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Space Station to Perform Three Orbit Chase of Solar Eclipse

Charles Atkeison
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Space Station to Perform Three Orbit Chase of Solar Eclipse

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronauts aboard the International Space Station may have the best windows for viewing the Great American Eclipse as they photograph and record August’s astronomical event during three consecutive orbits.

Soaring 255 miles above, the six person crew of Expedition 52 will have detailed observation objectives in place as they point cameras from the Cupola’s windows while they trek across North America once every 91 minutes. They will also be the first humans to witness this solar eclipse thanks to orbital mechanics.

In May 2012, NASA astronaut Don Pettit witnessed a solar eclipse from Earth orbit. “It is amazing to see an eclipse from orbit,” Pettit recalled. “The shadow on Earth looks just like what you see in the physics and astronomy books.”

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Newly released ground tracks by NASA provided to AvGeekery.com show the space station’s three positions as it passes through the Moon’s penumbra during the midday hours of August 21 — the height of solar eclipse across America. Astronauts will attach special solar filters to their 400 mm and 800 mm cameras as they approach their first observation’s over the Pacific Ocean.

“Our flight team is tracking opportunities for the astronauts on board the station to photograph both the eclipse and the Moon’s shadow on the planet,” NASA spokesperson Dan Hout explained to this aerospace journalist from the Johnson Space Center near Houston on Monday. “With the current calculations, the station should have three passes to view the eclipse.”

During the first transit across the United States, the space station’s crew will experience a partial solar eclipse with only 37% of the Sun covered by the Moon at about 12:41 p.m. EDT. Hout noted that as the station crosses the California coastline at this time, the eclipse will not have begun for those on Earth, however, a partial eclipse will be in progress and observed by the crew of six aboard the orbital outpost.

The station’s second pass over North America will observe a greater view of a partial solar eclipse. The crew will again train cameras on a totality of 44% of Sun coverage by the Moon at 2:24 p.m.

“At the closest approach, ISS will be just south of Hudson Bay while the Moon’s umbra shadow is located in southwestern Kentucky just over 1700 km away,” Hout added from his NASA office. “While ISS does not pass near the location of the Moon’s umbra, the Moon’s umbra should still be easily visible near the horizon.”

As the orbital laboratory sails into an orbital sunset during its third orbit of the eclipse timeline, the station’s crew will witness their best viewing of the celestial ballet. As the space station passes over the central Atlantic Ocean at 4:18 p.m., the crew will observe a partial solar eclipse of 85% for only seconds as their orbital velocity of 17,450 m.p.h. takes them into a golden sunset about five minutes later.

“This pass offers the opportunity to see the Sun with horns as it sets into the atmosphere assuming an appropriate filter is used to block the Sun’s brightness,” said Hout poised with an orbital tracking map before him. “At sunset, 27% of the Sun will be covered by the Moon.”

Photographs taken from the space station will appear on NASA.gov soon after the orbital passes.

Closer to home, NASA will launch two aircraft from Ellington Field near Houston to observe the American eclipse. NASA’s twin WB-57 aircraft will fly together at an altitude of 50,000 feet loaded with both visible and infrared telescopes to gather solar eclipse data during an eight minute window. The twin aircraft plan to be over the Carbondale, Illinois region during the short totality window.

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“The eclipse will provide a unique opportunity to study the sun, Earth, moon and their interaction because of the eclipse’s long path over land coast to coast,” NASA spokesperson Brian Dunbar added. “Scientists will be able to take ground-based and airborne observations over a period of an hour and a half to complement the wealth of data and images provided by space assets.”

NASA is informing the public who plan to observe the eclipse to check the safety authenticity of glasses labeled for eclipse viewing sold online or in stores. The space agency stated this week that eclipse viewing glasses and solar viewers should have a designated ISO 12312-2 certification, and that the manufacturer’s name and address is printed somewhere on the product.

The space agency will provide live video streaming of the solar eclipse from earth bound NASA centers based on cloud coverage. The space station’s own HD video camera may provide a rare real time view of the moon’s shadow.

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

NASA Wants to Put a Deep Space Gateway in Lunar Orbit

Mike Killian
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NASA Wants to Put a Deep Space Gateway in Lunar Orbit

This decade is a time of transition for the U.S. space program. NASA is fostering development of commercial services for orbital spaceflight to launch both the agency’s resupply and (soon) crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS), while the agency itself focuses on deep space crew exploration with their Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft starting in the early 2020s.

