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WATCH: F-35s, The Last C-5B, And A Host Of The Military’s Finest In This September Rewind Video

Bill Walton
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WATCH: F-35s, The Last C-5B, And A Host Of The Military’s Finest In This September Rewind Video

Our friends at AirshowStuffVideos have just released their most recent compilation of the best of their military aviation footage shot during September of 2017. The video begins with footage of VFA-101 Grim Reapers Lockheed F-35B Lightning IIs operating from the deck of the new carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) Note the lack of catapult steam during the launches. Next United State Marine Corps (USMC) VMFAT-501 Warlords F-35C Lightning IIs and VMAT-203 Hawks AV-8B Harriers are seen refueling from USMC KC-130J Hercules tankers.

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During the remainder of this video we see 163rd Fighter Squadron (FS) Blacksnakes of  the 122nd Fighter Wing (FW) operating their Fairchild Republic A-10C Warthogs. Marine Corps Boeing MV-22B Ospreys and Bell UH-1Y Venom helicopters are seen operating from the assault carrier USS Kearsarge (LHD-3). Then HSM-74 Swamp Foxes Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawks and HSC-7 Dusty Dogs MH-60S Knighthawks operate from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).

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Official US Navy Photograph

20th Bomb Squadron (BS) Buccaneers and 96th BS Red Devils of the 2nd Operations Group (OG) are seen operating their Boeing B-52H Stratofortresses from the runways at RAF Fairford in the UK. Then a Lockheed C-5B Galaxy, perhaps the last one powered by those screaming General Electric TF-39 engines, takes off from Westover Air Reserve Base (ARB) in Massachusetts. We see Navy Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO THREE (VX-23) Salty Dogs crews flying Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets from the carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).

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Official US Air Force Photograph

More B-52 action then takes place as B-52Hs from the Louisiana-based 2nd OG refuel from 100th Air Refueling Wing (ARW) KC-135R and French C-135FR tankers. Then from a dark and sandy place we see a 204th Airlift Squadron (AS) of the 154th Wing Hawaii Air National Guard (ANG) Boeing C-17 Globemaster III take off, followed by a Northrop Grumman/Boeing E-8C J-STARS with the 116th Air Control Wing (ACW) of the Georgia ANG launch, followed by a 203rd Refueling Squadron (AS) Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker of the 154th Wing Hawaii ANG take to the skies. Unidentified flying BUFFs (B-52Hs) round out the action in the sandbox.

E 8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
Photograph Courtesy of Northrop Grumman

Also included in the video is footage of 104th FS of the 175th FW, Maryland ANG A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and Marine Corps VMFA-121 Green Knights F-35B Lightning IIs operating from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni in Japan during the South Korean “show  of force” missions during September 2017.

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Official US Navy Photograph

Air Berlin Ceases Longhaul Flying With Wing Wave, Low Tower Flyby, and Water Cannon Salute

Avgeekery
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Air Berlin Ceases Longhaul Flying With Wing Wave, Low Tower Flyby, and Water Cannon Salute

Air Berlin long-haul pilots were determined to commemorate the last long-haul flights for the beleaguered airline.  In a series of questionable sendoffs, Air Berlin pilots commenced a wing-wave departure from Düsseldorf and another flight buzzed the tower upon return. It was an odd sendoff for an airline bankruptcy that is anything but normal.

In this first video, you can see the last AirBelin departure receiving a water-cannon salute by the airport rescue crew at Dusseldorf earlier in the day. This is a traditional salute to commemorate the last flight. Not a big deal and a nice sign of respect to Europe’s 11th largest airline.

But then on departure, the AirBerlin’s A330 pilots decided to do a wing wave with passengers onboard. It’s not exactly an unsafe maneuver but its not exactly typical for an airliner either.

