When the British Airways Film Unit produced the promotional film “Transatlantic Supersonic” in 1976, the Aérospatiale / BAC Concorde supersonic transport (SST) had only just entered scheduled service with British Airways. The Concorde was jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) under an Anglo-French treaty. A total of 20 Concordes were built including the first six airframes used for testing and development. Thanks to YouTuber PeriscopeFilm for uploading this look at the Concorde.
The Concorde was flown by only two airlines- Air France and British Airways. The Concorde was capable of flying at just over twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04 (1,354 miles per hour or 2,180 kilometers per hour) at the aircraft’s cruising altitude of 60,000 feet. The aircraft could be configured to seat from 92 to 128 passengers. The Concorde flew for the first time in 1969 but took until 1976 to enter service. The last operational Concorde was retired in 2003. The world’s only other operational SST was the Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 Charger, 16 of which were built and operated by the Soviets for only six years.
The Bell X-1 was the rocket-powered aircraft that exceeded the speed of sound in level flight while piloted by legendary test pilot Chuck Yeager on October 14th 1947. The aircraft, developed largely during World War II by Bell Aircraft along with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) and later the US Air Force (USAF), subsequently flew at nearly 1,000 miles per hour (870 knots or 1,600 kilometers per hour) during continued testing in 1948. But did you know that the British might have been able to break the sound barrier first, or that they might have solved a sticky engineering wicket with the X-1?
Image via NASM
As early as 1942 the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Aviation (Air Ministry) was working with Miles Aircraft on a top-secret project to design and build the world’s first aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier in level flight. The turbojet-powered Miles M.52 was designed to reach 1,000 miles per hour, which was more than twice the existing airspeed record at the time in level flight. The aircraft was also expected to be able to climb to an altitude of 36,000 feet (10,973 meters) in just 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The design of the M.52 was 90 percent complete by 1944 and Miles was directed to build three prototypes. Also in 1944 The Air Ministry signed an agreement with the United States to exchange high-speed research and data. Supposedly the Brits provided drawings of the M.52 and research data to Bell Aircraft but Bell provided nothing in return. Bell was already working on a rocket-powered design similar to the M.52 but tail design issues were holding Bell’s development efforts up. Miles Aircraft believed a variable-incidence tail design would solve the problem.
Official US Air Force Photograph
The USAAF Flight Test Division and the NACA contracted with the Bell Aircraft Company on March 16th 1945 to build three XS-1 (for “Experimental, Supersonic”) aircraft to obtain flight data on conditions in the transonic speed range. The designation was changed to X-1 later. In simplest terms the X-1 was a bullet with wings. The shape of the fuselage resembled nothing as much as a .50 caliber bullet- a shape that was known to be stable while flying at supersonic speeds. This created design challenges for the cockpit of the aircraft, which had no room for an ejection seat.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
During early testing in 1947 the X-1 experienced in-flight compressibility problems. The tailplane was redesigned to incorporate variable-incidence or “flying” one-piece horizontal stabilizers. This resulted in some controversy about the potential British contribution to the X-1 design, but in the end Yeager’s flight tests confirmed the “flying” tail worked. If it had not, the design of the X-1 would have been radically altered to include delta wings. As it turned out every experimental “X plane” would be equipped with a flying tail or delta wings from then on.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Reaction Motors Incorporated was one of the very first companies to build liquid-propellant rocket engines in the U.S. They provided the four-chamber rocket engine capable of 6,000 pounds of thrust for the X-1. This rocket engine burned ethyl alcohol diluted with water with a liquid oxygen oxidizer. Thrust could be incrementally increased by using additional chambers. The first two X-1 engines were equipped with fuel and oxygen tanks pressurized with nitrogen, but the remainder utilized gas-driven turbopumps- necessary to increase the chamber pressure and thrust while making the engine lighter.