Unless you’ve been living under a rock without Wi-Fi you’ve probably seen the PLAT (pilot’s landing aid television) video making the rounds these days of the E-2C NP Hawkeye barely making it off the deck after an arresting cable parted aboard the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) back on Friday 18 March 2016. The Hummer pilot definitely deserves the credit for keeping the bird out of the drink after going off the angle seemingly without enough speed to remain airborne. Here’s the video of the mishap (a carefully chosen word in this case) uploaded to YouTube by The Virginian-Pilot. There’s much more to the story though. Stick around for the rest…
At the time the Ike was conducting workups prior to their 2016 Mediterranean Deployment off the Virginia coast. Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE TWO THREE (VAW-123) Screwtops was one of the squadrons making up Carrier Air Wing THREE (CVW-3). CVW-3 was preparing for their first deployment aboard Ike in quite a while. The carrier had completed an extensive overhaul and returned to sea during September of 2015.
VAW-123 Hummer. Image via US Navy
At 1352, a VAW-123 Hawkeye, side number 602 piloted by Lieutenant Matthew “Noodle” Halliwell with Lieutenant Commander Kellen Smith in the right seat and NFO Lieutenant Commander Thomas Browning also aboard, entered the break and prepared to trap aboard the Ike. “Noodle” called the ball and got lined up. The approach wasn’t exactly textbook, with the Hummer settling a bit in close, but the aircraft’s tailhook still caught the number 4 cross-deck pendant. During the runout of the arresting cable something that hadn’t happened aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier since 2005 did- the arresting cable parted. As snapped arresting cables are wont to do, the 1.5 inch wide cable whipped around the deck injuring several crew members working on the roof.
Deck crew trying to avoid parted cable on the Ike. Image via YouTube video capture
By all appearances the Hawkeye was done for. Those who have seen similar footage of or witnessed aircraft dribbling off the forward end of the angle after a hook failure or partial arrestment surely expected a large splash to appear marking the watery demise of the Hummer. During a deep settle to an estimated altitude of ten to 15 feet above the waves the aircraft dropped completely out of sight for almost four seconds. Inside the Hummer training kicked in; they sucked up the gear and blew the ditching hatches; everything in the cockpit was firewalled and the controls were fervently set for climb. Miraculously the aircraft responded and climbed back into the frame in one dry piece. LT Halliwell didn’t take a chance on a recovering aboard with a potentially damaged hook though. He recovered instead at Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, the East coast home of the VAW community.
VAW-123 Hummer. Image via US Navy
Back on the deck of the Eisenhower, the carnage was incredible. Injuries suffered by two of the deck crew and six VAW-123 maintainers ranged from cuts and bruises to broken arms, legs, ankles, and dislocated hips and more, some of which took more than a year to heal. At least one man’s life was saved by his “cranial”, the helmet every deck crewman wears while working on the roof. Six men were evacuated and treated ashore. A VRC-40 Rawhides C-2A (R) Greyhound and a HSC-7 Dusty Dogs MH-60R Knighthawk were damaged by the cable.
Navy deck crew wearing their cranials (helmets). Image via US Navy
Two days later the Ike was conducting flight ops again. The three men aboard the Hawkeye received the Armed Forces Air Medal. An investigation revealed that the arresting gear for the number 4 cross deck pendant had been improperly serviced earlier in the day. The mishap aboard the Eisenhower was the first of its kind since 2005, when the #3 arresting cable on the carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) snapped causing the loss of a VFA-102 Diamondbacks F/A-18F Super Hornet and injuries to six of the Hawk’s deck crew. The crew of the F/A-18F was recovered.
VAW-123 Hummer. Image via US Navy
From 1 June 2016 to 30 December 2016 CVW-3 aboard the Eisenhower during the carrier’s 2016 Med Cruise consisted of VFA-32 Fighting Swordsmen flying the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet, VFA-86 Sidewinders and VFA-105 Gunslingers flying the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet, VFA-131 Wildcats flying the old-school McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18C(N) Hornet, VAQ-130 Zappers flying the Boeing EA-18G Growler, VAW-123 Screwtops flying the Grumman E-2C NP Hawkeye, HSC-7 Dusty Dogs flying the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk, HSM-74 Swamp Foxes flying the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, and a Detachment from VRC-40 Rawhides flying the Grumman C-2A(R) Greyhound.
Here’s the news story with pilot interviews also uploaded to YouTube by The Virginian-Pilot.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Air Force F-22 Raptor and F-16 Fighting Falcon will lead the nation’s military and civilian aircraft into the blue skies of Alabama next Saturday during the Red Tails Over Montgomery Air Show.
