May 13, 2008
Like a US Marshal, and the smell of...
...gunsmoke.
An A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 355th Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, fires a 30mm GAU-8 Avenger seven-barrel Gatling gun over the Pacific Alaska Range Complex. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jonathan Snyder)
Larger version can be had by clicking here, if you'd like one.
That oughta get Dusty's heart racing.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �May 11, 2008
Looks like the skunk works is at it again...
Supersonic flight has always had a "sexy" connotation but its practicality is always been less than ideal (as the film alludes to). But while the sonic boom is a big problem from a public nuisance standpoint--the first time you hear a sonic boom is not usually a pleasant experience--the engineering of efficient Mach 1-plus operations has always been challenging.
Assuming Gulfstream and Kelly Johnson's boys have broken the code, as they claim, I'd love to know how they:
1) Eliminated the boom. Fuselage shape and the tail structure are clues.
2) Managed the exponential increase in drag as the supersonic airflow attaches to the airframe.
3) Dealt with the skin heating at extended Mach+ cruise.
4) Decided on the kind of fuel required and if it's got unique qualities for the type of engines this thing will have. Granted, its cruise speed was substantially higher, but the SR-71's JP-7 "jelly" was a special mix.
...First buyer? My guess is a sheikh or John Travolta. -Instapilot
H/T: Mike Daley
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 26, 2008
A Hooah! pic for Dusty.
An A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft pulls up sharply out of a low-level strafing run. The digitally upgraded A-10 is equipped with satellite-guided precision weaponry and advanced communications data links for transferring information with ground-based warfighters. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres)
Larger pic can be had by clicking here. If you want the really big one, drop me a note, I'll send it to you.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �February 16, 2008
Not all Americans are ugly...
This is a good little story about a vivid memory of an American P-51 and its pilot by a fellow who was 12 years old in Canada in 1967. It also gives me a good post to use a picture Neffi sent me some time ago. The match isn't perfect... but the spirit is the same.
For a better view of the picture - click here: One of these things is *not* like the others!
It was noon on a Sunday as I recall, the day a Mustang P-51 was to take to the air. They said it had flown in during the night from some U.S. Airport, the pilot had been tired. I marveled at the size of the plane dwarfing the Pipers and Canucks tied down by her. It was much larger than in the movies. She glistened in the sun like a bulwark of security from days gone by.
The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver, and then stepped into the flight lounge. He was an older man; his wavy hair was gray and tossed. Looked like it might have been combed, say, around the turn of the century.
His flight jacket was checked, creased and worn - it smelled old and genuine. Old Glory was prominently sewn to its shoulders. He projected a quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He filed a quick flight plan to Montreal (Expo-67, Air Show) then walked across the tarmac.
After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around check the pilot returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone would be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while he "flashed the old bird up. Just to be safe."
Though only 12 at the time I was allowed to stand by with an extinguisher after brief instruction on its use -- "If you see a fire, point, then pull this lever!" I later became a firefighter, but that's another story.
The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a mirror from fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One manifold, then another, and yet another barked -- I stepped back with the others. In moments the Packard-built Merlin engine came to life with a thunderous roar, blue flames knifed from her manifolds. I looked at the others' faces, there was no
concern. I lowered the bell of my extinguisher. One of the guys signaled to walk back to the lounge. We did.
Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his preflight run-up. He'd taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All went quiet for several seconds; we raced from the lounge to the second story deck to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she started down the runway. We could not.
There we stood, eyes fixed to a spot half way down 19. Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than before, like a furious hell spawn set loose---something mighty this way was coming. "Listen to that thing!" said the controller. In seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight.
Its tail was already off and I t was moving faster than anything I'd ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way down 19 the Mustang was airborne with her gear going up. The prop tips were supersonic; we clasped our ears as the Mustang climbed hellish fast into the circuit to be eaten up by the dog-day haze.
We stood for a few moments in stunned silence trying to digest what we'd just seen. The radio controller rushed by me to the radio. " Kingston tower calling Mustang?" He looked back to us as he waited for an acknowledgment.
The radio crackled, "Go ahead Kingston ." "Roger Mustang. Kingston tower would like to advise the circuit is clear for a low level pass." I stood in shock because the controller had, more or less, just asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air show!
The controller looked at us. "What?" He asked. "I can't let that guy go without asking. I couldn't forgive myself!"
The radio crackled once again, " Kingston, do I have permission for a low level pass, east to west, across the field?" "Roger Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west pass." "Roger, Kingston , I'm coming out of 3000 feet, stand by."