 

And this flyover now under investigation…

On arrival back in Düsseldorf, the last AirBerlin A330 flight-ever coordinated with tower for a low approach and flyby of the tower and terminal. Video shot from both the tower and the tarmac show that the jet was only 150-200 feet above the ground as it commenced the non-standard ‘missed approach’.  The flyby appears to have been coordinated with tower as footage of the event was actually filmed from the tower. The jet later returned for an uneventful landing. According to an AirBerlin spokesperson, the investigation is under investigation. Both views of the flyby available on Youtube are shown below:

AirBerlin is an unusual bankruptcy

AirBerlin might be the most interesting and odd bankruptcy ever. In most airline bankruptcies, the airline either continues to fly with infused cash as it undergoes reorganization or folds immediately due to a lack of available cash.  That was the case when Monarch shuttered earlier this month as thousands of travelers were left stranded.

In AirBerlin’s case, the airline filed for insolvency on August 15th but continued to fly. After AirBerlin was unable to secure additional funding, the airline announced that it would cease all services by October 28th. Tickets purchased for service after October 28th could be refunded if they were purchased after August 15th.  If a customer purchased a ticket before August 15th, they were out of luck.  A few weeks after the initial insolvency announcement, the airline announced that Lufthansa Group had reached a deal with the airline to purchase much of the short-haul assets from the bankrupt airline. The airline announced that long-haul services would cease on October 17th.  Short haul flying will continue for the next week and a half.  Flying by their subsidiary Niki is unaffected by the bankruptcy.

 

J-E-T-S: The 707 and DC-8 Were The Pride Of The Fleet

Bill Walton
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J-E-T-S: The 707 and DC-8 Were The Pride Of The Fleet

When Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) commissioned the film “The Wonderful Jet World of Pan American” in during the early 1960s, the airline had already been a world leader and airline pioneer for more than 30 years. Pan Am took delivery of their first Boeing 707 airliner for their fleet as the launch customer for the new jet. When that 707 made its first scheduled revenue flight in October of 1958, the airline world would never be the same again. Enjoy this in-living-color look back at the beginnings of the Jet Age, uploaded by YouTube by PeriscopeFilm.

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One of the Pan American jets banking right.
Boeing 707-320 Photograph Courtesy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Boeing 707 and DC-8 Were Pride of PanAm’s Fleet

Pan Am had only been flying the big new jets for a couple of years when the film came out, making this a classic promotional film for jet airliner travel as well as for Pan Am. The airline also began flying the new turbofan-powered Douglas DC-8-30 series airliners in 1960, which along with the new turbofan-powered 707-320 series enabled the airline to fly transatlantic routes nonstop while making a profit. Pan Am retired the last of their Boeing 707s in 1981 after operating more than 130 of them. The DC-8 fleet by comparison numbered only 19 airframes which Pan Am flew for ten years ending in 1970.

One of the Pan American jets.
Douglas DC-8-31 Photo Courtesy Douglas-Boeing

BREAKING: Spanish Air Force Pilot Perishes In F/A-18 Hornet Crash At Torrejon Air Base

Bill Walton
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BREAKING: Spanish Air Force Pilot Perishes In F/A-18 Hornet Crash At Torrejon Air Base

On Tuesday October 17th at approximately 1100 local time a Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) McDonnell Douglas EF-18A Hornet (C.15 in Spanish service) crashed immediately after takeoff from the military airbase at Torrejon near Madrid in Spain. The pilot, identified as 26 year-old Lieutenant Fernando Perez Serrano of Murcia in southeastern Spain, perished in the crash. The cause of the mishap is under investigation by Spanish authorities. This is the second very recent Ejército del Aire mishap resulting in the death of a pilot. A Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon crashed near Albacete just five days ago.

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Official Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) Photograph

Spain took delivery of 60 EF-18A of C.15 (single seat) and 12 EF-18B or CE.15 (two seat) Hornets beginning in 1985. Deliveries were complete by July of 1990. These first Hornets were later upgraded to F/A-18A+ and F/A-18B+ specifications, which essentially include the same computers, data buses, and data storage technology as those found in the F/A-18C and F/A-18D Hornets flown by the US Navy and Marine Corps as well as the ability to employ the AN/AAS-38B NITE Hawk targeting and FLIR pods.

