Home Blog Page 114

P-3 Orion: When You Do Good Work It’s Hard to Replace You

Bill Walton
-
5
P-3 Orion: When You Do Good Work It’s Hard to Replace You

The P-8 Has Largely Replaced the P-3, But It’s Unlikely to Match the P-3 Orion Historic Resume

On 19 August 1958 a new Lockheed aircraft flew for the first time. It looked a little bit weird, with a long boom protruding from the tail and wings that seemed too short to support its bulbous fuselage. Powered by four Allison T56 turboprop engines (a winning formula for Lockheed) turning Hamilton Standard 54H60-77 four bladed propellers, the aircraft was derived from a new propliner Lockheed was also developing.

The aircraft was intended to replace both the Lockheed P2V Neptune maritime patrol aircraft and the Martin P5M Marlin patrol flying boat. The propliner would go on to become the L-188 Electra. The patrol aircraft became the P3V-1 Orion.

Lockheed P 2H Neptune and Lockheed P 3A Orion in flight circa in 1963
Lockheed P-3A Orion (foreground) and SP-2H Neptune (background) circa 1963. Image via US Navy

Building a Better Sub Killer

The first YP3V-1 was actually the third L-188 Electra built by Lockheed. Though clearly based on the Electra, the Orion was quite different structurally when the first fully modified prototype flew on 25 November 1959. A shortened forward fuselage with internal bomb bay and underwing pylons for additional weapons were some of the visual cues.

Internally the Orion was beefed up and built to withstand the different stresses of low altitude maneuvering associated with anti-submarine warfare (ASW). The slippery shape of the Orion, along with those powerful T56 engines, helped the Orion to be either one of the, or the outright fastest turboprop aircraft of the day- capable of 411 knots (473 miles per hour). Later in life the P-3C set a few records too.

VP-8 P-3 Orion. Image via US Navy
VP-8 P-3A. Image via US Navy

First PATRONs on the Bus

For a short time the P-3 Orion was designated P3V-1. The first production Orion flew on 15 April 1961. During August of 1962, the first squadrons to receive the new patrol aircraft, Patrol Squadron (PATRON) EIGHT (VP-8) Tigers and VP-44 Golden Pelicans, began flying them from Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River where they were based in those days.

When in 1962 the aircraft designation system was overhauled, P3V-1s became P-3As. Some of the first of many missions Orions flew took place during October of 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. VP-8 P-3A Orions flew low-level high-speed blockade patrols over the shipping lanes to and from Cuba. Right from the beginning and still to this day, a major part of the P-3s job was “rigging”, or photographing targets and contacts.

5
VP-6 P-3B. Image via US Navy

The P-3 Orion: You Call We Haul–Warts and All

Common design characteristics of the anti-submarine/maritime patrol Orion variants include the dorsal internal bomb bay just forward of the wing leading edge for internal stowage of up to eight conventional or nuclear warhead aerial torpedoes or nuclear depth charges, up to ten underwing pylons for carrying various missiles, rockets, mines, bombs, or other ordnance, and the 52 dorsal sonobuoy chutes located just aft of the wing trailing edge.

As P-3 Orions have been upgraded/reworked/reassigned/retasked over their service lives, they have sprouted all manner of lumps, bumps, and blades associated with their various sensor systems and modifications. But all ASW Orions are equipped with the triad of ASW sensors: Radar, Sonar, and MAD.

4
VP-5 P-3C. Image via US Navy

Winning at Hide and Seek

P-3 Orion radar systems are equipped with both forward and aft radar antennae. The aft antenna is located under the rudder at the base of the tail boom; the forward antenna is mounted in the nose radome. The sonar capability is achieved through sonobuoys which are ejected from the chutes on the underside of the aircraft. MAD, or Magnetic Anomaly Detection, is essentially a magnetometer capable of sensing the change in the earth’s magnetic field (due to the presence of a large metal object- like a submerged submarine) in proximity to the aircraft.

Due to its high sensitivity, the MAD sensor is mounted at the end of that fiberglass tail boom, also called a tail stinger or MAD boom.

Lockheed P 3C AIP 8878649085 Ken H ChippyHo
P-3C AIP. Image via Ken H / @chippyho [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It Takes a Crew, An Aircrew, To Fly The P-3 Orion

Today US Navy P-3 Orion crews generally consist of a pilot (usually the Patrol Plane Commander or PPC), two rotating co-pilots (PP2P and PP3P), and an enlisted flight engineer (FE) on the flight deck.

Back in the “tube” are the tactical coordinator (PPTC or TACCO- sometimes the PPC) and navigator/communicator (PPNC or NAVCOM), both of whom are Naval Flight Officers (NFOs). Also riding in the mission compartment are another enlisted flight engineer (FE) or inflight technician, and three enlisted Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Operators (AWs) or SENSOs- SS-1 and SS-2 who primarily process data from acoustic sensors (sonobuoys) and SS-3 who processes data from radar, MAD, the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) mounted in a retractable turret under the nose radome, and other specialized sensors. Depending on mission parameters crews, crew sizes and compositions often vary. Nominally a combat aircrew consists of 11 personnel.

20 2
VP-9 P-3C combat aircrew. Image via US Navy

Doing the Job All Over the World

Widely recognized as one of the aircraft that won the Cold War thanks to dogged determination, P-3s tracked Soviet submarines all over the world. One famous quote supposedly uttered by a high-ranking Soviet Naval officer during the days of serious ASW goes something like, “I always know where my submarines are. I look at where the P-3 Orions are flying and that tells me where my submarines are.”