The single day air show is free to the public and will take place at the capital city’s Dannelly Field ANGB near the regional airport on September 8. The event will showcase the aircraft flown by the Air Force with demonstrations in the air and static aircraft on the ground.
The show will include a salute to the pilots of yesteryear who beat in the hearts of the pilots of today.
The Red Tails air show will honor the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen who became the first group of African-American military aviators, maintainers, navigators, and held support duties at the start of World War II. The location of the Tuskegee Airmen is today a national historic site 40 miles east of Montgomery.
Hillard Pouncey, an original Tuskegee Airman, poses with a Red Tail F-16 Fighting Falcon at the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field in April. (SSgt. J. Rand).
“We’re excited and ready to showcase the past, present, and future of the Red Tails in our air show,” Air show Director Lt. Col. Paul Griggs said on Tuesday. “The aerial acts will be breathtaking, and with dozens of static aircraft and other displays, there’s something for the whole family.”
The F-22 Raptor will demonstrate the 21st century stealth jet’s military maneuvers at low altitudes and high climbs. Raptor pilot Major Paul “Loco” Lopez will put the F-22 through several gravity defying maneuvers concluding with a wingtip to wingtip flight with the P-51D Mustang during the popular Heritage Flight.
“One of the cool things about being on the F-22 Demonstration Team is you get the ability to execute maneuvers close to ground, going upside down at air shows, as well as going fast at times during the demo,” Maj. Lopez confirmed during an Air Force discussion last week. “All the skill sets that we display on the demo team are all the same skill sets that airmen across the board in the Air Force have as well.”
F-22 Raptor pilot Maj. Paul Lopez says he will “execute maneuvers close to ground”. (SrA K. Dubois)
Lopez, who is half-way through his first season as the leader of the crowd favorite F-22 Demo, is the team’s first African-American pilot. He credits the airmen of his entire squadron for their success and simply making his job fun.
“When people come out on the road and see the F-22 demonstration in action, they’re gonna get a chance to see, essentially, the epitome of teamwork,” Major Lopez said. “It’s the culmination of individuals from various and diverse backgrounds coming together to showcase American air power. It’s just a great experience.”
On the air base’s tarmac, visitors can get up close with popular military aircraft including the F-35A Lightning II, F-15 Eagle, a C-130 Hercules, and the A-10 Thunderbolt nicknamed the Warthog. The massive KC-135 Stratotanker, designed to support in-flight refueling of the nation’s military aircraft during long trips, will also be on static display.
Civilian aerobatic pilots wil also perform including the speed of the Trojan Phlyers’ two T-28B Trojan aircraft, pilot Gary Ward aboard his high energy Mx2, and the Alabama Boys with pilot Greg Koontz. A P-51 Mustang will also perform and join Major Lopez for the Heritage Flight.
“We’ve received unparalleled support from our community in the River Region during the F-35 base selection process, and this air show is a small token of our appreciation,” 187th Fighter Wing commander Col. William Sparrow stated. “We want to invite everyone in the community to see what the Red Tails do every day, and witness air power up close.”
The free air show expects nearly 30,000 guests to attend the single-day event. Gates will open at 9 a.m. and Lt. Col. Griggs recommends guests arrive early ahead of the first flights at 11 a.m. Updates on traffic and parking lot availability will be posted on the air show’s Facebook page.
There will be six off-base public parking locations divided into Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Purple, and White lots where guests can then bus in to the base. One parking lot on the base is designed for handicapped parking and requires drives to display an ADA sign.
The mission of the 187th is a simple one and is posted on base for the airmen to remember, “We’re on a mission training to deliver combat air power, but we’ll never forget the Red Tails we’ve lost, and we will strive every day to honor their legacy.”
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Warbird formation flights are a highlight of the festivities at EAA AirVenture every year. During the 2018 version of the Fly-In, a North American P-51D Mustang four-ship formation flight was captured in HD video with ICS audio. The pilot of the Mustang from which the video was captured, Scott “Scooter” Yoak, provided some great inside Mustang information and explained a great deal about formation flight and the discipline it takes to pull it off. We guarantee you’ll learn something from this video. The video was uploaded to YouTube by the creator steveo1kinevo.
