In the history of sports and entertainment, few can top professional wrestling. And there’s a few legends that stand out, who helped make the industry what it is. The “Nature Boy” Ric Flair is one of them. He’s a household name, but a plane crash in 1975 when he was 26 years old almost ended his legendary career just when it was taking off.
“We were going from Charlotte to Wilmington, NC,” recalled Flair in a recent podcast with Joe Rogan. “Five of us went on the plane, but didn’t know at the time that the plane (a Cessna 310) was carrying no fuel because we were 1,400 lbs over gross.”
Overweight plane without enough fuel
The pilot, Joseph Michael Farkas, dumped fuel on takeoff due to being overweight. It would end up being the last plane he ever flew. According to Flair, he didn’t have a pilot license, and previous flights together were questionable.
In another podcast (see below), he recalled “We should have known there was something wrong with the guy, because he hit a jet stream one time… the plane went upside-down.”
Flair thought no big deal. Well, the pilot’s questionable skills would became a very big deal on the way to Wilmington.
“We hit a headwind, about 7,000 or 8,000 ft, and passed the point of no return,” recalled Flair. “He should have landed in Raleigh to refuel, but figured we had enough to make the final 100 miles.”
Flair was joined by friends Johnny Valentine, Bob Bruggers, Tim Woods, and David Crockett. Valentine could see the fuel gauge, and kept looking back at Flair. Shortly after, the right engine stopped. Pulling the reserve fuel did no good since they were empty. It wasn’t too long after before the left engine quit.
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The plane nose-dived like a brick falling out of the sky. Farkas was able to level it out, but hit the treetops approaching the runway at over 200 mph. The Cessna tore through the treetops, just missed a water tower and hit a pole, before crashing to the ground a quarter-mile short of the runway.
Half the souls onboard broke their backs
The plane came to a stop on a railroad embankment. All the seats broke loose, with everyone flying forward like a can being crushed.
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Flair’s back was broken. Farkas was unconscious. Valentine’s back was broken. Bruggers back was broken. Woods’ ribs were broken. Crockett suffered head injuries, his mouth was ripped open, several teeth shattered, and he had a shoulder dislocated.
All six were flown to a nearby hospital. The pilot never regained consciousness and died a couple months later. Valentine ended up paralyzed for life. The others were able to heal and recover, although they now had to deal with healing from the mental and emotional trauma of it.
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Flair was originally in Valentine’s seat
Flair was originally in Valentine’s seat on the flight, but complained until Valentine switched seats with him because he did not like sitting in front. That one decision changed both of their lives forever.
Crockett wasn’t even supposed to be there. He took his brother’s place on the trip because his brother had the flu and could not go.
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Fate is a strange thing.
Doctors told Flair he would never wrestle again. He was back in the ring 6 months later, as the Nature Boy, a persona that the world would come to know. The rest, is history. WOOOOOOOOO!!
Imagine you’re surrounded with the enemy closing in. You’re running out of ammo, and so is air support, and the only way out, is to grab onto a Cobra attack helicopter anywhere you can and hold on for dear life as it flies you away and you get to live a long blessed life.
It sounds like an action movie, but it really happened 55 years ago, and the pilot who did it – U.S. Army Capt. Larry L. Taylor – has received the Medal of Honor for his heroism.
“When I called Larry to let him know he finally was receiving this recognition, his response was, ‘I thought you had to do something to receive the Medal of Honor,'” recalled President Joe Biden. “Well, Larry, you sure as hell did something,” said Biden.
A call for help
On the night of June 16, 1968 Taylor acted with “gallantry and intrepidity, going above and beyond the call of duty” to aid 4 soldiers who met trouble on a reconnaissance mission northeast of Saigon. At the time, Taylor was a 1st Lt. team leader with Troop D (Air), 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division, near the hamlet of Ap Go Cong.
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With their night vision, the recon team realized that hostiles had completely surrounded them. They would inevitably be caught, so team leader Bob Elsner called for help.
Taylor got the call, hearing “we’re surrounded, we’re surrounded” on his radio. He and his co-pilot and another Cobra arrived on scene shortly after, but needed Elsner to pop flares so Taylor could locate them. Unfortunately, it also exposed them to the enemy, who immediately opened fire.
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All hell breaks loose
Both Cobras rained hell upon their foes with rockets and bullets to save the recon team for over a half-hour. But ammo and fuel does not last long. As they were running out, the enemy was closing in. And all the recon team had left were a few grenades and knives.
A Huey was called, but the request denied because the Army believed it stood 0 chance of surviving. They were on their own, with nothing left to fight with, and no help coming. Both Cobras were ordered to return to base. Taylor refused.
“I knew that if I didn’t go down and get ’em, they wouldn’t make it,” recalls Taylor.
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Both Cobras unloaded everything they had left. Taylor used his landing lights to distract the enemy, while the recon team headed for a location Taylor told them. He then flew over to extract them.
“We were able to make a breakout finally because he had directed us through the very weakest portion of the enemy envelopment,” said David Hill, one of the member of the recon team that night. Hill attended the ceremony awarding Taylor’s Medal of Honor.
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Taylor landed right beside the team
“I’m on the ground for no more than 10 seconds — you and your folks find a place on my ship and I’m gonna get us all out of here,” he ordered.
