Phantom Eye - Dayum ... That's Ugly!

Boeing rolled out its Phantom Eye unmanned aircraft for a high speed taxi test at Edwards AFB on March 10. No problems were reported.

Except, that is, it's so damn ugly.

I admit to not knowing much about this aircraft except that it is supposed to be a hydrogen powered, high altitude, long endurance test bed, and the guppy shaped mid section contains about a ton of hydrogen fuel.

I was trying to think of other aircraft or combinations of aircraft that would approximate what this thing looks like, and I failed. It's just yuck ...

Photo credit NASA.

Here's a link to a Boeing produced video of the taxi test ...

http://bcove.me/cq9a80xx

Nice Day At The Local Airpatch

A nice sunny day out at NAS Ft. Worth recently produced some very nice aircraft. Pretty busy day, lots of traffic.


Lockheed-Martin flew two F-35As on test flights. 09-5001 and 09-5002 were already carrying the markings of their soon to be owners, the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, at Eglin AFB.



One of L-M's chase Vipers, F-16D 90-0848, provided escort duties during the test flights.




L-M is in the midst of a production run of F-16s for the Morroccan Air Force. 08-8015 was beating up the field on pre-acceptance test flights.



The home based US Army C-12 outfit was conducting normal training flights, with three different models of the C-12 being airborne.



A pair of 64AS, 57Wg aggressor F-16s were present. The Nellis AFB based aircraft were in helping the home based 457th Fighter Squadron during an ORI. 86-273, above, is carrying a beautiful arctic camoflage scheme, applied while the jet was based up in Alaska for aggressor duties. 84-1301, below, is an old friend. I have photographed this aircraft now with 3 different units - the 64th AS (current owner), the Ft. Worth based 457th FS, and the Houston based 111th Fighter Squadron.



A grey on grey camoflage scheme cupled with a Red Star on the tail on this VFA-204 F-18A+ Hornet denotes its main mission as an aggressor. The jet is based at NAS New Orleans, was apparently in to do some local missions out of Ft. Worth.




A nice surprise was this Dyess AFB based B-1B, which dropped by for a touch-and-go approach.

B-29/X-1 Flying Model

This link will connect you to a video of an RC controlled B-29/X-1 model, and its flight.

I am not a fan of RC models - they sound obnoxious, like a flying weed whacker. Some people who fly them are OK, some of them are kind of like refugees from Big Bang Theory.

In any case, what this fellow built is astounding, and he should be applauded for his efforts.

http://users.skynet.be/fa926657/files/B29.wmv

TX ANG To Lose Its C-130s

A rather nasty bombshell has been dropped on Texas in the Pentagon budget cut mess. The 136th Airlift Wing is a Texas ANG C-130 unit, based at NAS Ft. Worth. Under Obama/Panetta's plan, the unit's 8 C-130H transport aircraft will be taken from them and given to the Montana ANG.

The Texas C-130s have served a critical need, being the only medium sized transport aircraft available to cover the Gulf Coast. The aircraft have been instumental in responding to multiple natural disasters - hurricanes, floods, fires, etc. The C-130's size is perfect for this type of work, giving the ability of transporting large numbers of people and supplies into small airfields. None of the other Gulf Coast states have this type of asset, and Texas has repeatedly helped its neighbor states by providing these aircraft to support their needs.

In addition, the 136th has been in the rotation, supplying aircraft and crew to support overseas USAF operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, its primary focus is supporting the people of the State of Texas and its neighbors in fighting natural disasters, under control of the Governor.

When these aircraft leave, the nearest available asset of this type will be in Arkansas.

The move is a political one. The Montana ANG has a single unit, serving as Air Defense at Great Falls IAP, with F-15 Eagles. The Eagles are due for retirement. Rather than kill off the unit or turn it into a drone support unit, someone has pushed to strip aircraft from somewhere else. Texas is on the Obama Administration's black list, so why not from there? What natural disasters are these C-130s going to be positioned to repond to in Montana?

If this plan is allowed to go through, the 136th will become a Recon wing, gaining a handful of MC-12W aircraft. These are used as passive video and signal intelligence platforms. These could potential be used along the Texas/Mexico border IF anyone in Washington gets serious about border control, but would be useless for anything else. Why not give those aircraft to Montana, and leave the C-130s here where they will actually do some good?

Photo - C-130H 85-1366, 181AS 136AW, TX ANG, NAS Ft. Worth. Photo by yours truly.

