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planes

After a mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster, an SR-71 Blackbird was checked with a Geiger counter before being allowed to taxi into the hangar

by Till Daisd July 4, 2024

The Blackbird

Developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft, the SR-71, sometimes known unofficially as the “Blackbird,” is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to begin service in January 1966. The first SR-71 flight occurred on December 22, 1964. On January 26, 1990, the US Air Force (USAF) retired its fleet of SR-71 aircraft.

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 Blackbird’s extraordinary capabilities allowed it to gather intelligence in some of the most hostile environments.

SR-71 Blackbird Mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster

Former SR-71 RSO, Lt. Col. Doug Soifer, recalls in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Revealed The Inside Story;

‘Mike Smith and I were TDY for our first time to Mildenhall for our normal six-week rotation. We went to the Det one morning to fly a routine six-hour sortie—the Barents and the Baltic. During the preflight briefings, the intelligence officer said a nuclear power site (Chernobyl) in the Soviet Union had an accident a few hours earlier. They had no other information on it yet. The weather briefing officer gave his normal briefing but also mentioned they double-checked with the weather service at Offutt AFB that we would not fly through any of the fall-out from Chernobyl. With the briefings done and no one concerned about our route of flight, we went to the jet and flew a normal mission.

‘The normal routine after an operational mission is to land and continue to taxi off the runway and directly into the hangar so they could download the mission take. But as we landed and turned off the runway, we were told to stop way before the hangar. We both thought this was very strange and couldn’t understand why we were stopping here. Then one person, and only one, dressed in very funny-looking gear, came walking up to the plane.’

Soifer continues;

‘As he got closer, we could see he was in full chemical gear and had a Geiger counter. After they had guaranteed Mike and I that we were in no danger of through radiation from Chernobyl, they were checking the plane before any of THEM would get close to us! Once he walked about the plane with the Geiger counter, we were allowed to continue to taxi into the hangar.’

Photo by NASA and Unknown

July 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired 6 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against 6 different targets

by Till Daisd July 3, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The AIM-54 Phoenix

The controversial F-111B, which was being developed for the Navy’s carrier fighter inventory, was replaced by the F-14 Tomcat in 1968. The F-14 Tomcat was built with a focus on close-in fighting with “claws” and standoff missile fighting.

Overall, among the Free World fighters of the Cold War, the F-14 was unmatched. The AWG-9 weapons control system on the Tomcat could guide six long-range AIM-54A Phoenix missiles against six different threat aircraft.

The AIM-54 was a large missile with a 1,000lb weight and a Mach 5 speed. It has the potential to reach a height of 100,000 feet, where, in loft mode, it can fly unheard-of distances before tipping over and using its own terminally active radar to complete an intercept upwards of a hundred miles away.

US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against six different targets simultaneously during the six-on-six missile shot test

The six-on-six missile shot test

The ability to launch six Phoenix against six different targets was unprecedented and became a force multiplier as F-14 Tomcat pilot John ‘Smoke’ Wilson explains in the book Half Century, Baby! by David ‘Hey Joe’ Parsons and Mads Bangsø.

‘As the F-14 gang at Pt Mugu were aware (sometimes painfully) Program Office (PMA) 241’s deputy for weapons trials was Clyde Tuomela. I came back from a flight and had a message that he wanted to see me. Clyde said to me ‘Swoose’ (as in Snead, the PMA at the time) was getting a lot of pressure from Congress to demonstrate the six-on-six shot: “He wants YOU to do it ASAP but don’t screw it up.”

‘As the senior pilot of the Joint Evaluation Team (JET) and the Flight Test Officer of the Naval Missile Center, I probably could have opted for the test, but Swoose designating me was a convenient cop out. Jack Hawver and I had many discussions within the JET team, and with the Hughes people both at Mugu and at Conoga Park, as to what the test was going to look like. We (and the Hughes crews) had fired several multi-target shots before (up to 4v4), and their parameters were taken into consideration. Once we decided, Jack and I flew’ simulations on every AWG-9 simulator that was available in the country. We then briefed the PMA on what we proposed. Part of the work up also included discussions with the test conductors and the targets people to see if it was possible to do a six-target presentation.