Cobras only have 2 seats, and both were taken by Taylor and his co-pilot. Under enemy fire, with bullet holes tearing through the helicopter, the soldiers grabbed on anywhere they could, standing on the Cobra’s skids and clinging to its rocket launchers.
With everyone onboard, the soldiers banged the helicopter twice to signal the GO to takeoff. Taylor got airborne without hesitation.
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Such a feat had never been accomplished, or even attempted, according to the Army.
But they were not free of danger yet. They cleared small arms fire, but with 4 guys handing onto the outside of a flying helicopter, he had to fly carefully. They could easily fall, or cramp and freeze from the 150 mph wind and then fall. Taylor flew them to a nearby water treatment facility under American control.
Medal of Honor Recipient Larry Taylor and the Men he saved. Photo: Dave Hill
“The four of them ran out in front of the helicopter, and then they turned around and lined up, and all four of them saluted,” said Taylor.
With that, they went their separate ways and life went on. Hill and Elsner met Taylor again in 1999, where they could finally shake his hand and say thank you.
After nearly 60 years, this month will mark the end of the Reno Air Races, which is scheduled for Sep 13-17 at the Reno-Stead airport. But the big question is, what comes next? Will the races continue elsewhere?
The Reno Air Race Association (RARA) has not announced anything, but another organization has, and they are aiming for a new air race event outside of Las Vegas next year. But is it all talk?
New spaceport will host the races
The races would be held 65 miles west of Vegas, near Pahrump, at a new Las Vegas Spaceport. The event is scheduled for Oct. 25-27, 2024.
There’s just one problem. The place doesn’t exist yet. The 240-acre area planned for the spaceport has no infrastructure to support such an event, or anything else. There isn’t even an airport, nor full funding to break ground. Yet.
According to Shelter Realty, the commercial real estate developer only recently began trying to get investors for the reportedly $310 million spaceport plan. They would then form a publicly-traded company and start building.
Last year 39 million tourists spent $12 billion in Vegas on gaming alone. The new spaceport hopes to tap into that purse. The facility would have a launching pad, a runway for spaceplanes, control tower, flight school, and a 200-room resort and casino.
The FAA has already licensed over a dozen spaceports around the country, with several dozen companies currently seeking licenses to operate space vehicles.
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The new Vegas races
As for the new Vegas Air Races, local Vegas news station KSNV reports that organizers expect more than 500 vendors and 25,000 spectators, with drone races, rocket launch demos and live music.
Organizers also claim racers will push 500 mph, so it’s safe to assume fans will see an unlimited and jet class, same as in Reno.
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“Ensuring safety is paramount as we execute our plan to draw visitors to the Las Vegas Spaceport and establish our brand,” said Robert Lauer, CEO of the Las Vegas Spaceport. “Our upcoming Air Races event in the coming year will serve as a demonstration, not only for the FAA but also for the public, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to safety compliance.”
The entire idea spaceport and races is an ambitious plan, and will no doubt cost a lot more than $310 million. Just ask Elon and SpaceX. But the optimistic timeframe seems unrealistic. Even if they had all the required permits and paperwork and funding to break ground today, a proper large runway resurfacing can take up to a year. Any airport in a year would be bare bones.
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However, it is great that people are trying. The potential is definitely there. One can hope. But some racers flying other races in the meantime, such as Andrew Findlay, who has dominated in the Reno “Sport Class” for years flying as #30 “One Moment Air Racing”.
“Sport class now has accreditation and will be doing future races. We had one in Madras, Oregon last week,” says Findlay. “We are planning a second location the end of October.”
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Findlay and several other races like the Vegas idea, but have their doubts for the reasons outlined above. The event itself is doable if the facility is built, but doing it next year seems far-fetched at best.
Four astronauts are back on Earth today, following a nominal return last night from the International Space Station.
Their return wraps up a 6-month stay on the orbiting science outpost. People across half the state of Florida were given a rare and spectacular look at the dramatic fireball reentry. And we captured it on video.
Flying in a fireball like a shooting star
When returning to Earth, spacecraft have to first slam into the atmosphere. This helps to greatly slow down their velocity, but it also creates an enormous amount of friction, which turns into a plasma ball of fire surrounding the spacecraft as hot as the surface of the sun.
Just imagine rubbing your hands together so fast it creates a fireball. It’s the same reason you see a shooting star. It’s dust and rocks from comets and asteroids slamming into our atmosphere with so much friction they explode.
Historically, spacecraft reentry usually occurred over the open ocean, although the space shuttles sometimes reentered across the mainland U.S. (before the Columbia disaster in 2003).
Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, left, NASA astronaut Warren “Woody” Hoburg, second from left, NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen, second from right, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, right, are seen inside the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. Photo Credit: NASA
NASA and SpaceX always have numerous location options for splashing down, in case of bad weather, rough seas or logistical issues at a primary location. Last night’s splashdown was targeted for the coast of Jacksonville, bringing the reentry over the center of the state and within view of millions of people.
WATCH: NASA’s Crew-6 Returns to Earth in a Fireball Reentry 33
It’s as impressive as the launch too. Appearing out of the western horizon like a bright missile streaking east. It was bright it cast shadows 100 miles away (where I was located). Counties close to the reentry path also heard the sonic booms.
