Military Aircraft Pictures & Stories

[FastEagle]

I spent 12 years of my military career in support of the A7 Corsair II aircraft. I have numerous pictures of that aircraft.

These pictures were taken by me aboard the USS Midway during my tour with VF-151 (1970-1973).

[777 Driver]

Originally Posted by FL420

Cable breaks are very rare but are very often fatal to flight deck crewmen and aircrewmen if they aren't riding on an ejection seat like the 5 crew members in a Hawkeye.

No ejection seats on E-2's. The windows above the cockpit are escape hatches which could be used to evacuate after ditching. Bailing out of a stricken Hawkeye is not easy. Unlike fighter jets, the E-2 lacks ejection seats for the air crew. Crew members must don parachutes before flight and, in the event of an emergency, unbuckle themselves from their seats, open the port side door, and jump out of the aircraft.

A crew on a training flight successfully bailed out of their E-2C last August: https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...a-crew-escape/

Take care,
Stu

[FL420]

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

No ejection seats on E-2's. The windows above the cockpit are escape hatches which could be used to evacuate after ditching. Bailing out of a stricken Hawkeye is not easy. Unlike fighter jets, the E-2 lacks ejection seats for the air crew. Crew members must don parachutes before flight and, in the event of an emergency, unbuckle themselves from their seats, open the port side door, and jump out of the aircraft.

A crew on a training flight successfully bailed out of their E-2C last August: https://www.popularmechanics.com/mil...a-crew-escape/

Take care,
Stu

I didn't make it very clear that E-2s don't have ejection seats, did I? On my first cruise an E-2 had a problem during or after the cat shot. IIRC, there may have been an onboard fire.
The aircraft never gained significant altitude and crashed 5 miles ahead of the ship with the loss of all 5 crewmembers who might have been saved by ejection seats. Unfortunately, ejection seats are very heavy, complicated, dangerous and expensive. The plumbing for the hot gases to route the gases to both shoulder harness retraction mechanisms, rear canopy jettison, rear seat ejection, front canopy jettison and front seat ejection in the proper sequence and time delays in the two seat F-4 is very complicated.
The design of the 4 seat EA-6B Prowler was a real challenge to get all 4 crewmembers out very rapidly to keep the seat rocket motors from burning nearby crewmembers and to keep all the seats from trying to occupy the same airspace at the same time during ascent, automatic seat separation and parachute deployment.(I wish I could learn to write in shorter sentences.) Five ejection seats in one aircraft would be a real tough problem to solve.
The KA-3 Whale version of the Skywarrior was a 3 seater without ejection seats. We lost one of those with all 3 crewmembers on that same cruise. The Whale pilot must have been a frustrated fighter pilot wannabe. He had a reputation of trying to entice some fighter crews to do a few turns with him after he topped them off with gas. One day he lost control of the Whale and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin.
The Cruise Book for the 69-70 cruise of the Coral Sea was dedicated to the 28 officers and enlisted we lost on that cruise. None of them were directly attributed to combat action. Most of them were due to operational "mishaps," equipment failure, carelessness, complacency or stupid decisions.
My RIO, who flew in my backseat and kept me alive during 100 of my 134 combat missions on that cruise, was one of them when he didn't survive a cold cat shot apparently caused by an error by a member of the cat crew. I mist up a little everytime I think of him.[emoji26]
[emoji40]

[777 Driver]

Originally Posted by FL420

My RIO, who flew in my backseat and kept me alive during 100 of my 134 combat missions on that cruise, was one of them when he didn't survive a cold cat shot apparently caused by an error by a member of the cat crew. I mist up a little everytime I think of him.[emoji26]
[emoji40]

I'm sorry for your loss. The bond between crew members is typically strong, particularly so for those who have endured combat together.

The ejection seat system that always intrigued me was the B-52. I have no personal or recent knowledge, but, I believe that the navigator and radar navigator were on seats that ejected out of the bottom of the aircraft.

Then, there was the FB-111 with the crew module ejection system.

Take care,
Stu

[FL420]

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

I'm sorry for your loss. The bond between crew members is typically strong, particularly so for those who have endured combat together.

Thanks Stu. I appreciate your kind words.

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

The ejection seat system that always intrigued me was the B-52. I have no personal or recent knowledge, but, I believe that the navigator and radar navigator were on seats that ejected out of the bottom of the aircraft.

I think you are right about the downward ejecting seats. I understand those seats couldn't be used below a certain altitude. I'm sure there are some Buff crews on the forum who could tell us more.

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

Then, there was the FB-111 with the crew module ejection system.