Six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against six different targets at the same time

‘The formation consisted of one BQM-34E at Mach 1.2, three BQM-34Cs at Mach 0.9, and two QT-33s at Mach 0.7. They were to be in a line abreast at the 30-mile ‘open fire’ with the AWG-9 prioritizing the targets, making the supersonic target automatically the #1 priority since it was the greatest threat. During our simulation, we discovered that if we shot it first, we would not have had six missiles tracking at the same time. So, after the initial detection at 58 miles, Jack reset the priority so six missiles would all be heading down range towards their targets at the same time.

‘Per a preflight agreement, I fired the first and last missile from the front cockpit and Jack fired the other four using the RIO launch button, getting them all off in 38 seconds. At that range, the Phoenix missiles began their climbs towards 100,000ft as I looked up; the six contrails looked like SA-2 smoke trails over downtown Hanoi during an Alpha Strike! The missiles all carried telemetry packages in lieu of warheads to provide accurate measurements of performance.

‘The first missile was a direct hit on a BQM-34C. The missile fired at the BQM-34E took the miss distance-scoring pod off the wing of the drone. Both QT-33s were hit in the empennage area. When they slowed down for recovery, they lost control and spun in short of San Clemente Island. Of the other two BQM-34Cs, one had a missile within lethal range and the other experienced an internal malfunction before the Phoenix could get to it, but not before demonstrating that the AWG-9 could guide six missiles concurrently.

The video of the actual firings

‘In retrospect, the fact that the operation was accomplished at all, let alone within two months’ time with only one dry run, was a tribute to all who participated in the ‘six-on-six’, which only happened that one time. It was certainly my privilege to have been the shooter.

‘The videos of the actual firings were taken/recorded/telemetered to the ground by an experimental system on an F-4 piloted by Roger Box, soon to be my relief as the Flight Test Officer, and subsequently, my relief as CAG-14.’

The following video is the original six-on-six missile shot clip.

Half Century, Baby! is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here and here.

Photo by U.S. Navy

July 3, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Why no cockpit requires as much concentration as a Blackbird’s

by Till Daisd July 2, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Blackbird

The Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft were the basis for the long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft known as the SR-71, or “Blackbird,” as it was informally called.

The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to begin service in January 1966. The first SR-71 flight occurred on December 22, 1964.

Everything that had come before the Blackbird was not comparable. “Everything had to be invented. Everything,” renowned aircraft designer Kelly Johnson of Skunk Works recalled in an intriguing article that appeared on the Lockheed Martin website.

Unique SR-71 Cockpit photos show why no cockpit demands as much intense focus as a Blackbird’s

The SR-71 was created to operate at extraordinary velocities, altitudes and temperatures: actually, it was the first aircraft constructed with titanium, as the friction caused by air molecules moving over its surface at Mach 2.6 would melt a standard aluminum frame.

No cockpit demands as much intense focus as an SR-71 Blackbird’s

The SR-71’s mission was to capture images, detect electronic surveillance using its sensors, and fly in a safe manner near the enemy’s border. The Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) handled all of that and more.

According to Curt Mason, the owner of the Project Habu website, who kindly shared the unique images in this post, “No cockpit demands as much intense focus as an SR-71 Blackbird’s, and in frustrating irony, no cockpit offers a better view,” because of the Blackbird’s special capabilities.

“There was no time to look out the window. The plane knew when your eyes started to wander to the spectacle of earth from 85,000 feet; that’s when something would go wrong. There was much to monitor.* The many “steam gauge” instruments reflect a bygone era, giving the pilot information ranging from heading to compressor inlet temperature, each dial representing a critically important system.

“Even though this cockpit was operated through 2,854 flight hours, it looks brand new. That’s because it was only ever flown using the gloved hands of a crew member wearing the essential high-altitude pressure suit. Every control is large enough to be adjusted with those bulky pressure suit gloves.

“You sit atop your throne, the SR-1 ejection seat, which carries a rare 100% success rate. To operate the circuit breakers, you must reach beside and behind your seat, outside your field of view through the pressure suit helmet. To make sure you actuate the correct breaker, you count down the rows and columns by feel.”

