The Airplane Thread

[Lady Jane]

The Hansa Jet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HFB_320_Hansa_Jet

[Lady Jane]

The IAI Westwind Not noted but also used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the past.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAI_Westwind




Not a sterling record:

Accidents and incidents
The Rockwell 1121 had 21 hull-loss accidents causing 45 fatalities and the IAI 1124 had 25 hull-loss accidents causing 47 fatalities.
The latest, on March 29, 2020, an air ambulance operated by Lionair, caught fire and exploded during take off at Manila Airport, killing all five passengers and three crew.

[Llarry]

In 1925, a new start-up aero engine company designed its first engine: an air-cooled nine-cylinder radial engine of 1,340 cubic inches. They built 12 prototype engines -- the photo is of #12.

The Pratt & Whitney R-1340 engine went on to great commercial success and 98 years later, Pratt & Whitney continues to be a worldwide powerhouse in the aviation industry.

[Llarry]

For years, I had trouble wrapping my head around the question of how a radial piston engine creates the rotary action required to spin a propellor. Here's one illustration that might help.

[Llarry]

The Northrop F-5 Tiger is used in ever-smaller numbers by the Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force, but this photo-recon RF-5E version is still in service.

[BMWGUYinCO]

The other day I caught snippets of that flying aircraft carrier in the Avengers movie, and I wondered if there ever was such a thing.

Turns out...there was. But not like in the movie, LOL.

The Tupolev TB-3 was the world's first cantilever winged 4 engine heavy bomber that could carry bombs, troops, light tanks, and up to 5 fighter aircraft! At first it was thought it was too heavy and slow to take off and fly with up to 5 planes, but then the inventor just said "We'll run all the fighter plane engines at the same time".

This aircraft was built in the 1930s but actually did see combat through WWII. And just look at that wing surface area~!

[vreihen16]

The USA tried to use a dirigible as flying aircraft carrier in the early 1930's. See USS Akron for details.....

[flybigjet]

Here are a few "blasts from the past".

The AF actually tried to do the "parasite fighter/airborne aircraft carrier" thing with the B-36 and B-29. It worked, sort of-- but you more or less had to be the best pilot on the planet to get hooked back to the mothership.

The Boeing fighter launcher never made it off the drawing board- but the drawings at least made you go "Hmmmm".

But, cool pictures. Look up Projects "Ficon", "Tom-Tom" or "Tip Tow" for more information.

here's a link about the Boeing fighter launch/transport idea (with bonus aerial refueling thrown in): https://simpleflying.com/boeing-747-...r-jet-carrier/

And, if you're *really* bored- here's a link about launching missiles out of a 747-- kind of an interesting idea that probably would have violated a whole raft of nuclear treaties: https://firstaerosquadron.com/2021/1...sile-launcher/

R.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by Llarry

For years, I had trouble wrapping my head around the question of how a radial piston engine creates the rotary action required to spin a propellor. Here's one illustration that might help.

I've always found radial engines fascinating. I love their unique sound. The cut-away engine also helps explain why all radials have an odd number of cylinders in each row.

[Llarry]

A photo of the first two U.S. Air Force F-15EXs in formation. So far, just these two are flying.

Recent rumors indicate interest in buying the F-15EX by the Indonesian and Polish Air Forces.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

A photo of the first two U.S. Air Force F-15EXs in formation. So far, just these two are flying.

Looks like the Crab Island pontoon bridge not far for Eglin AFB.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by BMWGUYinCO

The other day I caught snippets of that flying aircraft carrier in the Avengers movie, and I wondered if there ever was such a thing.

Turns out...there was. But not like in the movie, LOL.

The Tupolev TB-3 was the world's first cantilever winged 4 engine heavy bomber that could carry bombs, troops, light tanks, and up to 5 fighter aircraft! At first it was thought it was too heavy and slow to take off and fly with up to 5 planes, but then the inventor just said "We'll run all the fighter plane engines at the same time".

This aircraft was built in the 1930s but actually did see combat through WWII. And just look at that wing surface area~!

Very rare picture showing Polikarpov I-5 (biplane) and I-16 (monoplane) in close proximity.