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You Can Run But You Can’t Hide, So Smile- You’re On RF-8 Crusader Camera!

Bill Walton
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You Can Run But You Can’t Hide, So Smile- You’re On RF-8 Crusader Camera!

United States Navy (USN) training films were usually made to familiarize personnel with new or revised weapons systems. Here at Avgeekery.com we like to share these films for two reasons. The first is that the films are usually chock-full of information- often information of which our readers might not be aware. The second reason is that although it’s rare to find these films transferred using HD equipment, the visuals are still often quite striking.

This Navy training film, produced by Jam Handy in 1961 as a part of the Seapower For Security series, tells the viewer about Vought’s new (at the time) F8U-1P Photo Crusader. Thanks as always to YouTuber PeriscopeFilm for uploading this time-capsule of a video.

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Marine Corps Major John H. Glenn completed the first supersonic transcontinental flight in a F8U-1P, flying from Naval Air Station (NAS) Los Alamitos in California to Floyd Bennett Field in New York in just 3 hours, 23 minutes and a few seconds July 16th 1957. F8U-1Ps were re-designated RF-8As in 1962. The later version of the RF-8A, the updated and uprated RF-8G, served the country up until 1987 and were in the thick of Navy and Marine Corps tactical reconnaissance duties the entire time, RF-8s provided critically important information to this country’s leaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. The film features descriptions and operating overviews of the camera and photo flash systems incorporated into the Photo Crusader.

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Photo Credit: aceebee

When B-29s Rumble And F-86s Whistle Over Oshkosh, The Best Airshow Is About To Get Started

Bill Walton
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When B-29s Rumble And F-86s Whistle Over Oshkosh, The Best Airshow Is About To Get Started

Aircraft have been arriving at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the beginning of the 65th version of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh. For the week AirVenture is in town KOSH becomes the world’s busiest airport and hosts upwards of 10,000 aircraft and close to three-quarters of a million visitors. The video below is a great look at a cross-section of the aircraft that have arrived at Oshkosh so far (with more arriving every hour). We’ll be doing our best to keep Avgeekery.com Nation on top of the events at Oshkosh for the next week. Thanks to YouTuber airailimages for uploading this video!

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The Boeing B-29 Superfortress “Doc”, a couple of Douglas C-47 Skytrains, a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, a North American P-51D Mustang, a Beech T-34 Mentor, a Douglas B-26 Invader, a Boeing MH-47G Chinook special operations helicopter, and a liberal smattering of Cessnas, Pipers, Beechcrafts, and other civil registered aircraft all appear in the video. Doc’s landing is shown again in slow motion at the end of the video. That is one impressive-looking aircraft! We can’t wait for the video of the two operational Boeing B-29s in the world, “Doc” and the Commemorative Air Force B-29 “Fifi”, flying together- a sight that hasn’t been seen by human eyes for decades. You can be sure we’ll bring to you!

Here’s a video by Airshowsfuff.com shot on Friday highlighting arrivals from late last week. Watch for the section of North American F-86 Sabres followed by a Canadair CT-133 Silver Star landing late in the clip. Things get a little hectic with civil aircraft using both sides of runway 36 and the adjacent taxiway simultaneously, but hey…that’s Oshkosh during the last week of July! Thanks to Airshowstuff for posting this one, and watch Avgeekery.com for many more!

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Book Captures True Story Of B-17 Crew’s Resilience In WWII

Avgeekery
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Book Captures True Story Of B-17 Crew’s Resilience In WWII

Growing up, I knew the basics about his father’s war history. He was a B-17 pilot and stationed at Thurleigh, England with the 306th Bomb Group. His plane was named the Susan Ruth after my oldest sister who was one year old at the time he went overseas. He flew combat bombing missions over occupied Europe and Germany and was shot down over the French/Belgium border on February 8, 1944. He was missing in action for 7 months but evaded capture. After being hidden by the Belgian underground for a few months, he got tired of hiding and joined the French Resistance sabotaging German convoys. Eventually he met up with Patton’s 3rd Army on September 2, 1944 after they came up through France after D-Day and my dad made it back to England.