The Mustangs in the video are the camera ship, North American P-51D-30-NT Mustang serial number 45-11439 named Quicksilver, P-51D-25-NA serial number 44-73264 coded CY-U named Gunfighter, P-51D-30-NA serial number 44-74977 (marked as 44-63747 coded FT-pi) named Charlotte’s Chariot II, and P-51D-25-NA serial number 44-74009 (marked as 44-15267 coded G4-M) named Ain’t Misbehavin’. The four P-51Ds are all actively flown. Two of them (Quicksilver and Gunfighter) have been completely rebuilt after crashes.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) produced the video entitled “XP-82 – Fate, Circumstance, & Necessity” to chronicle the story of the prototype North American P-82 Twin Mustang. The history of both the Twin Mustang and the XP-82, the prototype Twin Mustang aircraft itself, are told by Tom Reilly, who has invested ten years and more than 200,000 man-hours of work in the return to flight of one exquisitely rare flying machine. The effort Reilly and team have invested in the return to flight of the North American XP-82 Twin Mustang is featured in the August issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. The video was uploaded to YouTube by EAA.
Born during World War II from a need to provide better escort for Boeing B-29 Superfortress bombers flying those unprecedented long-range missions to Japan from the Marianas, the Twin Mustang was another aircraft developed during the war that didn’t make it to combat before the war ended. P-82s (later redesignated as F-82s) did serve as replacements for Northrop P-61 Black Widows in the role of air defense interceptors and as night fighters during the Korean war.
F-82C in flight. Image via USAF
In addition to the XP-82, there are four surviving F-82s held captive in museums today. The best known of these is the F-82B Betty Jo displayed at the National Museum of the US Air Force (NMUSAF). This aircraft once flew nonstop from Hawaii to New York. The NMUSAF has a second F-82 on display, this one dressed up as a F-82G night fighter. There was a second F-82 at the Soplata farm which is reported to be under restoration in Minnesota. The fifth F-82 airframe is displayed as part of an outdoor museum at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in Texas.
John Sidney McCain III was born on 29 August 1926 at Coco Solo Naval Air Station (NAS) in the Panama Canal Zone. His parents, John S. “Jack” McCain Jr. and Roberta Wright McCain had two other children- John’s older sister Sandy and his younger brother Joe. Being the child and grandchild of naval officers, John attended more than 20 different schools before he graduated in 1954 from Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia.
“Slew” McCain (left) and “Jack” McCain (right). Image via US Navy
McCain followed his father and grandfather, John S. “Slew” McCain Sr., to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. After McCain III graduated in 1958, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy and made his way to the Cradle of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, later that year. McCain began training as a student Naval Aviator and pinned on his Wings of Gold in 1960. McCain’s first assignment was to Attack Squadron SIX FIVE (VA-65) World Famous Fighting Tigers flying Douglas AD Skyraiders.
VA-65 Skyraider. Image via US Navy
McCain bent a few birds during his first few years flying Naval aircraft. Even before he graduated flight training he was forced to ditch an AD-6 Skyraider in Corpus Christi Bay after the engine died while he was in the landing pattern. During his first deployment with VA-65 and Carrier Air Wing SIX (CVW-6) aboard the Essex-class carrier USS Intrepid (CVA-11) in the Mediterranean during 1961, McCain knocked down power lines in Southern Spain, leaving both powerless Spaniards and a damaged AD.
USS Enterprise (CVAN-65). Image via US Navy
CVW-6 was cross-decked to the spanking new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) and was aboard the Big E for her first deployment to the Med and later to the Caribbean Sea during the Cuban Missile Crisis. When CVW-6 and VA-65 returned to the States at the end of 1962, McCain was transferred to Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles as an instructor pilot flying the North American T-2A Buckeye at Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Meridian in Mississippi.
T2J-1 (T-2A) Buckeye. Image via US Navy
It was while he was stationed at Meridian during November of 1965 that McCain was forced to eject from another aircraft when the jet’s engine flamed out and would not re-light. McCain then transferred to VA-44 Hornets for type transition training for the Douglas A-4E Skyhawk. After learning to fly Scooters, McCain was assigned to VA-46 Clansmen flying Douglas A-4E Skyhawks. The Clansmen, part of CVW-17, deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CVA-59) for her first deployment to Southeast Asia in 1967.
US Navy photograph
After only a few days on the line, Forrestal suffered a flight deck fire that killed 132 of her crew. Lieutenant Commander McCain narrowly escaped with his life when a 5 inch Zuni rocket misfired and struck the centerline drop tank on McCain’s Scooter waiting to launch on what would have been his sixth combat mission. McCain, burned by jet fuel and wounded by shrapnel from bombs exploding on the flight deck, was able to recover from his wounds.