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The first person to fly the X-1 was Bell Aircraft chief test pilot Jack Woolams. He made the first of ten unpowered glide-flights over Pinecastle Army Airfield in Florida (later McCoy Air Force Base (AFB) and now Orlando International Airport) on January 25th 1946. Powered flights were all flown at Muroc Army Airfield (now Edwards AFB), first by Bell test pilots Woolams and Chalmers “Slick” Goodlin. 26 successful powered flights were conducted between September 1946 and June 1947. But when the USAAF expressed concerns about the cautious pace of Bell flight testing and then Goodlin demanded $150,000 for a first supersonic flight, he was out. And Yeager stepped in. Broken ribs and all.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Just a month after the USAAF became the USAF, on October 14th 1947 Captain Chuck Yeager famously borrowed a stick of Beeman’s and then drop-launched out of the bomb bay of a specially modified Boeing B-29 Superfortress in Bell X-1 USAF serial number 46-062. The all-orange aircraft was named Glamorous Glennis after his wife as all of his USAAF-assigned aircraft had been. On this 50th X-1 flight the aircraft reached Mach 1.06 or 700 miles per hour (610 knots or 1,100 kilometers per hour) at 43,000 feet (13,106 meters). After “breaking the Mach meter” the rocket engines burned out and Yeager glided the now-famous Bell X-1 down to land on the dry lake bed.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The 1947 National Aeronautics Association Collier Trophy went to the three primary participants in the X-1 Program for their supersonic flight. Honored at the White House by President Truman were Larry Bell of Bell Aircraft, pilot USAF Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager, and John Stack of the NACA. The NACA would eventually become the core of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration- NASA. Although the Air Force tried their best to keep a lid on the story, Aviation Week magazine had it by their December 22nd 1947 issue. The supersonic flight was finally announced to the public on June 10th 1948 by Air Force Secretary Stuart Symington.
Photo Credit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Chuck Yeager used X-1 USAF serial number #46-062 to perform the only conventional (runway) launch of the X-1 program, reaching an altitude of 23,000 feet (7,000 meters) in only 90 seconds on January 5th 1949. Later variants of the X-1 were built to test different aspects of supersonic flight. While flying the modified X-1A Yeager experienced inertia coupling and nearly lost the aircraft. The research techniques used for the X-1 program became the pattern for all subsequent X-plane programs. The flight data collected by the NACA from the X-1 tests was used to develop many of the fighter designs designed and built throughout the latter half of the 20th century.
An Air France crew is preparing to fly their wounded double-decker A-380 home from Canada to France, nearly two weeks after the aircraft suffered a serious in-flight engine failure over the Atlantic Ocean, and they will make the 2,650 mile trip on only 3 engines.
Air France Flight 66 landed safely at Goose Bay International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, following the incident, which occurred en route from Paris to Los Angeles on Sep 30, but they have yet to release many details.
In videos and photos posted online, the #4 engine was clearly inoperative after the fan and cowling blew off, chunks of which landed on the Greenland ice sheet over 35,000 feet below.
Nearly 500 souls were onboard, and while a scary situation, passengers kept their cool, and no injuries were reported. Although the hours following landing were quite stressful (you can read about one such experience HERE).
Now, according to Reuters, Air France is swapping the blown engine with a spare, to serve as a weight balance to help get the super jumbo airliner home.
An Air France A380. File Photo: Air France
The blown engine, meanwhile, is being sent back to the manufacturer, General Electric, for a thorough examination and hopeful determination of what caused the accident, described by some passengers as a “loud thud and a lot of vibration”.
So how DO you fly a A-380 on 3 engines, across the ocean?
British Airways A-380 Captain Dave Wallsworth (@DaveWallsworth on Twitter) offered some very interesting and detailed insight into conducting such a specialized flight, and the training necessary to make it happen.
The @airfrance#A380 which suffered an engine failure is to be flown back with only 3 operating engines. Some notes about how that is done.. pic.twitter.com/XGe9FQ9Waf
Meanwhile, the FAA has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) to all owners and operators of the engine (Engine Alliance Model GP7200 series turbofan engines) to prevent failure of the fan hub, which could lead to an uncontained release of the fan hub, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.