Howard Snyder 300dpi

However, it wasn’t until I retired in 2009 from a 40 year career in sales and sales management that I had the time to really delve into my father’s war experiences in greater detail. I had no intentions of writing a book. I just wanted to go through all the material my parents had kept from the war years to learn more. Two items were most significant. One was a diary that my father had written while he was missing in action about his plane being shot down which was absolutely riveting. The other item was all the letters my father had written to my mother while he was stationed in England. In them, he talked about flying combat missions, life on base and in the surrounding villages, trips into London, and adventures of his crew. Reading those letters was fascinating, and I became fascinated with the story of my father and his crew. In fact, it became my passion.

1943 Crew of the Susan Ruth 1

I went on a quest to find relatives of the crew members and asked them for information. I read book after book about the air war over Europe, spent countless hours on the internet doing research and downloading declassified military documents, and started attending reunions of various WW II organizations listening to veterans tell their stories. I am currently president of the 306th Bomb Group Historical Association. Finally in 2012, I decided to write a book. After my years of research, I came to the conclusion that the story of my father and his crew was so unique and so compelling that it just had to be told and people needed to read about it. My book, SHOT DOWN: The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth was released in August 2014 and has received over 20 national book awards since then.

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Although SHOT DOWN is centered on Howard Snyder and his crew, it also contains in depth information about the B-17 Flying Fortress, the combat crews of the Eighth Air Force, and the air war over Europe. The first half of the book leads up to the day the plane was knocked out of the sky by two German Focke-Wulf 190 fighter planes. It includes following my father through pilot training, the crew’s journey to England, what life was like both on base and in England, and descriptions of perilous combat missions from take-off to landing. The second half is about what happened to each member of the crew after that harrowing day (five of the crew made it back home, and five did not) and about all the courageous Belgian people who risked their lives to help them.

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Everything in the book is factual and based on first hand testimony by the people who were involved in the events that took place. To complement the story, SHOT DOWN contains many excerpts from my father’s letters, and the print book includes more than 200 time period photographs. To add background and context to the story, many historical facts and anecdotes about and surrounding the war are entwined throughout the book so that a reader has a feel for and understanding of what was occurring on a broader scale.

 

It was on a mission to Frankfurt, Germany that my father’s plane dropped its bombs successfully, but the bomb bay doors were hit by anti-aircraft fire (flak), and they couldn’t get them back up. That caused a drag on the plane, and it lost air speed. As a result, the B-17 Susan Ruth fell behind the formation heading back to England and was singled out by the Focke-Wulf 190s fighters who swooped in for the kill. During the ensuring air battle, the Susan Ruth was shot down. Two crew members were killed in the plane, and the other eight were able to bail out although three of them were killed a couple months later on the ground.

 

One day while I was doing my research, my wife Glenda asked me, “Why don’t to try to find the German pilot who shot down the plane.” which I thought was a ridiculous idea. However, like a good husband, I did what my wife told me, and lo and behold, I found Hans Berger who was shot down by the gunners on my dad’s crew. They actually shot each other down. Fortunately for me, Hans became a translator after the war so he speaks fluent English. Through email and telephone conversations I interviewed him for the book, and he provided me with some wonderful information about what it was like to go up against the 8th Air Force.

B 17 Susan Ruth Crew Memorial at Macquenoise Belgium

I have visited Belgian four times. In 1989, a memorial was erected in Macquenoise to the B-17 Susan Ruth crew. The first trip was with my parents in 1994, and that is when it became personal to me. On my last trip in May 2016, I filmed all the locations mentioned in the book. I then went to Munich, Germany to film an interview with Hans Berger, now 93 years old. I plan to make a documentary.

Howard Steve Snyder at WW II Memorial in Washicnton DC in 2004

Article written by Steve Snyder. For more information, go to http://SteveSnyderAuthor.com.

Watch the Thunderbirds and Raptor Demo Teams Fly to England Together for RIAT

Mike Killian
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Watch the Thunderbirds and Raptor Demo Teams Fly to England Together for RIAT

Both the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo team and F-16 Thunderbirds squadron recently wrapped up a big trip across the pond, where they performed at The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) this year at RAF Fairford in Gloucestshire, to represent the USAF on its 70th Anniversary.