SR-71A 17975 with her cockpit open

Mason concludes;

“March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, is kind enough to display SR-71A 17975 with her cockpit open. This gives us a rare peek inside the world of the Blackbird, allowing us to look inside something that was formerly top secret and reserved only for a privileged few crew members. These photos were captured using a camera extended into the cockpit via monopod. At no point did I or my equipment come in contact with the artifact.”

Photo by Curt Mason / Project Habu and U.S. Air Force

*SR-71 pilot David Peters gives more details about “looking out the Blackbird window.” He recalls: “Buzz Carpenter (pilot) and John Murphy (RSO) were flying a DMZ mission out of Kadena and were about 75,000 in bound when John spotted an object out his left window, which turned out to be a weather ballon. He told Buzz to look out the left window and Buzz said no, he was busy. John gave him a bad time and Buzz finally said you don’t look outside because the airplane knows and does weird stuff. Of course, that was a joke between them but I honestly don’t know anybody after a few flights that were not comfortable with the airplane. I looked out as much as I could because it is obviously the greatest seat in the world.”

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

July 2, 2024 0 comment

History

B-58 navigator recalls dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit)

by Till Daisd July 1, 2024

written by Till Daisd

B-58 Navigator

The first operational supersonic bomber of the US Air Force, the B-58, took flight on November 11, 1956. Apart from its delta wing design, the Hustler was distinguished by its advanced inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, its slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and its extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in both the wings and fuselage.

Since the thin fuselage prevented the carrying of bombs internally, a droppable, two-component pod beneath the fuselage contained a nuclear weapon, along with extra fuel or other specialized gear. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defense systems operator.

Richard “Butch” Sheffield, was flying the B-47 as navigator/bombardier, he volunteered for the then brand new B-58.

“Mainline”

As he explains in his unpublished book “The Very First,” the USAF needed a long-range, low-level reconnaissance system. This became apparent during the Cuban missile crisis. General Powers, CINCSAC, ordered the 43rd Bomb Wing to do it, and we did.

He recalls;

‘Our crew was selected. Only six crews in the wing were made “Mainline crews.” They are the best crews in the wing.

‘We trained at five hundred feet and six hundred knots. The radar was almost useless at the low altitude, so we had to navigate by dead reckoning and map reading. It was exhilarating flying that fast at those low levels. I don’t believe most SAC personnel knew about this capability.

B-58 navigator recalls dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit) while flying at 500 feet and at 628 knots, low level recce missions, dinner with Doolittle Raiders and Jimmy Stewart — Richard Butch Sheffield (in the middle) B-58 crew.

‘The B-58 reconnaissance crew’s code name was “Mainline.” The fact that the B-58 had a reconnaissance capability was kept close hold so our adversaries did not know.

‘Our crew was selected to fly to the UK with the reconnaissance pod on board. The flight was uneventful. A far cry from the first time I had crossed the Atlantic all by myself, shooting stars the whole time. The B-58’s navigation system was almost automatic. It had a star tracker for heading, Doppler for ground speed, and inertial for all movement of the airframe.

‘After we landed, another crew took the aircraft to France and then back home to Carswell. The B-58 program did not treat its crews well like the program I was heading for did [the SR-71 Blackbird program]. They could have arranged a better way for us to return home, but did not.’

Dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit)

He continues;

‘SAC had a program called “Dual Exhaust.” The program was to test the reliability of the real nuclear weapons SAC possessed. We were selected to drop a real Mark-53 nuclear weapon at White Sands test range in New Mexico with the nuclear pit removed [Plutonium].

‘We dropped it at five hundred feet about the ground and at six hundred and twenty-eight knots. After release, we pitched up into a forty-five-degree bank and watched it go off. It looked just like a nuke explosion.

‘We decided to fly back to Carswell subsonic with altitude hold-off, to see how high the aircraft would go without the pod on it. It just keeps climbing, higher and higher, we finally stopped the climb at about *forty-seven thousand feet. This was the only time I was never in a B-58 without the pod; it sure flew like a bird without one.’