“We are issuing this AD because we evaluated all the relevant information and determined the unsafe condition described previously is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design,” says the FAA.
The engine which blew apart in flight had 3,527 cycles since new. The AD orders fan hubs with 3,500 cycles since new or more, to be inspected within 2 weeks of the date of the AD. Fan hubs with less cycles have more time to conduct inspections.
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– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography
This week’s Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet crash at Hmeimim Airbase has brought world focus to the Russian military’s technological advancements. Russia has carried out at least 150 airstrikes against Islamic jihadists in Syria. They have lost three fighter jets since last year, a Mig-29, an Su-33 and most recently this past week, an Su-24. However despite these losses, Russia is touting the Syrian effort as an opportunity to battle test important military technology.
Showing Up or Showing Off? Technological Advancements of the Russian Military
Russia is using the Syrian conflict as a kind of proving ground, testing its new line up of missiles, warplanes and robots. For example, Kalibr missiles came into the picture in 2012 but Russia did not have an opportunity to test them in combat until the Syrian crisis. Warships have fired Kalibr missiles at least a dozen times, thus far.
The Kalibr is actually a family of missiles, one of which has an approximate range of 2,000 – 2,600 kilometers. These missile deployments allow Russia to showcase just how far they have come with this technology, putting the country in league with a handful of others that have successful long range missile programs. The Kalibr is said to be comparable to the U.S. Tomahawk.
Also of note is the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia’s only aircraft carrier. It was put into service after 30 years of being idle and was stationed off the Syrian coast in late 2016. For the most part, the military focuses on land missions, therefore the ability to test out Admiral Kuznetsov in a real combat situation provided valuable insight into its capabilities, or lack thereof. The carrier lost two aircraft reportedly because of arrestor gear failure, which caused the planes to roll over the deck when attempting to land.
Is Using Kh-101 Strategic Cruise Missiles Against Syrian Jihadists Overkill?
Kh-101 strategic cruise missiles were launched from Tu-95MS strategic bombers like this Photo Dmitry Terekhov from Odintsovo, Russian Federation (wikimedia commons)
Some observers call Russia’s recent display against Syria overkill since the rebels are often only armed with shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. The situation further illustrates that, indeed, Russia is testing weapons’ capabilities in these live combat situations.
Russian military generals are beaming over the successful launch of Kh-101 strategic cruise missiles. These stealth missiles have nuclear capability and were launched from Tu-95MS strategic bombers. The move may have indeed been an unnecessary show of might but helped the military prove to the world that the missiles are viable.
Russia is also flexing its muscles with its supersonic Tu-160 bomber. It is a long-range fighter jet that has the ability to carry out a strategic mission and then, fly back to its home base. Missions can be launched from Iran with the Tu-160 which opens up a whole new chapter in political and military relations between the two countries.
Iconic Fighter Jets, Helicopters and Robots Join the Fight
Mig-29SMTN Photo Vitaly V. Kuzmin, Operator Russia – Air Force
One of the most recent additions to the Russian arsenal is an upgrade of an icon, the Mig-29SMT. It was recently deployed on a combat mission to Syria, along with combat helicopters. The Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopter flies night missions and has long range missile capability to boot.
Mi-28N (Photo Vitaly V. Kuzmin (wikimedia commons)
Robots and drones are also being used. The Uran-6 is a demining robot that was used in clearing the Aleppo site. The Uran-6 is controlled remotely and can detect and destroy explosive devices with up to a 60kg TNT yield. The explosives are smashed by the trawl or detonated.
ATLANTA — The thrust of America’s military jets and the dizzying aerobatics of civilian aircraft are poised to perform this weekend during an airshow first as it will be staged above the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Nearly 80,000 guests are likely to attend the two-day inaugural Atlanta Airshow which will feature the top jets from both the Navy and Air Force, and include several of the nation’s top aerobatic performers.