Though usually based at continental US (CONUS) locations such as NAS Jacksonville (Jax) in Florida, NAS Brunswick in Maine, NAS Moffett Field in California, NAS Whidbey Island in Washington state, or even NAS Barbers Point in Hawaii, P-3s also far too often deployed to such garden spots as chilly Keflavik in Iceland (Kef), Sigonella in Sicily (Sig), Diego Garcia (Dodge) in the Indian Ocean, Rota in Spain, Lajes in the Azores, desolate Adak in Alaska, hostile Guantanamo Bay in Cuba (Gitmo), and bases in the Philippines, Japan, Southwest Asia, South America, Africa, and most other places you wouldn’t expect to see them. Their primary tasks:  Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW), Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW), and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).

P 3 Orion Tyndall 02 PD
P-3C Orion. Image via Wikipedia in public domain

Training Those Many Magic Makers

During those dangerous Cold War years, the Navy could count on as many as 24 VP squadrons and another 13 Naval Reserve squadrons scattered around the country to keep tabs on RedFleet targets (or submarines as others called them). Those Reserve squadrons also deployed to the aforementioned garden spots.

A couple of shadowy special projects squadrons kept people guessing and antisubmarine warfare development units existed on both coasts. At one time (pretty much the 1980s) so many AWs were graduating from schools at NATTC Memphis and NAS Pensacola that the Navy maintained two Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRSs) or RAGs to get them up to fleet speed- VP-30 Pro’s Nest on the east Coast at Jax and VP-31 Genies on the West coast at Moffett. When asked by their friends and families how they tracked all those RedFleet targets during their 12 hour long missions, their reply was often delivered with a deadpan look or just a wink- FM. Foxtrot Mike. F*cking Magic.

P 3C VP 44 in flight over New England 1980s
VP-44 P-3C. Image via US Navy

We Never Seem to Learn

When the Cold War ended, seemingly overnight the oceans permanently emptied themselves of submarine threats (or at least that’s what some thought), which resulted in the wholesale gutting of the finest antisubmarine warfare force ever assembled. The patrol squadrons (PatRons) and their parent command patrol wings (PatWings) were reduced by more than 50% within a few years.

The AW rate was eliminated. Not willing to turn backs on the threat entirely, the damage was nonetheless done. But P-3s still found work. Need to find a narco-sub moving tons of coke? Orions are marked on top. How about finding a missing sailor who’s been out of contact for days or months without food or water- the proverbial needle in a haystack? A P-3 can and will locate him. Need to keep an eye on that leaky border to the south? A P-3 makes a great watchdog.

11 1
VP-40 P-3C. Image via US Navy

You Don’t Need to Know Where the P-3 Orions Are

P-3s came in three basic flavors- P-3A (1962), P-3B (1965), and P-3C (1969), but there were more than 40 different variants/updates/service life extentions of the 650 Orions built by Lockheed. In fact P-3Cs received so many updates they ran out of Roman numerals for them and went to acronyms. The last P-3 came off the production line at the Lockheed plant in April of 1990. Kawasaki built 107 more of them for the Japanese.

P-3s were modified to carry airborne early warning search radar systems, specialized tracking radars and sensors for missile test tracking, weather reconnaissance equipment for hurricane hunting, and specialized sensor suites for customs border protection. That doesn’t count the various special projects/special missions Orions. They’ve been seen with the Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS) bolted to the undersides of them, been used as over-the-horizon targeting Outlaw Hunter aircraft, as eyes-in-the-sky for troops in contact or about to be on the ground in bad places, and certainly for lots of shadowy black don’t-ask stuff that nobody you know will acknowledge.

P 3C 408 take off form R W05R. 9047780022 Ken H Chippy Ho
P-3C with LSRS. Image via Ken H / @chippyho [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Combat Aircrews to the Fore

Combat for the Orion began during the Vietnam War. The first P-3s made it to Vietnam during 1964 and they stayed for the duration, doing their best to stop seaborne supply of VC forces as part of Operation Market Time. VP-26 Tridents lost two aircraft with all crew members to AAA over the Gulf of Thailand. P-3s began their “decade in the desert” during Desert Shield and Desert Storm when they deployed to Southwest Asia within days and flew missions there throughout the campaign.

P-3 Orions directed attacks on both sea and land targets, targeting more than half of the Iraqi vessels destroyed during the conflict. The War in Afghanistan also saw P-3 Orions flying surveillance and reconnaissance missions. When Libya went revolution in 2011 a P-3C took out a Libyan Coast Guard gunboat with an AGM-65 Maverick missile. When the waters around Somalia became a pirate’s paradise, Operation Sea Shield saw Orions from several nations patrolling those troubled waters.

6 5
P-3C. Image via US Navy

Bandwagon Jumpers

In addition to the US Navy, additional P-3 Orion users include Argentina (P-3B), Australia (AP-3C), Brazil (P3-AM), Chile (P-3A), Germany (P-3C CUP+), Greece (P-3B), Iran (P-3F), Japan (P-3C/EP-3/OP-3C/UP-3C/UP-3D), the Netherlands (P-3C), New Zealand (P-3B/P-3K2), Norway (P-3C/P-3N), Pakistan (P-3C), Portugal (P-3P/P-3C CUP+), South Korea (P-3C/P-3CK), Spain (P.3/P-3A HW/P-3B/P-3M), Taiwan (P-3A/P-3C/EP-3E and Thailand (P-3T/VP-3T). Canada operates a couple of P-3 derivatives, the CP-140 Aurora and CP-140A Arcturus.

The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Department of Homeland Security also operated or operate Orion variants.

25
P-3Cs at MCAS Kaneohe Bay. Image via US Navy

B-32 Dominator: The Heavy Bomber That Was Supposed to Be a Backup

Bill Walton
-
1
B-32 Dominator: The Heavy Bomber That Was Supposed to Be a Backup

Consolidated’s B-24 Liberator and PB4Y-2 Privateer Got All the Awesome Sauce

The Consolidated B-32 Dominator bomber was the last US Army Air Forces (USAAF) four-engine heavy bomber to enter service and the last in combat during World War II. In many ways, it was similar to the Boeing B-29 Superfortress.