Take care,
Stu

When I was going through the F-4 RAG at Miramar as a student one of my ACM instructors had a severe back injury when he had to jettison an F-111A at Nellis AFB on 23 SEP 68. An eyewitness report of the accident is in the link below.
http://web.archive.org/web/201704211...Pages/1968.htm
The F-111 carried most of its fuel in fuselage fuel cells. During flight the engines fed out of the forward fuel cell. As that fuel was consumed automatic transfer pump(s) continuously fed fuel from the rear cells to the front feed cell to keep the CG(Center of Gravity) within limits to maintain controllability. That system failed so the fuel didn't transfer forward moving the CG too far aft for them to control the nose up pitching moment as they slowed to approach and landing speed.
I learned from the eyewitness account that their survival depended on LT John Nash being a lot lighter than the RAAF instructor pilot.
Nash was a helluva fighter pilot and was one of the first four instructors in the initial TOPGUN cadre.

[777 Driver]

When I was attending the Navy Safety School, we had a one hour lunch break. The instructor for the first afternoon class would start playing videos about a half hour before class started. It was an inducement for us to return early as he had quite a collection. As an F-4 driver, you’ve probably seen this one from his collection: https://youtu.be/8cg-125H8_Y A failed attempt to set a low altitude speed record that demonstrated a catastrophic consequence of pilot induced oscillation.

Originally Posted by FL420

I learned from the eyewitness account that their survival depended on LT John Nash being a lot lighter than the RAAF instructor pilot.
Nash was a helluva fighter pilot and was one of the first four instructors in the initial TOPGUN cadre.

Here's an ejection story where the aviator didn't benefit from LT Nash's advantage.

When the F-18 was brand new, a RAG student launched from NAS Lemoore on an out and back training flight. Just trying to build some flight time. I think it was, perhaps, his third flight in the aircraft. IIRC, when he departed some Texas AFB for his return, the tower controller observed that the wheel assembly on his right main landing gear departed the aircraft as he became airborne…bouncing down the runway. The controller advised him of his “problem” and he continued back to Lemoore with his gear down. There was enough time during his return for the squadron “experts” to strategize the optimal procedure and assemble the necessary equipment to document the landing.

So, the “plan” was to land on the short field arresting gear such that the wheeless right stub would touch down just beyond the arresting cable and snag the cable with the tailhook. If performed flawlessly, it was surmised that minimum damage to the aircraft would result. As it turned out, the RAG student didn’t yet possess the requisite skill to pull it off. He snagged the arresting gear with his right MLG stub. The F-18 yawed right and during the rapid decel it started a roll to the left. Fearing that the roll would continue, the RAG student initiated his ejection. The video showed the approach to landing from a camera near the touchdown zone showing the approach and another camera near the arresting gear to show the touchdown. That camera showed the right MLG snagging the cable and the right yaw with a left roll followed immediately by the ejection. With a zero-zero seat, it should be a survivable experience, right? At that point, the video switched to the HUD camera which showed the yaw and roll followed by a bright flash as the ejection began.

We expected that would be the end of the video…but…the HUD camera continued to run. It showed that the aircraft settled back down with all three gear (OK, missing one wheel assembly) on the ground and the engines running. OK, we expected that would be the end of the video…but…the HUD camera continued to roll until a few seconds later the RAG student was observed under canopy descending at a high rate of speed through the frame from the upper left corner to the lower right corner. He struck the ground with enough force to break his femur in the impact.

The pilot was near the upper limits of acceptable ergonomic parameters (big and heavy) for the aircraft. And, the parachute canopy had been downsized during the aircraft development (IIRC) from 28’ to 26’ to allow more space for avionics. And, when the parachute canopy opened, he was faced exactly downwind and didn’t benefit from any lift by maneuvering the canopy into the wind. Pretty much consistently worst case scenarios at each step along the way.

Take care,
Stu

[zipmart]

After my tour in A-7's, I did an instructor tour at NAS Kingsville in TA-4J's, then became a TAR (Training and Administration of Reserves). This was, in layman's terms, a full-timer in a reserve squadron, a person who was there all the time to provide continuity when the reservists were not there. The squadron I was in, VC-12 (later re-designated VFC-12) at NAS Oceana, VA towed targets, provided support for air intercept radar training, and was primarily an adversary squadron, ie. being the "badguys" by flying our A-4's to simulate Soviet aircraft and tactics during Dis-similar Air Combat Training (DACT). I had purchased an 8mm digital camcorder and often carried it with me while flying. I even made a mount for it so I could clamp it to the glare shield to shoot through the gun sight. Here is a link to a YouTube video I put together of some of the footage I captured during my second tour with the squadron, after it was re-designated VFC-12. I had kind of forgotten I'd put this on YouTube 11 years ago. Hope you enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avmj...eature=channel

[F4Gary]

Fox 2!

[corn18]

Originally Posted by F4Gary

Fox 2!