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Oshkosh: Military and Civilian Aircraft to Highlight America’s Largest Airshow

Charles Atkeison
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Oshkosh: Military and Civilian Aircraft to Highlight America’s Largest Airshow

OSHKOSH, WI — America’s largest aviation gathering begins on Monday as aerobatic performances by top civilian and military aircraft — including the Navy’s Blue Angels — highlight the seven day EAA AirVenture Airshow.

Known as Oshkosh around the globe, AirVenture is a mix of airshow and open house with nearly 500 hundred thousand expected to descend upon the comunity near Lake Winnebago. Aerobatic, commercial, and private pilots will join the military’s finest during what many deem as the best airshow in the world.

“The Greatest Show on Earth”

“There’s no other event in the world like Oshkosh ,” U.S. and world champion aerobatic pilot Patty Wagstaff told this aerospace journalist on Thursday. “When you get so many people in one place focused on something they love, airplanes like music creates its own energy that is hard to describe but brings people today in a very positive way.”

Patty is a crowd favorite across America’s airshows as she pilots her Extra 300S aircraft during her dizzying aerobatic performance. She is poised to perform during the afternoon airshow.

“It’s really something to see,” Wagstaff added as her smile grew in the golden light of Florida’s setting sun. “I’m thrilled to be a small part of it, and I tell people that flying the airshow at Oshkosh is like flying in front of 100,000 of your best friends!”

As attendees arrive inside the front gates, exhibit hangers and aerospace-related workshops will await them as they make their way down Celebration Way and towards the airfield. Dotted along the airstrip near the airshow crowd line are aircraft poised to perform in the days ahead.

osh3Aeroshell Aerobatic Team performs aboard four North American advanced trainer AT6 Texan aircraft, nicknamed the pilot maker, by the Greatest Generation of pilot during World War II. The team is midway through their 24 city schedule this year which includes three international visits.

“Oshkosh AirVenture — the greatest show on earth — it doesn’t get any better,” said Steve Gustafson, Team Aeroshell pilot and true Oshkosh fan. “Every time I go to AirVenture, I’m in awe. Every year there’s something different, so even if you go to Oshkosh each year, you’ll discover it will be different.”

Aeroshell’s warbirds perform many of the maneuvers flown by the pilots of the Army’s air corps. as they trained to pilot the P-40 Warhawk and P-51 Mustang fighters. Today, Steve looks at Aeroshell as a centerpiece at Oshkosh bridging the aircraft of yesteryear with that of today’s top jet aircraft. He also appreciates the interest of the crowds attending the annual show.

“Good people, good fun, and good family entertainment,” Steve told AvGeekery during a candid visit on Thursday. “You go to Oshkosh and people are so polite and they don’t throw trash on the ground. They just enjoy airplanes, and enjoy the freedoms we should never take for granted in this country. And, Oshkosh is the perfect example of one of those freedoms to never even take for granted.”

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Oshkosh 2017 will mark the Blue Angels first full team performance at EAA AirVenture. Their 54 minute performance will begin with a demonstration flight by their popular C-130T cargo transport aircraft nicknamed Fat Albert.

The U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron’s jets will then display many of the maneuvers performed by today’s naval pilots as they fly during the last five days of Oshkosh. Their F/A-18 Hornets will first scream across the skies above Wittman airfield on Wednesday afternoon as the squadron arrives behind Fat Albert.

The Blues diamond formation will depart on a brief flight Thursday at about 5:05 p.m. to familiarize themselves with the area. The two solo jets will perform their own orientation flight on Friday morning as they flyover the airfield and surrounding region and perform a few airshow maneuvers of their own. Fat Albert’s all-Marine crew will take the C-130T up for their own familiarization flight.

On Friday, the Blues will perform their practice demo at 4:05 p.m.; on Saturday, their flight demos will begin at 5:05 p.m.; and on Sunday, the squadron will fly a non-aerobatic performance beginning at 3:30 p.m.

osh1The Blue Angels will also participate in public outreach during the week. Right wing pilot LT. Damon Kroes will address attendees on Thursday at Warbirds in Review. On Friday, members of the Blues flight team and maintenance personnel will sign autographs and answer questions beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Welcome Center.

