Heart-Warming Sights and Sounds for the Warbird Lover in All of Us
We brought you the EAA-produced video about the restoration and imminent first flight of the one-of-a-kind XP-82 Twin Mustang. We also did a Twin Mustang retrospective for the 70th anniversary of the P-82 Twin Mustang Betty Jo’s record-setting long distance flight from Hickam to LaGuardia in 1947. But since we published those stories that beautiful warbird has indeed flown. At EAA Airventure 2019 in Oshkosh the XP-51 flew, and we brought you the proof. Enjoy these three gorgeous videos, all uploaded to YouTube by AirshowStuffVideos.
First up: The
XP-82 Twin Mustang flying during the Saturday Airshow
As it turns out, the XP-82 Twin Mustang flew for the
first time after that ten-and-a-half-year restoration on 31 December 2018, but
the flight didn’t go exactly as planned. In fact the flight wasn’t planned at
all. The aircraft’s last flight had occurred on 14 December 1949. When test
pilot Ray Fowler took the powerful aircraft out to the runway for some taxi
tests (including a quick liftoff/setdown) that power got the better of him.
Next Up: a tailcam
perspective of the same flight during the Saturday Airshow
After all…at comparable power settings the Twin Mustang has just shy of two and a half times the horsepower of a single P-51 Mustang but only weighs in at about a Mustang and a half. So the XP-82 took to the skies sooner than expected. Rather than try to stop the aircraft, Fowler just went ahead and flew it around the pattern and then landed it. With no gripes.
Restored XP-82 Flying Oshkosh Skies. Image via AirshowStuffVideos
The first planned test flights commenced in late January of 2019. After four gear-down hops to check systems and expose the inevitable (minor) issues, the man who spent all that time (207,000 hours all-told over those ten-plus years) restoring the warbird, Tom Reilly, finally went flying in her.
Finally: Another XP-82
flight during the Tuesday Airshow[youtube
id=”EUrkjSUU11c” width=”800″ height=”454″
position=”left”]
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The thrust and high speed maneuvers of the Navy’s Super Hornet jet will thunder over air show sites across the United States during the 2020 season.
The Navy’s Rhino Demonstration Team will charge into 2020 to perform at 11 show locations. Based at Naval Air Station Oceana, the demo team will display the dedication of its service members and inspire future naval aviators. [youtube id=”hu7gseuRWoI” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”] Lead Rhino Demo pilot Lt. Shane Brady is one of four who will demonstrate the handling and maneuvers of the Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet, nicknamed the Rhino. This year will mark Brady’s second season with the team.
“This year I am the overall lead with the team,” Lt. Brady said in an exclusive conversation on Tuesday with AvGeekery.com. “In terms of the talent we have on the team this year, and our show sites, we are doing double the shows we did last year.”
Lt. Brady and the entire Rhino Demo Team are currently practicing for their first show in mid-April. He acknowleged the team’s excitement in taking off for their first public demo.
“Once you go airborne, it get’s your heart racing which is awesome,” Snuffy began. “It’s a pretty busy time and when you’re off the brakes you’re essentially in air show mode, and you try to put a good show on for the crowd.”
Lt. Brady, who flies with the call sign “Snuffy”, pilots the two-seat F/A-18F with an assistant known as the weapon system’s officer. It is the WSO’s job to provide aircraft updates and announce the next maneuver to the pilot during the demonstration.
“The Wiz-O (WSO) allows me to focus solely on flying the aircraft,” The Wiz-O is like a second set of eyeballs, calling out airspeeds, and the timing of when to bring the afterburner back on and when to start the maneuver turns.”
Each 15-minute flight by the VFA-106 Rhino Demo Team will be the only way to witness the aircraft at an air show on the eastern half of the United States. Its twin-engines will glow bright orange as the afterburners kick in and the aircraft accelerates.
“This year, you are going to see a lot more out of our team,” “We changed our name, and we are trying to get that message of naval aviation out there. I think this year you should expect some good things coming from the team.”
F/A-18 Rhino Demo Team’s Updated 2020 Schedule:
April 18 …………….. (Cancelled) Thunder Over Louisville
May 23-24 …………. Hyundai Air and Sea Show (Miami Beach, FL)
June 5-7 …………….. Wildwood Air Show (North Wildwood, NJ)
June 13-14 …………. Ocean City Air Show (Ocean City, MD)
July 4 ………………… Thunder Over North Beach (Racine, WI)
July 23-26 ………….. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (Oshkosh, WI)
August 15-16 ……… Chicago Air and Water Show (Chicago, IL)
August 29-30 ……… New York Air Show (New Windsor, NY)
September 19-20 … NAS Oceana Air Show (Virginia Beach, VA)
October 10-11 …….. Wings Over Houston Air Show (Houston, TX)
November 14-15 …. JBSA Air Show (San Antonio, TX)
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
This Mass Flight of P-51s Looked Every Bit as Incredible as it Sounded
The Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) AirVenture 2019 was an event few who were in attendance are likely to forget. The show is always great and the exhibits, discussions, and general camaraderie with other Avgeeks is without equal. The fact is that as soon as one AirVenture ends, for many the countdown to the next one begins. At AirVenture 2019, known as ‘The Year of the Fighter,’ the Thursday Warbirds show featured a gathering of North American P-51 Mustangs so huge that it was impressive even at an event known for great P-51 owner attendance and participation. Enjoy the video (with the volume turned UP) as uploaded to YouTube by AirshowStuffVideos.
If you watched closely you saw at least one example of
every P-51 model manufactured by North American. Naturally the lineup is dominated
by P-51Ds (someone once said “they’re common as weeds”), but three P-51B/Cs and
a P-51H
also flew in the event. Both are considered rare by any warbird standard. Even
rarer was the presence of the restored prototype XP-51 at Oshkosh. The XP-51 didn’t
fly in the show but its presence alone is a treat for Mustang fans. But there
was one more Mustang at Oshkosh that raised more eyebrows than most- the
recently restored-to-flightworthiness XP-82
Twin Mustang.
image capture of linked Youtube video
Planting Warbird Seeds
Warbirds of America is today the historical military aircraft component of the EAA. But it wasn’t always that way. Warbirds of America was incorporated on 25 March 1966 by a group of warbird owners who at first limited membership to World War II-vintage fighter and bomber owners only. In 1967 Warbirds of America became a division of EAA. They also opened up membership to owners of the North American T-6/SNJ/Harvard trainers, which swelled the ranks considerably. With each passing year more warbirds are restored and membership is no longer limited to World War II. If it was flown by the military it’s now considered a warbird- including jets!
Great to meet you Jonah! Many avgeeks love legos and they love building things too. Some lego sets offer aircraft. But they aren’t really that accurate. What is supposed to be a DC-9 airliner kind of looks like a kids toy. You took a different approach. Tell us about your store and why you decided to start Plane Bricks.
Jonah PadBerg, founder of PlaneBricks.com
Plane Bricks is currently a place to get the most accurate Lego aircraft available and also where you can get a commission done by me, but it all started out as just a hobby. Up until launch my work had mostly just been on Flickr. I had been building throughout childhood and then really started honing in on my technique around age 18. In 2017, Brick Universe came to Oklahoma City for the first time and I barely made it in before the deadline. I was able to set up my planes for display that weekend and I got such a great response. Many people asked if I made kits, several others thought they would sell if I entertained the idea of doing so. I had never thought about doing that, but I did know that I wanted to somehow make money doing what I love to do, which is build with Lego. Later that year I decided I would give it a go. In Jan of 2018, I launched Plane Bricks and have been working since. Currently I have an online store where you can buy full kits, electronic instructions, custom stickers and custom minifigs.