Chaff flares, continue.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

When I was attending the Navy Safety School, we had a one hour lunch break. The instructor for the first afternoon class would start playing videos about a half hour before class started. It was an inducement for us to return early as he had quite a collection. As an F-4 driver, you’ve probably seen this one from his collection: https://youtu.be/8cg-125H8_Y A failed attempt to set a low altitude speed record that demonstrated a catastrophic consequence of pilot induced oscillation.

Take care,
Stu

Actually, I have seen that video clip many times. As Transition Phase Leader for the West Coast F-4 RAG in charge of initial and recurrent training I taught many 2 week platform ground schools, gave each student 4 "simulators" and rode in the back seat on their very first F-4 flight before clearing them to advance to the next phase of training.
I "owned" a 16mm film of several aircraft accidents including the Sageburner PIO accident and showed it when discussing the aircraft handling qualities. It really impressed the students on the importance of a properly functioning and engaged Stab Aug(stability augmentation) especially when flying at high Q. Other clips on the film included an F-100 which over rotated on takeoff (or a go around) in which the pilot got into very high AOA wing rock just a few feet above the runway. It didn't end well. The story was vomitus was discovered in the pilot's O2 mask, trachea and esophagus.
My favorite clips were of the post stall departure and spin tests of the F-4. Cameras were mounted behind the test pilots' heads showing the AOA gauge, ADI, yaw rate indicator and the outside view through the windshield. Initially, it was thought that any developed departure or spin could be recovered from by neutralizing the controls and deploying the drag chute on the theory that when it filled with air it would slow or stop the rate of turn and pitch the nose down reducing the AOA to below the stall angle.
That procedure worked well at first during the early stages of the tests but as they progressed to fully developed spins they were surprised to find that it didn't work because the yaw rate was so fast the drag chute didn't fill with air and was floating in front of the radome in dead air. Pilot inputs to the controls didn't break the stall and the pilot had to punch out.
They still needed to learn more about how to recover the F-4 from spins so they decided to fasten a large parachute to the turtleback behind the cockpit of a replacement F-4. If the pilot had to deploy the chute as a last resort an explosive charge was designed to fill the chute with gases to ensure it blossomed and filled with air.
When they resumed testing the first time they duplicated the steps to get into a fully developed steady state upright spin the pilot tried different control inputs to recover from the spin. Nothing worked so he deployed the drag chute. Once again the drag chute wrapped around to float in front of the pilot.
Well, it was a good thing the engineers had come up with a viable Plan B. As the pilot reached the minimum altitude to deploy the recovery chute he hit the switch. He was anticipating a rather abrupt jerk, a nose down pitch and a slowing yaw rate. Not today, Jose. Didn't happen.
Again, the film ends with the canopy, seat and pilot disappearing and the film clip ends. Turns out someone failed to securely fasten the chute to the aircraft and nobody caught it. It was found fairly close to the aircraft wreckage.
The Navy decided they needed to get the F-4 out to the fleet ASAP but they didn't want to ask for another test article. The spin tests were suspended until years later, as I understand it, and the airplane was released to the fleet with a Warning in the NATOPS Flight Manual prohibiting intentional spins.[emoji2962]
[emoji40]

[FastEagle]

During my Navy career, I served with VF-41 twice. My first assignment was off the USS Independence with F4-B aircraft, 1964 - 1966 and the 2nd was off the USS Nimitz with the F14- A/B aircraft 1977 - 1980.

During my F14 time on the Nimitz, LCDR Lindner, flying in the rear seat, was a shutter-bug, extraordinary. Many of my areal pictures of VF-41 Tomcats were taken by him.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by 777 Driver

......There was enough time during his return for the squadron “experts” to strategize the optimal procedure and assemble the necessary equipment to document the landing......

..... As it turned out, the RAG student didn’t yet possess the requisite skill to pull it off. He snagged the arresting gear with his right MLG stub. The F-18 yawed right and during the rapid decel it started a roll to the left.
Take care,
Stu