We rushed back onto the second-story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a muffled screech, a distant scream. Moments later the P-51 burst through the haze. Her airframe straining against positive Gs and gravity, wing tips spilling contrails of condensed air, prop-tips again supersonic as the burnished bird
blasted across the eastern margin of the field shredding and tearing the air.
At about 400 mph and 150 yards from where we stood she passed with the old American pilot saluting. Imagine. A salute! I felt like laughing, I felt like crying, she glistened, she screamed, the building shook, my heart pounded.
Then the old pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled out of sight into the broken clouds and indelibly into my memory.
I've never wanted to be an American more than on that day. It was a time when many nations in the world looked to America as their big brother, a steady and even-handed beacon of security who navigated difficult political water with grace and style; not unlike the pilot who'd just flown into my memory.
He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old and honest, projecting an aura of America at its best. That America will return one day, I know it will.
Until that time, I'll just send off this story; call it a reciprocal salute, to the old American pilot who wove a memory for a young Canadian that's lasted a lifetime.......
H/t, Bob W. The back-story to Neffi's pic is in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry!
November 26, 2007
This will make Dusty's HOTAS fingers twitch...
Lieutenant Colonel Sam Milam taxies an A-10C Thunderbolt II to its new home Aug. 7 at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. This aircraft is the first of approximately 50 upgraded A-10Cs moving to Moody AFB as a part of a base realignment. The move is expected to be complete in early spring 2008 as aircraft are converted from A-10A to A-10C models. Colonel Milam is the 75th Fighter Squadron commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres)
Say hello to the latest edition of the A-10, the A-10C. They've been deployed in Iraq for two months and thus far have been getting good reviews. The various upgrades give the A-10 the same ground capabilities that most other fighters (in terms of ability to use the newer stand-off weapons) in addition to the close-in hellfire and damnation for which they were always the most capable delivery platform and made it the favorite of people like me.
They can now drop JDAMs, plus a new targeting pod, improved cockpit displays and digital comms, bringing them up to current standards. This allows the A10s to take full advantage of all the advances in airspace control and situation awareness of the air picture. The targeting pod pod gives them a better picture (literally) of what's going on down on the deck, day or night. The thermal camera gives them the ability to detect recently emplaced roadside bombs, and according to AF and Army sources, the A-10C pilots have been honing that skill as a priority.
Basically, the Air Force has dragged that ugly airframe into the early 21st Century, even as they'd like to ditch it... except it's still the only aircraft built to come in low and fight hard, and survive and is still cheaper to operate than the other aircraft the AF uses in the ground support role.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �November 13, 2007
Smoothing feathers...
Since I ruffled the Instapilot's feathers with the Jim Dunnigan piece about the SDB yesterday, here's a peace offering... some jets doing prep work for an airshow held recently at Holloman AFB, New Mexico.
With a slighty larger version available here. And a view from below available here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �September 6, 2007
Now all we need are new engines
...and it wouldn't be that expensive (there is at least one--the GE 404, sans 'burner, if I remember correctly--that can slide into the existing nacelles).
But this is encouraging.
Instapilot
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �April 19, 2007
Dusty, Bill, Lex, Blackhawk, V29, Baby-San, Neffi, Matt, Tommy... This post is for you.
Today is the birthday of a milestone aviator.
To commemorate his aviation achievement, the Denizens shall dance:
Up in the air, Junior Birdmen
Up in the air, upside-down!
Up in the air, Junior Birdmen
Keep your nose up off the ground!And when you see all those birdmen
With their shiny wings of tin-
Then you will know the Junior Birdmen
Have sent their box tops in!
H/t, Mike L.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 15, 2007
Distressed airframes...
Bill noted a while back my fondness for gigging the aviators around here with pictures of 'distressed' airframes.
Since I'm really busy this week, I've decided to go cheap and run one I've had for a 'rainy day' sort of backup.
Somehow, I think this one is beyond the airframe mechanic's skillz. Somehow, I bet Bill has the story behind it, too.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �March 1, 2007
Speaking of aircraft carriers and the funny people who use them...
The carrier in the picture in this post, that I challenged you to identify was indeed HMAS Melbourne. Your clinching clue that she was Aussie was the Gannetts. Of all those nations who operated that class of carrier, only the Aussies used Gannetts. Yes, I actually planned the post that way...
Now here's another make-ya-look-twice picture.
Yep, that's a C-130 sitting on the deck of the USS Forrestal. Yep, it's all for real. The whole story (with videos) is available here at The Aviation Zone. At Cassandra's old stomping grounds, I Love Jet Noise, Joatmoaf has more. Just, kewl. We military types will do *such* silly things if you ask us to.