Breitling’s Historic DC-3 to Attend Oshkosh

Whittman’s runway 18/36 runs due north and south and will become center stage on Monday as various types of aircraft arrive each day, including Breitling’s own DC-3. The Swiss-based DC-3 is currently two-thirds into a flight around the world, and is scheduled to visit the popular airshow as a static display for 10 days.

“This aircraft played such an important role in American history and it is a privilege to share it with American aviation fans,” Breitling DC-3 Captain Francisco Agullo said. “We look forward to seeing this country’s rich culture and passion for aviation.”

The historic DC-3 is poised to become the oldest aircraft to fly around the world once it completes its circumnavigation of the globe on September 13.

Great weather is forecast during most of AirVenture in the week ahead, allowing attendees a chance to witness great aircraft and receive a stronger appreciation of the aerospace industry.

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

WATCH: Every Veteran Pilot Needs a Ride in a Stearman Now and Then

Bill Walton
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WATCH: Every Veteran Pilot Needs a Ride in a Stearman Now and Then

Retired Air Force Colonel Slips the Surly Bonds in Style

Lieutenant Colonel William “Bill” McCowen served his country as a pilot in the United States Air Force (USAF) for close to two decades, amassing a staggering total of 697 combat missions between service in Korea and Vietnam. Recently a number of WWII veterans gathered at the Pensacola Aviation Center. The vets enjoyed flights in Boeing Stearman open-cockpit biplane trainer aircraft and, as pilots the world over invariably do when they gather, rehash their experiences and tell some lies. The event was put on by a group of volunteers, flight line personnel, and pilots and coordinated by Roy Kinsey and his family. One of the veterans who took flight that day was Bill McCowen. The video (uploaded by Crispy Warriors) features McCowen and many more of the veterans in attendance at the event.

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McCowen’s story is compelling. He survived a 1952 B-29 mishap in Okinawa that saw him thrown through the plexiglass nose panels of the bomber and coming to rest more than 200 feet from the wrecked Superfortress…but with only relatively minor injuries!  When McCowen was flying missions during the Vietnam War he refused treatment for his toenails in order to remain able to fly. Had he chosen treatment he would have been grounded. He flew Boeing B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress bombers for Strategic Air Command (SAC). His Chrome Dome B-52 crew was designated SAC crew of the month for December 1963 and was tasked with attacking Moscow had the Cold War suddenly heated up. Bill later commanded the 4408th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS) at Hurlburt Field Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida. He even got some stick time in Fairchild C-123 Provider airlifters. But when he was approached during 1969 about a potential assignment that might or might not have meant additional combat in Africa, he decided to retire from the Air Force.

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Official US Air Force Photograph

McCowen retired to Bluewater Bay near Destin on the Florida panhandle.  He, his three sons, and the rest of his family built over 500 homes around Destin and Fort Walton Beach and owned several businesses in the area. Bill has been active in charity work, bible study, and prison outreach programs. Married to his wife Beverly for more than 64 years, Bill even started up an international electronics company and manufacturing group. He flew the Commemorative Air Force B-29 Fifi in 1998. Once again demonstrating he just keeps going, today he’s even a part of a consortium looking at alternative energy sources. Enjoy Bill’s flight and the interview with him. Thanks to Bill’s family and his website for the biographical information.

BONUS VIDEO: An interview with Air Force Ironman Bill McCowen courtesy of Crispy Warriors.

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Watch: Back When The F-105 THUD Was Cutting Edge

Bill Walton
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Watch: Back When The F-105 THUD Was Cutting Edge

It’s Hard To Believe the Thud Was Ever Brand New But Here’s Proof

The 1960 Republic-produced film “Mach of the Thunderchief” was made to promote the company’s new (at the time) F-105 Thunderchief jet. The film features the process of designing and testing the Thud and includes a great deal of information about how Republic Aviation built 833 of them at their Farmingdale plant on Long Island in New York. Although they entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) Tactical Air Command (TAC)’s 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) in August 1958, F-105Bs did not become fully operational until 1959. The film was shot only a year after that. Enjoy “Mach of the Thunderchief”!