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Official Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) Photograph

In the first sale of surplus US Navy F/A-18 Hornets to a foreign nation, Spain obtained 24 more former US Navy F/A-18A Hornets and options for an additional six airframes during 1995. These aircraft were brought up to F/A-18A+ standard prior to delivery, which occurred between December of 1995 and December of 1998. There has as yet been no confirmation from the Ejército del Aire about the exact model (C.15 or CE.15) of the jet involved in the mishap. Avgeekery.com will update this story as events warrant.

Boeing Calls Foul As Airbus Acquires Majority Stake in Bombardier’s C-Series Jetliner Program

Kim Clark
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Boeing Calls Foul As Airbus Acquires Majority Stake in Bombardier’s C-Series Jetliner Program

Airbus has struck a deal with Bombardier to acquire a majority stake in the struggling C Series airliner program, in a move that redefines the competitive landscape between Bombardier and rival Boeing. The announcement comes on the heels of attacks earlier this year from Boeing who accused Montreal, Quebec-based Bombardier of selling the C-Series jets to Delta Airlines at suspiciously low prices.

A hefty 300% tariff imposed on C-Series imports into the U.S. by the Department of Commerce has been creating friction between Canadian and U.S. plane manufacturers. Is Bombardier trying to circumvent high tariffs by striking up a deal with Airbus? Publicly, the answer to that question is no. However the fact remains that the C-Series jets will now technically be American-made and, therefore, not be subject to any tariff at all.

Airbus has offered to shift final assembly of the C-Series jets to Mobile, Alabama. Currently, Airbus is already using the Alabama facility to manufacture single-aisle jets for U.S.-based airlines and has plans for expansion to accommodate the C-Series assembly lines.

Meantime, the International Trade Commission is about to announce a final ruling on claims of harm made by Boeing in February. Airbus Group CEO Tom Enders denies that the new partnership has anything to do with Boeing’s pending lawsuit, stating that the pair have been in the negotiation phase since August. But a Boeing spokesperson stated to Reuters that “this looks like a questionable deal between two heavily state-subsidized competitors to skirt the recent findings of the U.S. government. Our position remains that everyone should play by the same rules for free and fair trade to work.”

CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement last week that Delta had no intention of paying the 300% tariff and has tended to side with Bombardier on the matter. Speaking about Delta, Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare said, “We feel confident they’ll be waiting for the right solution” and has discussed various options with the carrier, including waiting until the Alabama factory is up and running to take jets, which could be years from now. Today Delta declined to comment on the matter.

Under the terms of the new deal, Airbus will own a 50.01% majority stake in the airliner program; Bombadier will retain 31%, with the remaining 19% minority share being held by Investissement Québec. Airbus is not expected to make any additional investment in the C-Series jet program but Bombadier still gains plenty, including access to Airbus’ manufacturing, sales, customer service, and marketing networks. The deal is slated to close sometime during the second half of 2018.

Bombadier jet
Photo: Bombardier CSeries CS100 FTV-1 Fly-By the 06 runway at Mirabel Airport, before landing. Photo: Alexandre Gouger (wikimedia commons)

Boeing 747 Supertanker Joins Wildfire Battle in Northern California

Kim Clark
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Boeing 747 Supertanker Joins Wildfire Battle in Northern California

Raging wildfires in Northern California are responsible for the largest loss of life since the Cloquet Fire in 1918. According to CNN, some progress is finally being made fighting these fires that have left at least 40 people dead and burned approximately 5,700 structures since they first broke out October 8. Aerial firefighters are an integral part of the effort.

The fires broke out during severely dry conditions in Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, Butt and Solano counties, encompassing large land areas that include vineyards and wineries. Multiple fires engulfed parcels of land ranging in size from 1,000 to 20,000 acres. Many different kinds of aircraft are used in aerial firefighting including helitankers like the Erickson AirCrane or Bell 204, as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) like the AT-802F.

aerial firefighting jet
Water bombers are fixed wing aircraft used in aerial firefighting. Photo Thomas Hays, Stillwater, US (wikimedia commons)

Bringing Out the Big Guns

Today a converted Boeing 747-400 Supertanker has been re-purposed to join the California firefighting effort. Engadget.com reports the behemouth jumbo passenger plane has amazing capacity and can dump up to 19,200 gallons of flame retardant or water from as low as 200 feet AGL in six seconds, then can climb away at 6,000 feet per minute when empty. The plane is the largest jumbo Boeing passenger plane and is somewhat of a dinosaur, this particular aircraft first being put into service by Japan Airlines back in 1991.