Update: Steeljaw Scribe covered this subject, far more thoroughly, last month. Worth the visit!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �February 11, 2007
January 26, 2007
Alright, alright. We *have* been neglecting the airplane grognards.
You guys can play with this one.
In what aircraft is this the pilot's office?
You guys usually get this in about 15 minutes. Let's see how many still hang out around here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
December 27, 2006
A little zen for the aviators...
A bad day at the office, Bill-style.
This OH-58 Kiowa, damaged during training in Hawaii in February, was successfully landed by pilots Capt. John B. Davis and Chief Warrant Officer Steven K. Huiton despite severe damage to its main rotor.
H/t, Strategy Page.
Speaking of Bill, I found another picture of aviation-related Bill-adaptations... Back in his late-middle-age, Bill apparently had a problem with making hard landings. Here we see one experimental method of dealing with this problem...
Mebbe that's why he found himself in helos...
BTW - if anyone knows the real story (I assume it has to do with rubber shortages and experiments to reduce rubber usage) I'd love to hear it. As well as what the test pilot thought!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �December 12, 2006
Sharing the costs...
...of procurement, anyway. Canada signs on to the Joint Strike Fighter.
Department of Defense and Canada Sign Next Stage Joint Strike Fighter AgreementDeputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and the Canadian Deputy Minister of National Defense Ward Elcock signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today to begin future cooperation in the production, sustainment, and follow-on development (PSFD) phase of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. Canada has already contributed $150 million to the first development phase of the program.
The JSF PSFD MOU has been signed by the U.S., the Netherlands, and Canada, and will be signed in the near future by the other JSF partner nations -- the United Kingdom, Italy, Turkey, Denmark, Norway, and Australia. This new MOU will expand cooperation among the nine JSF Partner nations beyond the ongoing JSF system development and demonstration (SDD) phase, providing a framework for future JSF Program efforts in production and beyond . The U.S. and the Netherlands signed the PSFD MOU on Nov. 14, 2006. Canada joined the SDD MOU in February 2002, and becomes the third JSF partner nation to sign the PSFD MOU.
This agreement will have a significant positive impact across the entire spectrum of the US-Canadian defense relationship, including North America Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), for many years to come, not only in terms of providing air dominance for homeland defense, but also interoperability, defense transformation, modernization, cost reduction, acquisition excellence, and the health of the North American industrial base. We anticipate that the other JSF partner nations will sign the JSF PSFD MOU between now and the end of December to support commencement of cooperative production, sustainment, and follow-on development efforts by all nine partner nations in January 2007.
Joint Strike Fighter, as the largest ever US DoD acquisition program, continues to set new standards in development of manufacturing technologies, acquisition and business practices, technology transfer, and export licensing. The first test aircraft is on-track for first flight later this month. The JSF Program is providing great opportunities for partner industries through the best value model - selecting manufacturers and maintainers based on a combination of quality, price, and timeliness.
Once the JSF PSFD MOU signing process is completed, the partners will cooperatively develop, produce, test, train and operate a Lightning II JSF Air System that will enhance the interoperability, survivability, and affordability of our future forces. Continued Canadian participation reinforces the longstanding and close relationship between the U.S. and Canadian Air Forces, and ensures a solid foundation for future air operations with other allied and friendly nations in a joint and coalition environment.
Damian offers his Canadian take, here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �December 1, 2006
A post for Bill.
March 31, 2005 A 1st Battalion (Attack), 25th Aviation Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Kiowa helicopter flies a mission in northern Iraq. The unit�s combat flight hours are among the highest totals for any battalion since the Vietnam War. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
A post for Dusty.
The A-10C.
A newly modified A-10C Thunderbolt II taxis in during the roll-out ceremony Nov. 29 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The A-10 has been modified with precision engagement technology to create the new and improved A-10C. The enhancements include full integration of sensors, multi-functional color displays and a new hands-on-throttle-and-stick interface. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Alesia Goosic)Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
October 1, 2006
This one's for Bill.
September 28, 2006 Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division and a Kiowa helicopter move past an oil fire during a convoy to Al Jawala, Iraq. Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Samuel Bendet
That was for Bill, this is for some others of us, too.
Basic Training - where people like Bill, myself, and the Heartless Libertarian prepared people for this, by running them, among other things, through things like this.
Caption for picture 1:
U.S. Army Soldiers move to their next objective during a morning raid in the Tameem district of Ramadi, Iraq, Sept. 3, 2006. The Soldiers are with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division based out of Baumholder, Germany. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeremy T. Lock) (Released)
Caption for picture 2.