B-58 navigator at dinner with Doolittle Raiders and Jimmy Stewart

Sheffield continues;

‘Our Wing Commander, B/G Brick Holstrom, was a “Doolittle Raider.” He was one of the first pilots to take off from the aircraft carrier Hornet to bomb Tokyo. He was as fine of a gentleman as I ever knew. He really liked our crew, I think it was because of Dick Reynolds and his can do attitude.

‘On April 18, 1964, the “Raiders” all got together in Ft. Worth for one of their annual reunions and we got to attend. Jimmy Stewart was master of ceremonies. General Doolittle was there and all the living raiders. It was a fine affair.’

Up until 1964, when he was hired away to the SR-71 program, Sheffield remained with the B-58s. Early in March 1965, after passing the astronaut physical at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas without problems, he arrived at Beale Air Force Base, home of the USAF Blackbird fleet.

Check out Habubrats SR-71’s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

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

July 1, 2024 0 comment

History

Why Scaled Composites ARES was like a mini A-10 Warthog

by Till Daisd June 28, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Scaled Composites ARES

Agile Responsive Effective Support (ARES) is a full-scale proof-of-concept demonstrator that was developed as a concept in support of a US Army request for a Low-Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft (LCBAA). The LCBAA design goals were low-altitude, anti-tank, battlefield support with long endurance, and capable of operating outside of improved airfields environment.

Having logged over 430 hours of flight time, ARES has proven to be capable of meeting all design performance and handling goals, including departure-free handling at full aft stick. Tests of the GAU-12/U gun system installed in ARES were conducted in November 1991, yielding excellent results.

A mini A-10

‘Think of it as a mini A-10,’ says Damien Leimbach, former US Air Force (USAF) Avionics Technician on Quora.

‘It’s a single-seat, single-engine, canard-style Close Air Support aircraft with an internal 25mm Gatling gun.

‘The engine and single intake are mounted on the opposite side of the plane from the gun to balance it out and prevent the engine from ingesting propellant gasses from the gun.

‘It’s fast, cheap to operate and easy to build. Most importantly, it has the ONE THING troops want and that the potential replacements for the A-10 lack.

‘A big ass gun.’

The Scaled Composites ARES, the mini A-10 that never was that played the part of the secret Me 263 jet in the movie Iron Eagle III

Movie enthusiasts might also recall the ARES from its appearance in the iconic Iron Eagle III as the secret Me 263 jet. The aircraft has been turned into a commercially accessible research test bed following its movie debut. The aircraft was kept in storage at the Mojave Spaceport in December 2000 until Scaled Composites merged with Northrop Grumman and resumed flying on March 7, 2008.

As many off-the-shelf components as possible

Leimbach explains:

‘It was designed from the start to use as many off-the-shelf components as possible. The jet engine is used in Cessna Citations. The hydraulics are from a Piper Malibu. The data bus is from an F-16. The gun is the GE GAU-12, already used in [AV-8B] Harriers and [as a lighter four-barrel cannon designated GAU-22/A] F-35s. It has pylons to carry things like small-diameter bombs, Hydra rockets, and Hellfires if upgraded with a targeting pod. For air-to-air it can also carry Sidewinders and Stingers.

‘The plane can withstand 8 G’s, and because it is so lightweight, it has a range of 1200 miles.’

Leimbach concludes:

‘It has a combat radius of over 600 miles, and for reference, the A-10’s is 250. Although I will concede that the A-10 carries a lot more than the Ares.

‘But just think about flooding the skies with these. What a sight.’

In the following video, legendary aircraft designer Burt Rutan reveals the secrets of ARES.

Photo by Resplendent via Wikipedia

June 28, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

F-14 test pilot recalls when his Tomcat was scorched after a Mach 2+ test sortie

by Till Daisd June 27, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-14 Tomcat

In the 1986 movie “Top Gun,” the F-14 Tomcat had a key part. The Navy required an aircraft to defend its surface fleets from hostile aircraft and long-range anti-ship missiles. The Air Force’s F-111 fighter bomber’s naval version was not suitable for aircraft carrier operations, so its radar and long-range AIM-54 Phoenix air intercept missile systems were moved to a completely new design, the F-14, which could engage multiple enemies over a distance of 90 miles.

Because this heavy weaponry required an interceptor to move quickly, Grumman created the F-14’s extremely efficient variable-sweep wing, which allowed the aircraft to fly at a range of air speeds.