The international crew of NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, as well as UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, spent a total of 186 days in space and logged 79 million miles traveled.
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Lot of science accomplished on the ISS
According to NASA, the crew contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations on the ISS. Bowen conducted 3 spacewalks, joined by Hoburg for 2, and Alneyadi for 1, preparing the station for and installing two new Roll-Out Solar Arrays to augment power generation for the ISS.
The crew also contributed to hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, including assisting a student robotic challenge, studying plant genetic adaptations to space, and monitoring human health in microgravity to prepare for exploration beyond low Earth orbit and to benefit life on Earth.
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NASA and SpaceX have definitely worked well together under the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA seeded SpaceX’s development in the first place, under orders from Congress and former President Obama. And now NASA contracts them to fly cargo, supplies and crews to and from the ISS.
Back to the Moon with Artemis
But how much longer the ISS stays in operation is a big unknown. NASA does not need Russia to maintain the ISS, but it sure will be a lot harder without them. Russia has stated numerous times that they plan to pull out of the ISS sooner than later.
WATCH: NASA’s Crew-6 Returns to Earth in a Fireball Reentry 36
NASA meanwhile is looking towards the moon with their Artemis missions, and is funding SpaceX to develop a lander. But those missions might fly only once a year. Artemis-2 won’t even launch until at least late 2024. The first moon landing would be a couple years later.
NASA wants a permanent human presence there, same as with the ISS. They plan to put a station in orbit around the moon to support those plans. The station would be called Gateway, and provide a staging point for surface missions and flights to / from Earth. It will also be a safe haven / lifeboat if anything went wrong with spacecraft, with room for additional modules to be installed.
Subway has made a giant sandwich blimp restaurant to float over a few cities across the nation this month, and they are offering the public a chance to fly on it.
New subs hit the menu
The 180-ft bread zeppelin is part of a marketing campaign called ‘Subway™ in the Sky’, promoting their new Deli Heroes subs and offering selected guests a “brand new dining experience at new heights.”
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Subway says they are elevating their subs with the new Deli Hero selections. They are named the “Titan Turkey,” the “Grand Slam Ham,” the “Garlic Roast Beef,” and the blimp-shaped “Beast.”
The blimp’s gondola can carry 6 sandwich-lovers at a time. Each person will sample all four Deli Hero subs as they float above the normies on the ground. Subway expects to fly 40 fans per day, with each flight lasting 30-40 minutes.
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How to get a seat On A Subway Blimp
The blimp is in Kansas City this week, but all the seats are taken. Registration was full within the first hour it was open.
But you can still grab seats for the blimp’s other planned stops. It will visit Orlando Sep 19 – 20, and Miami Sep 24 and 26. Just pay attention to when the registrations open. Seats will fill fast and are awarded on a first-come first-serve basis (no purchase necessary).
The world mourns the passing of legendary musician Jimmy Buffett. His songs brought joy to millions for decades, with timeless hits such as Margaritaville and Come Monday, but the singer-songwriter also loved aviation. He was an accomplished pilot for over 30 years.
Image: Jimmy Buffet IG
According to the website Buffett World, he caught the bug in college when a pilot friend took him for a flight. He had other priorities in the first half of his life, but the expensive dream to fly always stayed with him.
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As he earned more success he earned more money, and set a goal to earn his private license by his 40th birthday. He purchased a Lake Renegade amphibian and earned his PPL with single engine land and sea ratings at 39.
He went on to earn a Commercial Pilot License with ratings for multi-engine land and sea aicraft, and an instrument rating for flying in clouds and low weather. Buffett also held type ratings for the Cessna Citation 500-series jets, the Falcon 50 and 900, and the Grumman Albatross.
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Buffett owned many planes
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Jimmy Buffet owned many planes over the years, basing his fleet the last several years out of Palm Beach International (PBI) in south Florida. They even named an aviation departure procedure after him, called the BUFIT ONE Departure, used for aircraft departing south from PBI. Waypoints include JIMEY, BUFIT, PYRUT, FINNS, and UTLEY (named after Buffett’s long-time keyboard player).
He sometimes flew his Albatross Hemisphere Dancer over concert venues, before retiring it in 2003. It’s on display at Margaritaville in Orlando.
Buffett even got the chance to fly in a TA-4 Skyhawk with the Blue Angels. He also flew in the legendary F-14 Tomcat. He had to undergo Navy survival training prior to the flight, which he later credited for helping save his life when he lost control of his Grumman Widgeon on a water takeoff in Nantucket. The plane nosed over on a big swell and sank (read more here). Buffett swam away unharmed.
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Jamaica almost killed Buffett mistaking him for a drug runner
He also survived Jamaican authorities shooting at him in Negril a couple years later, when they mistook his seaplane Hemisphere Dancer for a drug runner. Nobody was hurt, but the plane was given several new bullet holes. He later wrote a song inspired by the event, called Jamaica Mistaica.
U2 singer Bono was with him, along with Buffett’s family. He later recalled the incident:
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“These boys were shooting all over the place. I felt as if we were in the middle of a James Bond movie… I honestly thought we were all going to die…You can’t believe the relief I felt when I saw the kids were okay.”