Piloting a low-flying jumbo jet above lashing flames requires aviators that are experts at the top of their field, who have the expertise to navigate the hilly terrain around the vineyards. The process is exacting and precise: it requires firstly, assessment by the lead pilot who flies into the belly of the beast in the heart of the fire and chooses the heading, altitude and escape route for the mighty 747 Supertanker. When ready to go, the smaller lead plane flies the route first, then moves out of the way so the 747 can make its run. Once complete, the tanker goes back to be refilled by ground operators. The operators have the ability to refill the tanker with foam or gel and water in less than half an hour, so the aircraft can fly the route again.

Using the 747 Supertanker in aerial firefighting is surprisingly economical, reportedly with the lowest cost-per-gallon-dropped of any fire tanker aircraft. Seeing this huge jumbo jet flying only 200 feet above ground at low speed is enough to make any experienced pilot bristle uncomfortably in his or her seat but the aircraft has better forward and peripheral visibility than almost any other jet and pilots say it is remarkably easy to maneuver.

The California National Guard says it is cautiously optimistic about getting the fires under control in the coming week. They have deployed an estimated 2,200 soldiers and airmen. The Nevada National Guard and Cal Guard have also deployed resources, including 25 aircraft for fire mapping, firefighting, transportation and damage assessment.

Video posted by CBS SF Bay Area.

Blue Angels, Top Aerobatic Aircraft to highlight Wings Over North Georgia

Charles Atkeison
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Blue Angels, Top Aerobatic Aircraft to highlight Wings Over North Georgia

ROME, Ga. — The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will join top military and civilian performers this weekend as they headline the Wings Over North Georgia Airshow at the Richard Russell Regional Airport.

Great weather is forecast over Rome for this sixth annual airshow which is expected to become the largest airshow in the middle south this year. With the strong sale of ticket packages combined with the publicity of the Blue Angels, airshow management expects nearly 40,000 guests to attend on Saturday and over 30,000 on Sunday.

The family fun weekend will have great food, live music, and will assist the comunity as they support the Toys for Tots drive. The hallmark of the weekend will include a Parade of Veterans as the airshow pauses the flying performances to focus on those who served in America’s military — both past and present.

A Homecoming for three Blue Angels Pilots 

The Navy’s premiere Flight Demonstration Squadron will turn up the thrust as the pilots of the six blue and gold jets display the handling characteristics and precision flight of the F/A-18 Hornet. The Blues are scheduled to perform at 3:05 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

At one point during the Blue Angels 40-minute performance, the Diamond Team of four jets will soar in front of the crowd at nearly 400 m.p.h., each flying only inches apart. They will then move behind the crowd to set up for their next maneuver while the two solo jets line up for a high speed maneuver in which they make a close fly by of one another from opposite sides of the airfield.

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Photo by: Charles A. Atkeison

The Rome airshow will be a special one for three of its pilots, and a few of the team’s maintenance personnel, as they prepare to close out the 2017 season in three weeks.

Blue Angel 5 pilot and lead solo Commander Frank Weisser, and Angel 6 pilot and opposing solo LT Tyler Davies hail from Atlanta and Kennesaw, respectively. The Blues C-130 transport aircraft pilot Major Mark Montgomery is a native of nearby Cartersville.

This special homecoming will also include two metro Atlanta natives who maintain the airframes and hydraulics of the Blue’s Hornets, Chief Petty Officers Daniel Yater and Demaude Prescott, and AD1 Shane Miller, of nearby Woodbine, who works of the jets power plants will be in Rome.
The Rome show will be flight demonstrations no. 55 and 56 of the Blue Angels 62 airshow season.

Civilian Aircraft to Highlight the Airshow

The sounds of World War II will echo across the Rome airfield as four historic AT-6 Texans perform not just aerobatic flight, but the actual maneuvers flown by the pilots of the Greatest Generation.