Mach 2+ test sortie

Doyle Borchers, a former US Navy F-14 test pilot, recalls on Quora an exhilarating Mach 2+ test sortie flown in a Tomcat.

‘I was a Navy Test Pilot on the F-14A project, so I got lots of supersonic time in the Tomcat. When I commanded an F-14 squadron on a test flight, I took a new Radar Intercept Officer supersonic for his first time. It was a neat thing to go Mach 2 also.

‘The F-14 was limited to about 1.7 indicated Mach. The Mach meter got squirrely in that region. The airframe was limited to a much higher true Mach. I looked up the meteorology info for that morning and checked out the temperature at 45000 feet. (True Mach is a function of air temperature).

F-14 Tomcat scorched after a Mach 2+ test sortie

‘Anyway, I saw that if I got us to 1.72 indicated Mach that morning, we would exceed a true Mach 2 at that altitude. So, we launched and got to altitude and lit the burners, and accelerated to 1.72 indicated Mach. Mission accomplished.’

Borchers concludes;

‘We landed and as I was taxiing into the line the plane captain seemed excited. I got out and post flighted the airplane. The whole rear end of the airplane was scorched. Got in to debrief and rechecked the air temp at 45K and metro had screwed up. At the temp that we actually flew at, we must have exceeded Mach 2 considerably since the epoxy paint on the airplane was designed to withstand temperatures up to 2.4M.’

Photo by Dave “Bio” Baranek

June 27, 2024 0 comment

Boeing-KC-135Q-refueling-SR-71-1200x790-1

Cold War

When a KC-135Q Stratotanker flew into Northern Laos to save his Blackbird after a Double-Engine Flameout

by Till Daisd June 26, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The SR-71 Blackbird

A group of Lockheed members led by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson—then vice president of Lockheed’s Advanced Development Company Projects, also referred to as the “Skunk Works” and currently a part of Lockheed Martin—designed the SR-71, the most sophisticated Blackbird—including the A-12 and YF-12.

Beginning in the late 1950s, the A-12 reconnaissance aircraft—which made its first flight in April 1962 and remained classified until 1976—served as the model for the Blackbird. The YF-12A interceptor variant was first made public by President Lyndon Johnson on February 29, 1964, which was more than six months after it made its first flight. On December 22, 1964, the SR-71’s maiden flight was completed.

The Blackbird was built to reach altitudes of up to 85,000 feet and cruise at “Mach 3+,” faster than three times the speed of sound, or more than 2,200 miles per hour.

Checking out in the Blackbird like a cowboy

Col. David P. Dempster, Blackbird Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) who was also part of the first US Air Force (USAF) contingent to fly operational SR-71 reconnaissance sorties from Okinawa into “denied areas” (the term “denied area” was referred to a specific area over or around a foreign country where you could encounter anything and everything… from MiGs to SAMs), recalls in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Blackbird Stories, Tales and Legends:

SR-71 RSO recalls when a KC-135Q Stratotanker flew unprotected into Northern Laos to save his Blackbird after it had a Double-Engine Flameout

“Jim Watkins was a great pilot to be crewed within the Blackbird. A Texas cow-boy who raised horses in his off time, Jim loved, breathed, and lived for flying.

“But, like his horses, he ‘felt’ and handled them with cowboy common sense. Imagine checking out in the Blackbird, a World War II B-24 pilot who flew fighters, transports, KC-97 tankers, and KC-135 tankers at Beale. In tanker, Jim was on the initial OXCART team and provided the air refueling support for the A-12s flying from the Ranch. Jim checked out in the SR-71 like a cowboy putting on an old familiar leather glove!

“We were honored to be among the four SR-71 crews selected to deploy for the first time to Okinawa in March 1968. On 21 March, the first operational sortie flew and the crew encountered a double-engine flameout during descent to their tanker as they exited the target area. After refueling, they returned to Okinawa. A week later the second operational sortie flew, and again, with a different crew and different Blackbird, they encountered the same double-engine flameout at the start of their descent. They landed in Thailand due to the left generator not working. What was happening? Both planes checked out good on the ground after landing and we had lots of jaw-boning among ourselves and with Lockheed tech reps, with no conclusions.