Buffett loved the Navy and Marine Corps
Buffett was a long-time supporter of the men and women in the Navy and Marines. He held numerous concerts for sailors and would visit them around the world, including in 2008 when he visited the aircraft carrier Harry S Truman in the Middle East.
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He was awarded the prestigious “Superior Public Service” award by the Secretary of the Navy. It’s the highest award that can be given to a civilian not employed by the Navy.
The award recognizes Buffett as an “unwavering supporter of the men, women, and families of the Navy and Marine Corps. His dedicated service to our sailors, Marines, wounded warriors, and civilians ensured that they were provided highly visible support and gratitude that greatly enhanced morale and welfare across the Department.”
It’s always 1700 somewhere. Blue skies Jimmy Buffett, 76 years old.
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-Photos courtesy of Jimmy Buffett’s social media and the US Navy. F-14 photo from reader Tom Crockett (personal friend of the F-14 pilot)
Star Wars Canyon in Southern California used to be one of the most well-known low level training route in the world for fighter jets. Or at least it was until 2019, when a Navy pilot crashed in the canyon. The pilot was killed, and several onlookers were injured.
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The place was a favorite among aviation photographers, chasing epic shots of jets maneuvering between canyon walls below them. Both the Navy and Air Force have since stopped using the canyon, citing safety concerns. They will fly above it, but not below the rim.
Private pilots however ARE still allowed to use the canyon, and do so regularly. Including Gregory WIRED Colyer, who took me on a trip through the canyon (watch below) in one of his T-33 Shooting Stars.
WATCH: Flying theT-33 Ace Maker through Star Wars Canyon
The Ace Makers
He owns 3, and calls them the Ace Makers. Colyer flies them at air shows nationwide throughout the year. He also supports both USAF and Navy Test Pilot Schools, providing students with T-33 flights that they then have to evaluate and write a report about.
“With the students it’s an unknown aircraft qualification,” says Colyer. “So I give them an hour ground school on the T-33 and then give them a cockpit checkout, then they go through the POH and get all the performance numbers for takeoff and time-to-climb and things like that.
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“Then we go up and fly their test cards which includes a little bit of everything. Rudder doublets, controllability issues, the aileron boost on and off, aerobatics and low-level flying, just as if they were flying the jet for the first time back in the late 1940s.”
“The Navy TPS students evaluate the T-33 as a ground attack aircraft too, while the USAF TPS students evaluate it as a primary and advanced trainer,” adds Colyer. “So they are evaluating it for its intended use as if they are back in the 1950s.
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America’s First Jet Trainer
The T-33 was America’s first jet trainer, developed by Lockheed’s legendary Skunk Works to train P-80 pilots (F-80). Those pilots were fresh out of WWII and made flying propeller fighters look easy, but the transition to jets with new tech and capabilities was anything but simple. Several crashes occurred, making it clear that a trainer was critically needed.
Other variants were produced too, including some for combat and photo reconnaissance. Other nations were also granted licenses to develop their own, such as Canada. You can read more in-depth about the T-33 in one of our previous report.
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Most nations have stopped using T-33s. The jet was first put into production nearly 80 years ago. But they still thrill avgeeks any time one is spotted, especially those who know their history.
“The Shooting Star was always one of my favorite jets growing up, being our first jet fighter and watching movies such as Jet Pilot,” says Colyer. “It’s classic lines just sang out to me. I flew a friend’s T-33 in 2007 and knew I had to have one. I felt like I had been flying it all my life. Acquired my first one in early 2008 and 5 hours later I was type rated in her.”
Official US Air Force Photograph
More than 7,000 T-33s were built, and since its introduction, the jet has been flown to help train more jet pilots than any other training aircraft type in history. Even the world famous USAF “Thunderbirds” used T-33s once upon a time, serving as the team narrator’s aircraft and being the VIP / Media ride aircraft in the 1950s and 1960s.
As of mid-2023, 65 T-33s are flying in private hands. Many are also on display at museums around the world.
The Game Show Host You Know Today Was a Naval Aviator Ready to Go to War Back in the Day
Updated : TV legend Bob Barker passed away on August 26, 2023 at the age of 99. We have updated this story to commemorate his passing.
Robert William “Bob” Barker is best known for his career in television. He hosted numerous well-known television shows like Truth or Consequences from 1956 until 1975 and The Price Is Right from 1972 until 2007. Barker also appeared on shows like CBS’ coverage of The Rose Parade, Bonanza, Tattletales, Match Game, The Nanny, The Bold and the Beautiful, and just about every talk show out there during his career, along with many more- and of course his memorable appearance (as himself) in the 1996 Universal movie Happy Gilmore (“I don’t want a piece of you…I want the whole thing!”). Bob Barker is one of the most recognizable names (and faces) in American television history. But…did you know that before Barker became famous, he became a Naval Aviator during World War II?
Bob barker and adam sandler in happy gilmore. image via imdb
Every Fledgling Pilot Starts Somewhere
Barker was born on 12 December 1923 in Darrington, Washington. He spent much of his youth on the Rosebud Indian Reservation located in Mission, South Dakota- in part because Barker is one-eighth Sioux Indian. He enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve while attending Drury College in Springfield, Missouri on a basketball scholarship in 1943. Barker reported to William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri for his initial ground school on 9 June 1943. Barker began his pre-basic flight training at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa flying Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshoppers.