The B-32 was planned to use the same turbo-supercharged Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclone engines as the B-29 and to be pressurized with remote-controlled gun turrets. In fact, the contracts for both the B-29 and the B-32 prototypes were signed on the same day. The reason for the similarities is simple. The B-32 was developed as a backup to the B-29, a fallback plan should the ambitious B-29 not become the success everyone in the Pentagon needed.

XB 32
XB-32. Image via USAF

Prototype Teething Troubles

The original XB-32 prototype looked more like a fattened-up B-24 Liberator than anything else when it flew for the first time on 7 September 1942. The same Davis wing design used on the B-24 was used on the B-32, and the XB-32 also had a similar empennage design, with dual vertical stabilizers mounted at the ends of a large horizontal stab.

But like the B-29, the XB-32 prototype experienced engine, pressurization, and gun turret issues. In addition to the fuselage-mounted gun turrets, the XB-32 also mounted a pair of .50 caliber machine guns and a single 20 millimeter cannon in each outboard engine nacelle, mounted to fire behind the bomber. It didn’t help that the prototype crashed on 10 May 1943.

The B-32 Dominator
B-32. Image via USAF

Back to the Drawing Board…Again

The next prototype first flew in July of 1943 with a revised cockpit canopy. But the USAAF took one look at the second XB-32 and sent Consolidated back to the drawing board. The aircraft’s role was changed from a high altitude bomber to a low to medium altitude bombing role, thanks to pressurization problems that were never really resolved, so the pressurization system was removed.

The remote control gun turrets were also wonky, so they were removed, too. All turrets were manually aimed. On the plus side, the B-32’s payload was increased to 20,000 pounds. The final and most obvious change was made to the empennage. A conventional tail plane arrangement was adopted, looking more like that of the PB4Y-2 Privateer than anything else.

B-32
B-32. Image via USAF

Not Yet Ready to Fight

Test results gathered during the testing of the three XB-32 prototypes resulted in orders for 1,500 B-32s by 1944. The first production B-32 was delivered on 19 September 1944 and promptly crashed when its nose wheel collapsed. In January 1945, the USAAF began B-32 crew training using converted early production bombers designated TB-32.

By this time, with B-32 development lagging seriously behind schedule, it made no sense to re-equip ETO B-17 and B-24 Bomb Groups with B-32s and send them to bomb Japanese targets. It was a good thing the development of the B-29 was more or less on track by that point. Ironically, the B-32 might not have made it to the Pacific Theater at all if there had been enough B-29s to go around.

Aerial shot of the B-32
B-32. Image via USAF

Kenney Comes to the Rescue

General George Kenney, Fifth Air Force and Allied Air Forces commander in the Southwest Pacific Area, requested B-29s for his bomber crews, most of whom were flying B-24s. He was denied, so he asked for and received B-32s instead.

Things started slowly. A pair of squadrons flying the Douglas A-20 Havoc were pegged for a switch to B-32s. A few missions were flown with three B-32s out of Clark Field on Luzon in the Philippines with good results. The crews appreciated the Davis wings and reversible pitch propellers on the big bombers, but they didn’t like the cockpit layout and noise level. Not surprisingly, the R-3350 engines were prone to fires too. But the deficiencies didn’t stand in the way of the 386th Bomb Squadron (BS) of the 312th Bomb Group (BG) switching to B-32s in July of 1945.

B 32 42 108529 The Lady Is Fresh of the 312th Bomb Group 386th Bomb Squadron
B-32 from the 386th BS. Image via USAF

The Last Bomber Into Service and the Last Man to Die in World War II

The 386th flew just six missions after the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan but before the war ended. 13 August 1945 saw the 386th move from Clark Field to Yontan on Okinawa. There the squadron flew primarily photographic reconnaissance missions monitoring Japan’s ceasefire conditions compliance.

Screen Shot 2025 08 18 at 9.21.53 PM

During one of those monitoring flights, on 18 August 1945, the B-32s were intercepted and attacked by Japanese fighters. The Japanese made repeated attacks for more than two hours but failed to do more than minor damage to the B-32s. The missions continued, though, and on the next day, a pair of B-32s was attacked by 17 Japanese fighters. Aboard one of the B-32s, two crew members were wounded. As he came to the aid of a wounded crew member during the attack, Sergeant Anthony Marchione was killed in action by a Japanese 20 millimeter shell. Marchione was the last of thousands upon thousands of Americans to die in aerial combat during World War II.

Consolidated B 32 42 108578 Taxiing Towards The Runway On Yontan Airstrip BeforeTake Off 25 August 1945
B-32 at Yontan. Image via USAF

They Scrapped Them All and Even Changed the Name

Both B-32s were able to return to Okinawa. Propellers were removed from Japanese fighters beginning on 19 August 1945. B-32s continued their photographic reconnaissance missions until two B-32s, with their entire crews, were lost to accidents on 28 August 1945. The 386th BS and their B-32s were stood down on 30 August 1945. Inevitably, perhaps, B-32 Dominator production contracts were all cancelled on 8 September 1945. Production came to a halt on 12 October 1945.

The 118 B-32s built by Consolidated were broken up for scrap, the longest surviving at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB) until 1949. Not a single example of the B-32 remains today, but a few turrets formerly mounted in Dominators can be viewed at museums. Oh, and this tidbit:  In an amazingly prescient case of early over-political correctness, the name Dominator was officially dropped from the B-32 in August of 1945.