KC-135Q saving an SR-71 over Laos

“Then, on 19 April 1968, Jim and I launched on the third operational sortie (the first for us and Crew Chief Technical Sergeant Bud Martin’s #974). We zipped through the target area with no problems and began the start descent checklist. As Jim pulled the throttle back to the rpm setting called for in our procedures, we had a double-engine flameout. Excitement, adrenaline pumping, and we dropped like a rock into Northern Laos! Jim got both engines started around 30,000 feet, and we headed south.

“Our [KC-135Q Stratotanker] tanker, the real hero of this story, saw our rate of closure on him stop. He knew what had happened and headed north immediately, unprotected, into enemy territory and rendezvoused with us. Refueling with him, we headed back into Thailand and proceeded to our preplanned end refueling point.

“What to do now? We were scheduled to go back to the target area for another ‘hot loop.’ Over the intercom, I heard this commonsense cowboy say, ‘Dave, I think if when we start our descent, we hold a higher-than-normal rpm we can avoid the flameouts. Want to give it a try?’ ‘Sure,’ I answered. We accelerated back to Mach 3-plus and on course into the target area. We eyeballed adding about 30 miles to the start descent range and when the time came Jim’s theory worked perfectly. No flameouts and a smooth descent.

‘Ichiban,’ the ‘number one’ Habu

“What was the secret and why did this work? The answer turned out to be the way the engine’s fuel controls were programmed. They used standard adiabatic lapse rates, which engineers all over the world assumed depicted the height of the tropopause and outside air temperatures at varying altitudes. WRONG! What we discovered was that in Southeast Asia, the tropopause (and magnificent thunderstorms we would look down on) could go as high as 65,000 feet, rather than the textbook 55,000 feet. Moreover, the air was much colder. Lockheed and Pratt & Whitney Co. eventually reprogrammed the fuel controls correctly and the problem went away. In the interim however, all of the crews adopted the cowboy’s technique and the flameout problems disappeared.

“The day after this flight Jim, Technical Sergean. Bud Martin, and I proudly stenciled the first Habu on the side of #974, which went on to be so successful that it was dubbed ‘Ichiban,’ the ‘number one’ Habu in the 1968 period on Okinawa.”

Photo by U.S. Air Force

June 26, 2024 0 comment

History

USMC marks graduation of last AV-8B Harrier II pilots

by Till Daisd June 25, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Graduation of last USMC AV-8B Harrier II pilots

On March 29, 2024, at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, the last two pilots to receive the 7509 Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) were graduated from the AV-8B Harrier II Fleet Replacement Detachment (FRD), Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW).

Capt. Joshua Corbett and Capt. Sven Jorgensen completed their final training flight at the FRD to receive the 7509 MOS, which is reserved for AV-8B Harrier II trained pilots. The US Marine Corps (USMC) completed its training at the FRD with this flight, a low-altitude close air support training sortie.

“The significance of the last replacement pilot training flight in the Harrier community is that it is the beginning of the end for us as a community.” said Corbett to 2nd Lt. John Graham, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, for the article 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Marines receive last AV-8B Harrier pilot designation. “The Harrier, more than many aircraft than I have come across, elicits an emotional response. For members of the public, members of the aviation community, members of the Marine community, and especially members of the Harrier pilot community, it’s bittersweet. All good things have to come to an end, and it’s our turn soon, but not yet.”

The AV-8B Harrier II

All good things must come to an end: USMC marks graduation of last AV-8B Harrier II pilots — VMA-223 AV-8B Harrier II

The AV-8A and A-4M light attack aircraft were to be replaced by the AV-8B vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) strike aircraft. A well-documented requirement dating back to the late 1950s was the Marine Corps’ need for a V/STOL light attack force. V/STOL aircraft, with their combination of tactical mobility, responsiveness, low operating costs, and basing flexibility options, are especially well-suited to the unique combat and expeditionary needs of the Marine Corps. The AV-8BII+ features the APG-65 Radar common to the F/A-18, as well as all previous systems and features common to the AV-8BII.