The aircraft of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team will demonstrate many of the flight profiles flown by the pilots as they trained during the war.

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Photo by Charles A. Atkeison

“People don’t understand that these airplanes are all veterans of the military — they served their country and trained our pilots to fly,” AeroShell pilot Steve Gustafson explained on Monday. “The instructor sat in the back seat and the student in the front. They had machine guns and rocketry and you taught them. They left their training in these aircraft and graduated up to the fighters, and then went straight into battle.”

Gustafson’s admiration for these advance trainers continue as he passes 31 years with AeroShell, and having passed over 5,050 hours of flight time in his AeroShell aircraft.

The USSOCOM Para-Commandos parachute demonstration team will skydive from 12,000-feet above the crowd in a heart-felt patriotic moment to deliver the American flag. Civilian performers will take to the sky to pump up the aviation fans as Jim Tobul’s F4U Corsair and Scott Yoak’s P-51D Mustang “Quicksilver” fly back-to-back performances.

Rob Holland, a champion aerobatic pilot who performed at EAA Oshkosh 2017, will perform aboard his MXS-RH aircraft. Buck Roetman will entertain the crowds as he pilots his yellow Christen Eagle bi-plane.

Also, arriving into Rome will be the New York Air National Guard’s massive C-17 Globemaster III, which will perform one flight demonstration each afternoon. The C-17 is a heavy lift air refueling aircraft, and can ferrying 170,500 pounds of cargo or up to 100 service personnel over long distances.

North Georgia’s Top Family Event

A massive Kids Zone play area will allow children of all ages to play and jump on aviation-themed bounce houses, educational activities, swings, and a climbing wall. Located inside the main gate, wristbands will be available for purchase for unlimited fun all day.

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, Wings Over North Georgia will support the Toys For Tots program. Guests arriving on both show dates are asked to bring one unwrapped toy to support the local Rome area.

“Toys collected will be provided to children within Chattooga, Floyd, and Polk Counties that would otherwise have a bleak Christmas,” Greater Rome Area Toys for Tots Coordinator Hal Gosnell said on Monday. “Ninty-seven percent of all donations to Toys for Tots goes towards providing toys for the program as no salaries or personnel costs are paid from donations.”

Airport and remote parking lots will open each day at 7:30 a.m., with buses taking guests from the satellite lots to the airshow gates. Gates will open at 9:00 a.m., and the opening ceremonies will kick-off each day at 11:15 a.m. followed by the first flying performances at noon.

Tickets for the Wings Over North Georgia remain available on-line at WingsOverNorthGeorgia.com. Several of the VIP ticket packages have sold out, with only general admission, family four-packs, and airport reserved parking available as of Tuesday.

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

You’ve Seen The Viral A380 Video, Now See The Passenger’s View

Avgeekery
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You’ve Seen The Viral A380 Video, Now See The Passenger’s View

We recently shared a very viral video of an Emirates Airbus A380 landing in crosswinds at Dusseldorf. To be kind, the landing was less than stellar. In the video, you see the pilot touch down harshly on the mains. He or she then kicks in too much rudder, then overcorrects in the opposite direction, leading to dangerous swerving on the runway that was finally dampened as the aircraft slowed.

Video has now been posted by T4ig4 on Youtube of landing from the passenger’s perspective.  In the video, you can sense that the landing was pretty rough.  You get a sense of the firm touchdown. Then, pan your eyes to the runway edge markings, you’ll notice that it almost disappears (indicating that the aircraft is swerving to the right) followed by a correction back to centerline.

It’s an interesting perspective of a rough landing.

The original video is below. It has now been seen over 11M times on Youtube.

1980s Flight on an Eastern 727: A Window Seat To A Different Era

Avgeekery
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1980s Flight on an Eastern 727: A Window Seat To A Different Era

Aviation sure has changed.  Back in the 1980s, airports were filled with DC-10s, 727s, DC-9s, and a number of L-1011s sprinkled in for good measure.  Airline seats were roomy and cabins were filled with smoke.  Back then, the Airbus A320 wasn’t even flying yet. Passengers complained about bad airline food, but those that flew would get three square meals, not just peanuts. It was a different era.  Some things were better, some weren’t.