Have you always loved Legos? What things did you build as a kid?
Since I was seven, I’ve been addicted to the brick. I say brick because my first set wasn’t even Lego. It was a Megablock A-10 Thunderbolt! I love History. My grandfather flew the TBF Avenger in the Pacific in WWII and was the only one of his squadron to make it out. If you have ever seen that famous picture of the five TBF Avengers in formation, he is the second one from the bottom. Learning about him and his flight career and that set, really sparked something in me. After that, I started collecting actual Lego as much as I could. I used to build trucks and cars mostly. My mom runs an online homeschool support group in our area and we hosted Lego Club for so many years and still does since I have five other siblings. With that club I was able to spend a lot of time building with people of all ages. We became known as the Lego family in our homeschool circles. When I was about 14, I entered a Lego magazine contest with one of my trucks and it won the little gift card you get for those.
The famous TBF Avengers photo. Jonah’s grandfather is flying the second plane in the photo.
Around 15, I started focusing on airplanes but didn’t really start being more complex and detailed until around 18. I also was a part of a contest here, called the Great OKC Build, where we gathered a team of four to represent our group. We were able to build a building that resided downtown and won in our division so our model became a part of the buildings representing OKC. With each experience I had, I knew that Lego would be a part of me forever. Now, I’m 22 and still making planes. I get commissioned to do a lot of planes in addition to what’s on my site. I’ve also been contacted to build other things and am about to launch a page for commissions that will encompass anything they’d like to see built.
What was the first aircraft template that you decided to do for Plane Bricks? The first plane I crafted was the B-17. I had done it a couple of years before I launched so it was an easy starter kit.
And how many models of aircraft do you currently sell? Currently, I have 11 aircraft, a fuel truck and trailer, and about five aircraft sitting in my office waiting to be released.
Are all your aircraft military or do you have civilian aircraft too? We only have military aircraft at this time, but one of my models waiting for release is a civilian aircraft. I plan to do more civilian aircraft in the future. We welcome requests that we place on a list, which helps determine what plane we do next.
What if a fan of your store has a request? Do you put together custom plane sets? Commissions are very welcome! If you’d like an aircraft, or something completely different, I invite you to contact me. I am able to offer a pre-done model, an electronic file only, a print book, and a full kit. The combinations can be made to work for you.
What does the future look like for Plane Bricks? Plane Bricks hopes to flourish in the years to come, with the expansion of our product line, securing of licenses needed for certain companies, and building up the commission side of it all. We are currently not selling Lockheed Martin aircraft due to licensing fees. We are still fairly new and couldn’t justify the expense at this time, so in the interim, we are offering those digital instructions for those planes for free. We would appreciate you all spreading the word about Plane Bricks/Jonah Padberg. As a new business on the block, getting your name out there can be challenging.
And we heard you have a special offer for readers of Avgeekery!
We would like to extend a special offer code for your readers! Come visit Plane Bricks and use code AVGEEKS for 20% for an entire month from the publish date of this article.
“Target for Today” Details What It Took to Put a Bombing Mission on the Target
The film Target For Today was shot during the preparation for, execution of, and post-mission evaluation of the VIII Air Force Bomber Command Mission 113- the 9 October 1943 strikes on Marienburg, Anklam, Gdynia, and Danzig in German-occupied Poland. The mission covered as many as 1,400 miles round trip. Twenty VIII Air Force stations supported the mission, putting 430 heavy bombers in the air. In the film the mission planning is extensively depicted, along with preparation for man and machine at several of the stations where the crews flying the mission were based. Enjoy the film, uploaded to YouTube by Periscope Film.
115 B-17s from the 91st Bomb Group (BG) Ragged Irregulars at Bassingbourn, the 303rd BG Hell’s Angels at Molesworth, the 351st BG at Polebrook, the 379th BG The Grand Slam Group at Kimbolton, the 381st BG at Ridgewell, and the 384th BG at Grafton Underwood were sent to attack the Arado factory at Anklam. 100 more B-17s from the 94th BG at Bury St. Edmunds, the 95th BG at Alconbury, the 100th BG Bloody 100th at Thorpe Abbotts, the 385th BG Van’s Valiants at Great Ashfield, and the 390th BG Wittan’s Wallopers at Framlingham were dispatched to bomb the Focke-Wulf plant at Marienburg.
93rd Bomb Group B-24. Image via National Archives
Both Big Bombers in Action
The shipyards at Gdynia received the most attention from VIII Bomber Command that day. 164 B-17s from the 92nd BG Fame’s Favored Few at Alconbury, the 96th BG at Snetterton Heath, the 305th BG Can Do at Grafton Underwood, 306th BG Reich Wreckers at Thurleigh, and the 388th BG at Knettishall made runs on the target. Joining them were B-24s from the 44th BG Flying Eightballs at Shipdham and the 392nd BG at Wendling. Attacking the U Boat pens at Danzig were B-24s from the 93rd BG Traveling Circus at Hardwick and the 389th BG Sky Scorpions at Hethel.
marienburg under attack. image via national archives
Results and Hap’s Take
American losses were 28 bombers lost with 123 crew killed in action, 35 wounded in action, 131 taken as prisoners of war, and 29 interred in Sweden. The gunners aboard the bombers claimed 122 Luftwaffe fighters shot down, 32 probables, and 57 damaged. The Fw-190 assembly plant at Marienburg was particularly heavily hit. VIII Bomber Command sent 98 bombers to bomb the place again exactly six months later. General Henry H. “Hap” Arnold called Mission 113 “The greatest strike ever.” If you watched the film you now know from where much of the footage used in other bomber movies came.
Gdynia post-strike assessment. Image via national archives
AKRON, Ohio — Two high school classmates driven early by different goals found themselves a decade later working in similar career fields — one a top naval aviator and one a NASA astronaut.
On June 6, 1966, Stuart Robinson Powrie and Judith Arlene Resnik graduated with their senior class from Firestone High School. Their families and the educators at the Akron, Ohio school, inspired the two to climb higher and travel farther.
The Firestone High 1965 yearbook “Volplane” featured two future aviators. (Charles Atkeison)
Stu (as he liked to be called) was a competitive swimmer during high school and later at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1970, Powrie graduated from the academy, but not before he set two Navy records as a competitive swimmer.
Judy loved classical piano, however, she loved mathematics even more during high school. She even earned a perfect score on her SAT exam. In 1970, she graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering.
Stu earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1975. This lead to a job at the Pacific Missile Test Center at Pt. Mugu, California.
After Carnegie Mellon, Judy joined RCA as a Missile and Radar Projects design engineer. In 1975, she began attending classes at the University of Maryland. She graduated with a Ph.D in electrical engineering two years later.
Dr. Resnik also earned her pilot’s license in 1977, and she quickly became a top aviator. She also began to shift her job focus to new heights — a career in aerospace.
Judy wanted to become an astronaut, and for the first time, NASA was hiring new candidates for their upcoming space shuttle program. She was selected in 1977 as part of the new astronaut candidate class.
LCDR. Stu Powrie was chosen as the Slot pilot for the Navy’s Blue Angels in 1980. (US Navy)
In October 1980, LCDR Powrie was chosen as a pilot for the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron. Known as the Blue Angels, he trained and served as the opposing solo as Blue Angel 6 during 1981.