And, this will be the first true airshow to ever take place over a stadium.
“This is the first time an airshow has been held in a stadium setting,” said Atlanta Airshow president Bryan Lilley on Thursday. “There’s gonna be nothing like it in the industry. From comfort and convenience, the one thing we all want in an airshow is shade, non-portable restrooms, and there will hundred’s of video screens installed in the stadium.”
The aerial stadium will host one civilian aerobatic pilot who spent Thursday rehearsing and modifying his performance. Comedic stunt pilot Kent Pietsch is practicing to make airshow history as he performs a rare landing inside a stadium during an airshow.
Each second will count as Kent uses precision skill to perform a touch-and-go maneuver a top a speeding RV inside the stadium. He will then hold his position for a few seconds, and then take-off with only feet to spare.
“I think in that particular setting it’s a first,” Lilley remarked. “Kent’s been planning it and rehearsing it.”
Photo by: Charles A. Atkeison
The Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet will perform over the stadium twice on Saturday and Sunday as the Tactical Demonstration Team’s jet opens and closes the family friendly event. Based in Oceana, Virginia, these Super Hornets are multi-role fighters capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground combat of enemy targets.
Two of the team’s pilots are from Georgia, and one of their prime maintenance professionals is from nearby Griffin.
“I am very happy I got to come to my hometown, and we are super excited to be here at the Atlanta Airshow,” said AM2 Douglas Scheer, an aviation structural mechanic on the F/A-18 Super Hornet, who serves with the Tac Demo Team. “This is unique as I’ve never seen an airshow fly over a stadium. This is gonna be very unique and special to us this weekend.”
The Air Force’s fourth generation fighter will take to the skies each afternoon as the F-16 Viper Demo Team demonstrates the jet’s handling characteristics. Based at nearby Shaw, AFB, S.C., this Demo Team will also wow the guests on hand with incredible maneuvers.
Major John “Rain” Waters, a native of Peachtree City, will pilot the F-16 as he demonstrates the capabilities of the Viper, and will perform a joint flight with a P-51D Mustang as the duo executes the crowd favorite Air Force Heritage flight.
The Atlanta Motor Speedway, prime site of the Atlanta Airshow, is located 28 miles south of Downtown Atlanta, by following I-75 south to the Tara Blvd. exit and south to Speedway Blvd. Tickets remain available online and will also be sold at the gate each day.
As Bryan Lilley stood inside the stadium watching the aerial practice overhead, a grin of accomplishment and pride moved across his face and said, “I think this an achievement for the industry, and for all of us to be here, and be able to put this airshow together. This will be new and next-generation in the airshow industry.”
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
If Looks Were All It Took They Might Have Had Something
When Convair built the single XB-46 prototype medium bomber during the late stages of World War II it was designed to become the Air Force’s first jet-propelled medium bomber and to compete with the German Arado AR 234 Blitz jet bombers then in development. But when the war ended the program fell victim to budget cuts. Eventually Convair had to choose between two development programs. The XB-46 program lost that decision to the XA-44- a smaller design featuring swept-forward wings that was also unsuccessful in the end.
OFFICIAL US AIR FORCE PHOTOGRAPH
The Class of the Class of ’45?