[Llarry]

I've previously discussed the Carrier Air Wing embarked on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. There are a significant number of helicopter carriers in the Navy as well, but the mission is quite different; the helicopter carriers (LHA and LHD) embark Marine Corps aviation units. There have been some recent experiments with putting two whole squadrons' worth of F-35B STOVL fighters on these ships (and leaving the other aircraft off), but the normal aviation complement consists of:
-- A tilt-rotor squadron with 10 medium-lift MV-22B Ospreys.
-- A detachment with 5 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and 4 UH-1Y Venom light helicopters (These two types share the same propulsion system and are assigned to the same squadrons.)
-- A detachment of 4 CH-53E Super Stallion or CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters. (The CH-53K is new and has not yet deployed; not pictured.)
-- A detachment of 6 AV-8B Harrier attack or 6 F-35B Lightning fighter/attack aircraft. (The transition between the AV-8B and the F-35B is about half-done.)
-- A Navy search-and-rescue & utility detachment of 2 MH-60S Seahawk helicopters. (not pictured)

The aircraft are normally parked in a distinctive arrangement: The MV-22s are lined up on the starboard (right) side furthest forward, followed by the (skinny) AH-1s and UH-1s just aft of that and forward of the ship's superstructure, the fighter/attack aircraft are parked all the way aft on the starboard side, the heavy-lift CH-53s aft on the port (left) side and the two Navy helos beside the superstructure. Aircraft needing maintenance may be taken below to the hangar deck. The jets takeoff on the port side of the flight deck -- a dotted line is painted to indicate the takeoff path. Despite the fact that both the AV-8B and the F-35B can takeoff vertically, they require a considerable deck run when loaded with fuel and weapons.

The helicopter carriers bring a lot more to the fight than the aviation element above. They also embark a Marine Expeditionary Unit centered around an infantry battalion with augmenting units such as artillery, armored vehicles, engineers and support units. And most have a well deck for landing craft of various types.

As with the Navy's large deck aircraft carriers, the LHAs and LHDs have only point-defense systems and depend on accompanying ships for defense against various threats.

[Llarry]

Having mentioned the brand-new Marine Corps CH-53K, perhaps I should run down the changes from the older CH-53E:
-- Slightly wider cabin
-- Power increase from 13,000 hp+ to 22,500hp.
-- Improved composite rotor blades
-- Major increase in fuel capacity for those engines. The fuel is contained in the sponsons on either side of the fuselage. While the sponsons are considerably larger, they do not increase the parked width of the CH-53K.
-- All-digital cockpit with fly-by-wire controls

The key point with the -53K is that it is considerably more capable in almost every way than its -53E predecessor, while taking up no more room on the carrier's deck.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikors..._King_Stallion

[BMWGUYinCO]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Having mentioned the brand-new Marine Corps CH-53K, perhaps I should run down the changes from the older CH-53E:
-- Slightly wider cabin
-- Power increase from 13,000 hp+ to 22,500hp.
-- Improved composite rotor blades
-- Major increase in fuel capacity for those engines. The fuel is contained in the sponsons on either side of the fuselage. While the sponsons are considerably larger, they do not increase the parked width of the CH-53K.
-- All-digital cockpit with fly-by-wire controls

The key point with the -53K is that it is considerably more capable in almost every way than its -53E predecessor, while taking up no more room on the carrier's deck.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikors..._King_Stallion

About 15 years ago, my wife worked for Warren Miller as a V.P. of Operations. During the planning for their movie, "Storm" it was thought that it would be cool to involve the military for a segment.

My wife called the publicity liaison officer of the Marines, and eventually arranged for a CH-53E (fixed, thanks Llarry!) to be featured in the movie. I am including the trailer clip below, but the heli can be seen around the 2:40 mark.

Oh, and btw...she knew that my favorite plane of all time is the F/A 18 Hornet and asked if I could get a ride in one. The liaison officer just laughed and told her that was reserved for celebrities, athletes and news casters. Damn.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by BMWGUYinCO

About 15 years ago...

My wife called the publicity liaison officer of the Marines, and eventually arranged for a CH-53K to be featured in the movie. I am including the trailer clip below, but the heli can be seen around the 2:40 mark.

That's a CH-53E: Smaller sponsons and external fuel tanks. The CH-53K didn't fly until 2015.

[Lady Jane]

Joseph-Armand Bombardier self-taught mechanic, inventor of the snowmobile who's name was to become legendary in the field of aeronautics.

A slice of History:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph-Armand_Bombardier


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

[Llarry]

France versus Canada: A French A400M and a Canadian CC-150 were parked close together at Andersen AFB, Guam recently. Unfortunately, the ground crew did not chock the CC-150's tires (and what about a parking brake?) and during the night it apparently rolled into the A400M, causing the damage seen here. The CC-150 is a long way from home and unflyable, I would say. I'm less sure on the A400M.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

France versus Canada: A French A400M and a Canadian CC-150.

"The French Ministry of Armed Forces confirmed the incident in an email to AeroTime, indicating that the Canadian aircraft was being towed during the collision."

By CLEMENT CHARPENTREAU
2023-07-25


https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/c...-guam-air-base

[M5Rick]

It's good that those SU-27's hang ons are not the brightest bulbs in the box.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...le-missed.html

[vreihen16]

...or the Russian pilot was so poorly-trained that he shot down his wingman.....

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

...or the Russian pilot was so poorly-trained that he shot down his wingman.....

The only good rookie in a sky blue G-suit is a dead one