USS Oriskany (CVA-34). Image Via US Navy
McCain transferred to the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34) to fly with VA-163 Saints and the rest of CVW-16 embarked to continue his combat tour. Just short of three months after the fire on the Forrestal (and ironically a year to the day after Oriskany herself suffered a major fire), John S. McCain III was flying his 23rd mission and his first against the heavily-defended Hanoi thermal power plant. McCain’s A-4E Skyhawk was hit by an SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missile and he was forced to eject. McCain suffered a broken leg and both arms were also broken during his ejection. He was quickly taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese after being fished out of the lake used by the power plant.
VA-163 A-4E. Image via US Navy
McCain was taken to the infamous Hỏa Lò prison in Hanoi, AKA the “Hanoi Hilton”, where he was beaten and refused treatment for his injuries. McCain spent time in several North Vietnamese prisons, enduring repeated beatings and torture, including several years in solitary confinement. McCain was released on 14 March 1973 after five and a half years in captivity. While undergoing treatment for his injuries suffered years before, McCain attended the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. McCain was rehabilitated by late 1974 and his flight status was reinstated.
VA-174 TA-7Cs. Image via US Navy
Commander McCain was then assigned to command VA-174 Hellrazors, a Vought A-7 Corsair II replacement training squadron. VA-174 received their first Meritorious Unit Commendation under his leadership. After serving as a liaison to the US Senate for a few years, John S. McCain retired from Naval service as a Captain in 1981. His numerous military decorations and awards include the Silver Star, two Legions of Merits, Distinguished Flying Cross, three Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts, two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and Prisoner of War Medal. His political career lasted from 1981 until his death on August 25th 2018.
McCain (lower right) with other instructors at VT-7. Image via US Navy
PENSACOLA, Fla. — As the sunshine and blue sky lay above the warm waves on Pensacola Beach, a pair of high performance jets soar over the northern gulf waters in a aerobatic display capturing the attention of the sunbathers below.
The twin U.S. Navy jets quickly break away in a planned maneuver and begin to soar higher into the cloudless sky. Suddenly, the jets ignite a white smoke trail which begins to trace their aerobatic flight path of twin circles.
The United States Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron is famously known to the public as the Blue Angels. The team’s blue and gold jets are a familiar sight and sound along the sugar sand beaches along the northern Gulf Coast just a few miles from their home at the Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The maintainers of the Blue Angels support each air show performance. (U.S Navy)
The team’s public demonstration flight is the Navy’s most popular recruiting tool to attract interested young adults into a career with the military. The Blues also engage in promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at schools across America.
Students at high schools and colleges across the nation working on technical degrees may look to the military to advance their professional skills during a brief period of service. Unlike most civilian jobs, the military’s job placement is larger, and those entering technical training will work with the newest technologies not yet available in a commercial career.
“The best way to begin the road to a successful career is to work hard in school, stay physically active, and refrain from illegal drug use,” said Blue Angels spokesperson LT David Gardner. “Additionally, it is helpful to serve in leadership roles and extracurricular activities. These principles apply in attaining a successful career both inside and outside the military.”
These words are not just for future aviators, but the for the men and women interested in all careers within aviation.
Demaude Prescott specializes on the F/A-18 Hornet’s air frames and hydraulics. (Charles Atkeison)
“When we come out and we open the jets and get them ready to fly, our number one thing is to have an awesome aircraft ready for the pilot when he gets in,” said AM2 Demaude Prescott, who maintains the jet’s air frames and hydraulics. “We have a great relationship with our pilots. We talk to them and we know where they’re from.”
The Navy is always looking for new achievers to grow in a specialized field. As the naval pilots prepare to fly, it is the sole job of the Blue Angels maintenance team to prepare the jets for flight each morning.
Prescott, who was raised in Atlanta, is an aircraft airframe mechanic whose job is to maintain the aircraft’s structure including the hydraulics. He and his team of twelve mechanics also verify the working conditions of the flight controls and the landing gear; and they also are ready to step up to perform structural repairs of their F/A-18 Hornets prior to the pilots’ arrival to climb aboard.
“We shake hands every time they go up and every time they come back down,” Prescott added. “That — right there — is what gets me up every day.”
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and science. Follow his updates on social media via @Military_Flight.)
Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience was produced during the Blue Angels F-4J Phantom II era. Widely recognized as the best Blue Angels film, it portrays not only the all-business jet pilot Blues, but also the relaxed on-their-own-downtime Blue Angels. Directed by Paul Marlow and narrated by Leslie Nielsen, Threshold paints the Blue Angels as the extraordinary human beings they are, but not as super-humans. The film, shot during the 1972 and abbreviated 1973 show seasons and released in 1975, was uploaded to YouTube by dearkoroberry.
