at Mendoza-El Plumerillo Air Base. Note the silhouette of a British Type 42 destroyer painted on the aircraft. However, the only Type 42 destroyer, HMS Coventry (D118), was sunk the day after this photo was taken.

On www.hmscoventry.co.uk, you can read what the Coventry Crew members themselves believe caused their ship to sink once more:

‘Velasco fired his cannons, hitting the hangar area, and then pressed his bomb release. Coventry’s luck had run out and all three of his bombs, released at just the right moment, hit the ship, carving a path of destruction deep into the interior. Barrionuevo witnessed the bombs striking Coventry’s hull and seconds later his Skyhawk flashed across the top of the ship – but despite pressing his bomb release, none of his bombs left his aircraft. Velasco’s bombs, fitted with delay fuses, had all come to rest within the ship instead of tearing straight through, due to their lighter mass compared to the Mk.17 bombs. One bomb failed to go off, but the other two exploded several seconds later, tearing out a large amount of the port side and killing several of the crew, mostly in the auxiliary machine space, computer room, and dining room where the first aid party was stationed. The explosion just forward of the computer room boiled up through the open computer room hatch and wrecked the operations room. A large fire immediately took hold and water began pouring into the ship through the holes ripped in her side.

‘The third bomb had not gone off, but the hole it ripped through the decks allowed smoke and fire to spread beyond the abilities of damage control to combat it, and as ever more water poured into the ship she began rapidly listing to port. The large number of holes torn by the bombs, explosions, and cannon fire became submerged and added to the weight of water pouring into the ship.

HMS-Coventry — The British destroyer HMS Coventry (D118) underway in the Atlantic Ocean, circa in 1981. In the background is the US Navy frigate USS Bagley (FF-1069).

‘No ship-wide order to abandon ship was given – the confusion and chaos and total failure of ship-wide communications saw to that, but it was clear to everybody that Coventry was in a bad way and had to be abandoned. Quietly, efficiently, the crew nearest the upper decks had released the starboard side life rafts – those on the port side were at too sharp an angle to be of any use now. Evacuation took place in an orderly fashion, while several members of the crew were performing heroics rescuing fellow survivors from shattered and burning compartments throughout the ship.

‘Broadsword had immediately begun rescue operations using her ship’s boats and helicopters also arrived from the ships in San Carlos Water. A particularly brave bit of flying from CPO Aircrewman M J Tupper of 846 NAS – hovering very near to the Coventry’s magazine (which could have blown up at any moment) – resulted in 17 survivors in life rafts trapped alongside the ship being lifted onto the Broadsword. Tupper later received the Distinguished Service Medal for his bravery. Broadsword’s crew performed just as magnificently, with her ship’s boat and Gemini towing life rafts away from the Coventry as she rolled over despite the ever-present danger of a major explosion.’

The following video is an interview with Commander Nigel “Sharkey” Ward from the Imperial War Museum on the events of May 21–25, 1982, and how Flag mistakes increased the Task Force off San Carlos Water’s losses. Ward is still a controversial figure, however, he was a former Sea Harrier Project Officer and RN Phantom Air Warfare Instructor (the RN’s equivalent of a TOPGUN graduate). He was unfortunate enough to be a subject area specialist whose knowledge was disregarded from above.

Overall, Argentina was able to deal the Task Force a number of blows, but they were unable to stop the landings or the further advance of British Land forces, who started their extended “yomp” across the Falklands.

Check out the Pensacola Aerospace Museum’s Facebook page for further aviation photos and stories

Photo by: U.S. Navy, DM Gerard – Private collection, Martín Otero via Wikimedia Commons

September 17, 2023 0 comment

Helicopters

US Marine Corps annouced Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion’s Initial Operational Capability

by Till Daisd September 17, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Initial Operational Capability for the CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter was announced by the US Marine Corps (USMC)

Initial Operational Capability (IOC) was declared for the CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter by the US Marine Corps (USMC), confirming the platform’s operational readiness for forward deploying Marines and equipment around the world. The CH-53K, created by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, allows the USMC and other forces to transport personnel and equipment from ships to shore and to greater altitudes more rapidly and efficiently than ever before.

“This declaration is a vote of confidence from Marine Corps leadership and demonstrates the critical role of the CH-53K, giving forces more range and agility to conduct expeditionary heavy-lift assault transport of armored vehicles, equipment, and personnel. This capability is critical in the Indo-Pacific region and around the globe in support of the joint force and allies,” said Sikorsky President Paul Lemmo, in a Lockheed Martin news release. “Sikorsky and our nationwide CH-53K supply chain, including dozens of small businesses, are committed to delivering aircraft that can adapt to future missions and are reliable, sustainable, and relevant for decades to come.”

Sikorsky, the US Navy, and the USMC worked together on Initial Operational Testing & Evaluation to develop, test, and validate the cutting-edge capabilities of this twenty-first-century aircraft on the way to CH-53K IOC.