Consolidated TB 32 production line
B-32 production line. Image via USAF

BREAKING: Air Force T-38 Talon From Vance Down in Oklahoma, Pilot OK

Bill Walton
-
0
BREAKING: Air Force T-38 Talon From Vance Down in Oklahoma, Pilot OK

On Friday 17 August 2018 at approximately 1348 local time a US Air Force Northrop Grumman T-38C Talon jet trainer crashed near the town of Mutual, approximately 70 miles west of Vance Air Force Base (AFB) in in Northwestern Oklahoma. The pilot of the jet, who has not yet been identified but is described as an instructor pilot, ejected from the aircraft at approximately 2,000 feet altitude. The pilot, who was conscious and not seriously injured, is being evaluated by Air Force medical personnel.

100912 F 3086C 013
71st FTW T-38. Image via USAF

The pilot of the jet, assigned to the 71st Flying Training Wing, reported engine trouble and was unable to restart either of the T-38C’s General Electric J85 jet engines. After attempting restart the pilot ejected. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the plane went down five to 10 miles northwest of Seiling in Oklahoma. Vance AFB emergency response personnel arrived on site by 1600 local time and have begun an accident investigation. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol brought in a helicopter to assist in the search for the ejection seat.

13 2
71st FTW T-38s. Image via USAF

The wreckage and the pasture land where it landed burned, and firefighters from Woodward, Sharon, Mutual and Mooreland responded. Until Friday, the tenant units at Vance AFB hadn’t suffered a Class A mishap since Sept. 8, 2000, which is an Air Education and Training Command (AETC) record. A Class A mishap involves loss of life or loss of an aircraft. Student pilots at Vance AFB have flown T-38s for nearly 55 years. Currently the 5th Flying Training Squadron (FTS) Spittin’ Kittens and the 25th FTS Shooters fly T-38Cs and AT-38Cs from Vance AFB. We’ll update this story as events warrant…

T 38As Vance AFB 1997
25th FTS T-38s at Vance 1997. Image via USAF

Aviation Day Honors the History and Growth of Flight in America

Charles Atkeison
-
0
Aviation Day Honors the History and Growth of Flight in America

Aviation Day, a national day set a side to celebrate aviation in the United States, is fueling the growth of flight each year, propelling individuals into personal flying lessons while increasing the popularity of America’s air show industry.

Aviation Day is celebrated each year on August 19 and began with the signing of a proclamation by then President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939. The date was chosen to honor the birthday of Orville Wright, the first to pilot a powered aircraft. Since the early days of aviation, the growth of personal flight across the nation has proven to be safer, more affordable, and at an all time high.

050407 F 1234P 028 1
1903: The birth of powered flight on the beach at Kitty Hawk as Orville Wright pilots the Wright Flyer as Wilbur watches and records nearby. (USAF)

“Aviation is more than just a mode of transportation,” said Avgeekery.com founder Jeff Gilmore, a pilot himself who has logged over 3,500 hours of flying time. “It’s the realization of a dream that every human has had which, now realized, connects societies and powers economies at a scale we’ve never seen before.”

Attendance at air shows across America continues to grow including the addition of new show sites in host towns each year. Most who attend the weekend events are drawn by the family-friendly atmosphere and the inexpensive value of an air show.

During Aviation Day weekend 2018, seven air shows will take place across the continental 48 states. They will showcase both men and women aerobatic performers, military demonstrations, and display historic maneuvers flown by the pilots of yesteryear.

30231809638 72ece7c317 k
Interest in aviation at an early age can carry up and coming pilots to new heights. (Charles Atkeison)

Former GEICO Skytypers Air show Team pilot Steve Kapur believes Aviation Day is great for America. “It’s a wonderful celebration of the past, and hopefully it will inspire the next generation of pilots,” he noted. “It’s a chance to look back, and it’s a chance to look forward, and start to think about ‘what will aviation become?'”

Military and civilian aerobatic pilots and teams are flying high as social media growth in users who follow their accounts are climbing. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram users can stay up to date with pilot’s schedules and view real time images from the pilot’s flight day demonstration.

Air shows have witnessed an upswing in popularity with the growth of live streaming apps which now provides a live window for the aviation community to witness the busy flight line from miles away. Aviation enthusiasts and teams are using Periscope, the live-streaming app owned by Twitter, to both promote and give viewers an insiders view during an air show.

Larry Arken, pilot and leader of the world famous GEICO Skytypers, reflects upon the past on Aviation Day each year. “To see how far we have advanced in this short amount of time is amazing,” Arken said. “From wood and fabric aircraft to composite aircraft that fly by wire at supersonic speeds, Aviation Day gives us an opportunity to study these advancements and to realize the future of aviation has endless possibilities.”

36960786114 15409e9c40 k
The Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo Team performs at air shows each year. (Charles Atkeison)

America’s military can also be found on social media, including the flight demo teams the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, Navy Tac Demo, and F-22 Raptor. The Navy’s F/A-18 demonstration team’s Facebook account combines updates and images unique to the public eye.

“You think about the legacy of aviation over the last century or so, and the amount of work that goes into producing the kind of aircraft we get to fly and the airlines the general public get to fly on,” explained LCDR Wallace “Gump” Miller, an F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot stationed with VFA-192 World Famous Golden Dragons. “I know it gets me excited every time I get to see those planes fly.”

LCDR Miller, who performed at several air shows between 2014 and 2016 with the Navy’s TAC Demo Team, sees Aviation Day as an awareness for today’s youth. “I hope it will inspire the next generation to be involved in the aviation industry whether that’s engineers, pilots, or maintainers.”

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will use the day to promote aviation around the world with special social media events. NASA is encouraging the public to “spread your wings” and share a photograph via social media taken at an airport or aboard an aircraft to celebrate the day.

In addiaiton to the NASA centers, the aerospace agency will also be present at the Chicago Air & Water Show along with the Thunderbirds. The agency will follow #AviationDay and #SpreadYourWings on various social media outlets.