The film also portrays the Blue Angels elite ground crews and maintainers working on the team’s jets. In 1972, the Blue Angels were awarded the Navy’s Meritorious Unit Commendation for the two-year period from 1 March 1970 through 31 December 1971. The team’s F-4Js were replaced by the Douglas A-4F Skyhawk for the 1974 show season- somewhat ironically before the release of the film to the public. The Blue Angels also went from being a flight demonstration team to a flight demonstration squadron in 1974. The team went on to fly their A-4F Skyhawks for twelve years before their transition to the McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornet strike fighter- their current jets.
image via ron rentfrow
BONUS- Behind the Scenes of Threshold The Blue Angels Experience uploaded to YouTube by Blue Angel Phantoms.
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is world renowned for their advocacy of warbird aircraft. When the CAF reenacts scenes from the 1970 Twentieth Century Fox film “Tora Tora Tora!” using some of the same aircraft used in the filming of the movie, it’s always a feast for the eyes and ears. The aircraft are of course not the actual Nakajima B5N Kates, Aichi D3A Vals, and Mitsubishi A6M Zeros used to attack Pearl Harbor on that infamous day, but they do provide plenty of smoky noisy fun when they perform their act. This video was uploaded to YouTube by AirshowStuffVideos. Enjoy!
The performance was shot during at the 2018 Terra Haute Airshow from a unique perspective. The sharper-eyed Avgeeks among you will notice that some of the replica Zeros have modified wingtips to make their appearance truer to the actual Zeros flown by Imperial Japanese navy pilots during the actual attack on Pearl Harbor. The majority of the aircraft used in the making of the film and the reenactments today are based on the North American T-6/SNJ/Harvard trainer. Some of the others are modified Vultee BT-13 Valiants. All are fun to watch.
By Ebdon [CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], from Wikimedia CommonsThe reason the CAF B-17G Texas Raiders appears in the reenactments is worthy of mention. During the filming of the movie, one of the five B-17s used for the film was unable to lower its starboard landing gear. The Flying Fortress flew around burning off fuel while the crew prepared to shoot the landing sequence. During the editing of the film it was decided to include the mishap. The crew went back and choreographed establishing shots of a B-17 on approach with its starboard gear up- including single-wheel touch and gos.
Image via AirshowStuff YouTube channel video capture
The CAF began performing their Tora Tora Tora! reenactments in 1972 at Galveston’s Scholes Field. Back in those days Texas Raiders would approach the field with smoke trailing from the number 3 engine and with only one wheel down to “simulate” one of the eleven B-17Es that arrived in Hawaii during the Japanese attack. For many years, CAF “Colonel” Van Skiles would actually touch the one extended wheel down on the runway and fly the length of the runway as had been done in the movie. For many years the CAF reenacted that one-wheel approach.
Image via AirshowStuff YouTube channel video capture
On August 22nd 2018 a Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II was damaged when its nose gear collapsed after returning to Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) due to an inflight emergency. According to the United States Air Force 33rd Fighter Wing (FW) Nomads based at Eglin, “An F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron, experienced a ground mishap at approximately 1250 today on the flightline here.”
USAF F-35A. Image via USAF
The Air Force statement continues, “The F-35A experienced an in-flight emergency and returned to base. The aircraft landed safely and parked when the front nose gear collapsed. There was one person on board. Fire crews responded immediately and the pilot suffered no injuries as a result of the incident. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mishap is underway.” The exact nature of the inflight emergency and the extent of the damage to the jet are unknown at this time. We’ll update this story as events warrant.
USMC F-35B. Image via US Navy
The 33rd FW is a flying and maintenance training wing for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The Wing is organized under 19th Air Force and is part of Air Education and Training Command (AETC) The Wing flies 59 Air Force F-35As, short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs, and carrier-based F-35C Lightning IIs spread between Eglin AFB, Tyndall AFB, and Hurlburt Field, all in the Florida panhandle. The 58th FS, known as the Mighty Gorillas, is a flying training unit for the F-35A. Other 33rd FW/ 33rd Operations Group counts nearly a thousand U.S. military, government civilian, and contract personnel in its command structure.