Stu performed at air shows across the United States and Canada during the Blue Angels season. He also visited hospitals and schools during the squadron’s public outreach programs.
During autumn of 1981, Stu elevated to the position as the lead solo pilot with the Blues. The team returned to their winter training home in January at NAF El Centro in southern California.
On February 22, 1982, Stu was completing the Dirty Loop maneuver during a Blue Angels training flight at El Centro. His A-4F Skyhawk stalled and he crashed into the desert floor. He died at the scene.
astronaut Judy Resnik returns from a T-38 Talon flight at Ellington Airfield near Houston. (NASA)
In August 1984, Judy made it to space aboard shuttle Discovery’s maiden flight. She assisted with the deployment of three satellites and tested a new 100-foot solar array. After six days in orbit, Discovery’s crew of six landed at Edwards AFB in California.
Judy next launched aboard the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. As Challenger rose into a blue Florida sky, its external tank ruptured 73 seconds into flight. Flames from a faulty solid rocket booster seal had penetrated the fuel tank’s skin.
The force of the explosion shattered the orbiter, separating the crew cabin and sending it up and away. Three minutes later, the cabin splashed down in the Atlantic waters with a force of nearly 200 times that of gravity. Challenger’s crew of seven astronauts were killed.
Today, inside Firestone Community Learning Center’s atrium, trophies and banners highlight the school’s past achievements. High above the open area, a school hall-of-fame features glass mounted glossy photographs of several former students.
Photographs of Stuart Powrie and Judith Resnik adorn the walls of their alma mater. (Charles Atkeison)
Side-by-side, U.S. Navy pilot LCDR Stu Powrie and NASA astronaut Dr. Judy Resnik hold the last two positions. Their portraits face the front entrance to Firestone reflecting upon the faces of future scholars.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Accuracy in the Film ‘Thirteen Days’ Was Better Than Average, But…
In the 2000 Beacon Pictures/New Line Cinema film ‘Thirteen Days’ there are great pains taken to make the dramatic events of the Cuban Missile Crisis look and feel as realistic as possible. To the credit of all concerned, the Department of Defense allowed filming on several bases as well as the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Museum ships like the USS Joseph P Kennedy (DD-850) were also used for filming of the maritime blockade shipboard scenes. However, we found a few holes in the visuals. First, take a look at the Light Photographic Squadron SIX TWO (VFP-62) Gray Ghosts/Fighting PhotosVought RF-8A Crusader photo reconnaissance mission sequence of 23 October 1962 from the film as uploaded to YouTube by Colt cat.
The first thing that jumps out is that GY tailcode for those Fighting Squadron TWO FOUR (VF-24) Fighting RenegadesVought F-8C Crusaders on the flightline at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West. VF-24 was deployed in the Western Pacific (WestPac) with Carrier Air Wing TWO (CVW-2- tail code NE) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CVA-41) between 6 April and 20 October 1962. Therefore it is unlikely that VF-24 would have been seen wearing GY codes or hanging around at NAS Key West within a week of returning from WestPac. But the presence of all those Gunfighters on the flightline does make an impression. We know that VFP-62, along with a detachment of four Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squadron TWO (VMCJ-2) Playboys (tailcode CY) RF-8As and pilots were based at NAS Key West at the time.
Image via YouTube screen grab from embedded video
Location Location Location
The shooting location for the RF-8A mission sequence was the former Clark Air Force Base (AFB) in the Philippines. In 1988, after flying from Cesar Basa Air Base since 1977, the Philippine Air Force grounded and open-stored their remaining operational former US Navy and Marine Corps F-8H jets. They did not operate any RF-8As or RF-8Gs. When Mount Pinatubo erupted just 15 miles from Basa the entire area was covered with volcanic ash, rendering the Philippine Air Force Crusaders entirely inoperable. But that didn’t stop the film crew from using the jets as props for the film. With new coats of paint and semi-realistic markings you have to look closely to spot the gotchas. We did.
Philippine Air Force F-8H in flight circa 1977. Image via US Navy
Consistency is Key
Tailcode GY never assigned to VF-24. VF-24 wore G on their tails while flying FJ-3Ms and NG (usually) while flying F8Us, F-4s, and F-14s. VFP-63 wore PP. VFP-62 wore GA and of course Air Wing codes when detached. Tailcodes beginning with G were used primarily for Heavy Photographic (VAP), Heavy Attack (VAH) and Heavy Attack/Photographic (RVAH) squadrons. The tailcodes on the supposed RF-8As is correct for VFP-62 (GA) though, as are the Bureau Numbers (BuNos). Both 146871/GA910 and 146886/GA906 were assigned to VFP-62 during 1962 and were flown on the mission depicted in the film by the pilots shown. For this writer the final word on the events during October and November 1962 is William B Ecker’s book Blue Moon Over Cuba. Ecker was not only there, he was the CO of VFP-62 at the time. It’s a great book.
Image via YouTube screen grab from embedded video
Stand Ins Not Quite Standing Up
Some other inconsistencies surface when one researches the timing of events. The F-8Hs playing the role of RF-8As in the film were dressed up to look like RF-8As but the grafted on flat panels for the camera bays are obvious- especially when the jets taxi in after returning from Cuba. The RF-8A also lacks the prominent nose-mounted infrared seeker head (IRST) and the ventral strakes seen on the jets in the film. The camera bay where the Photographers Mate (PH) is working isn’t very realistic and we’re not convinced about those film canisters either. So the F-8Hs did a decent if not quite believable job as RF-8As in the film. Another inconsistency is that CDR Ecker actually recovered at NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, hot refueled, and then flew directly to Washington to deliver the film he shot on the mission dramatized in the film- not back to Boca Chica for a cold one. He deserved to, but he didn’t.
Image via YouTube screen grab from embedded video
Giving It Away
The shooting location was given away when mountains appeared
in the distance during the takeoff. The Philippines have mountainous terrain
visible from runways. The only towering mountains near Key West are made of
Cumulus clouds! In several cases the ground equipment (yellow gear) shown in
the film is either period-inaccurate or wasn’t used at Naval Air Stations at
all. We could get into the other inconsistencies in the film (there are a few
more) but suffice it to say that VFP-62 did a great job, deserving and
receiving a Navy Unit Commendation (the first in peacetime) from President John
F Kennedy himself on 26 November 1962.
Image via NAtional Naval Aviation Museum
Trivia Alert
Ironically both of the jets flown on that 23 October 1962 mission were operational losses after being upgraded to RF-8G standard while flying with VFP-63 Eyes of the Fleet later in their service lives. 146871 entered service with VFP-62 in 1960 and later served with VFP-63, was stored at the Boneyard in 1975 and returned to service with VFP-63 before she was lost to a bad cat shot on 2 December 1976. 146886 entered service in 1961 with VFP-62 and served with both VMCJ-3 and VFP-63 before she was shot down over Vietnam near Vinh on 22 May 1968.
Image via YouTube screen grab from embedded video
The actor who played CDR William B. Ecker (pilot of 146871/GA910)
in the film is Christopher Lawford- the son of Patricia Kennedy Lawford and the
nephew of President John F “Jack” Kennedy and brother Robert “Bobby” Kennedy.
Ecker retired as a Captain and passed away on 5 November 2009.
The actor who played LT Christopher Bruce Wilhelmy III (pilot of 146886/GA906) is David O’Donnell- the grandson of Kenneth “Kenny” O’Donnell. Wilhelmy’s name is often misspelled as ‘Wilhemy’ but not in the film. Wilhelmy perished when the North American T-28B Trojan he was flying shed its wings on 17 February 1966.
