The Airplane Thread

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

This news item snuck up on me...

For the better part of the last year, no F-35 fighters have been delivered to U.S. or foreign military forces. Over 80 newly-produced F-35s are currently stored awaiting fixes to what is called "Tech Refresh 3" software. There is reportedly some hope that aircraft deliveries can resume next month -- with some functional limitations.

Call sign: Lemon.

[vreihen16]

https://www.twz.com/sea/super-hornet...ver-california

Super Hornet Armed With SM-6 Missile Spotted Over California

F/A-18E/Fs armed with adapted SM-6 surface-to-air missiles that also possess major surface strike capabilities could be a boon for the Navy.




.

[Llarry]

The Air Force Association reports that the House Appropriations Commitee has inserted language in the budget that prevents the USAF from retiring or preparing to retire the Lockheed U-2S high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft in 2026 as planned. There's always a bit of move and countermove around the budget so it's hard to predict where this will go.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Super Hornet Armed With SM-6 Missile Spotted Over California

F/A-18E/Fs armed with adapted SM-6 surface-to-air missiles that also possess major surface strike capabilities could be a boon for the Navy.

Interesting and brings to mind the Vietnam-era use of the Standard missile modified as an anti-radiation (radar-homing) missile to suppress air defense systems. Both the Air Force and the Navy used the missile.

Here's a photo of an F-4G Wild Weasel with a fairly standard loadout: An ECM jamming pod, an AGM-45 smaller ARM and the large AGM-78 ARM on the other wing.

Deliberately attacking SAM sites was not conducive to survival!

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Deliberately attacking SAM sites was not conducive to survival!

YGTBSM

(If you know the history of the Wild Weasel's, you'll get it.)

R.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

YGTBSM

(If you know the history of the Wild Weasel's, you'll get it.)

R.

"You gotta be shitting me "

https://theaviationist.com/2014/03/1...-weasel-f-100/

[Lady Jane]

Canada Eyes Acquisition of 70 Training Aircraft.

https://theaviationist.com/2024/06/0...f-70-trainers/

[Llarry]

The U.S. had various units in South Vietnam for some years before, but the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in 1964 really upped the ante. The Marines landed in the northern part of SVN in February 1965 and Marine aviation was not long in following. Initially, Marine Corps fighter and attack squadrons were based at Chu Lai, which had very short runways. Efforts were begun to enlarge the airfield, but in the meantime, there were operational missions to be flown.

As an interim measure, the Marines deployed a SATS (Short Airfield Takeoff and Landing System) to Chu Lai and a bunch of pierced steel planking was laid down to expand the parking areas, etc.

The SATS used a turbojet powered catapult system for some aircraft and had an arresting gear system for landing. (Since Marine pilots are Naval Aviators, they would qualify for carrier takeoffs and landings during flight training, so while they might be a bit rusty, they were already experienced.)

A-4 Skyhawks, though, often used JATO rocket assist to get into the air quickly. Here's an A-4 getting boosted into flight.

The SATS lasted about a year or so, if memory serves, until the runways were lengthened, and normal operations could be used.

[Llarry]

Well, dagnabbit! Late for Tomcat Thursday yet again!



By the way, blue bombs are inert (non-explosive).

[Llarry]

Two U.S. military aircraft news items:

1) A USAF contractor has purchased five Korean Air B747-800 aircraft to ultimately replace the four currently active Boeing E-4Bs, which are based on B747-200s and are old. It will likely take quite some time to modify these commercial aircraft for the airborne command mission of the E-4. (No photo)

2) The first F-15EX fighter has been delivered to an operational unit. The 142nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Portland, Oregon, now has a single F-15EX, with more on the way.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Two U.S. military aircraft news items:

1) A USAF contractor has purchased five Korean Air B747-800 aircraft to ultimately replace the four currently active Boeing E-4Bs.

It will be a while before delivery of the "Doomsday planes".

https://eu.rgj.com/story/news/money/...m/73616534007/

https://simpleflying.com/korean-air-...plane-program/

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

It will be a while before delivery of the "Doomsday planes".

https://simpleflying.com/korean-air-...plane-program/

"Quite some time" = 12 years! (and that before the almost inevitable delays)

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Llarry

"Quite some time" = 12 years! (and that before the almost inevitable delays)

After 50 years of in/for the Navy, never seen a project delivered on time/budget.