“Our heritage in aviation research goes back more than 100 years,” NASA aviation spokesperson Karen Rugg explained. “We’ve helped air travel become a safe, reliable form of transportation. But we’re not finished. We’re working to transform aviation into something even better by perfecting new technologies, including those that could lead to shape-shifting wings, electric propulsion and the return of commercial supersonic flight.”

28051408847 83bc6740d4 k 2
Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola sits next door to the home of the Blue Angels. (Charles Atkeison)

Since the first untethered hot air balloon flight by two French men in November 1783; the Wright Brothers first powered aircraft flight in December 1903, and the first landing on the Moon by Armstrong and Aldrin in 1969, humankind has looked skyward to travel. Today, private, commercial and military aircraft will take to the skies around the planet while six humans continue living and working in space.

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates on social media via @Military_Flight.)

The Rouen Raid: There is a First Time For Everything- Even in War

Bill Walton
-
0
The Rouen Raid: There is a First Time For Everything- Even in War

The 97th Bomb Group Didn’t Exactly Clobber Their Target, But They Got Off the Schneid

On 17 August 1942, the US Army Air Corps VIII Bomber Command began their assault on Fortress Europe. A dozen B-17E Flying Fortress bombers from the 97th Bomb Group (BG) raided the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen-Sotteville in occupied France. Each of the 97th BG squadrons, the 340th Bomb Squadron (BS), the 341st BS, the 342nd BS, and the 414th BS sent planes on the raid. An additional six 97th BG B-17Es flew a diversionary feint toward a different target. Considering the scale of the raids that would be flown even one year later, the Rouen mission was small but huge in other ways.

FRE 000764
B-17Es. Image via USAF

Led By Men Who Would Become Legends

Leading the Rouen mission was none other than Major Paul Tibbetts flying the 342nd BS lead aircraft, B-17E serial 41-2578 named Butcher Shop, along with the 97th BG commanding officer, Colonel Frank Armstrong. Also flying the mission was VIII Bomber Command commanding officer Brigadier General Ira C. Eaker flying the 414th BS lead aircraft, B-17E serial 41-9023 named Yankee Doodle. The two squadrons attacked in two separate formations and dropped a total of 18.45 tons of bombs on the mission. The planned amphibious landings at Dieppe in France were one reason the raid was flown when it was. Of course Major Tibbetts went on to some other notable achievements on the other side of the planet three years later.

FRE 000882
Yankee Doodle preparing for a mission. Image via USAF

First Mission; First Kill

The results of that first mission were mixed. The mission got started late in the day. Takeoff commenced at 1627 local time and the bombers didn’t drop their ordnance until 1739 local time. Even given the momentous nature of the mission, the bomb damage assessment (BDA) rated accuracy as poor. Two of the 97th BG B-17Es were damaged. The Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire escorts took a beating, losing three Spits on the mission. The long and distinguished list of B-17 and bomber gunners who scored victories over Europe also began on 17 August 1942. Staff Sergeant Kent R. West, the ball turret gunner on B-17E serial 41-9100 named Birmingham Blitzkrieg, shot down a Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf FW-190A-3 Würger (Shrike).

FRE 003712
B-17E. Image via USAF

Not In East Anglia For Long

The 97th BG would not continue their missions without losses for long. The 97th flew a total of 14 missions from Polebrook and Grafton Underwood. Over 247 sorties the Group dropped 347 tons of bombs on targets in Western Europe, but lost 14 bombers during those missions. Just a month after the Rouen mission the 97th BG was reassigned to the Twelfth and then the Fifteenth Air Force, flying missions from Algeria and Tunisia and then from Italy. The 97th BG received Distinguished Unit Citations for missions against an aircraft component factory at Steyr in Austria, on 24 February 1944 during Operation Argument or “Big Week”, and a mission against the oil refineries at Ploesti in Romania on 18 August 1944. Today the 97th Operations Group (OG) is part of the US Air Force Air education and Training Command (AETC).

Color Photographed B 17E in Flight
B-17E. Image via USAF

BREAKING: Contract Awarded For Blue Angels Transition to Super Hornet

Bill Walton
-
0
BREAKING: Contract Awarded For Blue Angels Transition to Super Hornet

If you’re the sort of inquisitive or just plain nosy Avgeek who regularly checks the US Department of Defense website for contract information, you may have missed a barely-there notification listed on 13 August 2018. The contract to which I refer was right there, in between contracts awarded to Boeing for some CFM56-7B27AE engines and some oxygen system components (both for P-8A Poseidons). The Boeing contract listed between the two for P-8 work provides a shade over $17 million ($17,002,107 to be exact) for what amounts to nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F Super Hornets for the Blue Angels. The concept of the Blues flying Echoes and Foxtrots is not exactly news, but the contract actually being funded is news. Great news for fans of the Blue Angels.

5 3
Image via US Navy

So we finally have a target date for the Blues’ transition to the F/A-18E/F. By the end of 2021 the team is expected to receive their full complement of 11 Super Hornets. That effectively means that the 2022 show season will likely be the first for the team in the new jets. The transition will be the 10th time the team has changed aircraft over their history. Modifications to the Blue Angels’ Super Hornets will be made at Boeing in St. Louis and likely be similar to those made to the current Hornet aircraft, including the removal of the nose-mounted 20 millimeter M61A2 Vulcan rotary cannon, the addition of the show smoke system, a civilian Instrument Landing System (ILS), and the spring-loaded control column that assists the aviators with precise control. Of course somewhere along the way the Blues’ jets will probably receive a glossy new blue and gold paint job too…

6 4
Image via US Navy

Navy Hornet and Super Hornet mission availability has suffered over recent years, but the Strike Fighter community times are a-changing. The best of the available F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornets are being reassigned to Marine Corps squadrons. The Navy Strike Fighter community now flies the Super Hornet Echo and Foxtrot exclusively with the last legacy Hornet deployment now concluded. Additional airframes are going to be headed for service life extension, which all means that the Blues may just be flying something other/better than the oldest airframes in captivity when they strap into Super Hornets for the first time.