The skipper of VF-151aboard the Midway in 1971(you probably remember him FastEagle) was a test pilot in a previous posting. A few of us were hanging out in the Ready Room one day when the subject of the best way to handle various landing gear malfunctions came up.
Aboard ship, there was basically one solution. After jettisoning all external ordnance the crew would make an arrested landing into the barricade. It was the decision of the Captain of the ship.
Ashore, it was a lot more complicated. If there was a distinct possibility of a loss of directional control the best option was to make a controlled ejection in a safe area. If the crew could retract the landing gear the best option was probably to remove the arresting wires from the runway and have the crew make a gear up landing on any empty external wing-mounted fuel if they had them or on the belly if they didn't.
IIRC, the wires across the runway are elevated up off the deck about 4" high with rubber donuts so the large tires can roll over them but a tailhook held down by nitrogen snubber pressure can catch the wire.
I have made several arrested field landings in F-4s after Utility Hydraulic system failures which deprived me of normal brakes. After leaving the Navy I have landed many times in smaller civilian aircraft with smaller tires flying under Navy contracts at NAS North Island, NALF San Clemente Island, NALF San Nicholas Island, NAS Pt. Mugu and NAS China lake. I was always conscious of where the approach end and departure end arresting gear was rigged and made my landings and takeoffs between them. I went over them only when I had to and no faster than a very slow taxi speed.
From day one of training future Nasal Radiators are taught to make a constant AOA, constant airspeed and constant rate of descent to touchdown just like they will at the boat. Only later, if they fly non-carrier capable aircraft, are they trained to "squat to pee"(flare) to land just like the Zoomies do.[emoji56]
With a bit of practice most guys could probably do a fairly consistent job of making a 3 point (nose gear, one main gear and tailhook down) touchdown and roll into the gear but when that MLG stub catches a wire it's gonna be a Class A mishap. IMHO, the best option for the young RAG stud would have been an ejection. The distant second would be an all gear up landing with the wires removed and a CFR truck equipped with foam stationed near midfield.
The aforementioned VF-151 CO intentionally landed an F-4 gear up with a gear problem on a long groomed dirt runway at Edwards AFB one day. We asked him how it went. He said it turned out okay but if he had to do it over again he wouldn't .
[emoji40]

[bmcgc]

I have always been fascinated by propeller aircraft and the men who flew them.

One of my personal favorites is USMC Captain Henry Elrod, defender of Wake Island, Medal of Honor recepient, first man to sink a warship. He flew a F4F-3 Wildcat.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by zipmart

After my tour in A-7's, I did an instructor tour at NAS Kingsville in TA-4J's, then became a TAR (Training and Administration of Reserves). This was, in layman's terms, a full-timer in a reserve squadron, a person who was there all the time to provide continuity when the reservists were not there. The squadron I was in, VC-12 (later re-designated VFC-12) at NAS Oceana, VA towed targets, provided support for air intercept radar training, and was primarily an adversary squadron, ie. being the "badguys" by flying our A-4's to simulate Soviet aircraft and tactics during Dis-similar Air Combat Training (DACT). I had purchased an 8mm digital camcorder and often carried it with me while flying. I even made a mount for it so I could clamp it to the glare shield to shoot through the gun sight. Here is a link to a YouTube video I put together of some of the footage I captured during my second tour with the squadron, after it was re-designated VFC-12. I had kind of forgotten I'd put this on YouTube 11 years ago. Hope you enjoy it.

That's a great video you have put together Zip. [emoji106] I'm not any good with stills or videos but I can recognize good work.
Two things I really liked about the A-4E Mongoose at TOPGUN was the slats were bolted up so they never came out asymmetrically in a high G pull and bounced my head off the canopy and it's stall and stall recovery characteristics were better than a Cessna 150's.
I never thought about when the slats on unmodified A-4s retracted at rotation right before liftoff until I saw them do that on the section takeoff in your video. Based on how quickly the aircraft rolls from the increased lift when one slat retracts before the other makes me now wonder what kind of wild ride would happen if only one slat failed to retract at liftoff. Good thing I didn't think of that before now.[emoji33] One more thing to worry about. Guess I would have preflighted the slats on the TA-4's much more carefully.[emoji848]
I just came across this excellent video of an "A-4 Skyhawk Walkaround." I learned a lot from it. It reminded me of a well-intentioned but embarrassing thing I did one day years ago.
https://youtu.be/GlCRs-gINUY
I was sitting in the warmup area at Rwy24R at Miramar one day as a single A-4 rolled into position for takeoff in front of me. I was initially drawn to his speedbrakes as they had several holes in them that I had never seen on an A-4 before. I found out later the holes were for mounting JATO rocket bottles.
What happened next that really caught my attention was what looked like grey smoke coming out of hole in the side of the fuselage above the wing as he advanced power. I had never seen that happen on any of the many A-4s I had seen takeoff before. I gave him a call on the radio and told him what I was seeing. He replied with a "Thanks, that's normal," released the brakes and took off.
It took me awhile in the days before the interwebs and Google to find out I had seen an early model A-4 that had the Wright J-65 engine which used engine oil to cool electronics(or something, I forget) and then was vented overboard. The A-4 models after the A,B and C models had the P&W J-52 engines which didn't do that.
Since I never flew the A-4 around the boat or had any A-4s in the Air Wings I was a part of I always wondered how they got hooked up to the shuttle for a cat shot. With about a thousand hours in A-4s I didn't know until watching the video they had removable hooks that the ends of the bridle looped onto for the cat shot.
I guess that today's not a waste since I learned something new. As they say "better late than never."[emoji57]
[emoji40]