N2S trainers. image via national archives
Stearmans, Valiants, and Texans
Barker then reported to the University of Georgia in Athens for Preflight School, where he also played on the Navy Basketball team. Next Barker made his way to Naval Air Station (NAS) Millington outside Memphis, Tennessee, where he flew the ubiquitous N2S Stearman trainer. After mastering the wily Stearman, Barker reported to NAS Cabaniss Field in Texas, where he flew Vultee SNV Valiant fixed-gear intermediate trainers. After flying the Valiant Barker moved over to NAS Beeville in Texas and on to advanced training in the North American SNJ Texan trainer. Upon completion of his flight training in South Texas, Barker was commissioned as Ensign Robert Barker USNR.
SNV trainer. image via national archives
Learning His Craft in the Wildcat
Newly-minted Ensign Barker next reported to NAS DeLand near Daytona Beach in Florida. Barker was plugged into the VF pipeline for operational training, so the first fighter aircraft he flew was the Eastern FM-2 Wildcat while learning formation flying, night flying, dog-fighting, aerial gunnery, and practicing field carrier landings. Later during his operational training Barker also spent time at Glenview NAS outside Chicago, from where he flew his FM-2 out to the paddle-wheel carrier USS Wolverine (IX-64) and learned how to land and take off from the boat while it plied the waters of Lake Michigan.
The Jet Age dawned for the western world in October 1958 with the introduction of both the Boeing 707 and the De Havilland Comet 4 (the first commercial jetliner—the Comet 1, introduced in 1952—suffered design problems and was withdrawn from service in 1954; the Soviets put the first successful jetliner into service – the Tupolev TU-104 – in 1956).
The Boeing 707 and the Comet 4 were followed by the Douglas DC-8, which flew its first commercial flights in September 1959. With their unprecedented speed and passenger capacity, jetliners carried the promise of a whole new era for commercial aviation.
Eastern’s leader, CAPT. Eddie Rickenbacker, relied upon the turboprop Lockheed L-188 Electra to serve as the company’s top-of-the-line aircraft while other carriers deployed their first jets. This proved to be a tactical error. Mel Lawrence photo.
THE PROP-JET ELECTRA
Eastern Air Lines was a latecomer to the Jet Age. While rival airlines were deploying jets over Eastern’s most competitive routes during the winter of 1959-60, all of Eastern’s aircraft were propeller-driven. Captain Eddie Rickenbacker (referred to simply as “The Captain”) – Chairman of the Board and the force behind Eastern – had placed his faith in the turboprop Lockheed L-188 Electra, ordering 40 of them to operate Eastern’s premier services while other carriers broke in the jets. If the new jets suffered any problems, it would be other airlines that endured the bad publicity.
But it would be the Electras, not the new jetliners, that would generate negative attention. By mid-March 1960, three Electras in service with other airlines had crashed. Two of the accidents were attributed to a design flaw that could result in the separation of wing from fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated that all Electras be flown at reduced speed until the flaw could be corrected. In the public’s eye, the type’s reputation was tarnished, and passengers began avoiding the Electra.
The Electras suffered a design flaw which could exacerbate vibration to the point of creating a condition called whirl mode, which might result in separation of the wing from the fuselage. The reputation of the aircraft was tarnished after several crashes, but the flaw was corrected and the Electras went on to serve safely for many years. Photo: Proctor/Livesey/Thomas Collection.
Then, on October 4, 1960, an Eastern Electra crashed within seconds after takeoff from Boston’s Logan Airport. The cause of the crash had nothing to do with the design flaw. The accident was the result of an ingestion of birds – starlings – into the engines. But the publicity did not help the reputations of either Eastern or the Electra.
EASTERN’S FIRST JETS
Rickenbacker had ordered 26 Douglas DC-8s (-21 models) for Eastern, but eventually scaled the order back to just 15. Eastern’s first jets did not enter scheduled service until January 24, 1960.
Eastern’s first jets – Douglas DC-8s – did not enter service until January 24, 1960. Douglas Aircraft Company photo.
While Rickenbacker was still Chairman of the Board, Eastern’s President at the beginning of the 1960s was Malcolm MacIntyre, who insisted on operating free of The Captain’s control. But try as MacIntyre might, Rickenbacker still considered himself to be in charge.
Rickenbacker had promoted Eastern as a safe airline while other carriers advertised the quality of their service. Air safety greatly improved with the Jet Age. Because the CAB forced all airlines to charge the same fares, a carrier’s selling points would have to be service and convenience. In that regard, Eastern had an image problem.
In 1960, for the first time in 26 years, Eastern failed to post a profit.
Captain Eddie Rickenbacker points out the Golden Falcon title on one of Eastern’s new DC-8s. Photo via Proctor/Livesey/Thomas Collection.
THE AIR-SHUTTLE
The best thing to happen at Eastern in 1961 was the introduction of an experimental service in the Northeast Corridor (Washington-New York-Boston) called the Air-Shuttle. This new concept, approved by the CAB, allowed passengers to show up without reservations and purchase tickets on board. The clincher was that no one would be left behind; backup aircraft and standby crews would be available to operate an extra section whenever a scheduled flight reached capacity.