US Navy 040710 N 1539M 001 The Lead solo pilot assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team the Blue Angels performs the Sneak Pass
Image via US Navy

Here’s the statement about the contract from the Department of Defense website:

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is being awarded $17,002,107 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0001918F2654 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001).  This order is for the retrofit documentation and kits to convert nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F aircraft into a Blue Angel configuration in accordance with engineering change proposal 6480.  Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in December 2021.  Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $17,002,107 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

7 2
Image via US Navy

 

Tornado: That Swing Wing Juggernaut From Across the Pond

Bill Walton
-
1
Tornado: That Swing Wing Juggernaut From Across the Pond

Panavia Built the Tornado for Germany, Italy, and the UK to Fly and Fight

The Panavia Tornado was jointly developed beginning during the late 1960s by Italy, the United Kingdom, and West Germany as the answer to a requirement for a Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). European NATO countries had been flying several American-designed jets for many years by that point. The RAF had looked at the General Dynamics F-111K but decided to back out. The consortium Panavia was made up of British Aerospace, MBB, and Aeritalia. The only operators of these twin engine swing-wing jets have been the Royal Air Force, the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare), the German Luftwaffe (and Marineflieger or Navy), and the only export customer for the jet- the Royal Saudi Air Force.

German Panavia Tornado USAF
Luftwaffe Tornado IDS. Image via USAF

The International Fighter Extraordinaire

First flown on 14 August 1974, the Tornado entered service with the RAF and the Luftwaffe in 1979 with the Italians following suit in 1981. A total of 992 Tornado jets were produced by Panavia between 1978 and 1988. Tornados were produced in several variants, but they broke down between two fairly distinct types- ground attack or interdiction/strike (IDS) and interceptor or air defense variant or ADV. Tornado IDS variants include the GR1, GR1B, GR4, and the GR1A/GR4A. There is also a Tornado electronic combat/reconnaissance or ECR variant. All Tornados are crewed by two, have manually controlled swing wings, and are powered by a pair of Turbo-Union RB199 three spool turbofan engines equipped with both afterburners and thrust reversers.

Italian Tornados refueling during Dragon Hammer 1987
Italian Tornados of the IDS persuasion. Image via USAF

The Nose Knows

Tornado ECRs are operated by Germany and Italy in the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) role. The German Navy (Marineflieger) replaced their F-104G Starfighters with Tornados. EGRs are equipped with specialized radar warning receivers and reconnaissance sensors and can fire the Texas Instruments/Raytheon AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation (HARM) missile. The RAF utilizes Tornado IDS jets in the role of the ECR. All Tornado IDS and ECR variants can be identified by the types’ shorter nose cone.

Tornado ECR JaBoG 32 1997 USAF
Luftwaffe Tornado ECR. Image via US Air Force

The Air Defence Variant

The Tornado ADV, designated either F2, F2A, F3, or EF3, has been operated by the RAF, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. While the ADV is said to lack agility, the jet was not designed or intended to dogfight. It is a straight interceptor, much like the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. The ADV does share about 80% of its parts with IDS variants, but it is equipped with improved RB199 Mk.104 engines giving it superior acceleration, the distinctive longer nose section, greater fuel capacity, and the GEC-Marconi AI.24 Foxhunter radar, and an inflight refueling probe. The ADV is also an excellent SEAD platform.

RAF Tornado GR4 MOD 45155235 Photo Corporal Mike Jones MOD
RAF Tornado IDS GR4. Photo: Corporal Mike Jones/MOD

Toting the Latest NATO Ordnance

Tornados can employ the latest NATO armament, including the Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles along with the Hughes/Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM), RAF AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM), Brimstone, Storm Shadow, or ALARM anti-radiation missiles. Tornados can also deliver the Paveway II, III, and IV series of laser guide bomb (LGB) munitions and the latest RAF ordnance options. RAF and Italian Tornados were highly effective during their combat in the Gulf War.

Two Tornado GR4 13 Squadron Royal Air Force based at RAF Marham are pictured flying over Western Scotland MOD 45143185 Photo Sgt Jack Pritchard RAF MOD
RAF Tornado IDS GR4s. Photo: Sergeant Jack Pritchard RAF/MOD

This awesome film about the Tornado in RAF service was uploaded to YouTube by BrySkye. Enjoy!

[youtube id=”rHjU0sdHRV8″ width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

BREAKING: Utah Man Crashes Cessna 525 CitationJet

Bill Walton
-
0
BREAKING: Utah Man Crashes Cessna 525 CitationJet

On Monday 13 August 2018 at 0238 local time a Cessna 525 CitationJet, serial number 525-0099 and registered as N526CP, crashed into a residence located at 594 East Canyon Road located just southeast of Payson in Utah. There was only the single pilot on board the jet. Two people were in the house at the moment of impact but both survived the crash and escaped the subsequent fire. The jet belonged to a business by the name of Vancon Holdings out of Springville in Utah and was built by Cessna in 1995. There is much more to this story though.

Man Stole Cessna 525 After Assaulting Wife

The pilot of the jet, a man named Duane Rhedd Youd, had earlier that day spent time in the Utah County Jail after allegedly assaulting his wife after both had been drinking- both in front of witnesses. Youd was booked into the jail Sunday evening on a domestic violence charge- not his first. However, Youd made bail and was released. At approximately 0030 Youd called Payson police to request an escort to his home, where Youd grabbed some of his belongings and left without incident in his truck.