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Designed initially as a high-speed low-altitude penetrator carrying a single nuclear weapon internally, the Thud was adapted to become one of the primary USAF attack aircraft of the Vietnam War. Thuds flew more than 20,000 sorties but close to half (nearly 48 percent) of the total number of Thuds built were lost (to all causes) during their service in Southeast Asia.  F-105Gs were also adapted to serve in the dangerous suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) Wild Weasel role. The Thud became a legend in Vietnam, and tales of the heroic missions flown by Thud pilots are still told in officer’s clubs, ready rooms, and on flight lines today.

F 105 Thunderchiefs Mt Fuji
Official US Air Force Photograph

The F-105 was the largest and heaviest single-seat, single-engine combat aircraft in history, weighing in at about 25 tons fully loaded with 7 tons of ordnance. At sea level the Thud was capable of flying at speeds exceeding Mach 1; at altitude Mach 2 was well within its capabilities. When it became apparent that Thud losses in Vietnam might well exceed more than 50 percent of the total number of airframes built, the Air Force replaced the F-105 with several different aircraft- primarily the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and later the General Dynamics F-111. The F-105G Wild Weasels remained in service until 1984, when they too were replaced by mission-dedicated F-4G Wild Weasel variants of the Phantom II. Thanks go to PeriscopeFilm for uploading this excellent film.

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Official US Air Force Photograph

Behold The Corsair II- The Undisputed Rodney Dangerfield of Vietnam-Era Attack Jets

Bill Walton
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Behold The Corsair II- The Undisputed Rodney Dangerfield of Vietnam-Era Attack Jets

The 1975 Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV)-produced promotional film “The A-7 Attack Fighter” features both the Navy’s A-7E and the Air Force’s A-7D Corsair II tactical jets. The Short Little Ugly F*cker (SLUF) was developed from the Navy’s supersonic F-8 Crusader fighter. A-7s replaced some of the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks and A-1 Skyraiders in Navy Service as well as A-1 Skyraiders and North American F-100 Super Sabres in Air Force Service. Produced in five basic models and several more mission-specific variants, 1,569 Corsair IIs were built by LTV at their plant in Dallas, Texas. The first flight of the prototype YA-7A took place on September 27th 1965. We’ll be doing an in-depth piece about the SLUF in the future, so for now enjoy the film!

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The SLUF incorporated the basic high-wing design layout of the company’s F-8 but lacked the variable incidence wing in a shorter and stouter fuselage. It was powered by the same Pratt & Whitney TF-30 turbofan engine as the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark and the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, albeit without the afterburner. The A-7 was equipped with advanced weapons delivery avionics and was the first jet to incorporate the now-standard head-up display (HUD).

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VA-72 A-7E in 1991. Image via US Navy

Navy initial operational capability was achieved in early 1967 and A-7As began flying missions from Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club carriers later that same year. The Navy lost a total of 98 Corsair IIs (all models / all causes) in Vietnam. Navy SLUFs participated in every American military operation after Vietnam through Desert Storm. Navy A-7Es retired after Desert Storm in 1991, replaced in most cases by McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18 Hornets. Some mission-dedicated A-7 variants (EA-7Ls) remained in Navy use through 1998.

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Official US Navy Photograph

The US Air Force operated A-7Ds and later two-seated A-7Ks, both powered by Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan engines, from 1970 until 1993. In Vietnam, Air Force A-7Ds flew 12,930 sorties with only six losses, flying missions through the very end of American involvement in Southeast Asia. Air National Guard (ANG) units based at Des Moines ANG Base in Iowa, Tulsa ANGB in Oklahoma, and Springfield and Rickenbacker ANGBs in Ohio were the last operators of Air Force SLUFs, replaced in many cases by A-10 Warthogs. A-7s were operated by Greece, Portugal, and Thailand in addition to the US Navy and US Air Force. Greece retired the last of their long-serving A-7H models in 2014, ending 49 years of Corsair II service. Thanks to YouTuber Mat Garretson for uploading the film.

355th Tactical Fighter Squadron A 7D Corsir II 70 0988
Official US Air Force Photograph

Profiles in Aviation: Al “Blackie” Blackman Has Been Fixing American Airlines Planes for 75 Years!

Bill Walton
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Profiles in Aviation: Al “Blackie” Blackman Has Been Fixing American Airlines Planes for 75 Years!