There was much more to the story of the RF-8A photographic reconnaissance mission over Cuba. More than 70 sorties were flown by VFP-62 and VMCJ-2 pilots between 23 October 1962 and 13 November 1962. All 16 of the pilots who flew the Operation Blue Moon missions received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Former VFP-62 RF-8A crusader at USS Alabama museum. image via author
NELLIS AFB, NV — The high speed passes and precision flight of the Air Force Thunderbirds begins in three weeks as they headline top air show locations across America.
The Thunderbirds kicked-off their 2020 season last weekend with a flyover of the Daytona 500 race. The six-jet team will spend the remaining weeks practicing six-days a week before traveling to their first air show.
America’s Ambassadors in Blue are scheduled to perform at 35 locations across the United States, including one stop in Canada. The team’s first public flight demonstration will take place over Del Rio, Texas, at Laughlin AFB on March 14.
The U.s. Air Force Thunderbirds prepare for the start of their 67th anniversary season. (USAF SSgt Cory Bush)
“I can feel the excitement right now,” Thunderbirds advance pilot Maj. Jason Markzon said. “We’re going to kick it up a notch, maybe ten notches, when we get to Laughlin in March.”
Last summer, the Thunderbirds selected three new demonstration pilots for the next two seasons. Maj. Trevor Aldridge will fly as the new left wing pilot, Capt. Zane Taylor will fly as the slot pilot, and Capt. Kyle Oliver has been selected as the new opposing solo pilot.
The three will join second season pilots, leader Lt. Col. John Caldwell, right wing pilot Capt. Michael Brewer, and lead solo Maj. Michelle Curran. A demonstration pilot typically serves two seasons with the Thunderbirds.
“Growing up, the Thunderbirds inspired me to become a pilot,” Capt. Taylor expressed. “I am hoping to inspire the next generation of boys and girls to do the same.” Taylor added as a youngster, he hung a Thunderbirds poster on his bedroom wall.
As the pilots practice their tight formation flights, the Thunderbirds maintainers and logistics personnel have been busy, too. The teams are working from sunrise to sunset during winter training in order to begin their 67th anniversary season on time.
The backbone of the Thunderbirds is the team’s nearly 120 enlisted airmen, each trained to handle aircraft maintenance, flight equipment, and logistics. Each enlisted Thunderbird serves three to four years with the squadron.
“Our mission is to recruit, retain and inspire,” Maj. Markzon explained. “Our job is to just go and really focus on the kids and talk to them about the opportunities that the Air Force has to offer and try to inspire the next generation.”
Air Force Thunderbirds 2020 Air Show Schedule:
Mar 14: Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, Texas – Fiesta Of Flight
Mar 21-22: Luke AFB, Arizona – Luke Days Air and Space Expo
Mar 28-29: March AFB (Calif.) Field Air and Space Expo: Thunder Over the Empire
April 4-5: Lakeland, Florida – Sun-N-Fun Fly In and Expo
April 18-19: Maxwell AFB, Alabama – Beyond the Horizon Air and Space Show
April 25-26: Columbus AFB, Mississippi – Wings Over Columbus
May 2-3: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale Air Show
May 9-10: Beale AFB, Calif. – Wings Over Recce Town, USA
May 16-17: Shaw AFB, South Carolina – Shaw Air and Space Expo
May 23-24: Miami Beach, Florida – Miami Beach Air and Sea Show
May 28: Colorado Springs, Colorado – USAFA Graduation Fly Over
June 6-7: Salinas, Calif. – California International Airshow
June 13-14: Ocean City, Maryland – OC Air Show
June 20-21: North Kingstown, Rhode Island RI ANG Open House and Airshow
June 27-28: Hill AFB, Utah – Warriors Over Wasatch Air and Space Show
July 4-5: Battle Creek, Michigan – Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival
July 11-12: JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska – Arctic Thunder Open House
July 18-19: Duluth, Minnisota – Duluth Air and Aviation Expo
July 22: F.E Warren AFB, Wyoming – Cheyenne Frontier Days
July 25-26: Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota – Ellsworth Air and Space Show
August 1-2: Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota Air Show
August 15-16: Chicago, Illinois – Chicago Air and Water Show
August 22-23: Avoca, PA – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Armed Forces Airshow
August 26: Atlantic City, New Jersey – Thunder Over The Boardwalk
August 29-30: New Windsor, New York – New York Air Show
September 5-6: Gardner, Kansas – Kansas City Air Show
September 12-13: London (Ontario), Canada – Airshow London
September 19-20: Huntington Beach, Calif. – Pacific Airshow
October 3-4: Minden, Nevada – Aviation Roundup Airshow
October 10-11: Edwards AFB, Calif. – Aerospace Valley Air and Space Show
October 17-18: Fort Worth, Texas – Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show
October 24-25: Rome, Georgia – Wings Over North Georgia
October 31-November 1: Sanford, Fla – Central Florida Air and Space Show
November 7-8: New Orleans, Louisiana – NASJRB New Orleans Air Show
November 14-15: San Antonio, Texas – JBSA Air and Space Show
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s space shuttle fleet served as an orbiting workshop for thirty years — a space truck which delivered a variety of spacecraft and segments of the International Space Station into orbit.
Five space-worthy orbiters were built to allow astronauts to live and work in space. Behind the pressurized living quarters, a massive 60-foot cargo bay housed commercial and scientific satellites, or a pressurized module, which extended the volume of the crew’s work space.
Each orbiter named to honor a sailing vessel — Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. Each was structurally built the same, however there were differences to those who knew them on an intimate basis.
Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 41Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 42Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 43Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 44Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 45Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 46Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 47Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 48Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 49Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 50Space shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex January 2020. (Images: Charles Atkeison)
Between 1981 through 2011, NASA launched 135 space shuttle missions from the Kennedy Space Center. Of those, two orbiters — Columbia and Challenger — did not return home after launch due to failures.
At the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex, one shuttle is on display following her retirement. Atlantis, a veteran of 33 space flights, rests inside a multi-level building built especially for the spacecraft.
The orbiter is on public view with her payload bay doors open and a Canadian-built 50-foot robotic arm extended out. The docking port used to dock with the International Space Station is also located inside an otherwise empty bay.
Today, former space shuttle processing employees work as docents near Atlantis to educate the public about the winged spacecraft. Jean L. Wright sewed the thermal blankets which protected the shuttle’s exterior.
Columbia and Challenger were constructed using thermal tiles to protect the shuttles from extreme heating during re-entry. Later, the introduction of thermal blankets were used on later shuttles where reentry temperatures reached up to 1,200° F.
“We made 11 classes of blankets as we didn’t use the term thickness in our world,” Wright noted as we moved around Atlantis. “They ranged from 1/4″- 2″ thick. The class was decided by what surface on the orbiter it was being bonded to.”
Jean Wright and her team stitched up the orbiter’s protective thermal blankets. (Charles Atkeison)
Wright highlighted the difference between the traditional heat absorbing tiles and the white blankets. Using a massive 30 needle sewing machine, each thermal blanket was quilted for a select area of the orbiter. It would take the machine nearly four minutes to quilt the blanket one way.
“Here at the OMS, since the frame was made of composites, we had to use our two-inch thick blankets,” Wright pointed as we gazed up at one of Atlantis’ two orbital maneuvering system pods. “NASA required that in areas made of composites, the skin of the orbiter couldn’t be exposed to temps over 250-degrees, thus thicker blankets were needed there.”
