The Airplane Thread

[Llarry]

Inspired by Lady Jane's many posts on Canadian military aircraft, and in keeping with my previous posts on U.S. SIGINT aircraft, here is a bit of background on RCAF SIGINT aircraft:











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[3.0L]

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[3798j]

^ with no forward vision, Lindbergh used this "periscope"....

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Inspired by Lady Jane's many posts on Canadian military aircraft, and in keeping with my previous posts on U.S. SIGINT aircraft, here is a bit of background on RCAF SIGINT aircraft:

That role was undertaken by modified CP-140 Auroras.

Deployments have included OP SHARPGUARD (Yugoslavia blockade), OP SIRIUS (Mediterranean Patrols), OP APOLLO (Persian Gulf region),

CP-140 aircrafts performed patrol missions in Libya in order to help in the enforcement of the no-fly zone under Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector.

In Afghanistan, two CP-140s were conducting overland surveillance missions against ISIS as part of Operation Impact.

I'm not sure if these missions fit your definition.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by 3798j

^ with no forward vision, Lindbergh used this "periscope"....

I've enjoyed the movie, "Spirit of St. Louis" starring Jimmy Stewart. I'm sure the story was much tweaked by Hollywood, but I thought the risks Lindbergh took came across quite well, not to mention Stewart's fine acting.

BTW, Jimmy Stewart is my cousin, according to my brother's DNA test. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as aviation flows all through our family.

[3798j]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

I've enjoyed the movie, "Spirit of St. Louis" starring Jimmy Stewart. I'm sure the story was much tweaked by Hollywood, but I thought the risks Lindbergh took came across quite well, not to mention Stewart's fine acting.

BTW, Jimmy Stewart is my cousin, according to my brother's DNA test. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as aviation flows all through our family.

Watching "The Spirit of St. Louis" was memorable...it was my first time going to a movie theater...second time it was "A Night to Remember"...two amazing movies.

[Lady Jane]

CH-147F Chinook. Mighty airlifter.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

That role was undertaken by modified CP-140 Auroras.

Deployments have included OP SHARPGUARD (Yugoslavia blockade), OP SIRIUS (Mediterranean Patrols), OP APOLLO (Persian Gulf region),

CP-140 aircrafts performed patrol missions in Libya in order to help in the enforcement of the no-fly zone under Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector.

In Afghanistan, two CP-140s were conducting overland surveillance missions against ISIS as part of Operation Impact.

I'm not sure if these missions fit your definition.

They do and my post was meant as a (poor) joke. Canada is part of the group of five countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA; known as "five eyes") that engage in close sharing of intelligence across a broad spectrum of intelligence activities and they pull their weight. To my knowledge, Canada has never had a dedicated SIGINT collection aircraft, but the CP-140 served well.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

. To my knowledge, Canada has never had a dedicated SIGINT collection aircraft, but the CP-140 served well.

True. We could not afford dedicated aircrafts. I believe we had only 18 aircrafts. With One Squadron on the west coast and three in the east. Then the numbers went down to 14 (Or less). So after their tour of duties overseas, they had to return home to resume their original missions. The Auroras age getting long in the tooth and will hopefully be replaced in the near future.

When we were transferred to the West Coast at RCAF Comox in British Columbia, 407 Squadron was flying the CP-140s. They were thundering over our MQ day and night. Lockheed had issued a commemorative patch to all flight crews who graduated from the program.

But I managed to get one using my charms during a backyard BBQ at our place. I was about ten years old. I still have it.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

CH-147F Chinook. Mighty airlifter.

I flew on the CH-47A model a few times in Vietnam. Also flew on the UH-1 and OH-6 a few times. I like flying, but not on helicopters in a war zone. Too slow.

The CH-47A was capable of lifting our radar system van as a sling load. Having a square box the size of a deuce-and-a-half trailer dangling beneath the helicopter made the ride even slower. In other words, more susceptible to ground fire. The crew chief would lie in the floor, observing the load through a small, square hole. He had a release button in his hand which he would punch in the event the load started swinging out of control or we started receiving ground fire.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by minn19

Love the A-1 Skyraider! Really helped a lot of grunts in Vietnam, especially on rescue missions for downed pilots.