January 1984 saw the arrival of the first AV-8B Harrier II at MCAS Cherry Point. The 2nd MAW Harriers and the 7509s that pilot them have been part of over 40 operations worldwide during their forty years of service in the eastern North Carolina region. These operations include Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force in 1999 in the former Yugoslavia, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the skies above the volatile Red Sea against the threat posed by Houthi drones.

Corbett’s and Jorgensen’s designation represents 2nd MAW’s continued operational transition from legacy fixed-wing tactical aircraft, such as the Harrier.

Last USMC AV-8B Harrier II pilots hit the fleet

The F-35B Lightning II is replacing the Harrier within USMC. Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223 will be the last Harrier squadron in the Marine Corps and is set to continue operating the platform through September 2026. Until then, the platform will continue to call MCAS Cherry Point home and execute deployed operations as part of Marine Expeditionary Units.

“I am incredibly proud of the legacy of the AV-8B, both within Marine Aviation and here in eastern North Carolina.” said Lt. Col. Nathaniel Smith, the Commanding Officer of VMA-223. “Our platform is part of the fabric of eastern North Carolina, as countless Marines, sailors, and civilians have contributed to our success for decades. It is exciting to see our last two students graduate from the FRD and hit the fleet.”

Both pilots will report to VMA-223 after completing the FRD syllabus.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Daisha Ramirez, Petty Officer 3rd Class Tamara Vaughn and Staff Sgt. Theodore Bergan / U.S. Marine Corps

June 25, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

During a night training Mach 2 bomb run, the B-58 navigator remembers his pilot turning in his wings after their Hustler went in a nose-high stall

by Till Daisd June 24, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The B-58 Hustler

On November 11, 1956, the B-58, the US Air Force’s first operational supersonic bomber, took off. Apart from its delta wing design, the Hustler was distinguished by its advanced inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, its slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and its extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in both the wings and fuselage. The thin fuselage made it impossible to carry bombs inside; thus, a nuclear weapon, additional fuel, reconnaissance equipment, and other specialized gear were all stored in a droppable, two-component pod beneath the fuselage. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defense systems operator.

Richard “Butch” Sheffield volunteered for the then-new B-58 while serving as a navigator and bombardier on the B-47. He had to return to his previous rank of lieutenant after losing his spot promotion. In his book “The Very First,” which he left for his family, he writes about it.

‘I entered the B-58 Combat Crew Training School (CCTS) as a student. The school was about two months long with academics and simulators. I was crewed with Captain Sparks (Sparky), aircraft Commander (AC), and Lt. Patrick, Defense Systems Officer (DSO).

The first crew to pass Central Evaluations Group

‘We soon started flying, and I loved the B-58. The bombing and navigation system, plus the cockpit, were excellent. We became combat-ready fast and were one of the first crews checked out in the aircraft, number fourteen, I believe.

‘General LeMay wanted all SAC crews to be changeable. Each crew and crew position were to have procedures alike for the aircraft they were flying in. The Central Evaluations Group (CEG) visited each wing and tested and evaluated the crew force to see if all wings performed the same procedures. To pass CEG was a big deal in B-47’s.

‘The CEG people wanted to get their foot in the door on this new program, so they decided that they should come in and give a check ride to one of the crews. We were selected.

‘It was a joke; they didn’t know anything about the aircraft, but they went through the motions and checked us; it was a piece of cake; we passed. So, we became the first B-58 crew ever to pass CEG.’

B-58 Hustler nose-high stall over Dallas

He continues;

B-58 navigator recalls when his pilot turned in his wings after their Hustler went in a nose-high stall during a night training Mach 2 bomb run over Dallas — Richard Butch Sheffield (in the middle) B-58 crew.

‘About six months after we became combat-ready, we flew a Mach 2 bomb run on Dallas at night. When the run was over, and we went to start our descent from fifty thousand feet, Capt. Sparks pulled back the power but FORGOT to take the altitude hold off.

‘The aircraft went into a nose-high stall, and we began to drop quickly; the engine’s compressor stalled, and the generators all went offline. We lost all electrical power; I had only a tiny battery-powered light in the cockpit. The only thing I could see was the airspeed and altimeter. I called the pilot, who said the flight controls had locked up.