Challenger was flown with a small section of thermal blankets to test their effectiveness in 1983. They were located on her OMS pods and later added to her sides.
“After each blanket was quilted, they under went a process known as heat cleaning,” Wright continued. “They were baked in a blue pizza oven at 650-degrees for four hours. Then baked for two more hours at 850-degrees.”
[youtube id=”zsJpUCWfyPE” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”] Atlantis is poised just as she was while in space with her port side tilted downward 43.21-degrees. The great tilt allowed for us to have a birdseye view of the entire open payload bay.
Brad Byron worked to configure the payload bay with its cargo and keep it free of contamination. Each orbiter was prepared for her next flight in the Orbiter Processing Facility. It was here that the hardware or payloads were installed inside the massive bay.
“It was always a challenge working in the orbiter cargo bays,” Byron began as he reflected on a job he enjoyed so much. “But when the launch was successful and the mission went as planned it was worth it.”
Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 51Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 52Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 53Upclose: Two Engineers Discuss Servicing Space Shuttle Atlantis 54Photographs of Atlantis on orbit and in the Orbiter Processing Facility during her storied career. (NASA)
One of Brad’s favorite payloads was the Hubble Space Telescope. The shuttle completed five servicing visits to upgrade the great observatory located about 420 miles above the planet.
“Hubble servicing flights always required extraordinary cleanliness beyond the already high standards we always worked to,” he added. Atlantis flew the final servicing mission in 2009.
The Spacelab was a pressurized module fitted inside the cargo bay. The reuseable module gave astronauts more room to conduct science experiments in microgravity.
“Installing a Spacelab module in the cargo bay would take maybe 6 to 8 hours if everything went according to plan,” Byron said standing only two meters from Atlantis’ bay. “Every one was always different depending on what OPF bay the orbiter was in.”
Brad noted that anything which went into the payload bay was recorded. He and his crew ensured that foreign objetcs not designed for that space flight would be seen floating out of the bay once on orbit.
“Everything that was going into the cargo bay had to be logged in – tools, chemicals, cleaning materials, flight hardware for accountability,” he added. “When we left the cargo bay everything was logged back out.”
The years of dedication in preparing the space shuttle’s for flight has transitioned over to NASA’s new Artemis Program. From the protective outer skin to spacecraft processing, today’s Artemis engineers stand proudly on the shoulder’s of the space shuttle’s engineers.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
The Boeing 757 is a beast of an airliner. The single-aisle jet is overpowered, robustly engineered with a super-critical wing that balances both short takeoffs and landing distances with transatlantic range. It is a rare that a type is still prevalent in the airline industry almost 40 years after its first flight without any major upgrades or revisions. Still today, hundreds of 757s ply the skies even though the assembly line was closed way back in November of 2005.
While the 757 is a unique jet, there is an even more exclusive subset of 757s. That is the Combi 757-200M. A combi jet is an airliner that has both cargo positions and a passenger cabin. This type of aircraft used to be more common in the industry (along with the QC or Quick Change jets that could be rapidly converted between a passenger jet and a cargo aircraft). The Boeing 737, 747s and Douglas DC-8s all were either offered as combi options on delivery or were later converted in the aftermarket for niche purposes. After a couple of notable cargo aircraft fires in the 1980s, the FAA made it more difficult to certify a combi aircraft. The FAA had concerns with a fire on the jet due to the contents of the cargo. Without expensive fire detection, extinguishing systems, and robust restraints, a new Combi aircraft would not be certified.
Enter the Mighty 757-200M
Before the change in regulations, Boeing built a single factory combi 757 as part of a deal with Nepal Airlines. The airline was supposed to take delivery of two aircraft but only ended up taking one combi aircraft. It was the only combi passenger 757 built at the factory. The type never really caught on as no other airlines purchased the type.
Nepal Airlines operated the only factory built Boeing 757-200M. Photo: Nepal_Airlines_B757_Combi.JPG: NA2359derivative work: Altair78 / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)
Today, the 757M is still a very rare aircraft. At one time Pemco World Air Services, Vision Techology Systems and Precision Conversions all offered the 757. The conversion has not proved very popular though as the only current operators of the 757-200M are ATI and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
ATI and Royal New Zealand Air Force Operate the Boeing 757-200M today
The ATI story is pretty unique. ATI once offered Douglas DC-8 combi service, primarily for military customers. It flew both cargo and people to a number of niche routes to remote destinations in the Pacific and Atlantic. As the DC-8 fleet was reaching the end of its service life, the company purchased 4 757-200Ms from National Airlines. National Airlines themselves converted the 757 jets in anticipation of a contract with the government. When this contract didn’t materialize, they sold their combi jets to ATI. ATI took delivery of three of the four aircraft. They operate the fleet regularly today.
By our count (and we could be wrong here as some conversions seem to have been announced but never delivered), there were only 7 757-200M aircraft ever built or converted. While there are plenty of 757 cargo aircraft, the 757-200M is one of the rarest sub-fleets of 757s still flying today.
On YouTube, there is a cool video showing the inside of an ATI 757-200M Combi aircraft by Jetblast141aviation. It holds 10 pallets and up to 42 passengers. The pallet positions are in the front of the aircraft with the 42 seats in the rear, separated by a partition.
This 1971 Film Depicted a Mark 1, Mod 0 Day in the Tonkin Gulf
When the Essex-class aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34)
hosted the Pacific Fleet Combat Camera Group to shoot the film ‘A Day in
WestPac’ in 1971, the “Big O” was on her 14th deployment. She was a member of the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club
several times over by then, having already deployed off Vietnam five times.
Carrier Air Wing ONE NINE (CVW-19) was embarked aboard “Tico” for the 5th
time. The film depicts a Mark One-Mod Zero day aboard an Essex-class carrier
deployed to Vietnam. If you were there you know what a good job the camera
crews did. The film was uploaded to YouTube by Periscope Film.
Named after a Revolutionary War battle, the Oriskany was one of the few Essex-class carriers completed after World War II concluded in 1945. Work on the ship was actually suspended when the war ended. It wasn’t until 1950 that the ship was completed and commissioned as the final Essex-class carrier to be placed in service. The Oriskany went into service as a straight-deck Essex-class ship. In 1956 the ship went back to the yard for conversion and was decommissioned, there to receive a new angled flight deck, aft deck edge elevator, enlarged forward elevator, enclosed ‘hurricane’ bow, steam catapults, and aluminum deck surface. Oriskany was recommissioned in 1959.
VA-215 A-7Bs. image via national naval aviation museum
The Air Wing
During her 1971 WestPac deployment aboard Oriskany, CVW-19 consisted of VF-191 ‘Satan’s Kittens’ and VF-194 ‘Red Flashes’ flying the Vought F-8J Crusader, VA-153 ‘BlueTail Flies’ flying the Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) A-7A Corsair II, VA-215 ‘Barn Owls’ and VA-155 ‘Silver Foxes’ flying the A-7B Corsair II, VAQ-130 ‘Zappers’ Detachment 3 flying the Douglas EKA-3B Skywarrior, VFP-63 ‘Eyes of the Fleet’ Detachment 34 flying the Vought RF-8G Crusader, VAW-111 ‘Early Elevens’ Detachment 1 flying the Grumman E-1B Tracer, HC-1 ‘Pacific Fleet Angels’ Detachment 5 flying the Kaman UH-2C Seasprite, and VQ-1 ‘World Watchers’ Detachment 34 flying the Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior.
