Author

Till Daisd

Till is an aviation enthusiast blogger who has been writing since 2013. He started out writing about personal readings since expanded his blog to include information and stories about all aspects of aviation. Till's blog is a go-to source for anyone interested in learning more about aviation, whether you're a pilot or just a curious onlooker.

History

At MCAS Cherry Point, the Douglas A-4M Skyhawk was restored by Fleet Readiness Center East

by Till Daisd July 9, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Douglas A-4M Skyhawk restored to its former glory

Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) recently had the exceptional chance to restore a piece of aviation history for display on MCAS Cherry Point.

FRCE’s Aircraft Clean and Paint shops prime and paint every aircraft that comes through the facility because it is an aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility. However, when they brought a retired Douglas A-4M Skyhawk back to life, artisans got the opportunity to “travel back in time”—the platform hasn’t been used by the depot in over 20 years.

Douglas A-4M Skyhawk restored to its former glory by Fleet Readiness Center East at MCAS Cherry Point — Having been in an aircraft storage facility for many years, the retired A-4M Skyhawk was in need of repair upon arrival at Fleet Readiness Center East.

For many FRCE artisans, such as aircraft painter Kirby Mills, working on the A-4 was a first because the Navy retired its last A-4 Skyhawk in 2003, which was 21 years ago.

“I’ve done a few restorations for display aircraft, but this is the first A-4 I’ve seen come through here,” said Mills in a NAVAIR news release. “I had never worked on an A-4 before. It was very neat and it’s nice to see it put to use.”

A-4M Skyhawk restored for historical display

FRCE had previously maintained an A-4, even though this was the depot’s first restoration of an A-4 Skyhawk for historical display. FRCE serviced A-4s from 1989 to 1996, the year the A-4 platform was retired. A-4s returning to the depot gave Stephen T. Gurley, the branch head of the Fleet Support Team’s Critical Item Management Team at FRCE, the impression that he had traveled back in time.

“The A-4 platform was the first aircraft platform I worked on at FRC East in 1991, and I spent a lot of time working on them,” said Gurley. “I traveled to different squadrons all throughout the ‘90s to repair A-4s, and now to hear about this, it’s exciting. It brings back memories.”

The first A-4

According to planner Jeffrey Mitchell of the Aircraft Transfer Branch, this project is special because of its distinctive paint scheme.

“This is the fourth historical aircraft we have done for the air station, but the first A-4,” said Mitchell. “This project was chosen to honor Marine Attack Squadron 223 here on base, who flew the A-4 until ’87 when they received their first McDonald-Douglas AV-8.”

Mitchell and his team looked for additional help because of the A-4’s historical ties, even though FRCE’s Aircraft Paint Shop offers paint schemes for the aircraft the depot services.

“We worked with historians at Marine Attack Squadron 223 for this aircraft’s paint scheme as the squadron is still stationed here,” said Mitchell. “We were able to get pictures and ideas from them, they were very helpful; we wanted to make this aircraft look like it did back in the day.”

Creative freedom with paint scheme

According to Mills, the nature of the restoration allowed them to personalize the aircraft’s paint scheme.

“It was nice to have a bit of our own creative freedom with this paint scheme,” Mills added.

In addition to having a distinctive paint scheme, according to Mitchell, painting historical aircraft for exhibition involves different procedures than painting the operational aircraft that the depot typically services.

“We still painted it with the same color schemes as what they used during that time, but the overall paint job does differ from a regular aircraft painting process,” said Mitchell. “When you see aircraft flying missions, they usually look weathered and dull. For restoration jobs, we put a good clear coat on the aircraft to help withstand the sun and weather. The clear coat really helps protect the paint from bubbling up and fading over time.”

The Skyhawk

2,960 A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were produced by Douglas between 1954 and 1979. Known by their nickname, “Heinemann’s Hot Rod” (after Douglas designer Ed Heinemann), the Bantam Bomber, Mighty Mite, and Scooter were built small to be cheap and to fit more of them on a carrier. The US Navy, Marines, and friendly nations were able to use maneuverable, powerful attack bombers with exceptional altitude and range capabilities and a remarkable degree of armament capacity thanks to Skyhawks.

Furthermore, despite the fact that the legendary A-4 was intended to be a straightforward, light-weight Navy carrier attack aircraft, the Skyhawk performed a variety of functions, including aerial refueling, nuclear strike, and adversary aircraft.

Photo by U.S. Marine Corps

July 9, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

How to get better gas mileage in a Blackbird flying at Mach 3

by Till Daisd July 8, 2024

written by Till Daisd

SR-71, KC-135Q and JP-7

If not for air refueling, the SR-71 Blackbird’s range would be relatively limited to about 2,000 NM. The aircraft’s range was increased by several air refuelings, reaching the crew’s endurance limit. A few missions have gone above 12,000 NM. The SR-71 and KC-135Q tankers’ forward basing allowed for increased overall efficiency, shorter range, shorter length missions, and faster response.

There were various ways in which KC-135Q crews and their aircraft were different from other Air Force crews. Their boom operators were the only ones qualified to refuel the SR-71, and their aircrews were the only ones qualified for Blackbird’s specific radio-silent rendezvous procedures. The Q-model tankers could transfer JP-4 and JP-7 fuel between different tanks because of the special plumbing between the fuel tanks. They may use JP-4 or JP-7 fuel in their engine. If the SR-71 landed in an area without JP-7 fuel, the Q-model tankers would fly in with the fuel and refill the aircraft using ground-based transfer hoses.

How to get better gas mileage in an SR-71 Blackbird flying at Mach 3

David Peters, former SR-71 pilot, describes how to get better gas mileage in a Blackbird flying at Mach 3.