N484J 1994 Cessna 525 C N 525 0048 6558211825
Cessna 525 CitationJet sister ship to N526CP. By Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (N484J 1994 Cessna 525 C/N 525-0048) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Youd, who was employed by Vancon Holdings as a pilot and indicated he had previously worked for Endeavor Air and was currently employed by Guardian Flight Alaska, evidently went straight to Spanish Fork Airport Springville- Woodhouse Field (KSPK) approximately 15 miles from the crash site. Evidence suggests Youd had full-time access to the Cessna 525 CitationJet at KSPK. The timeline of events suggests Youd took off in N526CP at approximately 0220 and 18 minutes later he crashed the jet- into his own house. While his wife and son were inside it!

N747AC 1997 Cessna 525 C N 525 0202 6004754390
Cessna 525 CitationJet sister ship to N526CP. By Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (N747AC 1997 Cessna 525 C/N 525-0202) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Youd reportedly made contact with a shed or garage structure just before hitting his house. The crash doused the house with burning jet fuel, setting it ablaze. Authorities are thankful Youd did not cause more widespread damage. Authorities are hesitant to call this another suicide by aircraft similar to the Horizon Q400 incident in Seattle, but if anything this seems like a clearer cut case than that. Stay tuned- we’ll update this story as events warrant.

N224CJ 7443938232
Cessna 525 CitationJet sister ship to N526CP. By Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand (N224CJ) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Watch: The Air Force Trots Out the Whole Supersonic Aircraft Lineup

Bill Walton
-
0
Watch: The Air Force Trots Out the Whole Supersonic Aircraft Lineup

The film “Mission Sonic Boom” was produced in 1959 and explains the phenomenon of sonic booms. Supersonic flight was actually fairly commonplace by the time the film was made. The film features the Convair B-58 Hustler bomber, the North American F-100 Super Sabre fighter, the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo interceptor, the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger interceptor, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter interceptor, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter bomber, and the Convair F-106 Delta Dart interceptor. The film was uploaded to YouTube by Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture.

[youtube id=”H42rYxI6PVI” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

10446063 798940950167932 675904658844782756 o
F-100 Super Sabre. Image via US Air Force

Navy and Marine Corps aircraft featured in the film include the Douglas F4D-1 Skyray interceptor, the Vought F8U Crusader fighter, and interestingly the Douglas A4D-1 Skyhawk attack jet. The Skyhawk was not a supersonic aircraft. Left out of the film was the other supersonic Navy fighter- the Douglas F11F Tiger fighter. The Air Force continued sonic boom research for many more years. Operation Bongo Mark 2 was a series of supersonic flights over Oklahoma City during 1964 to gauge the effects of regular sonic booms on a population and its infrastructure.

14 2
F-8 Crusader. Image via US Navy

After the awe-inspiring B-58 Hustler, the Air Force did not fly another production supersonic bomber until the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark. Today the Rockwell B-1B Lancer fills the supersonic bomber role. The ultimate Air Force supersonic aircraft was the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Another supersonic aircraft to serve with the Air Force in this general time frame was the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter. Additional Navy and Marine Corps supersonic jets around the time the film was produced include the North American A3J (A-5) Vigilante strategic bomber and the McDonnell Douglas F4H Phantom II fighter-bomber.

F 102A in flight 1
F-102A Delta Dagger. Image via USAF

 

Watch: Skyhawk 518 Will Make You Want to Throw Down For Your Own Scooter

Bill Walton
-
0
Watch: Skyhawk 518 Will Make You Want to Throw Down For Your Own Scooter

Private A-4 Skyhawk aircraft are becoming more and more common these days. Several companies have stockpiled former boneyard resident jets and they’ve slowly been coming on the open market after meticulous restorations. The jet in these videos, registered as N518TA, is (at least in part) Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk Bureau Number (BuNo) 158486 (CN 14291). Skyhawk 518 is a perfect example of a veteran jet that’s been effectively zero-timed and upgraded/updated with partial electronic flight instrumentation system (EFIS) cockpit displays and modern communications. These two videos were uploaded to YouTube by Skyhawk518

[youtube id=”_1Ro6crCH4Q” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

The second video is a backseat fisheye view of a demo flight. Makes you want to throw down the cash for your very own Scooter, no? Below the video are the fascinating facts about the sum of Skyhawk 518’s parts.

[youtube id=”7ZOxto3i6Y8″ width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

2 4
TW-3 TA-4Js. US Navy photograph

Skyhawk 518 actually began life as not one, not even two, but three separate jets. TA-4J BuNo 158486 was accepted by the Navy in 1972 assigned to Navy Training Squadrons VT-24 Bobcats and VT-25 Cougars with Training Air Wing THREE (TW-3) at Naval Air Station (NAS) Chase Field in Texas. The jet went to VT-4 Warbucks with TW-6 at NAS Pensacola in Florida in 1974 and remained there for 9 years. The jet was stricken and stored in 1983 before lending its forward fuselage and data plate to N518TA.

2 3
VA-76 A4D-2N. US Navy photograph

A4D-2N Skyhawk BuNo 149540, which contributed its aft fuselage to Skyhawk 518, was accepted by the Navy in 1962. The jet served first with VA-113 Stingers, then with VA-144 Roadrunners, VA-22 Fighting Redcocks, VA-113 again, VA-76 Spirits, VA-36 Road Runners, and VA-304 Firebirds. In 1970 the jet was converted to an A-4L. From there the jet went to VMA-124 Checkerboards and then VC-12 Fighting Omars before going into storage in 1976. The aircraft also spent time with the Malaysian Air Force before coming back to the states in 1986 and gave up its aft fuselage and empennage to a good cause.