CVW-19 EKA-3B. image via national naval aviation museum
The Movie Star and a Plot Twist
The Big O starred in several films. The shipboard scenes for the 1954 Paramount film ‘The Bridges at Toko-Ri’ starring William Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March, and Mickey Rooney were filmed aboard, as were similar shots for the 1954 MGM feature ‘Men of the Fighting Lady’ starring Van Johnson, Walter Pidgeon, and Keenan Wynn. Much later in 1997 when the ship was laid up prior to scrapping, scenes from the 1998 Universal film ‘What Dreams May Come’ starring Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Max Von Sydow were filmed aboard. Talk about plot twists- Oriskany was not scrapped. In 2006 she was intentionally sunk off Pensacola , Florida in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef.
Oriskany becoming a gulf coast reef. image via national archives
The Owner of This Beautifully Restored ‘Mossie’ Shares Both Mosquito History and His Story
Mosquito FB Mk.VI serial number PZ474 (reg N474PZ) left the factory in 1945. The aircraft entered service with a Royal Air Force (RAF) operational training unit (OTU) and was then sold to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The airplane spent neglected decades in California before going back to New Zealand in 2014 for a four-year restoration by Avspecs in Auckland. Warbird collector Rod Davis (EAA Lifetime 498155) brought his Magnificent Mossie to EAA AirVenture 2019 where it drew quite a crowd. Enjoy as Rod tells the story of this beautiful restoration along with some great Mosquito history, uploaded to YouTube by EAA.
“We’re not saving the world by doing it but we’re kind of honoring the people that did.” How’s that for a quote? The DH.98 Mosquito, AKA the ‘Wooden Wonder’ or ‘Mossie,’ was adapted into the photo-reconnaissance, medium bomber, fighter, fighter-bomber, night fighter, high-altitude interceptor, torpedo bomber, trainer, and target tug roles. Produced from 1940 to 1950, Mosquitos rolled out of six different UK plants along with plants at Toronto in Canada and Sydney in Australia. These flexible aircraft were adapted into more than 40 different variants.
image capture from video
During their service, Mosquitos underwent refinement and development as the war progressed. Uprated Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid-cooled piston engines turning 3-bladed constant-speed propellers propelled all Mosquito variants. Uprated engines and engine superchargers, exhaust manifold designs, fuel capacities, armor protection, wing and empennage spans and sizes, ordnance payload and delivery systems, radar systems, pressurization systems, camera configurations, and bomb bay configurations drove those version number changes.
Image capture from video
Mosquitos served with the Royal Australian Air Force, Belgium, Royal Canadian Air Force, Republic of China Air Force, People’s Liberation Army Air Force, Czechoslovak Air Force, Dominican Air Force, French Air Force, Haitian Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Polish Air Forces (in exile in Great Britain), South African Air Force, Soviet Air Force, Royal Swedish Air Force, Swiss Air Force, Turkish Air Force, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm), United States Army Air Forces, and SFR Yugoslav Air Force. In May of 1963 No. 3 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Unit (CAACU) retired the last operational RAF Mosquitos.
American and Alaska Airlines made significant announcements this week to counter the growth of Delta Air Lines in the Seattle market. The airlines took a two prong strategy to counter Delta’s recent international and domestic growth in the Pacific Northwest.
If you recall, Alaska Airlines used to have limited codeshares with both American and Delta Air Lines. Alaska leveraged the strength of its Seattle hub and Alaskan routes to play nice with both airlines. Alaska even fed Delta’s international service from Seattle, a remnant of Northwest Airlines international network focused on routes to Asia. Back in 2017 things started to change. Delta strategically pulled out of the codeshare with Alaska. Shortly after the Delta-led divorce, Delta introduced a host of routes that competed directly against Alaska. American largely stood silent…until now.
Alaska joins One World Alliance
On Thursday, Alaska Airlines announced that they intend to join the One World alliance. Beginning immediately, Alaska will allow members of their frequent flyer program to book reward travel on American Airlines, the principle airline of One World. Over the next 18 months, the airline will gradually become more entrenched in the alliance until they achieve full membership into One World in mid-2021. For Alaska, this is a definitive shot across the bow against Delta. Many had expected Alaska to make sure a move sooner but the merger with Virgin America was an impediment.
Alaska joining the One World alliance is also a clear win for both American and all of the other member airlines of One World. It will greatly expand Alaska’s access to international destinations and will give its frequent flyers access to one of the largest network of lounges in the world.
Alaska Airlines released a timeline outlining the steps to fully integrate into the One World Alliance. (Image: Alaska Airlines)
American Announces International Service From Seattle
As part of the announcement, American also announced its intentions to serve Bangalore, India non-stop from Seattle utilizing its Boeing 787-9 jets beginning in the fall of this year. American also announced intentions to serve London Heathrow non-stop from Seattle in 2021. Both routes will have Alaskan codeshare on the flights. While American isn’t matching Delta’s international presence, it is a clear shot across the bow to Delta that American and Alaska won’t allow Delta to grow unchecked in the region.
In addition to American’s new service, Alaskan flyers will be able to earn MVP miles on American’s domestic and international flights later this spring.
The announcement is good news for Alaska and American. It is also a well overdue step by both airlines to confront Delta’s growing Pacific Northwest network. The combined offering of American and Alaska will make them the largest presence in the region. The codeshare and routes are pending approval by regulators but aren’t expected to be denied in this more permissive regulatory environment.
Alaska Airlines announced a codeshare with American Airlines and that they are joining the One World Alliance. (Photo: Avgeekery)
Taking a Look Back at the Last Phew Phantoms Phlying with the JASDF
The Nihon Koku Jietai (or) Japanese Air Self Defense Force
(JASDF) has been operating Phabulous Phantoms since 1972. They still operate
F-4EJ and RF-4EJ Phantom IIs from Hyakuri Air Base at Omitama, in Ibaraki
Prefecture, Japan. We’ve got some great Phantom Phootage here, so turn it up to
11 and enjoy the show(s), all uploaded to YouTube by 1-300B.
Japan replaced their Lockheed F-104 Starfighter interceptors with F-4EJ Phantom IIs license-built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries beginning in 1972. McDonnell Douglas built two F-4EJ prototypes which began flying during January of 1971. The remaining 125 F-4EJs were all assembled or entirely built in Japan. Japanese F-4EJs were not equipped with the AN/AJB-7 bombing computer system or inflight refueling equipment. Production of the F-4EJ ended in 1981 with the last F-4 variant built anywhere in the world.
The 14 JASDF RF-4EJs were all built by McDonnell-Douglas
between November of 1974 and June of 1975. These examples were based on the
United States Air Force (USAF) RF-4C variant. However, export restrictions on
certain sensitive equipment resulted in Japanese-built radar warning receivers
and other equipment being installed in place of the American black boxes
normally installed in RF-4Cs. The JASDF 8th, 301st, 302nd, 303rd, 304th, 305th,
and 306th Hikōtai (squadron[s]) have all operated the F-4EJ. The 501st Hikōtai
operates the RF-4EJ.