Update - After the Governors of all the Gulf Coast States wrote to the Pentagon, upset with this plan and asking that the planes be left in place to respond to natural disasters, it appears that the USAF is reconsidering the plan. No word on when a final decision might be made.

Update - On Aug.2, the Senate Appropriations Committee deleted funding for the move of these aircraft from the Defense Budget, effectively killing any such move for at least another year.  Apparently all the lobbying and pleading from the Gulf Coast states was enough to stop this stupid proposed move.  I am not aware of anyone who made an argumenent in favor of the proposal.

B-36 Flyby - Incredible!

Found a link over at WIX to this video. Back in the early 50s, B-36s were commonplace over at Carswell AFB in Ft. Worth. In addition to being built there by (then) Convair on the west side of the base, the east side ramps held two wings of the huge bombers. The B-36s were long gone before I had the chance to see one flying. From what I've heard from veterans and folks who lived near the base, having one go over on takeoff or landing shook the ground - the noise and vibration from the 6 props must have been incredible.

Which makes this buzz job even more spectacular. Sure wish there was surround sound with it!

I saw some comments that indicated the pilot was buzzing the house of a friend when he took off. Don't know if that's the case, but after that it may have been an ex-friend!

The Sweetest Sound In The World

There is absolutely nothing in the world that sounds as good as a Merlin powered Mustang. Yummy!

Final Flight of The Whale

Here is a video of the final takeoff of an A-3 Skywarrior. This was taken last June 30, at NAS Ft. Worth, as the aircraft made a refueling stop. It was being delivered from California to the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. This was the last flight of an airworthy A-3.

My aviation photography started about the time when Navy Skywarrior operations were winding down. I did have occasion to see and shoot several of them, principally VAK-208, VAK-308, and VAQ-34 aircraft. I will never forget the peculiar whine of the engines, and the vast amount of black smoke they produced.

Kudos to Mark and Carl for arranging to cover this event - this is an historic piece of video!





Somewhat related, the Vintage Flying Museum, located at Meacham Field in Ft. Worth, is trying to save another A-3 from the scrap heap, to be displayed at Meacham. BuNo 146453 is an EA-3, last operated by VQ-2. The A-3 Association is trying to raise the funds necessary to transport the aircraft from desert storage at Tucson to Ft. Worth, and then restore it. This historic aircraft has a long service history, and flew missions during Desert Storm.

Here is some video of this specific aircraft while in Navy service.




http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org/

Strike Fighter Ball 2011

Very cool video commemorating the Atlantic Fleet's Strike Fighter Ball 2011. Has a very nice Centennial of Naval Aviation flavor to it, paying homage to the lineage of the participating squadrons. It's a shame that there are dozens of attack and fighter squadrons that have been previously disestablished because of budget cuts, and their heritage doesn't appear here. Oh well, that's for another video ...

The good humored stab at the Reservists of VFC-12 is pretty funny, even if they are considered some of the most professional and best trained aviators in the Fleet.

Thanks to Outlaw13 for the heads up ...

We Remember

This is the song that plays during each and every USAF Heritage Flight.

F-35A First Flight - Fifth Anniversary

Five years ago today, the first F-35A Lightning II, designated AA-1, took to the air for the first time.

Photos credit Lockheed-Martin.

Navy Colors IX - Bugs and Superbugs

Navy did beat Army, by the way ...

VFA-113 Stinger's 164656, launching and then recovering on the USS John Stennis.



VFA-151 Vigilantes' NE-300, catching the wire on the USS Abraham Lincoln.



VFA-147 Argonauts CAG bird trapping on the USS Ronald Reagan.

VFA-27 Royal Maces' F-18E.

VFA-2 F-18F coming aboard.

VFA-115 F-18C celebrating 100 years of Naval Aviation.

VAQ-141 Shadowhawks' CAG EA-18G Growler.



VFA-195's latest 'Chippey Ho' CAG bird.


All photos credit US Navy.

Navy Colors VIII - More CAGs and such

MH-60S, HSC-8, USS John Stennis.


MH-60R 166536, HSM-70.


EA-6B 164402, VAQ-136, trapping aboard the USS George Washington.


EA-6B, VAQ-131.


E-2C 165649, VAW-116, USS Abraham Lincoln.


EA-6B 161245, VAQ-139. Preparing to launch from the USS Ronald Reagan.


All Photos Credit US Navy.