SR-71 pilot explains how to get better gas mileage in a Blackbird flying at Mach 3 — David Peters in SR-71’s cockpit

‘We had some gimmicks we used to make fuel. Each plane was different, but the techniques were very close. As soon as we started the climb away from the tanker, I would select tank two manually and even sometimes go to manual aft transfer to get the CG aft as soon as possible. After leveling off at Mach 3, I would get the CG situated where the trim was at zero for a slight cruise climb thus eliminating induced drag. Next, I would have the aft doors in A position and manipulate the speed to close the forward doors as much as possible without creating an unstart. This might be anywhere from 3.0 to maybe as high as 3.04 or 5.

‘Much of this was dependent on the outside temperature. If it was colder than standard, you could do even better. Hotter than standard not so good but always better than the plan. Using these techniques and a few more I would often see fuel flows below 3600 lbs/hr/per engine at Mach 3. Ed and I rarely came back from a mission with less than 5,000 lbs more fuel than the flight plan called for. There are a lot of those things involved. Flying the SR required a great deal of stick and rudder abilities under some circumstances but I always told people it was primarily a cerebral machine. You had to have a very deep understanding of how it worked to get the job done.’

Skill and knowledge

Peters concludes;

‘I have said many times before, much to the contrary of the engineers, that DAFICS [digital automatic flight and inlet control system] really screwed up what the airplane was capable of just like everything we seem to do anymore, it took the skill and knowledge of the operator pretty much out of the equation. But that is another discussion.’

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by David Peters and TSgt. Michael Haggerty / U.S. Air Force

July 8, 2024 0 comment

History

The ringmaster’s Grand Finale: Ace Adolf Galland recalls his last combat mission

by Till Daisd July 7, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Legendary German Ace Adolf Galland

Lieutenant General Adolf Galland, arguably the most well-known of Germany’s fighter pilots and air leaders during World War II, is a multifaceted personality. He is among the most amazing guys to rise to a prominent position during the conflict on either side. Air power historians will surely be interested in Galland for many years because of his significant influence on the ups and downs of Germany’s aerial fortunes. He also earned his spot among the immortal aces as a fighter pilot.

General der Jagdflieger Adolf Galland, one of the most influential men in the Luftwaffe from 1942 to 1944, was removed from his position early in 1945. He was soon permitted to organize Jagdverband 44, his own squadron of Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters.

Adolf Galland last mission

According to Dan Sharp’s book Spitfires over Berlin, it was with this unit that he would fly his last mission, as Galland himself wrote in The First and The Last: “On April 26, I set out on in my last mission of the war. I led six le jet fighters of the JV 44 against a formation of Marauders. Our own little directing post brought us well into contact with the enemy. The weather: varying, clouds at different altitudes, with gaps, ground visible in about only three-tenths of the operational area.

“I sighted the enemy formation in the district of Neuburg on the Danube. Once again I noticed how difficult it was, with such great difference of speed and with clouds over the landmarks, to find the relative flying direction between one’s own plane, and that of the enemy, and how difficult it was to judge the approach.

“This difficulty had already driven Lutzow to despair. He had discussed it repeatedly with me, and every time he missed his run-in, this most successful fighter commodore blamed his own inefficiency as a fighter pilot. Had there been any need for more confirmation as to the hopelessness of operations with the Me 262 by bomber pilots, our experiences would have sufficed.

“But now there was no time for such considerations. We were flying in an almost opposite direction to the Marauder formation. Each second meant that we were 300 yards nearer. I will not say that I fought this action ideally, but I led my formation to a fairly favorable firing position.

Met with considerable defensive fire

“Safety catch off the gun and rocket switch. Already at a great distance we met with considerable defensive fire. As usual in a dogfight, I was tense and excited. I forgot to release the second safety catch for the rockets. They did not go off. I was in the best firing position, I had aimed accurately and pressed my thumb flat on the release button -with no result. Maddening for any fighter pilot.

“Anyhow, my four 30mm cannon were working. They had much more firing power than we had been used to so far. At that moment, close below me, Schallmoser, the jet-rammer [he had accidentally rammed a USAAF P-38 Lightning with his Me 262 in a previous mission], whizzed past. In ramming, he made no distinction between friend or foe.”

Schallmoser, flying ‘White 14’, fired off his R4M rockets and blew up one of the B-26s.

Galland wrote: “This engagement had lasted only a fraction of a second – a very important second o be sure. One Marauder of the last string was on fire and exploded. Now I attacked another bomber in the van of the formation. It was heavily hit as I passed very close above it.

“During this breakthrough, I got a few minor hits from the defensive fire. But now I wanted to know definitely what was happening to the second bomber I had hit. I was not quite clear if it had crashed. So far, I had not noticed any fighter escort. Above the formation I had attacked last, I banked steeply to the left, and at this moment it happened: a hail of fire enveloped me. A Mustang had caught me napping.”

Adolf Galland hit by defensive fire from B-26s on his last mission

Technical Sergeant Henry Dietz, a former weapons instructor, had targeted Galland as he attempted to evaluate the harm he had inflicted on his most recent victim and had fired defensive fire from one of the B-26s.

Dietz remembered: “Probably the most important thing I remembered from gunnery school was to fire short bursts and forget about the tracer bullets – just use your sights.

“That day, we were flying as flight leader, and we were about 10 minutes from the target. I flew in the waist position from where I could see all the mechanical parts of the aircraft. I had never seen a jet before. Galland slowed down to the speed of the B-26 so that he could observe and take score. I thought `dummy’. He was flying low, right into the sights of my machine gun. I shot a burst. Nothing happened. A little higher, a little lower, I just kept shooting.”

The restoration of B-26 Marauder ‘Flak-Bait’, the Only US warplane to Survive 200 Bombing Missions during World War II — B-26 Marauder

First Lieutenant James Finnegan of the 10th Fighter Squadron, 50th Fighter Group, who was piloting a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt escort fighter, had also spotted Dietz as he was firing into Galland’s machine.