I recall a Skyraider in close support of us one day. The ordnance it could carry was nothing short of amazing. Pass after pass after pass, plus incredible loiter time. And, that huge radial engine!

[3.0L]

Chuck Yeager had the cojones to fly the X-1 faster than the speed of sound.

[3798j]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

I recall a Skyraider in close support of us one day. The ordnance it could carry was nothing short of amazing. Pass after pass after pass, plus incredible loiter time. And, that huge radial engine!

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[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by 3798j

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There's a story behind that toilet seat.

[Dang3r]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

There's a story behind that toilet seat.

Tell us more, asking for a friend

[3798j]

Toilet Bomb...

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/time...north-vietnam/

[Lady Jane]

Today in History: The disappearance of Flight 19 on December 5th, 1945.

Grumman TBF Avengers. (Designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors)

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

[BMWGUYinCO]

Not lovingly known as "The loudest aircraft ever built": Republic XF-84H "ThunderScreech. The propellor spun at faster than the speed of sound, causing a shock wave that could knock men over and caused ground crew to become nauseous and incapacitated. From Wikipedia:
Noise
The XF-84H was almost certainly the loudest aircraft ever built, earning the nickname "Thunderscreech" as well as the "Mighty Ear Banger".[16] On the ground "run ups", the prototypes could reportedly be heard 25 miles (40 km) away.[17] Unlike standard propellers that turn at subsonic speeds, the outer 24–30 inches (61–76 cm) of the blades on the XF-84H's propeller traveled faster than the speed of sound even at idle thrust, producing a continuous visible sonic boom that radiated laterally from the propellers for hundreds of yards. The shock wave was actually powerful enough to knock a man down; an unfortunate crew chief who was inside a nearby C-47 was severely incapacitated during a 30-minute ground run.[17] Coupled with the already considerable noise from the subsonic aspect of the propeller and the T40's dual turbine sections, the aircraft was notorious for inducing severe nausea and headaches among ground crews.[11] In one report, a Republic engineer suffered a seizure after close range exposure to the shock waves emanating from a powered-up XF-84H.[18]

The pervasive noise also severely disrupted operations in the Edwards AFB control tower by risking vibration damage to sensitive components and forcing air traffic personnel to communicate with the XF-84H's crew on the flight line by light signals. After numerous complaints, the Air Force Flight Test Center directed Republic to tow the aircraft out on Rogers Dry Lake, far from the flight line, before running up its engine.[14] The test program did not proceed further than the manufacturer's Phase I proving flights; consequently, no USAF test pilots flew the XF-84H. With the likelihood that the engine and equipment failures coupled with the inability to reach design speeds and subsequent instability experienced were insurmountable problems, the USAF canceled the program in September 1956.[19]

[Lady Jane]

When the AJ Savage is not enough, who do you call?

The North American XA2J Super Savage of course.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_...J_Super_Savage

[Lady Jane]

The Northrop X-21. Based on the USAF Douglas B-66 Destroyer and the Navy A-3 Skywarrior.

Engine nacelles were moved from the wings to the rear of the fuselage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_X-21

[3.0L]

One of my favorite jet aircraft.

I spotted my first view of an F-86 when I was in 6th grade. That would've been in 1958. Much to the annoyance of my teacher, I was gazing out the windows of our classroom when I saw an F-86 pass over our school at a low altitude. Flames were intermittently coming out of the tail pipe. I could hear popping sounds. Later, on the playground, I saw smoke out towards our local airport, about 3 miles away.

Later news reports stated the pilot was experiencing engine problems and tried to land at our little airport. The f-86 stalled and crashed about 1 mile short of the main runway. Unfortunately, the pilot was killed.

The sight of the flaming F-86 passing overhead has never left me.

[SpeedBuggy]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

The C-17.

From an airlift perspective:

Last in the talent show, first in the swimsuit competition.

Live about 4 miles from Youngstown Air Reserve Base with a wing of C-130 's and a 9000ft runway. Lately they have been flying touch and goes with C-17's from I believe from Charlotte. I don't know how they get off the ground, damn thing is huge and certainly a unique sound. Have gotten so used to the C-130 flyovers don't even give them much of a glance, but when that C-17 fly's over, I do stop what l'm doing and watch for a bit.