For several years, Eastern relied on aging Lockheed Constellations, painted in a red livery, to operate its popular Air-Shuttle service in the Northeast Corridor. American Aviation Historical Society Photo.
It took several months to fine-tune the Air-Shuttle, but it became a popular standard of travel. After only 14 months of operation, the Shuttle carried its one-millionth passenger.
MORE TROUBLES FOR EASTERN
Fifteen Boeing 720 jetliners began arriving on the property, the first entering service in August 1961. But despite the introduction of the Air-Shuttle and the transfer of several money-losing smaller stations to local airlines, Eastern posted a loss for the second year in a row.
Boeing 720s joined Eastern’s fleet beginning in August 1961. Photo via Proctor/Livesey/Thomas Collection.
In June 1962, the company suffered a 30-day Flight Engineers strike. It was the fourth strike against Eastern in five years.
Then, on November 30, 1962, an Eastern DC-7B crashed while attempting a go-around in fog at Idlewild Airport, killing 25 of the 51 people aboard.
1962 was the third year in a row for Eastern to post financial results in red ink.
THE CAPTAIN HAS TO GO
Eastern’s Board of Directors decided that change was needed at the top. It was time for The Captain to go. In December 1963, Malcolm MacIntyre left Eastern Air Lines and Eddie Rickenbacker retired. Floyd D. Hall, who had been recruited from TWA, took over as President and CEO of Eastern. He had a big task ahead of him.
Hall brought a fresh perspective to Eastern. He also brought in several new managers from outside the company—people who could bring fresh ideas and new energy to Eastern.
Eastern inaugurated the world’s first Boeing 727 service on February 1, 1964. Boeing Company photo.
On February 1, 1964, Eastern’s employees took great pride in inauguration of the world’s first Boeing 727 service. The new tri-jet—designed for short and medium-haul segments—was a perfect fit for a network in which the average stage length was between 400 and 500 miles. Eastern christened its new birds Whisperjets.
Celebration of the new aircraft type was tempered by the tragic loss of one of the company’s DC-8s, which crashed into Lake Pontchartrain shortly after takeoff from New Orleans in the early morning darkness of February 25. There were no survivors.
Eastern’s hockey stick livery is displayed on this Convair 440 photographed at Atlanta by Jon Proctor in 1967.
A NEW SLOGAN AND A NEW LOOK FOR EASTERN
A new slogan, “See How Much Better An Airline Can Be”, was adopted, and along with the catchphrase came a new logo and aircraft livery. Referred to as the hockey stick paint scheme, the livery consisted of two stripes in different shades of blue running the length of the fuselage, then up at an angle to traverse the tail. The logo, a stylized falcon consisting of two white lines inside of a dark blue circle, was interpreted as the hockey puck.
Eastern’s management team devoted itself to improving the customer experience. One innovation for First Class passengers was the introduction of Famous Restaurant Flights, advertised as “a whole new approach to in-flight dining services.”
Eastern posted a profit in 1965 and again in 1966, despite a strike by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) that grounded five airlines – including Eastern – for 43 days that summer.
Fifteen Douglas DC-9-14s joined Eastern’s fleet starting in 1966. N8910E was photographed at Miami. Terry Waddington photo via Proctor/Livesey/Thomas Collection.
NEW JETS FOR SHORT AND LONG HAULS
For Eastern’s short-haul routes, Hall ordered 15 Douglas DC-9-14s, the first of which entered service in 1966. In 1967, Eastern became the first airline in the world to operate the stretch -30 series of the DC-9 (Eastern would eventually operate more than 70 of the type).
For long-hauls, Hall ordered stretch versions of the DC-8 (-61 and -63 models), the first of which also joined the fleet in 1967.
“Stretched” Douglas DC-8-61s were introduced in 1967. Douglas Aircraft Company photo.
THE WINGS OF MAN
During the late 1960s, Young and Rubicam created several taglines for Eastern: “We Want Everyone to Fly,” “Number One to the Sun”, and the iconic slogan, “The Wings of Man.”
In 1966, the CAB approved Eastern’s acquisition of Mackey Airlines, which served the Bahamas from Florida. And, in 1967, the Civil Aeronautics Board gave Eastern a route to the West Coast: Melbourne/Cape Canaveral to Orlando, Huntsville, St. Louis, Portland and Seattle/Tacoma. This flight served the newly named Space Corridor, linking the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral with Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville and Boeing’s headquarters in Seattle.
In addition to “The Wings of Man”, Eastern employed the slogan “Number One to the Sun” in the late 1960s. Timetable from David H. Stringer Collection.
In preparation for the new era of jumbo jets, Eastern ordered four Boeing 747s for delivery in 1970, but sold all four to TWA before they were delivered. Eastern would, instead, lease three 747s from Pan Am while awaiting delivery of the wide-body jetliner it staked its future on — the Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.
Eastern Air Lines had made it through the tumultuous Sixties, and there would be more turbulence ahead in the 1970s. But the Wings of Man would navigate through the rough weather and survive another two decades.
How engineers used a B-52, affectionately referred to as ‘Balls Eight’, to rapidly advance our understanding of supersonic flight.