Finnegan later recalled: “I was leading the top-cover of P-47s that was escorting the B-26s to their target. As I gazed down I saw two objects come zipping through the formation, and two bombers blew up immediately.

“I watched the two objects go through the bomber formation, and thought ‘That can’t be a prop job, it’s got to be one of the 262 jets’. I was at about 13,000ft and estimated them to be at about 9000-10,000. They were climbing, and I pulled a split-S toward the one that turned left, and almost ended up right on top of him – about 75 yards away.

Instrument panel shattered

“I gave a three second burst and saw strikes on the right hand engine and wing root. Since I was going so fast, I went right through everything, and guessed my speed at about 500mph. I recorded it as a probable. I was flying a D model Thunderbolt with a bubble canopy, a natural metal finish and a black nose. The 262 had green and brown mottled camouflage with some specks of yellow. That turned out to be my last flight in a P-47.”

Galland wrote: “A sharp rap hit my right knee. The instrument panel with its indispensable instruments was shattered. The right engine was also hit. Its metal covering worked loose in the wind and was partly carried away. Now the left engine was hit too. I could hardly hold her in the air.

“In this embarrassing situation I had only one wish: to get out of this crate, which now apparently was only good for dying in. But then I was paralysed with terror of being shot while parachuting down. Experience had taught us that we jet fighter pilots had to reckon on this. I soon discovered that my battered Me 262 could be steered again after some adjustments.

“After a dive through the layer of cloud I saw the Autobahn below me. Ahead of me lay Munich and to the left Riem. In a few seconds I was over the airfield. It was remarkably quiet and dead below. Having regained my self-confidence, I gave the customary wing wobble and started banking to come in.

Straight down into the fireworks

“One engine did not react at all to the throttle. I could not reduce it. Just before the edge of the airfield I therefore had to cut out both engines. A long trail of smoke drifted behind me. Only at this moment I noticed that Thunderbolts in a low-level attack were giving our airfield the works.

“Now I had no choice. I had not heard the warnings of our ground post because my wireless had faded out when I was hit. There remained only one thing to do: straight down into the fireworks. Touching down, I realised that the tyre of my nosewheel was flat. It rattled horribly as the earth again received me at a speed of 150mph on the small landing strip.

“Brake! Brake! The kite would not stop. But at last I was out of the kite and into the nearest bomb crater. There were plenty of them on our runways. Bombs and rockets exploded all around; bursts of shells from the Thunderbolts whistled and banged.

“A new low-level attack. Out of the fastest fighter in the world and into a bomb crater, that was an unutterably wretched feeling. Through all the fireworks an armoured tractor came rushing across to me. It pulled up sharply close by. One of our mechanics. Quickly I got in behind him. He turned and raced off on the shortest route away from the airfield. In silence I slapped him on the shoulder.

Five certain kills without loss

“He understood better what I wanted to say than any words about the unity between flying and ground personnel could have expressed.

“The other pilots who took part in this operation were directed to neighbouring airfields or came; into Riem after the attack. We reported five certain kills without loss to ourselves. I had to go to Munich to a hospital for treatment of my scratched knee. The X-ray showed two splinters in the kneecap. It was put in plaster. A fine business.”

As Galland was no longer able to serve and Steinhoff remained hospitalized following an accident involving his Me 262 on April 16, Oberstleutnant Heinz Bar took over operational command of JV 44. The unit was ordered to move to Salzburg-Maxglan on April 28. There, it was to operate from positions in the woods along the Munich-Salzburg Autobahn. This turned out to be JV 44’s last action.

As the Americans approached on May 4, the unit blew up its Me 262s by placing explosives into the engine intakes. The pilots who were still alive, were captured and brought in for interrogation. The next day, Galland surrendered to American forces, and JV 44 was no more.

Spitfires Over Berlin is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here along with many other beautiful aviation books.

The ringmaster’s Grand Finale: Legendary German Ace Adolf Galland recalls his last combat mission — Me 262

Photo by U.S. Air Force Noop1958 and German Federal Archive via Wikipedia

July 7, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

B-58 navigator did more bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission

by Till Daisd July 4, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The B-58 Hustler

On November 11, 1956, the US Air Force’s B-58, the nation’s first operational supersonic bomber, took off. The Hustler was distinguished by its delta wing design, in addition to its sophisticated inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, a slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and an extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in the fuselage; and wings.

A nuclear weapon, additional fuel, and other specialized gear were all contained in a droppable, two-component pod located beneath the fuselage, as the thin fuselage made it impossible to carry explosives within. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defense systems operator.

Richard “Butch” Sheffield, was flying the B-47 as navigator/bombardier, he volunteered for the then brand new B-58.

He writes about it in his book “The Very First,” which he left for his family.

More bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission

‘After we got back to Ft. Worth from SOS (squadrons officer school) in early 1962, I started flying with my new B-58 pilot, Major Dick Reynolds. I soon learned he was just as aggressive as I was, and we made a great team. He would fly anywhere, anytime, and for as long as I wanted.

‘One night, after we had flown for about ten hours and made more bomb runs than anyone ever had in the B-58 on one mission, he found out that some KC-135 tankers were coming back to the area with leftover fuel on board and would be willing to give it to us.

‘He lined up about five tankers with about ten thousand pounds of fuel each and filled out tanks so we could fly six more hours, thus breaking the record for flight length in the B-58.

‘After we topped off, we headed for the bomb plot to make more bomb runs when the command post came on the air and ordered us to dump the fuel and land right away. The Wing Command heard about what we were doing and thought it might be a safety-of-flight issue. Also, higher headquarters wanted to know what we were up to when the tankers started reporting the offloads to us.