A Boeing 727 Window Seat To A Different Era

This video posted by VideofromGeorge is a rare insight into a flight from Chicago O’Hare to Orlando, Florida. Filming a flight back in the ’80s wasn’t an easy task.  The person that filmed this video probably had a large TV-style video camera with a Betamax or VHS tape. He captured a very different era of commercial aviation than what exists today. He captured the safety announcements and even the announcement right after departure that made every non-smoker cringe, “Cigarette Smoking Is Now Permitted At Your Seat.”

Check out the video, you’ll be treated to a host of Eastern aircraft along with  United and Continental DC-10s and 727-200s.  Those Saul Bass colors were beautiful!

VAQ-130 ZAPPERS 2016 Cruise Video is AvGeek Overdose

Mike Killian
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VAQ-130 ZAPPERS 2016 Cruise Video is AvGeek Overdose

“To win in combat with trained aircrew and combat ready aircraft whenever called upon to support and defend the Constitution of the United States through the military element of power”

Electronic Attack plays a critical role in military aviation warfare, taking out an enemy’s defenses, radar and anything dependent on electronics to operate. These squadrons essentially blind them and take out their ability to attack or defend, before sending in the fighters/bombers and ground crews to clean house.

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ZAPPERS over the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Mike Killian (photo pilot Sean VanHatten)

In 1959, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first Electronic Warfare squadron. Originally known as Carrier Early Warning Squadron Thirteen (VAW-13), they flew AD-5Qs and adopted the nickname ZAPPERS.

They were re-designated Electronic Attack Squadron 130 (VAQ-130) nine years later, and supplied support detachments aboard all Pacific and Atlantic aircraft carriers, flying the EAK-3B Skywarrior to provide electronic countermeasures and air-to-air refueling capabilities.

US Navy 101218 N 6003P 242 An EA 6B Prowler assigned to the Zappers of Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ 130 lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS H
An EA-6B Prowler assigned to VAQ-130 Zappers lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) on Dec 8, 2010. This deployment marked the last time the Zappers would fly the EA-6B. Credits: USN

They moved to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in 1975, located just north of Seattle, now home to all Navy tactical electronic attack squadrons, and transitioned to flying the EA-6B Prowler until late 2010, when they switched to flying the new state of the art EA-18G Growler, a variant of the Super Hornet.

Most recently they have seen action in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria for 7 months while in both the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, and earlier this year released a cool Cruise Video from their OIR Deployment in 2016.

[youtube id=”646MCJW9mI0″ width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

Watch the VAQ-130 ZAPPERS 2016 Cruise Video Above!

VAQ-130 has maintained a vigorous schedule as part of sustainment and the Optimized Fleet Replenishment Program throughout 2017. They completed a Large Force Exercise week with Carrier Air Wing THREE in Oceana, VA at the beginning of March, and during the first two weeks of April detached aboard the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER for their Sustainment Exercise, which involved a deck certification followed by an intense 10 day war game with both Large Force Exercises and Carrier Strike Group Exercises.

This summer they intercepted the total solar eclipse off the coast of Oregon too, but the flight did not go according to plan, because Seattle ATC refused to let them rendezvous with the photo ship, me, even though ATC was well informed ahead of time by multiple people involved in the mission.

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VAQ-130 Dragons intercepting a total solar eclipse Aug 21, 2017. Photo: USN

 – The following information provided to the author directly from Chief of the Navy’s office:

Their two-seater, twin-turbofan Growlers integrate the latest electronic attack technology, including the ALQ-218 receiver, ALQ-99 jamming pods, communication countermeasures, satellite communications and features the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar.

It’s a variant of the combat-proven F/A-18F Super Hornet Block II, and retains all of the F/A-18E/F’s multi-mission capabilities with its validated design, capable of a wide range of enemy defense suppression missions.