Azriel “Al” Blackman is a man who has had his talented hands in American Airlines (AA) aircraft for 75 years. This nonagenarian has seen entire generations of equipment, and the talented mechanics that kept them in the air, come and go. Beginning work with AA (then American Export Airlines) in 1942 at the age of 16 after graduating from Aviation High School in Manhattan, he is now not only the holder of the record for the longest career as an airline mechanic, but a walking talking encyclopedia of knowledge about aircraft and aeronautics.

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And the things he has seen over 75 years! Setting aside world events over his career, just consider the development of the aircraft during Al’s tenure. He first worked on the Consolidated PBY Catalina, Martin PBM Mariner, and Vought-Sikorsky VS-44 flying boats (the Flying Aces) with American Export Airlines and American Overseas Airlines during the 1940s. American flew a mixture of Douglas DC-3s (or Flagships in AA parlance) along with Fairchild 100s when the company dropped the Export and later the Overseas parts of their name. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s Blackman worked on Lockheed Connies, Boeing 377s, and Douglas DC-4s, DC-6s, and DC-7s along with a smattering of Convair 240s for AA.

Vought Sikorsky VS
Vought-Sikorsky VS-44A

When the turbine-powered Lockheed L-188 Electra began flying in AA colors Al smelled jet fuel for the first time. When the Boeing 707 and Convair 990 came into operational service Blackman worked on those too, along with the BAC One-Eleven. From that point on, just about every generation and/or type of Boeing, Douglas, Fokker, McDonnell Douglas, British Aerospace, and Airbus airliner AA flew garnered attention from Al Blackman at some point. 717s. 727s. 737s. 747s. 757s. 767s. 777s. DC-8s. DC-9s. DC-10s. MD-11s. MD-80s. MD-90s. A300s. A310s. A320s. A330s. 146s. And more!

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Photo courtesy American Airlines

For perspective, consider this:  “Blackie” had 28 years in with AA when they bought their first 747s and 45 years in when they bought their first 737s. It’s been more than 50 years since he retired the last reciprocating engine airliner American ever flew. He’s seen revolutionary planes like the 727 and DC-9 come and go. DC-8s flew their entire careers with AA under his care. Same for the 747 and DC-10. Everything AA flies today began operations while Al has worked for AA- from 767s to Embraer 190s. Imagine what it must be like to have worked on many if not all of the former American Airlines jetliners sitting out in the Victorville, Mojave, Roswell, and Goodyear commercial aircraft boneyards.

Al Blackman Mural at JFK
Photo courtesy American Airlines

When Al reached 70 years of service with American he was honored with a mural depicting him on the wall of the AA maintenance hangar at their JFK facility and a ride for him and his family in the Flagship Detroit, a fully restored Douglas DC-3 complete with period-correct American Airlines paint scheme. “These things leak oil all over the place,” Blackman quipped about the DC-3 after the flight. “When they’re not leaking oil, it’s not good. They’re not running well.” Now that Al has 75 years in with AA, the decision was made to honor him with a special livery on one of the 777s flown by AA. The special commemorative scheme was revealed on the 75th Anniversary of Al’s first day at American. The 777 then embarked Al and his family and took off on a flight over Manhattan and Long Island so Al could see some sights…as if he hasn’t already seen enough of them over 91 years!

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Photo courtesy American Airlines

Every year Al passes his first day Anniversary AA has to make a new pin. They also have to design it because each of his Anniversaries is a first-ever occurrence for an AA employee. Because his nickname is “Blackie” his 75th anniversary pin is adorned with black diamonds. Blackman arrives at JFK airport for work at 0500 every workday. He is a crew chief and as such reviews the maintenance tasks completed by the overnight maintenance shift and coordinates completion of any outstanding work. He does have a few limitations, but they’re FAA mandated limitations because of his age and not his competency or ability. He’s no longer allowed to climb ladders or drive on the airport roads and personal tool use is limited, but Al’s not planning to retire. According to him, “When you like what you do, it’s not work.” As far as his personal preference among the aircraft AA flies is concerned, Al is on record as preferring Boeing aircraft because according to him they’re the easiest to work on.

Al Blackman Miliarty
Photo courtesy American Airlines

Al served his country in Korea performing maintenance on Bell 47 helicopters and light aircraft. According to “Age Is Just a Number,” the story he penned for AA’s in-flight magazine American Way, he worked at a facility co-located with the Army’s 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Korea. Yes, M.A.S.H. Yes, that M.A.S.H. Al worked on the pristinely restored Vought-Sikorsky VS-44A flying boat Excambian now displayed at New England Air Museum. Al works with mechanics whose fathers worked with him for many years; many of them many years ago.