The world’s largest airplane, the Scaled Composites Model 351 Stratoalunch, is in the news again. The ginormous aircraft hasn’t really changed or done anything especially noteworthy since its successful low-speed taxi tests back in December of 2017. But Stratolaunch is now saying they hope to fly the aircraft for the first time “this fall.” Stratolaunch has also announced the family of launch vehicles the company hopes will enter service beginning in 2020.
Stratolaunch carrier vehicle with three Pegasus launch vehicles. Image via Stratolaunch
Jean Floyd, Chief Executive Officer of Stratolaunch, remarked, “We are excited to share for the first time some details about the development of our own, proprietary Stratolaunch launch vehicles, with which we will offer a flexible launch capability unlike any other. Whatever the payload, whatever the orbit, getting your satellite into space will soon be as easy as booking an airline flight.”
Pegasus carried by NB-52BG Balls Eight. Image via NASA
The first launch vehicle is the Pegasus, which has already been successfully launched more than 35 times. The company is touting the reliability and sustainability of the Pegasus. Initially, a NASA-owned Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress Balls Eight (52-008) served as the Pegasus carrier aircraft. In 1994 Orbital began using a former Air Canada Lockheed L-1011 Tristar named Stargazer as the launch aircraft. Stratolaunch will be the third launch solution for Pegasus.
Pegasus carried by L-1011 Stargazer. Image via Orbital
Stratolaunch also announced the Medium Launch Vehicle (MLV), which is a new medium-class air-launch vehicle optimized for short satellite integration timelines, flexible launch profiles, and affordable launches. The MLV will be able to carry a 7,496 pound payload and is expected to fly for the first time in 2022. A version of the MLV, the MLV-Heavy with three rocket engine cores that will be capable of carrying a 13,228 pound payload, is in development.
351 carrier aircraft during taxi tests. Image via Stratolaunch
The other launch vehicle in development is the Stratolaunch Space Plane, a fully reusable medium-class payload vehicle that enables advanced in-orbit capabilities and cargo return. As of now the design of the Space Plane is optimized for cargo launch. A variant capable of carrying humans into space will follow. Should development and testing proceed successfully, the Stratolaunch fleet of launch vehicles will bring space travel closer to reliability and affordability than ever before.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The adventure of flight and its history across the 20th century through today is on display at the Southern Museum of Flight nestled in a state rich in aviation history.
Located two blocks east of the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, this museum of flight features top military and civilian aircraft, historic artifacts from world wars, and remains a top educational location for schools and scouting programs.
On Saturday, August 25, the museum will host a special family fun day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Admission is free and children are encouraged to attend to participate in several engaging activities such as aircraft building, a scavenger hunt, and much more.
Executive Director Dr. Brian Barsanti is proud of the the Southern Museum of Flight’s collection of 101 aircraft. (Charles Atkeison)
Historic Rare Aircraft Fills the Museum
Established in 1966, the museum’s collection of rare aircraft and historic novelties from the early days of aviation makes this a true destination stop for the aviation geek. The museum site is also home to the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame.
“It’s quite an aviation collection for a small organization but we have one of the largest collections in the south,” Southern Museum of Flight’s Executive Director Dr. Brian J. Barsanti said during a tour. “What separates us from other museums and what really gives us our unique identity is the collection — both military and general aviation.”
A few stand out aircraft include a McDonnell Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II dressed as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. This A-4F honors former Blues solo pilot LCDR Mike Gershon who perished during a midair crash during the Niagara Falls air show in July 1985. The Navy’s flight demonstration team piloted the Skyhawks between 1974 until the end of 1986.
The Soviet Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter is a center piece as visitors begin their tour of the multi-wing museum. At nearly 60-feet long, the massive gun ship and troop transport was active during the Soviet-Afghanistan War.
The museum’s top displays also include the Korean War Jets exhibit, Tuskegee Airmen exhibit, and the Vietnam War Helicopters exhibit. One special collection centers around the flight of one B-25 Mitchell bomber and its place in history.
One display centers on the ill-fated flight of a B-25 Mitchell and its place in history. (Charles Atkeison)
B-25 Mitchell Display Recalls Storied Past
In April 1943, this U.S. Army Air Force B-25C departed the Army Air Base near Columbia, SC, to practice a bombing run over Lake Murray. While in flight, an issue arose as the left engine lost power and the crew guided the bomber down. The five crew members left the aircraft before it sunk in nearly 150-feet of water.
“Part of the museum’s mission is to tell the rich story of southern aviation, and alot of B-25 guys trained in South Carolina,” Dr. Barsanti said as he discussed its history. “A number of B-25s went down in Lake Murrary during the 1940’s, and it is important for us to tell the story. It will never be restored, but it will be preserved just as it was sitting at the bottom of the lake.”