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The ZAPPERS of Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ-130, off the coast of Oregon Aug 21, 2017. Photo: Mike Killian

Its vast array of sensors and weapons provides the warfighter with a lethal and survivable weapon system to counter current and emerging threats. They can counter enemy air defenses using both reactive and pre-emptive jamming techniques, and are highly effective in the traditional stand-off jamming mission, but with the speed and agility of a Super Hornet.

Dramatically enhanced situational awareness and uninterrupted communications enables the Growler to achieve a higher degree of integration with ground operations than has been previously achievable.

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With its Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, digital data links and air-to-air missiles, the EA-18G has self-protection capability and is effective for target identification and prosecution.

Its high commonality with the F/A-18E/F, nine available weapon stations and modern avionics also enables cost-effective synergistic growth for both aircraft, setting the stage for continuous capability enhancement.

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– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography 

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Bye Bye F-4! When USAF Thunderbirds “Downsized” Due To Oil Crisis

Bill Walton
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Bye Bye F-4! When USAF Thunderbirds “Downsized” Due To Oil Crisis

When the United States Air Force (USAF) Precision Flight Demonstration Team transitioned from the McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II to the Northrop T-38 Talon in 1974, they did so in large part because the entire formation of T-38s used only slightly more fuel than a single F-4E. Anyone who saw the Thunderbirds perform their show in the Phantom II and then again in the T-38 had to feel the difference between the two aircraft. Here’s a film promoting the Thunderbirds and their T-38 Talons uploaded by AIRBOYD. Enjoy!

[youtube id=”Ed1uRAGW0KU” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

Thunderbirds perfoming a formation.
Official US Air Force Photograph

The transition to the Talon also resulted in changes to the performance routines flown by the Thunderbirds. The shows flown in the T-38 showcased the aircraft’s comparatively high maneuverability and tight turning radius. The switch to the Talon also brought to an end the days of the slot aircraft (number 4 in your programs) flying with the sooty vertical tail surfaces. Thunderbird 4’s vertical stabilizer retained the same polished tail colors as the other aircraft from that point forward.

Thunderbirds flying in formation.
Official US Air Force Photograph

The Thunderbirds’ United States Navy (USN) counterparts, The Blue Angels, switched from the F-4J model Phantom II to the Douglas A-4F Skyhawk in the same timeframe and for the same reasons as the Thunderbirds switched to the T-38. Their entire formation of A-4Fs used about the same amount of fuel as a single F-4J. And their performance routines too were modified to showcase the Skyhawk’s strengths.

Blue angels flying in formation.
Official US Navy Photograph

WATCH: That Time the President Logged a Trap On an Aircraft Carrier

Bill Walton
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WATCH: That Time the President Logged a Trap On an Aircraft Carrier

When President Bush Came Aboard the Lincoln in Navy 1, History Was Made and a Museum Piece was Created

When President George W. Bush landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) to give his “Mission Accomplished” speech to the crew in 2003 he did so in a unique way. He was the first and so far only sitting President to log a trap (arrested landing) aboard an aircraft carrier. The President came aboard the Lincoln in Lockheed S-3B Viking Bureau Number (BuNo) 159387, assigned to Sea Control Squadron THREE FIVE (VS-35) Blue Wolves. The aircraft was flown by VS-35 Executive Officer Commander Skip Lussier and Lieutenant Ryan Phillips. Here is a video clip of the momentous moment when Navy 1 trapped aboard the Lincoln uploaded by the AP Archive YouTube channel.

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

VS-35 was a component of Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN (CVW-14) at the time. BuNo 159387 was accepted by the Navy in May of 1974 as an S-3A variant. For about 15 years the aircraft was operated by VS-29 Dragonfires of CVW-11. The jet also operated with VS-31 Topcats of CVW-7 and by VS-29 again. 159387 earned an Operation Desert Shield ribbon with VS-29 and was assigned to VS-35 during the late 1990s. With the Blue Wolves the jet earned another combat ribbon, flying missions over Iraq. Not long after her duty as Navy 1 was complete, 159387 was grounded and flown to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. The jet is displayed there today. The Blue Wolves S-3B Vikings were finally grounded when the squadron was disestablished after their final deployment in March of 2005.

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“Navy 1” 159387 at the National Museum of Naval Aviation. Photo by the author.
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