The XB-46, together with the North American XB-45 and the Martin XB-48, were referred to as the “Class of 45” at the time of their development. North American eventually produced 145 short-lived B-45 Tornado bombers for the Air Force. Martin’s 6 jet-engine straight-wing design never got past the prototype stage. Boeing…well Boeing was working on the B-47, which as we know eventually became the Air Force’s choice for the role, but not before it morphed several times during development.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Shades of the B-24
The XB-46 (Air Force serial number 45-59582) was completed in 1947 as a stripped-down prototype lacking mission equipment. It flew for the first time on April 2nd 1947 and was quickly dubbed the Needle. Shoulder-mounted Davis (high-aspect) wings spanning 113 feet (roughly the same span as the B-24 Liberator) supported a tapered fuselage 105 feet long. Powered by four Allison J35-C3 axial-flow turbojets (built by Chevrolet) and mounted in pairs in wing-mounted nacelles, the aircraft was striking in appearance. The bomber carried a crew of three in its pressurized fuselage- pilot and co-pilot seated in tandem under a forward-fuselage fighter-type canopy and a bombardier-navigator-radio operator behind a B-26 Maruader-esque transparent nose.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Testing Ground-Breaking Technologies
Had the bomber been ordered into production it would have been armed with a pair of .50 caliber machine guns mounted in an Emerson tail turret controlled by the APG-27 remote fire control system. The J-35 engines powering the prototype airframe would have been swapped for the improved General Electric J47 engines. As it was the airframe was used primarily for testing of the unique aerodynamic and system engineering contained in the design. Specifically the flight control system utilized pneumatic rather than hydraulic, manual, or electrical control lines and systems.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Close But No Cigar for the Needle
In flight the bomber was praised by its test pilots, both Convair and Army Air Force alike, for its handling qualities. But though stability and control were excellent during 64 flight totaling 127 hours, engine de-icing and cabin air systems required additional engineering work. It seems the most serious problem was likely the vertical oscillations caused by harmonic resonance between the wing and spoilers. Actually installing the fire control system probably would have forced a major redesign of that shapely fuselage too. In the end the program was cancelled before flight testing was even completed. The B-45 had already been ordered into production and the B-47…well we know the rest of that story!
Official US Air Force Photograph
The End of the Line
44 additional hours of Convair flight testing were flown from Palm Beach Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida during 1948 and 1949. Investigation into excessive noise, tail vibration, and stability and control issues took place during this final period of flight testing. Taken out of service in 1949, the aircraft spent a year on the ground before heading to Eglin AFB in Florida to have its unique pneumatic control systems tested at that base’s the large climate facility. The aircraft was finally scrapped in February of 1952.
Bonus Video
Here’s a video of featuring some clips of the graceful and shapely XB-46 uploaded by airailimages.
WestJet Airlines took delivery of their first Boeing 737-8 MAX this week. The new Boeing compliments an existing fleet of Boeing 737NGs including the -600, -700 and -800 model aircraft.
WestJet is known for using amazing videos to highlight company events, April Fools jokes and holidays. In true WestJet style, they followed the ‘birth’ of their first Boeing 737-8 MAX. In the video you can see the mating of the -8’s fuselage to the wings and horizontal stabilizer, and advanced technology (AT) winglets. WestJet also provides a behind the scenes look at the painting process and final polish.
WestJet is the first Canadian Airline to receive the new -8MAX aircraft. They have a total of 65 new 737 MAXs on order including 30 of the -8 along with 10 -7 aircraft and 25 models of the larger -9 version. Additionally, WestJet has an order of 20 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that will add additional capacity for domestic routes and will most likely open up new routes throughout Europe and the Pacific. WestJet also announced a new ‘airline within an airline’ ultra-low cost subsidiary called Swoop that will begin service out of Calgary in 2018.
On Thursday October 12th 2017, a Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon fighter jet has crashed near Los Llanos Airbase at Albacete Airport, located about 200 miles (300 kilometers) southeast of Madrid in Spain. The jet was approaching Los Llanos for recovery after taking part in a National Parade Day flyover at Madrid as one of a flight of four aircraft. The pilot, whose name has not yet been released, was unable to eject before the aircraft impacted in a farmer’s field at about 1000 local time near the air base. The cause of the mishap is under investigation. Avgeekery will update this story as events warrant.
Official Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) Photograph
Less than three weeks ago another EF2000 mishap took place in Italy. Los Llanos Airbase at Albacete Airport is the home base of the Ejército del Aire’s Eurofighter Typhoon C.16 jets from Ala (squadron) 14. The base also hosts the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Tactical Leadership Program. Spain has been flying a single squadron of the C.16 version of the EF2000 Typhoon fighter-bombers since October of 2003. Their Typhoons regularly participate in Exercises like Red Flag, hosted by the United States Air Force (USAF) at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB) near Las Vegas.