‘I thought Dick was going to be in lots of trouble over the refueling, but I never heard about it. I believe they found out just how aggressive he was, and they liked it.’

Combat Crew Training School

He continues;

B-58 navigator recalls dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit) while flying at 500 feet and at 628 knots, low level recce missions, dinner with Doolittle Raiders and Jimmy Stewart — Richard Butch Sheffield (in the middle) B-58 crew.

‘The (43rd) wing soon checked our crew out as instructors and assigned us to the Combat Crew Training School (CCTS), where we taught all the new students coming into the B-58 Program for the next four years.

‘My job was to teach the Bombing and Navigation System (ASQ-42) for one week each month to the new Radar Navigators (RN) and one day to the Pilots and DSO’s. This was a heavy load. I had to do everything other B-58 RNs did, plus teach. Even my vacations had to be planned around the teaching load. I taught this course from 1962 to 1964.

‘Even with our crew being out of action for one week out of each month to teach in the CCTS, we still were beating all the other crews by getting the most bomb runs (with the best scores) and navigation legs per mission.

‘We were rated best crew in the wing in 1963.

B-58 on nuclear alert during Cuban Missile Crisis

‘During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the B-58 Wing did not have a group of aircraft on alert like other SAC Bomb Wings because we were still doing CATEGORY II & III tests on the new weapon system. When the President ordered the military to get ready for war, the Wing Commander, B/G Brick Holstrom, ordered the Wing to get all our B-58s ready and load them with nukes.

‘Soon, we had forty B-58s loaded and ready to go but had no targets or tanker support. When SAC Headquarters found out, they gave us targets and tankers. Carswell had B-52s and tankers on alert, so there was no place for the B-58 alert crews to stay on base.

‘We pre-flighted our aircraft, studied our target, and were sent home to await a call from the Command Post to report to the aircraft and launch. I was armed with my snub-nosed Cal. 38 handguns and wore the nuclear weapons “GO” code around my neck. I felt odd being in the house like that with the kids around.

‘Soon, our Squadrons’ Operations Building had beds and guards, so we moved onto the base. We stayed on alert for a long time, about thirty days.’
Sheffield concludes;

‘Our house was right near the flight line. I told (wife) Rosie, if you hear us taking off, put the kids in the car and drive west. She had already bought canned goods and water. It was a terrifying time for the Country and us.’

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

B-58 navigator recalls doing more bomb runs than anyone in the Hustler on one mission, being on nuclear alert during Cuban Missile Crisis

Photo by Linda Sheffield Miller and U.S. Air Force

July 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

After a mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster, an SR-71 Blackbird was checked with a Geiger counter before being allowed to taxi into the hangar

by Till Daisd July 4, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Blackbird

Developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft, the SR-71, sometimes known unofficially as the “Blackbird,” is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft. The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to begin service in January 1966. The first SR-71 flight occurred on December 22, 1964. On January 26, 1990, the US Air Force (USAF) retired its fleet of SR-71 aircraft.

For almost 24 years, the SR-71 held the record for being the fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft in the world. It could cover 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from 80,000 feet. The Blackbird’s extraordinary capabilities allowed it to gather intelligence in some of the most hostile environments.

SR-71 Blackbird Mission on the day of the Chernobyl Disaster

Former SR-71 RSO, Lt. Col. Doug Soifer, recalls in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Revealed The Inside Story;

‘Mike Smith and I were TDY for our first time to Mildenhall for our normal six-week rotation. We went to the Det one morning to fly a routine six-hour sortie—the Barents and the Baltic. During the preflight briefings, the intelligence officer said a nuclear power site (Chernobyl) in the Soviet Union had an accident a few hours earlier. They had no other information on it yet. The weather briefing officer gave his normal briefing but also mentioned they double-checked with the weather service at Offutt AFB that we would not fly through any of the fall-out from Chernobyl. With the briefings done and no one concerned about our route of flight, we went to the jet and flew a normal mission.

‘The normal routine after an operational mission is to land and continue to taxi off the runway and directly into the hangar so they could download the mission take. But as we landed and turned off the runway, we were told to stop way before the hangar. We both thought this was very strange and couldn’t understand why we were stopping here. Then one person, and only one, dressed in very funny-looking gear, came walking up to the plane.’

Soifer continues;

‘As he got closer, we could see he was in full chemical gear and had a Geiger counter. After they had guaranteed Mike and I that we were in no danger of through radiation from Chernobyl, they were checking the plane before any of THEM would get close to us! Once he walked about the plane with the Geiger counter, we were allowed to continue to taxi into the hangar.’

Photo by NASA and Unknown

July 4, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired 6 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against 6 different targets

by Till Daisd July 3, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The AIM-54 Phoenix

The controversial F-111B, which was being developed for the Navy’s carrier fighter inventory, was replaced by the F-14 Tomcat in 1968. The F-14 Tomcat was built with a focus on close-in fighting with “claws” and standoff missile fighting.

Overall, among the Free World fighters of the Cold War, the F-14 was unmatched. The AWG-9 weapons control system on the Tomcat could guide six long-range AIM-54A Phoenix missiles against six different threat aircraft.

The AIM-54 was a large missile with a 1,000lb weight and a Mach 5 speed. It has the potential to reach a height of 100,000 feet, where, in loft mode, it can fly unheard-of distances before tipping over and using its own terminally active radar to complete an intercept upwards of a hundred miles away.

US Navy F-14 pilot recalls when he and his RIO fired six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against six different targets simultaneously during the six-on-six missile shot test

The six-on-six missile shot test

The ability to launch six Phoenix against six different targets was unprecedented and became a force multiplier as F-14 Tomcat pilot John ‘Smoke’ Wilson explains in the book Half Century, Baby! by David ‘Hey Joe’ Parsons and Mads Bangsø.