Marines have been operating and supporting the CH-53K in a fleet context, proving the aircraft will deploy completely on schedule. With more than 3,000 flying hours, the aircraft has demonstrated the CH-53K’s performance in a variety of mission circumstances, including extremely cold and hot environments. Other achievements include:

Day and night air-to-air refueling
Air-to-air refueling with 27,000 lb. external load
Sea trials with over 350 landings
Live fire testing and evaluation
Sustained operations simulating the offload of a Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Testing in degraded visual environment conditions at US Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona
Delivery of the first six aircraft to the Marine Corps

The IOC announcement put the Marine Corps in a position to decide on full-rate production in 2023. 200 aircraft are part of the approved acquisition objective.

Three of the seven aircraft being built on the CH-53K high-tech production line in Stratford, Connecticut, were delivered to the Marine Corps in 2022. 46 aircraft are fully contracted, including 14 aircraft for long lead material and four heavy-lift helicopters for the Israeli government. The helicopters for Israel were under a US Navy Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement.

The CH-53K program makes use of digital thread technology to boost readiness and performance while saving money on maintenance. The CH-53K’s design, production, operation, and maintenance are all woven together with a digital thread. To significantly increase the maintainer’s experience, the CH-53K has been developed with a digitally upgraded modern maintenance support environment.

Maintenance times are reduced by one-third with several physical design features and smart technologies designed and built into the aircraft.
The digital aircraft feeds into a modern plane-side automated maintenance system that enables advanced diagnostics and proactive support solutions.
There is a robust support system in place for the CH-53K, with spare parts, support equipment, validated repair manuals, and Sikorsky technical experts on the ground to support entry into service.

By building on the current success of the CH-53E, an aircraft particularly intended for maintainability, increased readiness of the CH-53K was possible. For 38 years, Sikorsky has provided the USMC and its CH-53E Super Stallion fleet with parts, integrated logistics, best-in-class fleet data analytics, support services, and a DoD award-winning Performance Based Logistics agreement.

Photo by: Lockheed Martin

September 17, 2023 0 comment

History

The RAF Mosquito pilot who made a landing while carrying a bullet tip from a Luftwaffe Ju 188 in his liver

by Till Daisd September 16, 2023

written by Till Daisd

A skilled Ju 188 gunner could leave his imprint even on a Mosquito, as was the case on the night of November 6–7, 1943, over the English Channel, around 30 miles south of Dungeness, in Kent

The Junkers Ju 188, an improved version of an earlier type that included more performance and advanced technology, was the pinnacle of mid-war German twin-engined aircraft design.

It was developed as a part of the 1939 “Bomber B” program to replace the Ju 88 and He 111 medium bombers. Its radical redesign of the cockpit area included all-around visibility for high-speed bombing, torpedo-bomber carrying, FuG 200 radar, and camera-equipped reconnaissance operations.

What emerged in the autumn of 1943 was a sophisticated bomber, a reconnaissance aircraft, and an intended nightfighter.

Actually, as described by Robert Forsyth in his book Junkers Ju 188 Units of World War 2, a skilled Ju 188 gunner could impact significantly even on a Mosquito, as was the case during the night of November 6–7, 1943, over the English Channel, about 30 miles south of Dungeness in Kent.

At 22:35, Sqn Ldr John Selway and Plt Off Norman Bamford of No. 85 Sqn took off in a Mosquito from West Malling to begin a patrol. They were pointed in the direction of a “Fw 190,” which they shot down in flames at 23:55 hours south of Hastings. They were then given a second vector for a different “Bandit” that was roughly 20 miles away and traveling south. The enemy aircraft was so far below the Mosquito that Selway could not have descended far below without overshooting, so he turned to starboard before turning back to port as the Mosquito approached at 6,000 feet.

Contact was reestablished with what was thought to be a Ju 188 that was “traveling very fast and weaving at about 20,000 feet.” Selway approached at about 1000 feet, but Bamford instructed his pilot to throttle back because Selway’s range was decreasing quickly. Selway was hit by a burst of fire from the Ju 188 at that precise moment, severely wounding his stomach, and he was unable to retaliate. The pilot lost control, sending the Mosquito into a dive and ending the engagement.

With his airspeed indicator and altimeter shot up as a result of a bullet entering the cockpit between the windscreen and the armor plate below it, which then crashed into the instrument panel, Selway was still able to level the nightfighter off and land it back at West Malling despite his wound. Selway entered the crew room unaided after landing, and as Jimmy Rawnsley later noted;

‘For a while, he just stood there discussing the affair with the others in his usual light-hearted fashion. He started to drink some tea, but fortunately “Rigor” Mortimer snatched the cup away from him, thereby possibly saving his life. When he started to undress, the onlookers were shocked to see that his clothes were liberally soaked in blood.’

After being sent right away to the hospital, Selway underwent an urgent operation to have the tip of a Ju 188 bullet removed from his liver. Although he survived, his second tour was over.

Junkers Ju 188 Units of World War 2 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by: German Federal Archive and Royal Air Force

September 16, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd September 15, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 15, 2023 0 comment

History

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

by Till Daisd September 14, 2023

written by Till Daisd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 14, 2023 0 comment

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