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Photo courtesy American Airlines

When not working for American Airlines, Al volunteers with the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project (HARP) working to restore vintage aircraft in Hangar B at Gateway National Recreation Area’s Floyd Bennett Field in New York. When Blackie reached 50 years of service with AA he was honored with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Charles E. Taylor Master Mechanic Award, which is only bestowed upon those with 50 years of aviation maintenance experience, 30 years of which must be as a FAA certified mechanic.

Yankee Stadium Family Photo
Al Blackman and family pictured at Yankee Stadium. Photo courtesy American Airlines

Thankfully and in this writer’s opinion correctly, American Airlines is not using Al’s Anniversary story to try and deflect any of the vitriol about the airline industry in general these days. Al is just Blackie, the father of two and a happily married man for decades. His dear wife Delores, who passed away six years ago, knew how much her husband enjoyed his work and his co-workers. Al says she would tell him, “’Go to work, bum,’” she used to say. “`Go play with your friends.’”

Thanks go to Fox 5 for uploading the video of their news story about Al’s 75th Anniversary with AA to YouTube and to American Airline Media Relations for providing some of the biographical information about the incredible career and life of Azriel “Al” Blackman.

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Photo courtesy American Airlines

VFA-211 Made A Cruise Video You Absolutely Must See To Believe

Bill Walton
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VFA-211 Made A Cruise Video You Absolutely Must See To Believe

The Fighting Checkmates of Navy Strike Fighter Squadron Two Eleven (VFA-211) went aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in March of 2012 for a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. When the Big E returned to Norfolk eight months later, she was laid up and then decommissioned. VFA-211 created a cruise video during the deployment that is poignant, funny, dramatic, and in places starkly beautiful. The flying scenes are simply awesome. If this is the first cruise video you watch you’ll have to watch a bunch more of them to find one that looks better than this one does. The audio cuts out for about five minutes roughly 25 minutes in but you might not even notice. Thanks to YouTuber Triple Nickel for sharing this video.

[youtube id=”7h9S_Klc0nQ” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

Along with the Fighting Checkmates on the Big E’s final deployment were Carrier Air Wing One (CVW-1) consisting of VFA-211, VFA-11 Red Rippers flying the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet, VMFA-251 Thunderbolts flying the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet, VFA-136 Knighthawks flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet, VAQ-137 World Famous Rooks flying the Grumman EA-6B Growler, VAW-123 Screwtops flying the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye 2000NP, and HS-11 Dragon Slayers flying Sikorsky HH-60C and SH-60F Seahawk helos. The Enterprise made port calls at Piraeus in Greece, Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates, Manama in Bahrain, Naples in Italy, and Mayport Naval Station in Florida USA before retiring to Norfolk in November of 2012.

US Navy 100512 N 8446A 003 An F A 18F Super Hornet assigned to the Checkmates of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA 211 lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise CVN 65
Official US Navy Photograph

The final deployment of the Enterprise was also the last time the World Famous Rooks deployed flying the venerable Grumman EA-6B Prowler. They subsequently transitioned to the Boeing EA-18G Growler. VFA-211 (call sign Nikel) began as VB-74 in 1945. They began in 1945 flying Curtiss SB2C Helldivers. They have also flown Douglas AD Skyraiders, Vought F4U Corsairs, Grumman F9F Panthers, North American FJ Furies, McDonnell F3H Demons, Grumman F-11 Tigers, and Vought F-8 Crusaders. The squadron was designated VF-24 or VA-24 for many years. In 1959 VF-24 and VF-211 swapped air wings and designations. VF-211 transferred to Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar in California during 1961 and remained based there for 35 years, finally moving to NAS Oceana in Virginia during 1996 when Miramar became a Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS). VF-211 transitioned from the F-8 to the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in 1975 and flew them until 2003 when they were re-equipped with Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets and re-designated VFA-211.

US Navy 100515 N 0593C 098 An F A 18F Super Hornet assigned to the Fighting Checkmates of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA 211 launches from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise CVN 65
Official US Navy Photograph

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