‘As the F-14 gang at Pt Mugu were aware (sometimes painfully) Program Office (PMA) 241’s deputy for weapons trials was Clyde Tuomela. I came back from a flight and had a message that he wanted to see me. Clyde said to me ‘Swoose’ (as in Snead, the PMA at the time) was getting a lot of pressure from Congress to demonstrate the six-on-six shot: “He wants YOU to do it ASAP but don’t screw it up.”

‘As the senior pilot of the Joint Evaluation Team (JET) and the Flight Test Officer of the Naval Missile Center, I probably could have opted for the test, but Swoose designating me was a convenient cop out. Jack Hawver and I had many discussions within the JET team, and with the Hughes people both at Mugu and at Conoga Park, as to what the test was going to look like. We (and the Hughes crews) had fired several multi-target shots before (up to 4v4), and their parameters were taken into consideration. Once we decided, Jack and I flew’ simulations on every AWG-9 simulator that was available in the country. We then briefed the PMA on what we proposed. Part of the work up also included discussions with the test conductors and the targets people to see if it was possible to do a six-target presentation.

Six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against six different targets at the same time

‘The formation consisted of one BQM-34E at Mach 1.2, three BQM-34Cs at Mach 0.9, and two QT-33s at Mach 0.7. They were to be in a line abreast at the 30-mile ‘open fire’ with the AWG-9 prioritizing the targets, making the supersonic target automatically the #1 priority since it was the greatest threat. During our simulation, we discovered that if we shot it first, we would not have had six missiles tracking at the same time. So, after the initial detection at 58 miles, Jack reset the priority so six missiles would all be heading down range towards their targets at the same time.

‘Per a preflight agreement, I fired the first and last missile from the front cockpit and Jack fired the other four using the RIO launch button, getting them all off in 38 seconds. At that range, the Phoenix missiles began their climbs towards 100,000ft as I looked up; the six contrails looked like SA-2 smoke trails over downtown Hanoi during an Alpha Strike! The missiles all carried telemetry packages in lieu of warheads to provide accurate measurements of performance.

‘The first missile was a direct hit on a BQM-34C. The missile fired at the BQM-34E took the miss distance-scoring pod off the wing of the drone. Both QT-33s were hit in the empennage area. When they slowed down for recovery, they lost control and spun in short of San Clemente Island. Of the other two BQM-34Cs, one had a missile within lethal range and the other experienced an internal malfunction before the Phoenix could get to it, but not before demonstrating that the AWG-9 could guide six missiles concurrently.

The video of the actual firings

‘In retrospect, the fact that the operation was accomplished at all, let alone within two months’ time with only one dry run, was a tribute to all who participated in the ‘six-on-six’, which only happened that one time. It was certainly my privilege to have been the shooter.

‘The videos of the actual firings were taken/recorded/telemetered to the ground by an experimental system on an F-4 piloted by Roger Box, soon to be my relief as the Flight Test Officer, and subsequently, my relief as CAG-14.’

The following video is the original six-on-six missile shot clip.

Half Century, Baby! is published by Mortons Books and is available to order here and here.

Photo by U.S. Navy

July 3, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

Why no cockpit requires as much concentration as a Blackbird’s

by Till Daisd July 2, 2024

written by Till Daisd

The Blackbird

The Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft were the basis for the long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft known as the SR-71, or “Blackbird,” as it was informally called.

The 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California, received the first SR-71 to begin service in January 1966. The first SR-71 flight occurred on December 22, 1964.

Everything that had come before the Blackbird was not comparable. “Everything had to be invented. Everything,” renowned aircraft designer Kelly Johnson of Skunk Works recalled in an intriguing article that appeared on the Lockheed Martin website.

Unique SR-71 Cockpit photos show why no cockpit demands as much intense focus as a Blackbird’s

The SR-71 was created to operate at extraordinary velocities, altitudes and temperatures: actually, it was the first aircraft constructed with titanium, as the friction caused by air molecules moving over its surface at Mach 2.6 would melt a standard aluminum frame.

No cockpit demands as much intense focus as an SR-71 Blackbird’s

The SR-71’s mission was to capture images, detect electronic surveillance using its sensors, and fly in a safe manner near the enemy’s border. The Reconnaissance Systems Officer (RSO) handled all of that and more.

According to Curt Mason, the owner of the Project Habu website, who kindly shared the unique images in this post, “No cockpit demands as much intense focus as an SR-71 Blackbird’s, and in frustrating irony, no cockpit offers a better view,” because of the Blackbird’s special capabilities.

“There was no time to look out the window. The plane knew when your eyes started to wander to the spectacle of earth from 85,000 feet; that’s when something would go wrong. There was much to monitor.* The many “steam gauge” instruments reflect a bygone era, giving the pilot information ranging from heading to compressor inlet temperature, each dial representing a critically important system.

“Even though this cockpit was operated through 2,854 flight hours, it looks brand new. That’s because it was only ever flown using the gloved hands of a crew member wearing the essential high-altitude pressure suit. Every control is large enough to be adjusted with those bulky pressure suit gloves.

“You sit atop your throne, the SR-1 ejection seat, which carries a rare 100% success rate. To operate the circuit breakers, you must reach beside and behind your seat, outside your field of view through the pressure suit helmet. To make sure you actuate the correct breaker, you count down the rows and columns by feel.”

SR-71A 17975 with her cockpit open

Mason concludes;

“March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California, is kind enough to display SR-71A 17975 with her cockpit open. This gives us a rare peek inside the world of the Blackbird, allowing us to look inside something that was formerly top secret and reserved only for a privileged few crew members. These photos were captured using a camera extended into the cockpit via monopod. At no point did I or my equipment come in contact with the artifact.”