The Challenge: The engineers have designed and developed a new aircraft that can fly five times the speed of sound (Mach 5), but it does not carry enough fuel to take off from a runway and climb to its operational altitude.
NB-52A Preparing for an X-15 flight early in the program.
The Answer: launch it from another aircraft—the “mother ship”—that will carry it to its operational altitude so it can begin the flight from there. This article outlines a brief history of two B-52 aircraft that would support the X-15 program, one of which (Balls Eight) would continue in the role as a “mother ship” for another 35 years.
While the B-52 was not the first “mother ship” (a modified B-29 Superfortress bomber was used to launch the Bell X-1 and Chuck Yeager on the first supersonic flight in 1947), this is a brief history of two B-52s that defined and lived the role for nearly fifty years.
By the time the North American X-15 hypersonic test aircraft was ready for testing, the B-52 Stratofortress was available, and two B-52s were transferred to Edwards AFB to act as mother ships for the X-15.
Balls Eight Required Many Modifications
The B-52s required extensive modifications. Due to the low fuselage ground clearance and landing gear arrangement of the B-52, the X-15 had to be mounted on a pylon under the wing of the aircraft, between the right inboard engine and the fuselage. An 8-feet section had to be removed from the right wing flap to allow room for the X-15’s vertical stabilizer.
X-15 In Flight.
In addition to the wing-mounted pylon, the aircraft were outfitted with liquid oxygen and hydrogen peroxide tanks in the bomb bay area to fuel the X-15 fuel tanks prior to launch. A launch control station was installed behind the cockpit with all of the instrumentation and controls needed to launch the test aircraft. Also, because the X-15 (and other test aircraft) were not visible from the cockpit, a small window was installed at the launch control station to allow the operator to see the X-15 cockpit.
The first bomber modified was the third and last B-52A produced, serial number B-52A-0003. After modification in 1959, it was redesignated NB-52A and named “The High and the Mighty.”
Additional B-52 Modifications
NB-52B, Balls Eight with the X-15 and a T-38 chase plane (Public Domain)
The second was originally delivered to the Air Force in 1954 as an RB-52B, serial number B-52B-0008, equipped to be a reconnaissance aircraft.
It was transferred to Edwards AFB in 1958 and modified to become an NB-52B. This aircraft was dubbed “Balls Eight” because, in a serial number, a series of zeros were referred to as “balls.”
Between 1959 and 1968, these two aircraft flew more than 60 captive carry and 199 X-15 launch missions. There were three X-15s in the program, one of which was destroyed in a crash. Today one of the remaining X-15s is on display at the National Air and Space Museum and the other can be seen and the National Museum of the Air Force.
NB-52A-0003 was retired in 1969 shortly after the end of the X-15 program, having flow 69 of the launch missions plus. Initially, it was stored at Davis Monthan AFB, but later given a home at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. NB-52A-0003 is oldest B-52 in existence.
Balls Eight Was a Workhorse
Balls Eight would deliver nearly 50 years of dedicated service to research and development. Retired in 2004, Balls 8 is now on display at the entrance to Edwards Air Force Base. “It has been asserted that the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress, carrying Air Force serial 52-0008, can lay claim to being the airplane that has seen and participated in more history than any other single airplane.
X-24 Lifting Body used for unpowered landing research that would be applied to the Space Shuttle.
For forty-five years, the NB-52B was a fixture at Edwards Air Force Base. While the NB-52B is most famous for launching the three North American X-15 rocket planes, it continued to serve in the role of launch platform for a multitude of programs until its final mission on November 16, 2004.”(1)
Balls Eight Played a Key Role in Space Shuttle Development
In addition to the X-15, Balls Eight also carried and launched the Martin Marietta X-24 and other lifting body aircraft, followed by HiMAT, the Pegasus rocket and the unmanned scramjet-powered X-43, among others.
The Martin Marietta X-24A was a piloted, unpowered experimental aircraft developed to test lifting body concepts for unpowered reentry and landing—technology that would later be applied to the Space Shuttle.
Rockwell’s Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology (HiMAT) was an unmanned, powered NASA program to explore a range of technologies including canards, composite materials, digital flight controls, and remote piloting for use in future fighter aircraft.
Air-Launched Pay-load-to-Orbit rocked first launched from NB-52B Balls Eight.
Pegasus is an air-launched rocket designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit. First launched from Balls Eight in 1990, it remains active as of 2015. The four-stage rocket was launched at 40,000 feet. Later flights have been launched from a modified Lockheed L-1011. Balls Eight’s last program was launching another hypersonic vehicle—the X-43A hypersonic research aircraft in 2004.
Balls Eight was finally retired on December 17, 2004 after 49 years in the air. It was the oldest active B-52 in service at that time. The B-52 was also the only variant still flying other than the H model. Because of its specialized use, however, and many hours spent in being modified for each new mission, it had accumulated fewer flight hours than any other operational B-52 still in service.
Ref1: Balls Eight – History of the Boeing NB-52B Stratofortress Mothership by Brian Lockett (published April 26, 2015) is available from several online book sellers.
NB-52B launch aircraft takes off carrying the X-43A (photo by NASA)
Editors note: We recognize that the title photo is not of a Hellcat. The author did not have a photo available of his uncle flying the Hellcat.