In September 2005, the bomber was raised from the lake and was cleaned up, however the damage from the lake impact was not repaired. Today, the forward section of the B-25 rests upon a bed of dirt much as it did for 62 years.
In November, the museum will launch a Cold War exhibit showcasing aviation from the end of World War II thru the collapse of the Soviet Union called When the Cold War Got Hot. The multi-dimensional display will include artifacts, the Soviet Mi-24 helicopter and a new aircraft which will be unveiled.
Historic photographs and memorabilia decorate the walls across the museum. (Charles Atkeison)
The flight museum is open Tuesday thru Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and closed for major holidays. Admission prices range from a family membership package to general admission on the day you arrive. The museum also honors active military and their families with free admission. Donations to help expand the museum’s collection are also welcomed.
The Southern Museum of Flight is located at 4343 73rd Street North in Birmingham, and, as Dr. Barsanti points out, follow the green and white tourist signs as you drive down Aviation Ave.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
The Crew of Cherry 6 Was the Most Decorated Helicopter Crew in Vietnam
On 19 August 1967, a US Army Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter with wounded men aboard was struck by ground fire and forced down on the beach south of Chu Lai in South Vietnam. Four of the crew left the helo to evaluate the damage to the rotorcraft. Suddenly a grenade exploded near the nose of the helo. The pilot lifted the big bird off, leaving the four men on the beach in close contact with a large number of Viet Cong. The pilot radioed immediately on guard that his aircraft was all shot up and he was trying to make for a safer location adding “I still have four men on the ground, the VC are trying to take them prisoner or kill them; God, can somebody help them?” The four men quickly ran out of ammunition and were surrounded. The VC moved in, intent on making the men prisoners. What happened next made Marine Corps history.
CH-47 Chinook. Image via USAF
Earning Wings of Gold
Stephen Wesley Pless was born on 6 September 1939 in Newnan, Georgia. He attended Decatur High School and then Georgia Military Academy in College Park, graduating in 1957. While attending GMA Pless enlisted in the US Marine Corps Reserve on his 17th birthday. After graduation Pless served as an artillery spotter before attending flight training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola in Florida. Pless was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 16 September 1959. When Pless graduated from flight training on 20 April 1960 and pinned on his Wings of Gold he was promoted to First Lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator.
UH-1Es. Image via USMC
A Born Rotorhead
Pless then served with several Marine Corps Light Helicopter Transport squadrons including HMR(L)-262 and HMR(L)-264. He also served as Squadron Adjutant at HMM-162. His first tour in Vietnam was with HMM-162 from 1962 to 1963, after which he went back to Pensacola as an instructor with Training Squadron ONE (VT-1) and was Officer in Charge of the Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS). After his promotion to Captain in 1964, Pless spent some time at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii before serving as Officer in Charge of and Brigade Air Officer of a Korean Marine Corps unit. On 20 March 1967, Pless became a member of Marine Corps Observation Squadron SIX (VMO-6).
UH-1E. Image via USMC
No Other Options But Bravery
When Pless first heard the frantic calls for help from the Army Chinook pilot he was flying a VMO-6 Bell UH-1E Iroquois helicopter gunship (callsign Cherry 6) with four men aboard: Captain Pless, co-pilot Captain Rupert E. Fairfield, gunner Gunnery Sergeant Leroy N. Poulson, and crew chief Lance Corporal John G. Phelps. Their assigned mission was medical evacuation escort of several UH-34D Seahorse helicopters. After locating the Army personnel on the beach and observing how many enemy were in the vicinity, Pless began making firing runs on the area, driving the VC back from the wounded men. With no other options available, after checking with his crew and getting a unanimous “Go”, Pless decided to land and retrieve the guys on the beach.
UH-1E. Image via USMC
Fighting Their Way In and Back Out Again
Pless landed his Huey between the VC positions and the first wounded man he could see. While the UH-1E took heavy incoming fire, Gunny Poulson retrieved the first man. Then Pless lifted off and kept using the helo as a shield between the enemy and the Army wounded, landing near a second wounded man. It took Gunny Poulson, Corporal Phelps, and Captain Fairfield to retrieve him. The first wounded man, Army Staff Sergeant Lawrence H. Allen, was by then firing an M-60 machine gun at the VC who were trying to rush the helo. The crew retrieved a third man and by then one of the Army UH-1Es in the area was making strafing runs around the VMO-6 Huey. Captain Fairfield informed Pless that the fourth man was dead. At that point a South Vietnamese UH-34 landed near Pless to pick up the fourth man on the beach. It was past time for Pless to get going.