Photo by Curt Mason / Project Habu and U.S. Air Force

*SR-71 pilot David Peters gives more details about “looking out the Blackbird window.” He recalls: “Buzz Carpenter (pilot) and John Murphy (RSO) were flying a DMZ mission out of Kadena and were about 75,000 in bound when John spotted an object out his left window, which turned out to be a weather ballon. He told Buzz to look out the left window and Buzz said no, he was busy. John gave him a bad time and Buzz finally said you don’t look outside because the airplane knows and does weird stuff. Of course, that was a joke between them but I honestly don’t know anybody after a few flights that were not comfortable with the airplane. I looked out as much as I could because it is obviously the greatest seat in the world.”

Check out Habubrats SR-71‘s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

July 2, 2024 0 comment

History

B-58 navigator recalls dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit)

by Till Daisd July 1, 2024

written by Till Daisd

B-58 Navigator

The first operational supersonic bomber of the US Air Force, the B-58, took flight on November 11, 1956. Apart from its delta wing design, the Hustler was distinguished by its advanced inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, its slender “wasp-waist” fuselage, and its extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in both the wings and fuselage.

Since the thin fuselage prevented the carrying of bombs internally, a droppable, two-component pod beneath the fuselage contained a nuclear weapon, along with extra fuel or other specialized gear. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier, and defense systems operator.

Richard “Butch” Sheffield, was flying the B-47 as navigator/bombardier, he volunteered for the then brand new B-58.

“Mainline”

As he explains in his unpublished book “The Very First,” the USAF needed a long-range, low-level reconnaissance system. This became apparent during the Cuban missile crisis. General Powers, CINCSAC, ordered the 43rd Bomb Wing to do it, and we did.

He recalls;

‘Our crew was selected. Only six crews in the wing were made “Mainline crews.” They are the best crews in the wing.

‘We trained at five hundred feet and six hundred knots. The radar was almost useless at the low altitude, so we had to navigate by dead reckoning and map reading. It was exhilarating flying that fast at those low levels. I don’t believe most SAC personnel knew about this capability.

‘The B-58 reconnaissance crew’s code name was “Mainline.” The fact that the B-58 had a reconnaissance capability was kept close hold so our adversaries did not know.

‘Our crew was selected to fly to the UK with the reconnaissance pod on board. The flight was uneventful. A far cry from the first time I had crossed the Atlantic all by myself, shooting stars the whole time. The B-58’s navigation system was almost automatic. It had a star tracker for heading, Doppler for ground speed, and inertial for all movement of the airframe.

‘After we landed, another crew took the aircraft to France and then back home to Carswell. The B-58 program did not treat its crews well like the program I was heading for did [the SR-71 Blackbird program]. They could have arranged a better way for us to return home, but did not.’

Dropping Mark-53 nuclear bomb (without plutonium pit)

He continues;

‘SAC had a program called “Dual Exhaust.” The program was to test the reliability of the real nuclear weapons SAC possessed. We were selected to drop a real Mark-53 nuclear weapon at White Sands test range in New Mexico with the nuclear pit removed [Plutonium].

‘We dropped it at five hundred feet about the ground and at six hundred and twenty-eight knots. After release, we pitched up into a forty-five-degree bank and watched it go off. It looked just like a nuke explosion.

‘We decided to fly back to Carswell subsonic with altitude hold-off, to see how high the aircraft would go without the pod on it. It just keeps climbing, higher and higher, we finally stopped the climb at about *forty-seven thousand feet. This was the only time I was never in a B-58 without the pod; it sure flew like a bird without one.’

B-58 navigator at dinner with Doolittle Raiders and Jimmy Stewart

Sheffield continues;

‘Our Wing Commander, B/G Brick Holstrom, was a “Doolittle Raider.” He was one of the first pilots to take off from the aircraft carrier Hornet to bomb Tokyo. He was as fine of a gentleman as I ever knew. He really liked our crew, I think it was because of Dick Reynolds and his can do attitude.

‘On April 18, 1964, the “Raiders” all got together in Ft. Worth for one of their annual reunions and we got to attend. Jimmy Stewart was master of ceremonies. General Doolittle was there and all the living raiders. It was a fine affair.’

Up until 1964, when he was hired away to the SR-71 program, Sheffield remained with the B-58s. Early in March 1965, after passing the astronaut physical at Brooks Air Force Base in Texas without problems, he arrived at Beale Air Force Base, home of the USAF Blackbird fleet.

Check out Habubrats SR-71’s Twitter profile and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder Habubrats‘s Facebook page for further Blackbird photos and stories.

Photo by Linda Sheffield Miller and U.S. Air Force

July 1, 2024 0 comment

Cold War

When an SR-71 pilot and his RSO pushed their Blackbird to Mach 3.5 and outran Gaddafi’s SAMs during a BDA flight in Libya

by Till Daisd June 29, 2024

written by Till Daisd

Operation El Dorado Canyon

Operation El Dorado Canyon began on April 14, 1986, with a strike group consisting of eighteen US Air Force (USAF) F-111 fighter bombers, supported by a large number of US Navy and US Marine Corps (USMC) A-6, A-7, and F/A-18 attack aircraft. This retaliation occurred in response to a bombing of a Berlin nightclub, which was sponsored by Libya and resulted in the deaths of one US serviceman and one civilian in addition to injuring 200 people, of whom 63 were US military personnel.

Following the raid, on April 16, 1986, famous Blackbird pilot Maj. Brian Shul and RSO Maj. Walter Watson flew SR-71 #64-17960 into Libyan airspace at a blistering 2,125 mph to take pictures of the targets for bomb damage assessment (BDA). They began getting launching indications from Libyan surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites below as they neared the end of their sweeps.