In this case, 12 years would be more like 15 years and 25% over budget.

[Murf the Surf]

Air Canada 777 with engine fire taking off at Toronto Pearson Airport for Paris.

https://www.facebook.com/AstronautCh...5816060490797/

[Llarry]

Since I am probably most active in the airplane thread, let me announce that I will be checking out of the internet for a week while my wife and I vacation in Kauai, Hawaii.

I will not be posting or monitoring the board for a week, so here's next Thursday's Tomcat in advance.

In addition, I regret to inform my friends here that I have gotten a preliminary diagnosis of lung cancer. Seen on a CAT scan and yet to be confirmed through a biopsy. My primary care doctor tells me that that the tumor is still fairly small and she theorizes that it is stage I cancer. So hopefully, I will be back soon and continue to post inane comments for quite a while to come. You won't be rid of me that easily!

I smoked from 1965 to 1993; since I quit some thirty years ago, there was some reluctance to doing a CAT scan but my doctor went to bat for me and now she thinks I have magical powers: "Llarry, how did you suspect that you had cancer?" The answer is that I did not, but my father contracted lung cancer at age 76 and here I am coming up on age 77 -- there are many parallels between my Dad and I and I just wanted the reassurance of the CAT scan.

[vreihen16]

Yikes!!!!!

[snowbimmer]

Damn Llarry

All the best.

[BMWGUYinCO]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Since I am probably most active in the airplane thread, let me announce that I will be checking out of the internet for a week while my wife and I vacation in Kauai, Hawaii.

I will not be posting or monitoring the board for a week, so here's next Thursday's Tomcat in advance.

In addition, I regret to inform my friends here that I have gotten a preliminary diagnosis of lung cancer. Seen on a CAT scan and yet to be confirmed through a biopsy. My primary care doctor tells me that that the tumor is still fairly small and she theorizes that it is stage I cancer. So hopefully, I will be back soon and continue to post inane comments for quite a while to come. You won't be rid of me that easily!

I smoked from 1965 to 1993; since I quit some thirty years ago, there was some reluctance to doing a CAT scan but my doctor went to bat for me and now she thinks I have magical powers: "Llarry, how did you suspect that you had cancer?" The answer is that I did not, but my father contracted lung cancer at age 76 and here I am coming up on age 77 -- there are many parallels between my Dad and I and I just wanted the reassurance of the CAT scan.

Hey Larry,
Enjoy your vacation and on behalf of all your friends here on bimmerpost - we hope this is something easily managed and you are on the road to full recovery soon. I'll certainly be thinking positive thoughts for you.

[Lady Jane]

Air-to-air photography of a T-38 Talon in supersonic flight over the Mojave desert reveals air density changes caused by flow regime transition around the aircraft, and the turbulent exhaust of the aircraft’s jet engines.

[Lady Jane]

In aviation news today: https://newenglandaviationhistory.co...nuary-21-1971/




https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/330894

This type of airplane had 22 accidents and 45 fatalities from 1966 to 1997.
https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/type/JCOM

[Lady Jane]

The story of the Aero Commander 1121 and successors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAI_Westwind





The Royal Canadian Mounted Police used to fly one.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

In aviation news today: https://newenglandaviationhistory.co...nuary-21-1971/


Attachment 3477946

https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/330894

This type of airplane had 22 accidents and 45 fatalities from 1966 to 1997.
https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/type/JCOM

When I was at SLC working a swing shift, my coworker was working local (the tower) and I was working ground. We were scarfing down popcorn (it was rather slow at the time) so had the radios on speaker instead of our headsets. He just stuffed his mouth with a load of popcorn and the next thing we heard on his freq was an AC69 (turbo commander) saying he just landed gear-up! Popcorn went flying out of his mouth as he grabbed the mic. 'Twas quite humorous!

Quite interesting things happened there, especially during the winter!