Southwest Airlines announced service to Hawaii this evening at their company ‘Spirit Party’. Service will begin in 2018. The airline also announced its intention to launch an application process for Federal Aviation Administration authorization for Extended Operations (ETOPS). Service details will be announced at a later date.
The ‘Spirit Party’ is a company-wide celebration of what makes the airline unique. This year, Southwest rented out Universal Studios in Hollywood for the evening. At the party, a large screen said, “Be here at eight sharp for big news.” CEO Gary Kelly made the announcement at 8pm PT sharp.
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly announced that service to Hawaii will begin in 2018. He made the announcement while dressed very appropriately in a Hawaiian shirt. Destinations and launch dates will come later.
“A day long-awaited by our Customers, fans, and more than 55,000 of the world’s most-loved airline Employees is finally within sight–a day that will showcase your Hospitality, about as far Southwest as you can go in the U.S.,” Chairman & CEO Gary Kelly told thousands of Southwest Employees at a Company gathering in Southern California. “Hawaii is an important place for Southwest Airlines because so many people count on us to take them everywhere they want to go reliably and affordably. We’re ready and excited to address a request we’ve heard for years.”
The move to Hawaii is long expected, and some would even say overdue. Southwest has actually served Hawaii before through a codeshare with ATA or American Trans Air. Back in 2006, Southwest held a code-share agreement with the now-defunct airline. Southwest flew passengers to Oakland and Ontario while ATA flew passengers to Hawaii with their 737-800 fleet. The service was very popular for Rapid Rewards members but it was cancelled in 2007 as ATA wound down operations and declared bankruptcy. While Southwest acquired the assets of ATA, they did not introduce service to Hawaii.
A new Southwest Airlines 737-8MAX. Photo: Southwest Airlines
Rumors of Southwest flying to Hawaii have been swirling for years. They peaked last month when Southwest sponsored a major Hawaii travel conference in Honolulu. Southwest didn’t announce anything at the time. Some blamed the hurricanes impacting other Southwest stations like San Juan and Houston for the delay.
The news comes as Southwest recently introduced the Boeing 737-8 MAX. The new version of the 737 is more fuel efficient and has a longer range than the existing 737-700s and -800s. The new -8MAX seats 175 people with Wifi, adjustable headrests, and even slightly wider seats. Service is expected to begin using the 737-800 first. However, the -8MAX will become the primary aircraft for flights to Hawaii once the aircraft is ETOPs certified by the FAA.
This is a breaking news story. We will update you with additional information as soon as possible.
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker first entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1957. Boeing built just a couple more than 800 of these aircraft. They have been adapted to perform scores of missions in addition to airlifting and aerial refueling. Developed from Boeing’s 367-80 prototype along with the hugely successful 707 series of commercial airliners, the KC-135 has flown millions of miles and thousands of refueling sorties all over the world. The aircraft, in updated and improved form, is still operated by the USAF and has been operated by several foreign countries as well. This film, titled “The Indispensables”, and uploaded by AIRBOYD explains how the Strategic Air Command (SAC) utilized their KC-135s when the film was produced during the 1960s.
Some of the very first KC-135s served as test aircraft designated NKC-135A. Some of these aircraft were equipped with refueling booms and some were not. Early on the Air Force also used KC-135s as platforms for airborne command posts designated KC-135Bs. Later they became EC-135Cs. The KC-135Q stratotanker was specially equipped to refuel the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbirds. These Q models were later redesignated KC-135T.
Official US Air Force Photograph
A single EC-135Y served as a VIP transport. The first Stratotankers designated KC-135Rs were four KC-135As converted for reconnaissance and evaluation of above-ground nuclear tests and later retired. The majority of KC-135s still serving today are the current KC-135R and KC-135R(RT) variants equipped with CFM-56 engines, and in the case of the KC-135R(RT) capable of receiving fuel while airborne. Some of the lessons learned through the 60 years of KC-135 operations came at a high cost.