In his book Sled Driver, Shul narrates the story of how the SR-71’s amazing capabilities allowed them to hold their course, outrun the missiles, and land safely back at RAF Mildenhall.

“In April 1986, following an attack on American soldiers in a Berlin disco, President Reagan ordered the bombing of Muammar Qaddafi’s terrorist camps in Libya. My duty was to fly over Libya and take photos, recording the damage our F-111s had inflicted. Qaddafi had established a ‘line of death,’ a territorial marking across the Gulf of Sidra, swearing to shoot down any intruder that crossed the boundary. On the morning of April 15, I rocketed past the line at 2,125 mph.

Flying the SR-71 Blackbird during a BDA flight of Libya in support of Operation El Dorado Canyon

“I was piloting the SR-71 spy plane, the world’s fastest jet, accompanied by Maj Walter Watson, the aircraft’s reconnaissance systems officer (RSO). We had crossed into Libya and were approaching our final turn over the bleak desert landscape when Walter informed me that he was receiving missile launch signals. I quickly increased our speed, calculating the time it would take for the weapons-most likely SA-2 and SA-4 surface-to-air missiles capable of Mach 5 – to reach our altitude. I estimated that we could beat the rocket-powered missiles to the turn and stayed our course, betting our lives on the plane’s performance.

“After several agonizingly long seconds, we made the turn and blasted toward the Mediterranean. ‘You might want to pull it back,’ Walter suggested. It was then that I noticed I still had the throttles full forward. The plane was flying a mile every 1.6 seconds, well above our Mach 3.2 limit. It was the fastest we would ever fly. I pulled the throttles to idle just south of Sicily, but we still overran the refueling tanker awaiting us over Gibraltar.

SR-71 pilot recalls when he and his RSO outran Gaddafi’s SAMs with their Blackbird during a BDA flight of Libya in support of Operation El Dorado Canyon — SA-2 Surface-to-Air Missile on display in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

The Mach increases

“[…] With the Libyan coast fast approaching now, Walt asks me for the third time, if I think the jet will get to the speed and altitude we want in time. I tell him yes. I know he is concerned. He is dealing with the data; that’s what engineers do, and I am glad he is. But I have my hands on the stick and throttles and can feel the heart of a thoroughbred, running now with the power and perfection she was designed to possess. I also talk to her. Like the combat veteran she is, the jet senses the target area and seems to prepare herself.

“For the first time in two days, the inlet door closes flush and all vibration is gone. We’ve become so used to the constant buzzing that the jet sounds quiet now in comparison. The Mach correspondingly increases slightly and the jet is flying in that confidently smooth and steady style we have so often seen at these speeds. We reach our target altitude and speed, with five miles to spare. Entering the target area, in response to the jet’s new-found vitality, Walt says, ‘That’s amazing’ and with my left hand pushing two throttles farther forward, I think to myself that there is much they don’t teach in engineering school.

Libya like one huge sandbox

“Out my left window, Libya looks like one huge sandbox. A featureless brown terrain stretches all the way to the horizon. There is no sign of any activity. Then Walt tells me that he is getting lots of electronic signals, and they are not the friendly kind. The jet is performing perfectly now, flying better than she has in weeks. She seems to know where she is. She likes the high Mach, as we penetrate deeper into Libyan airspace. Leaving the footprint of our sonic boom across Benghazi, I sit motionless, with stilled hands on throttles and the pitch control, my eyes glued to the gauges.

“Only the Mach indicator is moving, steadily increasing in hundredths, in a rhythmic consistency similar to the long distance runner who has caught his second wind and picked up the pace. The jet was made for this kind of performance and she wasn’t about to let an errant inlet door make her miss the show. With the power of forty locomotives, we puncture the quiet African sky and continue farther south across a bleak landscape.

SR-71 Blackbird outrunning Gaddafi’s SAMs

“Walt continues to update me with numerous reactions he sees on the DEF panel. He is receiving missile tracking signals. With each mile we traverse, every two seconds, I become more uncomfortable driving deeper into this barren and hostile land. I am glad the DEF panel is not in the front seat. It would be a big distraction now, seeing the lights flashing. In contrast, my cockpit is ‘quiet’ as the jet purrs and relishes her new-found strength, continuing to slowly accelerate.

“The spikes are full aft now, tucked twenty-six inches deep into the nacelles. With all inlet doors tightly shut, at 3.24 Mach, the J-58s are more like ramjets now, gulping 100,000 cubic feet of air per second. We are a roaring express now, and as we roll through the enemy’s backyard, I hope our speed continues to defeat the missile radars below. We are approaching a turn, and this is good. It will only make it more difficult for any launched missile to solve the solution for hitting our aircraft.

“I push the speed up at Walt’s request. The jet does not skip a beat, nothing fluctuates, and the cameras have a rock-steady platform. Walt received missile launch signals. Before he can say anything else, my left hand instinctively moves the throttles yet farther forward. My eyes are glued to temperature gauges now, as I know the jet will willingly go to speeds that can harm her. The temps are relatively cool and from all the warm temps we’ve encountered thus far, this surprises me but then, it really doesn’t surprise me. Mach 3.31 and Walt is quiet for the moment.

The Mach continues to rise

“I move my gloved finder across the small silver wheel on the autopilot panel which controls the aircraft’s pitch. With the deft feel known to Swiss watchmakers, surgeons, and ‘dinosaurs’ (old-time pilots who not only fly an airplane but ‘feel it’), I rotate the pitch wheel somewhere between one-sixteenth and one-eighth inch location, a position which yields the 500-foot-per-minute climb I desire. The jet raises her nose one-sixth of a degree and knows I’ll push her higher as she goes faster. The Mach continues to rise, but during this segment of our route, I am in no mood to pull throttles back.