The F-4EJ and RF-4EJ fleets were upgraded to improve
their capabilities during the late 1980s and 1990s. F-4EJs received the more
advanced APG-66 radar, improved defensive avionics, and the ability to deliver
both ground attack and anti-shipping weapons. F-4EJs so upgraded were
designated F-4EJ Kai. RF-4EJ Kai upgrades included an improved Japanese-engineered
and built AN/APQ-172 radar system and radar warning receiver system. A total of
17 F-4EJs were also converted to RF-4EJ specifications but without internal
camera systems, employing pod-mounted optical and electronic reconnaissance
equipment.[youtube
id=”RV1QT_rbvuQ” width=”800″ height=”454″
position=”left”]
These Record-Setting First-of-Their-Kind Strategic Airlifters Circled the Globe
Anyone who frequents Avgeekery.com knows we’re big Douglas
C-133 Cargomaster fans. We’ve featured the big strategic airlifter in
stories before, but this recently-discovered film deserves attention from
Avgeekery Nation too. The film ‘The Long Right Arm’ features MATS at its finest
and most critically important time. And not only is the viewer treated to an
eyeful of C-133 footage, but there is quite a bit of screen time devoted to the
Douglas
C-124 Globemaster II as well. So enjoy the film, which was uploaded to
YouTube by Periscope
Film.
While the film chronicles airlift efforts going back to
the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War, C-133s carried what needed to be carried
wherever it needed to be. The film features then-current missile systems such
as the Nike missile system, Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM),
as well as other strategic cargo including turbojet engines for the McDonnell
Douglas F-4 Phantom II. When it came to supporting construction of the Distant
Early Warning (DEW) radar systems, many of them located above the Arctic Circle,
the C-133 was there.
Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
When 50 Seemed Like Many More
Only 50 C-133s (35 C-133As and 15 C-133Bs) were built by Douglas starting in 1956. The innovative airlifters went from drawing board straight to production; no prototypes were built. Although C-133s ranged all over the planet and carried critically important cargo to nearly every allied country on Earth, they were based at only two Air Force Bases: Travis AFB in California and Dover AFB in Delaware. C-133s set world speed and payload records early on, and their distinctive droning engine/propeller sound was instantly recognized everywhere they went.
Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
Uniquely Capable Until…
C-133s went right on hauling and droning after the Air Force reorganized commands, redesignating MATS as Military Airlift Command (MAC) in 1966. By then Cargomasters were providing critical support to Tactical Air Command squadrons in a faraway land called Vietnam. Lockheed’s C-141 Starlifter would shoulder a respectable portion of the airlift mission to WestPac, but with a larger and longer cargo bay, the C-133 still contributed. But the C-133s were well past their prime and simply worn out. It was only when the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy began serving in 1971 that C-133s were able to take a breather. Once the C-5 was found to be a viable replacement, the C-133 fleet began those sad last flights to the boneyard that same year.
NELLIS AFB, NV — An Air Force Thunderbirds jet was struck by a massive bird last summer, punching multiple holes in the fuselage and forcing the pilot to terminate a flight demonstration.
Major Michelle “Mace” Curran opened up on Monday about what she calls her scariest flight. A former F-16 Viper instructor pilot, her skills behind the stick helped her handle the jet in an emergency situation and land safely.
The Thunderbirds were performing a practice flight demonstration in Colombia, South America on July 12, 2019, when a bird hit her F-16C Fighting Falcon. Two fist-size holes punctured the port side of the aircraft.
Air Force Major Michelle Curran discussed on February 10 about her scariest flight. (Charles Atkeison)
“Last year during our Friday practice in Colombia, I had a fairly major bird strike,” Curran, who at the time served as the opposing solo pilot, began to discuss in a post on social media. “There was no chance for me to see and avoid this bird.”
As Mace piloted her Thunderbird 6 jet behind the air show crowd, she caught a quick glimpse of the dark bird. She was about 2,000-feet high and traveling 450 knots when the strike occurred that afternoon.
The pilot’s view camera shows the black bird prior to impact with Capt. Curran’s F-16 jet. (USAF)
“I saw a big flash of black go under my nose and heard and felt the impact.” she continued. “I immediately requested to terminate the practice and land. The jet handled normally and the engine didn’t falter.”
The jet touchdown back at its origination point and site of the air show in Rio Negro. Known as F-AIR Colombia Trade and Air Show, the Thunderbirds had arrived two days earlier as guests and the headline performers.
Once the jet was parked and the engine shut down, Mace described her shock when her crew chief climbed up the ladder to greet her. In his own shock and disbelief, her crew chief SSgt. Dylan Stefani broke the news that she had “two giant holes” in her jet.
Last July’s bird strike created two fist-size holes above the nose gear on the F-16’s port side. (USAF)
Both Curran and Stefani then walked around the jet surveying every inch.
“We were all in disbelief that a bird could punch holes clean out of the aircraft,” Maj. Curran added. “The metal pieces were actually later found inside the jet.”
Later that afternoon, the Thunderbirds maintainers went to work with local Colombian military support to patch the holes using sheet metal. The maintainers later discovered feathers in the jet’s single engine prompting them to replace it.
The twin holes were patched and the jet was flown back to the United States a few days later. (USAF)
“Everyone burned the midnight oil and I flew two shows in a spare jet,” she said. “(The pilots) might get all the attention, but the team behind us works miracles to make the shows happen.”
Today, Curran is an Air Force Major and will serve her second year with the Thunderbirds. She is also the team’s second female lead solo pilot in the team’s 66 year history.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. He has flown with the Thunderbirds, and has interviewed Maj. Curran on two occasions. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Lockheed’s
P2V Neptune was the nation’s long-range maritime patrol aircraft until well
after the Lockheed
P-3 Orion entered service. Naval Air Reserve squadrons operated the P2V/P-2
until 1984. Naval Air Reserve maritime patrol squadrons operated from the
majority of Naval Air Stations (and many Air Force Bases when deployed) during
the Cold War. The footage shot in this video is not of VP-8 ‘Tigers’ aircraft,
nor does it depict Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point in Rhode Island
though. The Air Station locations are actually NAS Brunswick in Maine and Kindley
Field Air Force Base (AFB) in Bermuda. We’ll present our compelling evidence
after you enjoy this silent but magnificent film of P2V-5Fs in action uploaded
to YouTube by Periscope
Film.
The inflight footage of the P2V-5F firing rockets, practicing drops, and rigging the merchant shipping traffic (and the Lightship Portland off the coast of Maine) is of a VP-661 P2V-5F BuNo 128379. The tail code LV belonged to VP-661 at that time. VP-661 (later VP-66) was part of a Naval Air Reserve Training Unit (NARTU) along with VP-662. VP-663 was functioning as a Replacement Air Group (RAG) for VP-661 and VP-662. All were split-based at NAS Anacostia and Naval Air Facility (NAF) Andrews.
VP-661 P2V-5F Neptune. Image via baldur sveinsson
Reading Code
NAS Anacostia’s station tail code was 6A- seen on the tail of the Neptune (side number 204) being prepared for flight in the film. VP-661 remained a Naval Reserve squadron and eventually became VP-66 ‘Boxcars’ (1970-1971), ‘Flying Sixes’ (1971-1974), ‘Dicemen’ (1975-1980) and ‘Liberty Bells’ (1981-2006). VP-66 retained the LV tail code while flying from NAS Willow Grove in Pennsylvania. VP-662 and VP-663 were rolled into VP-66.
VP-661 P2V-5F Neptune. Image via Baldur Sveinsson
Who and Where
Also seen on the ground while the VP-661 P2V-5Fs are preparing for their flights are P2V-5Fs assigned to VP-10 ‘Red Lancers’ (tail code LD) and VP-11 ‘Proud Pegasus’ (tail code LE), both active-duty squadrons based at NAS Brunswick. On the first approach to land in the footage, NAS Brunswick runway 1L is the assigned runway (now Brunswick Executive Airport). On the second approach to land, Kindley AFB runway 12 is the assigned runway (NAS Bermuda between 1970 and 1995- now LF Wade International Airport). If you’re a VP alum you can recognize them easily enough.