‘It took one hundred and fifteen pounds of pressure to override the autopilot. He was a petite guy trying to override it, not knowing that altitude hold was on. It was a wild ride down. We were falling tail first with very little forward motion.

‘I decided to eject at fifteen thousand feet as we were trained. At about twenty thousand feet, I felt the nose of the aircraft starting to drop, and he said, I think I have got it (he had overridden the autopilot). Once the nose came down, the engines could be re-started, and we recovered at about ten thousand feet; we landed at Carswell. No one said a thing.’

The pilot quits

Sheffield concludes;

‘The following day, when I went into the Squadron, everyone was saying, did you hear about “Sparky?” I said no. They said he went into the commander (CO) office this morning, and threw his wings on his desk, and said, “I quit!” He then went around the Squadron bad-mouthing the B-58 and telling the other crews they should quit the program, too, because the aircraft was unsafe; the CO told him to get out.’

Up until 1964, when he was hired away to the SR-71 program, he continued to serve with the B-58s. In 1965, he arrived at Beale Air Force Base after passing the astronaut physical at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas.

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Convair Thought to Transform the B-58 into a Supersonic Airliner. And to Store 5 Passengers in Hustler’s MB-1C Pod.

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

June 24, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

The US Navy F-14 pilot who created the DACT technique

by Till Daisd June 23, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The F-16N Viper

The US Navy purchased an F-16N Viper, a version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon used by the US Air Force, to simulate fourth-generation Soviet fighters as adversary aircraft in air combat training. The smaller, more maneuverable F-16N proved an extremely difficult opponent for the F-14.

The Story of how US Navy F-14 Tomcat crews learned to score simulated Gun Kills against the lethal 9G capable F-16N (Captured in a Beautiful Artwork)

Designed by aviation artist Mads Bangsø in collaboration with former F-14 Tomcat Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) David Parsons, the artwork in this post is featured in their book Half Century, Baby! and was realized by Aircraftprofileprints.com.

The DACT technique that made gun kills on F-16Ns possible from the much larger F-14

As the artwork (named Fight’s On) shows, the theme of the print is dogfight: specifically, in a close air-to-air combat scenario, who will win? The F-14 Tomcat or the F-16N Viper (possibly the finest adversary fighter ever flown by the US Navy)? The answer is not as straightforward as you might think. The story behind the artwork is that of CDR Keith “Okie” Nance, who developed a Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) technique that made gun kills on F-16Ns possible from the much larger F-14.

‘The beautiful weather and pristine sea surrounding Naval Air Station Key West has been ideal for those seeking the sun and for DACT. By 1989, the penultimate Adversary Aircraft was the F-16N “Viper,” which had an amazing thrust-to-weight ratio and ability to execute 9G turns. That made for a formidable adversary for Tomcat Aircrews, as they learned out to fight their aircraft during the Fleet Readiness Squadron (FRS) Tactics Phase typically conducted out of Key West to take advantage of the weather.

‘Experienced Tomcat pilots found that even the F-16N was not that invincible if the Tomcat was flown to its advantage and stayed out of the situations in which the F-16N could prevail. One of the masters of this type of encounter was CDR Keith “Okie” Nance, who was not intimidated by the F-16N and routinely took it on in the so-called knife fight in a phone booth and prevailing.

The spirit of attack

‘In this depicted encounter, “Okie” has merged in a VF-101 F-14A+ with a VF-43 F-16N and entered a one-circle fight in which there can only be one victor. “Okie” has used the Tomcat’s ability to pitch and maintain energy as the F-16N is bleeding energy and will soon be at a disadvantage as the Tomcat uses the altitude advantage to pull down in behind the F-16N for a guns solution with its M61 Vulcan Cannon.

‘Although experienced Tomcat pilots like “Okie” were able to take on nimble adversaries like an F-16N or A-4F Skyhawk known as the “Super Fox”, the tactics they used were imparted to the Replacement Aircrews under instruction at VF-101 so they could also perform similar feats.

‘LTGEN Adolf Galland, the famed WWII German Ace, once said, “Only in the spirit of attack, born in a brave heart, will bring success to any fighter aircraft, no matter how highly developed it may be.” This was certainly true over the skies of Key West.’

Half Century, Baby! is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here and here.

June 23, 2024 0 comment

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