Last month, 17,000 spectators at the Ginkel Heath in Ede, The Netherlands, watched 250 Paratroopers from the United States, England, Poland and Germany jump out of transport aircraft like the USAF C-130 Hercules, the Polish CASA C-295 and the German C-160 Transall and an old USAAF C-47 Skytrain during Airborne 2017, the 73rd Commemoration of Operation Market Garden.
Operation Market Garden, developed and led by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, was an unsuccessful Allied Military Operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany. Market Garden took place between September 17 and 25, 1944.
During World War II (1939-1945) the operation was split into two sub-operations:
Market – the Airborne Forces, the First Allied Airborne Army, who would seize bridges
Garden – the Ground Forces, consisting of the British XXX Corps
Market Garden contained the largest Airborne Operation up to that point and Market would be the largest Airborne Operation in History. More than 41,000 Paratroopers from Airborne Divisions of the United States Army, British Army and Polish Army participated in Operation Market Garden. Among them were 15,000 – 18,000 casualties. 1,274 USAF C-47 Skytrains, 164 Dakotas, 321 RAF Bombers (converted to towing planes), 2160 RAF Waco Gliders, 916 RAF Horsa Gliders, and 64 RAF Hamilcar Gliders were used during the largest Airborne Operation ever.
Paratrooper jumping out of an USAAF C-47 Skytrain. Photos captured by still images from Jerry Taha Productions Video
On September 18 1944, 1900 Paratroopers from the 1st British Airborne Division landed on the Ginkel Heath in Ede, near the City of Arnhem. Their mission was to secure the bridge in Arnhem to
allow a rapid advance by armoured ground units to consolidate north of Arnhem, resulting in the Allied Forces finding their way into Germany through the Ruhr Valley, cutting Germany off from the majority of its industry. Unfortunately they encountered initial strong resistance from the Germans, which resulted in many casualties. The Battle of Arnhem became a Bridge Too Far. Market Garden was a failure, because of a multitude of factors, ranging from intelligence failures, overly optimistic planning, bad weather, poor radiocommunication, and the lack of tactical initiative on the part of commanders. Despite its failure, Field Marshal Montgomery called the operation “90% succesful” .
Because the operation did not achieve its objectives or its goal to end World War II by Christmas 1944, as a result 20,000 people in the northern and western part of Holland died of starvation during the tough winter, also known as the ‘hunger winter’. They were cut off from the agricultural lands of the south, which was liberated thanks to Market Garden.
It took till May 5 1945, before Holland was finally liberated completely from the Germans.
From Jerry Taha Productions comes this amazing video. The video shows the story of Operation Market Garden and its 73rd commemoration.
In 1976, 32 Years after Operation Market Garden, Arnhem and Holland would became a Hollywood filmset for the famous movie ‘A Bridge Too Far’, directed by the late Richard Attenborough.
Starring a 70s star cast, including Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, Sean Connery, Dirk Bogarde, Michael Caine, and James Caan. The epic war film was based on the 1974 book ‘A Bridge Too Far’ by Cornelius Ryan. The film was released in 1977 and was a huge succes.
USAF C-130 Hercules dropping Paratroopers. Photos captured by still images from Jerry Taha Productions Video
There is a magic about Arnhem and its surrounding towns of Oosterbeek and Ede, where I grew up and spent most of my childhood. We have never forgotten our debt to all the thousands of British and Polish soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom. Like the people of Nijmegen and Eindhoven will never forget their debt to all the thousands of fallen American soldiers.
Every year on the 3rd Saturday of September, Operation Market Garden is being remembered by the Airborne Commemoration Foundation and the people of Ede with an Airborne Parachute Drop at the Ginkel Heath in Ede. The commemoration is being attended by the last British Veterans who are still with us, although they are becoming rare every year.
During Market Garden they were young men, from late teenagers up to in their early 20s. Now they are men who are in the 90s. We honor them with our respect for what they did for our country.