“Walt’s voice pierces the quiet of my cockpit with the news of more missile launch signals. The gravity of Walter’s voice tells me that he believes the signals to be a more valid threat than the others. Within seconds he tells me to ‘push it up’ and I firmly press both throttles against their stops. For the next few seconds, I will let the jet go as fast as she wants. A final turn is coming up and we both know that if we can hit that turn at this speed, we most likely will defeat any missiles. We are not there yet, though, and I’m wondering if Walt will call for a defensive turn-off our course.

Mach passing beyond 3.45

“With no words spoken, I sense Walter is thinking in concert with me about maintaining our programmed course. To keep from worrying, I glance outside, wondering if I’ll be able to visually pick up a missile aimed at us. Odd are the thoughts that wander through one’s mind in times like these. I found myself recalling the words of former SR-71 pilots who were fired upon while flying missions over North Vietnam. They said the few errant missile detonations they were able to observe from the cockpit looked like implosions rather than explosions. This was due to the great speed at which the jet was hurling away from the exploding missile.

“I see nothing outside except the endless expanse of a steel blue sky and the broad patch of tan earth far below. I have only had my eyes out of the cockpit for seconds, but it seems like many minutes since I have last checked the gauges inside. Returning my attention inward, I glance first at the miles counter telling me how many more to go, until we can start our turn. Then I note the Mach, and passing beyond 3.45, I realize that Walter and I have attained new personal records. The Mach continues to increase. The ride is incredibly smooth.

A confirmed trust in the jet

“There seems to be a confirmed trust now, between me and the jet; she will not hesitate to deliver whatever speed we need, and I can count on no problems with the inlets. Walt and I are ultimately depending on the jet now – more so than normal – and she seems to know it. The cooler outside temperatures have awakened the spirit born into her years ago, when men dedicated to excellence took the time and care to build her well. With spikes and doors as tight as they can get, we are racing against the time it could take a missile to reach our altitude.

SR-71 Blackbird screaming past Tripoli during BDA flight of Libya in support of Operation El Dorado Canyon

“It is a race this jet will not let us lose. The Mach eases to 3.5 as we crest 80,000 feet. We are a bullet now – except faster. We hit the turn, and I feel some relief as our nose swings away from a country we have seen quite enough of. Screaming past Tripoli, our phenomenal speed continues to rise, and the screaming Sled pummels the enemy one more time, laying down a parting sonic boom. In seconds, we can see nothing but the expansive blue of the Mediterranean. I realize that I still have my left hand full-forward and we’re continuing to rocket along in maximum afterburner.

“The TDI now shows us Mach numbers, not only new to our experience but flat out scary. Walt says the DEF panel is now quiet, and I know it is time to reduce our incredible speed. I pull the throttles to the min ‘burner range and the jet still doesn’t want to slow down. Normally the Mach would be affected immediately, when making such a large throttle movement. But for just a few moments old 960 just sat out there at the high Mach, she seemed to love and like the proud Sled she was, only began to slow when we were well out of danger.

“I loved that jet.”

Photo by Pinterest, U.S. Air Force

June 29, 2024 0 comment

History

The U-2/SR-71 “yellow” pressure suits were borrowed by NASA for the first space shuttle mission

by Till Daisd June 29, 2024

written by Till Daisd

David Clark Company

David Clark Company (DCC) is a manufacturing company based in the United States. DCC is responsible for creating and producing various aerospace and industrial protective equipment, such as pressure-space suit systems, anti-G suits, headsets, and various medical and safety products. DCC has been engaged in the production of protective equipment for air and space crews since 1941, starting with the creation and advancement of the initial standard anti-G suits and valves used by allied fighter pilots during World War II.

DCC’s ongoing research and development of pressure suits, which began in 1946 and was primarily sponsored by the Department of Defense to assist the US Air Force’s high-altitude aircraft programs, such as the Lockheed U-2 and SR-71, led to the creation of a new generation pressure suit in the early 1980s, known as S1031C.

NASA borrows U-2/SR-71 “yellow” Pressure Suits

‘NASA had to borrow some space suits from the U-2 program for the first shuttle mission,’ says Damien Leimbach, former Avionics Technician at the U.S. Air Force (2001–2007), on Quora.

‘The David Clark company builds space suits for NASA, but they also build the iconic yellow pressure suits that the U-2 and SR-71 program uses.

Did you know that U-2 decompression sickness cases increased after the end of the Cold War? Here’s why the iconic U-2 is the world’s hardest plane to fly

‘The program calls them “pressure suits” since they don’t actually fly to space, but they are essentially the same suits that the David Clark company made for NASA.

‘Prior to the first shuttle mission (STS-1), the launch of Columbia, there was a defect detected in the batch of suits NASA was making for the pilots to use. Since the maiden flight of the shuttle mission was also its first real test flight, there was only two crew, a pair of pilots, for that mission.

Why NASA borrowed U-2/SR-71 Pressure Suits

‘However, the suits were not going to be fixed in time, so NASA called up Beale AFB and said “Hey, we need to borrow a pair of space suits.”

‘And that’s why the crew pictures from the first shuttle mission show the pilots wearing yellow suits (high visibility to easily see downed pilots) instead of the iconic NASA white.

Did you know NASA had to borrow U-2/SR-71 “yellow” Pressure Suits for first space shuttle mission?

‘I mean, without the NASA patches, you wouldn’t know these guys weren’t SR-71 or U-2 pilots.’

Leimbach concludes;

You can even see the green velcro patches on the thighs where U-2 pilots put their note pads and map boards.’

The David Clark Company Model S1034 Pilots Protective Assembly (PPA) started to replace the previous S1031 in the U-2R in 1996 and is still in use today. It has also been utilized for the NASA ER-2 and WB-57F aircraft.

Photo by NASA and U.S. Air Force

June 29, 2024 0 comment

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