U.S. Army Soldiers make their way through an obstacle during the confidence course portion of basic military training at Fort Jackson, S.C., Sept. 20, 2006. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Denise Rayder) (Released)
(Yeah, it's a clumsy post - but I'm going to be doing a bunch of work on my photohost today, and bandwidth issues are likely, but I wanted to credit the pics)
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �August 28, 2006
You airplane geeks are no fun...
Yep, it's an R/C aircraft. Heh. With you guys, I'm going to have to resort to posting pictures of the hydraulics in a small corner of a landing gear bay to give you any challenge at all...
Oh, and JTG, take a look - there *is* a hint of the geodetic structure in there. But mostly not, as you observed.
Perhaps not *quite* as obvious as this one...
And for those who'd like to see a Fleet Air Arm paint scheme...
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �August 27, 2006
Lazy Sunday fun...
What's the most interesting thing about this picture to you?
August 17, 2006
Here's a little something for the Instapilot...
...since he popped in and out last night.
Staff Sgt. Shannon Hughes (left) hands Senior Airman Damon Johnson a tool as they work on an A-10 Thunderbolt II during its phase inspection at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. The Airmen are deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 455th Expeditionary Maintenance Group is working on the airplanes around the clock, to ensure consistent ability to meet the demand for the airframe in theater. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. David Kurle)
For you aficionados/modelers out there - a higher-res version.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
August 12, 2006
And now for something completely different.
Let's see how many aircraft grognards still hang out around here. There used to be quite a few, though I've been neglecting them of late, what with my Navy and ordnance kick.
Last time I ran a "Name this cockpit" post, it took, oh about 15 minutes. But that was on a workday. Lessee how long it takes today.
Hi-res version here.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
June 18, 2006
Old pilots, bold pilots...
What's odd about this pic?
If you want to see it a little clearer - click here.
Just in case you really aren't clear... click here.
Yep. That's a B-52 doing a low(!)-level flyby of an aircraft carrier.
It only looks like its about to dive into the ocean.
One of the odd things about the B-52 is that it flies in a nose down attitude in level flight.
Just like all three aircraft in this pic are in level flight.
I'll let the aviators chime in and explain all the fiddly details.
I'm just impressed with that bomber pilot's need to impress the Navy.
We may never be able to win another war because of flaccid political will/extreme dumb-a$$ decisions among the politicians or the failure of the political class to convince the People the benefits outweigh the costs - but we're not going to lose one on the battlefield as long we're willing to to compete internally like this.
Regardless of what you excessively purple people think.
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! �
May 15, 2006
Burt Rutan...
...builds some odd airplanes, doesn't he? Genius stuff.
The Proteus takes off from Mojave Airfield near Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Thursday, April 27, 2006. It carries the pod that eventually will contain the radar to be used on the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle. A year of testing will begin in September once the radar is installed on Proteus. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Next-generation radar to undergo testing aboard Proteus by 1st Lt. Stephen Fox Electronic Systems Center Public Affairs5/10/2006 - HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFPN) -- A smaller, next-generation radar that will improve the Global Hawks surveillance capacity will soon undergo testing aboard a Proteus aircraft here.
The 851st Electronic Systems Group is preparing for a year-long test of the smaller version of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program, or MP-RTIP, aboard the Proteus. The Proteus is a twin-turbofan, high-altitude, multi-mission aircraft similar in size to the Global Hawk.
The MP-RTIP will provide the high-flying Global Hawk advanced surveillance capabilities, including ground and air moving-target indication. The smaller Global Hawk Block 40 version of the radar is the one undergoing initial testing on Proteus. A larger variation, referred to as the E-10 Wide Area Surveillance Sensor, is also being developed for a wide-body manned aircraft.
The first step of the Proteus test process was completed last week at a civilian flight test center at Mojave Airfield near Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Proteus flew with the pod that will house the radar once tests begin in September. To replicate the weight and characteristics of the radar, the pod contained mass simulators during the safety flight.
"As the pod undergoes installation and safety of flight testing on Proteus, the Global Hawk MP-RTIP radar is in the Systems Integration Lab in El Segundo, Calif. (They are) undergoing final integration where both hardware and software are tested at the system level in preparation for the beginning of flight testing," said Lt. Col. Pete Krawczyk, 638th Electronic Systems Squadron commander.
Once the radar is complete -- about five months down the road -- it will be transported to the test site and installed on the Proteus.
The test radar is identical to the version the Global Hawk will use, but the pod f