It’s July 1st, 1946. The teak deck of the USS Shangri-La is hot to the touch. The Sun at this time of the year in the Pacific is a terror. As an American pilot is climbing into the cockpit of a Grumman F6F Hellcat, numerous servicemen are assisting him. This is a routine procedure, yet, nothing about what he is getting ready to do is routine.
The pilot is fitted with special gear. Added to his normal jumpsuit was a large lead vest. Formed to his head, was a specially designed lead shield which covered one half of his face and skull. The thought process being that if he were to lose vision or hearing, he could simply remove the lead helmet and maneuver the plane with one eye and one ear.
The aircraft itself was outfitted with collection canisters and other instruments. The cockpit sported protection as well. Lined with lead, the Hellcat weighed more than normal, requiring a special takeoff procedure just to get off the deck.
The Unknown Pilots Of The Nuclear Era
Many people know about the nuclear arms race post World War II. Some might have even heard of Bikini Atoll (after all, it is the home of Spongebob SquarePants). But I’d be willing to bet that not many people know about the type of testing that was conducted, and exactly how American pilots were used.
The Hellcat Drone
After launching off the deck of the USS Shangri-La, the heavy Hellcat climbed up to 40,000 feet. The pilot’s mission was to fly up to altitude and remotely via radio, control a separate Grumman F6F Hellcat as it flew through the Atomic Cloud. This mission was two fold: first, the pilot would send the manless, or ‘Drone’, aircraft through the cloud. On the other side, another pilot in the exact same type of aircraft and with the same protective suit on, would then take control of the drone and land it back on the deck of the carrier. Secondly, both pilots would fly around the edges of the massive mushroom cloud.
Since the plane was outfitted with testing equipment that would collect particles of the fallout as the pilot skirted the edges of the cloud, it was extremely vital to get the birds back on the carrier, hence the lead. Both pilots also had instruments inside the cockpit monitoring their radiation absorption. Whilst flying, both pilots would constantly read these displays out loud, to save them in the flight recorder.
Flying A Hellcat Through The Apocalypse 92
At 8:45 on that warm morning, a B-29 dropped a nuclear bomb. Named “Abel”, it exploded 520 feet above Bikini Atoll. As the mushroom cloud rose and rose, our pilot sent the unmanned aircraft through the cloud to the other side, where the other pilot took control. Our pilot then circumnavigated the cloud. The turbulence coming off the cloud would prove to be extremely rough, leaving him to rely on his training to maintain altitude and keep the plane level. While doing all of this, he was continuing to read the displayed data on his instruments into the cockpit voice recorder.
Sniffers Deployed
As he flew, the airplane was sucking radioactive air into the pistons, through the block and surely into the cabin of the cockpit. These pilots would later go on to be called “Sniffers”, and our pilot, on this day flying around Abel, would be the first.
The unpredictability of the turbulence would surely have made hand flying extremely difficult and while the mushroom cloud would intermittently block the view out of the cockpit, the hardest part of looking outside would be the heavy lead helmet covering half of his view.
While we don’t have evidence of this exact F6F Hellcat, no. 58623, going through Abel, there are many that believe he did. After over 3 hours in the air, he navigated back to USS Shangri-La and landed on the teak deck. Upon touchdown and shutting the engine off, naval servicemen scrubbed every inch of the aircraft and the pilot with soap and water. A desperate attempt to get rid of any lingering radiation.
Hellcat Promptly disposed of
Afterwards, the plane was thought to be dumped overboard, ensuring the engine wouldn’t spread radiation from its exhaust in the future. 58623 would never fly again. However, the pilot, my grandfather, would continue to fly for years afterward. I never met him, as he (un)surprisingly succumbed to complications from cancer in the 60’s. The picture attached to this post is him, somewhere in the Pacific theater. Sitting in a Hellcat, just like the one he flew on that day. Though here, he didn’t need the special lead suit.
As the nuclear arms race raged on, the military eventually allowed pilots to fly through the mushroom clouds from these test bombs. As this proved detrimental and many pilots were lost, they eventually backtracked and banned flying through atomic clouds.
Apocalypse Ahead
My uncle is convinced that my grandfather did in fact fly through the center of Abel that day. And while I never got the chance to meet him, I understand the kind of temptation that must have existed. Up in the air, with the weapon of the apocalypse so close you could touch it. I’m certain he did.
Videos circulating online show both crew successfully ejected from the Soviet fighter jet, and their parachutes deployed, as the plane plunged behind a tree line shortly after 4:00pm local.
The air show was immediately stopped and ended following the incident. Witnesses could hear the ejection, and say the crew ejected over a lake. The plane itself crashed into the parking lot of an apartment complex. Several vehicles were damaged, but no injuries have been reported by authorities on the scene.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a situation that requires us to stop the show. Please make your way into your vehicles and calmly make your way out of the airfield,” Thunder Over Michigan wrote in a Facebook post. “Please be patient as we control traffic around the area.”
The jet was based out KGGG in Longview, TX. Pilot Dan Filer and his crew have been restoring other MiG-23s too.
We will update once the air show and / or local authorities provide an update. The cause of the crash is unknown, but the crew have been recovered and are alive.