USMC UH-1E. Image via USMC
Skipping Like a Rock Across Land and Sea
A Huey gunship is loaded down with quite a bit of weight to begin with. With a total of seven men in his UH-1E, Pless was overloaded by a fair margin. Knowing that the Huey must have sustained damage but unable to see any obvious signs of serious damage via his gauges, Pless tried to lift off but could not. Hueys are tough birds, and Pless literally bet the farm that the UH-1E he was flying would bring them back. After the Huey dragged across the beach for about a mile and then tried to settle in the water, bouncing off about four moderate-sized waves, it looked like it was still touch and go. The crew tossed everything that wasn’t bolted down overboard. That did the trick. Poulson and Phelps rendered first aid to the wounded men on their way to the 1st Hospital Company. Pless was later informed that a round had severed the tail rotor drive shaft and an engine oil line, which should have caused the aircraft to crash during the trip back.
L to R- Gunny Poulson, Lance Corporal Phelps, Captain Fairfield, Captain Pless. Image via USMC
A Tragic End to a Selfless Warrior
The crew of Cherry 6 were all decorated for their bravery and selfless actions that day on the beach. Captain Pless was presented with the Medal of Honor on 16 January 1969. Captain Fairfield, Gunny Poulson, and Lance Corporal Phelps all received the Navy Cross- making the crew of Cherry 6 the most decorated helicopter crew to serve in Vietnam. Army Sergeant Allen received the Silver Star. After his return from Vietnam in 1967, Captain Pless became the youngest Major in the Marine Corps and went back to Pensacola again as an administrator at AOCS. On 20 July 1969, Major Pless, survivor of 780 combat helicopter missions in Vietnam, died when his motorcycle plunged off the drawbridge portion of the Pensacola Bay Bridge into Pensacola Bay. News of the death of Major Pless, the only Marine Corps Aviator presented with the Medal of Honor for actions in Vietnam, was overshadowed by another event that July day- the landing of Apollo 11 on the surface of the moon.
Collings Foundation UH-1E flown by Pless in combat. Image via author.
A Hero Remembered and Revered
The United States Navy honored Major Pless by naming a Maritime Prepositioning ship after him- the SS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK 3007). The Marine Corps honored Major Pless by naming the Headquarters Building at MCAS Camp Pendleton in California after him. The Jackson-Pless National Guard Armory in Newnan, Georgia honors both of the town’s Medal of Honor recipients- US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (later Colonel) Joe M. Jackson and US Marine Corps Captain (later Major) Stephen W. Pless. Today, the UH-1E Huey helo flown by Pless and crew as Cherry 6 on their 19 August 1967 mission is displayed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia. The Collings Foundation currently operates a former VMO-6 UH-1E Huey in which Pless logged combat time.
SS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK 3007). Image via Maritime Sealift Command
Awards and Decorations : Stephen Wesley Pless
A complete list of Major Pless’ medals and decorations include the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, 38 Air Medals, the Navy Commendation Medal with valor device, the National Defense Service Medal, the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Korean Order of Military Merit, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Medal of Honor Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a helicopter gunship pilot attached to Marine Observation Squadron Six in action against enemy forces near Quang Ngai, Republic of Vietnam, on 19 August 1967. During an escort mission Major (then Captain ) Pless monitored an emergency call that four American soldiers stranded on a nearby beach, were being overwhelmed by a large Viet Cong force. Major Pless flew to the scene and found 30 to 50 enemy soldiers in the open. Some of the enemy were bayoneting and beating the downed Americans. Major Pless displayed exceptional airmanship as he launched a devastating attack against the enemy force, killing or wounding many of the enemy and driving the remainder back into a treeline. His rocket and machine gun attacks were made at such low levels the the aircraft flew through debris created by explosions from its rockets. Seeing one of the wounded soldiers gesture for assistance, he maneuvered his helicopter into a position between the wounded men and the enemy, providing a shield which permitted his crew to retrieve the wounded. During the rescue the enemy directed intense fire at the helicopter and rushed the aircraft again and again, closing to within a few feet before being beaten back. When the wounded men were aboard, Major Pless maneuvered the helicopter out to sea. Before it became safely airborne, the overloaded aircraft settled four times into the water. Displaying superb airmanship, he finally got the helicopter aloft. Major Pless’s extraordinary heroism coupled with his outstanding flying skill prevented the annihilation of the tiny force. His courageous actions reflect great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