1 7
VSF-1 A-4C. US Navy photograph

A4D-2N Skyhawk BuNo 148602, which contributed its wings to Skyhawk 518, was accepted by the Navy in 1961. The jet served with VA-192 Golden Dragons, VA-144 Road Runners, VSF-1 Warhawks, VA-216 Black Diamonds, VA-44 Hornets, VA-36 Road Runners, and VMA-131 Diamondbacks. In 1970 the aircraft was converted to an A-4L. After conversion the jet served with VMA-124 Checkerboards until 1976 when it was put into storage. Sold to the Malaysian Air Force in 1983, the jet boomeranged back to the desert in 1986. From there the jet became the supporting cast for N518TA. The jet was purchased so it’s no longer for sale, but most of the time you can find a Scooter of your very own online.

3 1
VA-305 A-4Cs. US Navy photograph

UPDATED: Alaska Airlines Q400 Turboprop Stolen, Crashes: Here’s The Latest…

Avgeekery
-
0
UPDATED: Alaska Airlines Q400 Turboprop Stolen, Crashes: Here’s The Latest…

An Alaska Airlines Horizon Q400 (tail number N449QX) was stolen this evening from Seattle’s SEATAC International Airport by a 29 year-old individual named “Rich”. The aircraft departed SEATAC International and was spotted flying erratic maneuvers around the Seattle area.

Two F-15s from the Oregon Air National Guard were directed to intercept the aircraft. In a video shot by an eyewitness, you can see the Q400 flying low and fast with a F-15 tracking the rogue aircraft from above. The Q400 later crashed on Ketron Island in the southern part of Puget Sound. Alaska Airlines confirmed the crash in a tweet (see below).

At Avgeekery, we’re more than just a news/hobby blog. We also are a community of people who love aviation and want to share that passion with others. Stories like this are tragic and heartbreaking. Earlier today, we posted this on our Facebook page. We think it is also appropriate to share.

Here’s what we know so far…

Update four 12:15am 8/11/2018

The FBI is taking lead on the investigation with the NTSB to support.

Alaska Airlines posted the following information on their blog:

Update: 11:54 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2018
Alaska Airlines believes a ground service agent employed by Horizon Air was the individual responsible for flying the Horizon Q400 without clearance from Sea-Tac International Airport around 8 p.m. tonight.

The plane, which was taken from a maintenance position and was not scheduled for passenger flight, crashed about an hour later in a wooded area on Ketron Island in rural Pierce County. No ground structures were involved at the crash site.

Military jets were scrambled from Portland, but it does not appear that these jets were involved in the crash of the Horizon aircraft.

This individual who took the aircraft, who has not yet been positively identified until remains are examined, is believed to have been the only person on the plane when the plane was taken from a maintenance position at Sea-Tac.

First responders are at the crash site. Appropriate government agencies, including NTSB, FAA and FBI, have been notified.

Update three 11:27pm 8/10/2018

Video was posted by John Waldron on Facebook of the Q400’s flight.  In one of the clips you can clearly see the aircraft performing dangerous aerobatics. The turboprop pulled out of a loop just 100 feet above the sound. Click on the link to view the video.
https://www.facebook.com/JohnJWaldron/videos/10217237711963918

Update two 11:06pm 8/10/2018

Horizon Air’s Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen posted a video statement on YouTube.  In her statement she said that the hijacker was believed to be a Horizon employee.  She also said they think he was the only person onboard the aircraft.

 

Update one 10:52pm 8/10/2018

Here is a compilation with most of the audio from the stolen aircraft.

Original post:

“Ive got alot of people that care about me. It’s going to disappoint them to hear that I did this.”

It is believed that the hijacker was the only person onboard the aircraft. In a series of captured audio by Twitter user @jwsthomson, a man named Rich speaks with the controller multiple times regarding his predicament.  He appeared to be very emotional at times while also acknowledging that his behavior was far from acceptable.

The person who stole the aircraft asked if Alaska would make him a pilot if he landed it.

His aircraft was low on fuel.

Video of the rouge aircraft

Video was taken by witnesses of the scene shortly after the crash

Twitter user @iRVvyBaun posted video of the scene just seconds after the crash. So far no video of the actual crash has emerged.

Watch: Jet Warbirds Beat Up the Field at EAA Airventure 2018

Bill Walton
-
0
Watch: Jet Warbirds Beat Up the Field at EAA Airventure 2018

Jet Warbird Day at EAA AirVenture 2018 was a feast for fans of jet-propelled classics. Several types participated in the show, including North American F-86 Sabre fighters, the world’s only operational North American FJ-4 Fury carrier-based fighter, Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainers and their Canadair CT-133 cousins, a bevy of Aero L-39 Albatros jet trainers, a Gloster Meteor T.7 jet trainer, and one of the world’s few privately-owned Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighters. The videos (both parts) were uploaded to YouTube by AirshowStuffVideos.

Part 1 of the show-

[youtube id=”W-DoCMUjXOI” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

That F-5A is a former 1968-vintage Norwegian Air Force jet. It made its way back to the States in 1988 and was purchased by Chick Thornton of Thornton Aircraft Company (TAC). TAC restores and sells Northrop T-38 and F-5 jets. They also do aviation motion picture and television work among other things. You may notice in Part 2 of the video that the F-5A is quite capable of stealing the show.

Part 2 of the show-

[youtube id=”7GtLfBHD2ws” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

Part 2 features pyro effect and a missing man formation flown in remembrance of the late Marty Tibbitts, who died in the crash of the World Heritage Air Museum DF-112 Venom FB54 at Sheboygan the week before EAA AirVenture 2018. RIP Marty.

37398834 10155817423378207 1185864066975924224 n 1
Image via AirshowStuff/Ryan Sundheimer

 

1...113114115...223Page 114 of 223