NAS Brunswick in Maine. image via us navy
Those Reservists Got Around
The most likely scenario for the footage is a couple of VP-661 crews on their active duty rotations fly from NAS Anacostia to NAS Brunswick, refuel and maybe remain overnight (RON), and then fly on to Kindley in Bermuda. This was a fairly commonplace occurrence for Reserve crews during the early 1960s. VP-661 P2V-5F BuNo 128345 is depicted after arrival at Kindley AFB. The sharp-eyed among you will recognize the C-124 Globemaster II airlifter landing at Kindley AFB along with the WB-50D Superfortress, C-119 Flying Boxcar, T-33 Shooting Star, C-54 Skymaster, and C-47 Skytrain sitting on the ramp near the end of runway 12. The Kindley Theater is also seen in the footage.
Spotters were thrilled at the prospect of rare 01R arrivals
San Francisco International Airport is a spotters paradise. On most days, the wind blows from the northeast. Due to the runway configuration, jets arrive in close parallel on the ’28s’–both runway 28L and 28R while aircraft depart on a mix of the 28’s and runway 01L and 01R. Even on a typical day, the configuration makes for some exciting spotting and beautiful photos from Bayfront Park.
An overview of SFO.
Occasionally when a weather system passes through the area, the flow is reversed where aircraft arrive on the 10’s with some departures from runway 19L and 19R. This means that large aircraft depart directly towards the hills just to the west of the airport. Departures on 19L and 19R only happen a few times a year. It is a rare treat. If you look on YouTube, you’ll see some exciting departure videos from the ’19’s’ including this one by WColby below.
The Holy Grail of Spotting at SFO Happened Today
One of the more rare events in all of aviation spotting happened again on Feb 9, 2020. Due to a strong storm that passed through the Bay area, winds were gusting out of the north (010 heading) at 30 knots gusting to 36 knots around 10am Pacific time today. With no ceiling and great visibility, that meant that the airport switched to arrivals on 01R.
For a period of about two hours, all arrivals took place on the rarely used arrival runway. Later aircraft used a mix of 01R and the 28’s for arrival as the winds shifted slightly and slowly subsided. Arrivals to this runway are challenging. Aircraft on approach align for a visual with the terrain from the hills sloping downward towards the runway. While it makes for great spotting, it is a pain for travelers. Since only a single arrival runway was in use for arrivals, it meant that the FAA implemented a flow control program that led to delays. Delays this afternoon were averaging over an hour on average. While we haven’t seen any videos posted yet from today’s arrivals (we’ll update this story when we do), here are a couple of videos from the last time that a significant number of aircraft arrived on 01R, way back in late 2014.
Night spotting of arrivals on 01R, thanks to our friend HorizontalRain
Awesome 30 minute compilation from 2014 by bayViation yay
Bonus:LowSwiss A340 evening arrival back in 2014 by bayViation yay
One of our favorite videographer, Greg Jacek from Unique Photo and Video, returns to share F4U Corsair helmet cam footage. We love the 4k HD footage taken from the historic aircraft. Fly along with the 10th Corsair in formation at Thunder Over Michigan 2019.
This year’s airshow brought eleven F4U Corsairs from around the country to one location. Special Thanks to the Pilot and Wings of the North Museum for taking the camera along for a ride. Climb aboard and enjoy the ride in this exclusive F4U Corsair Helmet Cam footage.
About the F4U Corsair
The F4U Corsair began service in 1943 as a carrier based fighter/bomber for the United States Navy and Marines. Corsairs were deployed during World War II and later served in the Korean War. Chance Vought manufactured several variations of the Corsair, including the F4U-4 showcased in the video.
This was the second to last built at the Stratford, CT plant (prior to Vought-Sikorsky moving to Dallas, TX). It was flown frequently by the late Gerald Beck of Wahpeton, North Dakota (Mr. Beck died in summer 2007, current ownership is not known). The plane, formerly a Honduran fighter (FAH 610), was salvaged from the country by Earl Ware in 1981 and later sold to Mr. Beck who restored if over approximately a decade’s time. See above for F4U Corsair Helmet Cam footage.
The F4U-4 was an upgraded aircraft providing a more powerful 2,450 Horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Engine. The Corsair’s distinctive design traits include a substantial 13-foot propeller and angled folding wings for storage on aircraft carriers. The Wings of the North Air Museum, has complied a detailed history of the aircraft, be sure to check out their link below (wotn.org).
The founder of JetBlue and Azul Airlines is back with another airline. David Neeleman is an airline start-up king. Over the course of his career, he has successfully started five successful airlines. Back in the early 1990s, Neeleman founded Morris Air. The airline was an improved copy of Southwest Airlines low cost model based out of Salt Lake City. The airline was so successful that Southwest purchased the airline in 1993, enabling significant Southwest to rapidly expand into the Rocky mountain market. As part of the transaction, Neeleman was contractually obligated to not work for a US competitor for 5 years. He went north to found WestJet in Canada. At the end of that expiration, he founded JetBlue in 2000. Neeleman then moved on to start Azul, connecting small Brazilian cities with quality low-cost service. Almost every concept he has tried has turned into a successful airline.
I wouldn’t bet against the Airline Startup King
Breeze Airways founder David Neeleman
Now, Neeleman is headed back to the US to start a new airline. Although the odds of starting a successful airline in the US are stacked against him, one would be crazy to bet against the ‘airline startup king’. Working under the code-name “Moxy”, the airline was first rumored in 2018 as it placed an order for 60 Airbus A220-300s. This week, we learned more about the new airline. It will officially be called Breeze Airways. The airline will initially take delivery of former Azul Embraer 195s on lease to begin service. Over the next few years, the airline will convert to the A220-300, formerly known as the Bombardier C-Series jet.
No cities are official yet for Breeze Airways
Breeze Airways is still shrouded in mystery. We’ve heard tidbits that the airline will offer point to point service with a focus on high-quality service in a low cost offering. High quality service appears to be pat of the differentiator. The Associated Press has reported some intriguing facts about the airline. The airline has established a headquarters in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. The AP reports that tickets and a host of other services will be purchased via an app. We’ve also seen mentions that wifi will be free onboard and seat pitch will be generous, but the airline will still have ancillary fees like its low cost competitors.
The airline will offer direct service between underserved markets primarily from secondary cities and airports (sounds a little like a combination between Southwest and Allegiant). With its corporate headquarters near Salt Lake City, that opens up the possibility of an airport in the Utah region being the starting place for a hub.
With airline consolidation over the past decade, there has been tremendous consolidation in air service at formerly major hub airports. Former hub airports like Kansas City, St. Louis, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, San Antonio, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Colorado Springs, San Diego, and Cleveland all have gaps where Breeze could fly non-stop to markets currently only served through connections. Growing markets like northwest Arkansas, northeast Florida, Idaho, Teterboro (as an airline destination), Oklahoma City, and Raleigh-Durham also offer ripe opportunities for new non-stop service. Plus, there is even the possibility that Breeze could open up service to airports that currently have no airline service like Fort Worth’s Meacham airport or one of Chicago’s tertiary airports. It’s fun to speculate but we don’t have anything official yet. We’ll be sure to let you know when we hear an update.