When I was a soldier myself in the Royal Netherlands Army, I got my militairy training on the same fields of the Ginkel Heath in Ede, where these war heroes landed with their parachutes.
Many times I thought of them and I was grateful for being alive in a free country and being a soldier in peacetime, while they had no choice and had to make great sacrifices for our Freedom.
I will never forget and they shall always be remembered.
Editor’s Note: Avgeekery thanks Jerry Taha for his beautiful footage and story about the event.
ATLANTA — The first airshow to be staged above a motor speedway will take place this weekend as today’s top aircraft of the U.S. Navy and the Air Force take part in the inaugural Atlanta Airshow.
Atlanta Motor Speedway will become center stage as civilian aerobatic aircraft join with military jets for one of the top aviation events near Atlanta on October 14 and 15. Aircraft on static display will fill the front of the stadium and open at 9:00 a.m. The gates into the stadium seating and concessions will open at 10:00 a.m.
Photo: Charles Atkeison
“We’ve got an all-star lineup for our inaugural year,” Atlanta Air Show president Bryan Lilley said on Tuesday. “There has been significant interest by some of the nation’s best civilian performers and from the military in being part of this historic event, which is the first air show in history to be held inside an aerial stadium.”
The Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet — nicknamed the Rhino — will conduct a brief flight over the aerial stadium at noon to kick-off the airshow. The Rhino will scream over the stadium a few hours later to perform a thirty minute flight demonstration.
The Air Force F-16 Viper Demo team will perform each afternoon above the aerial stadium. The team’s pilot, Major John “Rain” Waters, is a native of Atlanta, born and raised in nearby Peachtree City.
“When I fly the demonstration, it’s not just the combat maneuvers we do, but it shows the agility and the maneuverability of the F-16,” Maj. Waters explained from the flight line. “We go out their and showcase the capabilities of a 4th generation modern fighter and what it’s able to do. But, showing that to get that one aircraft airborne and myself, to fly the demonstration, it really takes a whole team.”
The F-16 is the same aircraft flown by the Thunderbirds, except this Viper is in full military gray and outfitted for combat service if the need arises. Maj. Waters will also perform the crowd favorite Heritage Flight as he guides his F-16 in formation with the historic P-51 Mustang in a moving tribute to our armed forces.
“I am the commander and demonstration pilot for 22 airshows annually,” Maj. Waters continued. “The mission of the F-16 Viper Demo Team is to inspire the next generation of pilots and maintainers and airman, and really anyone to serve their country through the military or some other government service.”
As the Air Force’s Viper climbs and maneuvers overhead on Saturday, many at the airshow will pause to mark the 70th anniversary of Capt. Chuck Yeager’s mach-transcending flight. On Oct. 14, 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier aboard a Bell X-1 aircraft 40,000 feet above the Mojave Desert. That flight set the stage to allow today’s aircraft to go supersonic.
The Air Force will also fly-in two A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, nicknamed the Warthog, to perform on Saturday only. It’s two pilots are Georgia natives, and each are proud to perform in the Peach State.
The straight wing Warthog can perform short take-off and landing on nearly any airfield. It’s twin engines can produce nearly 18,000 pounds of thrust during flight.
Photo: Charles Atkeison
Civilian aircraft will include the only WACO bi-plane with a jet engine as the Jack Link’s Screamin Sasquatch takes to the air to ‘feed your wild side’. Pilot Buck Roetman will perform aerobatics aboard his Pitts Special; while Kent Pietsch performs three times through out the afternoon mixing comedic fun with dead stick landings a top moving vehicles.
“If you can’t entertain, you have no business being out there,” Kent exclaimed with a smile. “The gratification is in knowing that people are enjoying themselves.”
Atlanta Motor Speedway is located 28 miles south of Downtown Atlanta, by following I-75 south to the Tara Blvd. exit and south to Speedway Blvd. Tickets remain available online and will be sold at the gate each day.
(Charles Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
