MKopack
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Posts posted by MKopack
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We had a pilot that was blown up by his own MK84 back in '91. Punched and the Navy picked him up. We got him back two days later and he was told that he wouldn't be allowed to continue flying missions. He told everyone that they were going to have to send him home then, and when that was 'shot down', he was back in the cockpit a day or two later.
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"Alcohol is involved in a third of misconduct incidents on Alaska's military installations, three generals said in a letter to Rep. Dan Saddler, co-chairman of the House Special Committee on Military & Veterans' Affairs."
A third of misconduct? By my math that means all that military sobriety is screwing things up. But what do I know, I've been drinkin'...
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Nobody is every going to be able to kill off the DC-3s.
The initial report I heard said that the DC-3 is in good shape, but was moved "several hundred yards" during the storm. The plan, according the the EAA, will have the gates opening as normal at 8AM on Friday after a night of cleanup. The Blue Angels and the F-22 will be in in the morning, and the weather is expected to be good now through the weekend.
A couple of years on the flightline over at MacDill taught me to always keep an eye up in the sky though. Things can change fast in the Spring in Florida.
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By '87 when I enlisted, the "on base" age at Sheppard (Tech School) and at MacDill had both changed to 21. Of course if you had a military ID no one really cared, on base or off, and the 1st Shirt would roll a couple of kegs over to the dorm on most holiday weekends.
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Yemen: "I can see Somalia from my house."
It isn't really the 'garden spot' of the Arabian Peninsula - a region not really known for being a 'garden spot' in general, but with all of the built in problems that could make the "worst case scenario" in Libya look like square one in Yemen.
If Al Qaeda and everything historically that led to it has a natural backyard, as much as anywhere else, this is it.
(Good call, Lockheed, corrected...)
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If they got separated, they weren't doing it right.
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Good article - of course filtered through the media, so who knows how accurate it is - about the crew's treatment while in Libya, from the National Review.
More at the link...
‘Not long after the pilot’s arrival, rebel officials brought him a bouquet of flowers. . .’March 22, 2011 3:46 P.M.
By Daniel Foster
The Daily Beast has a compelling roundup of the facts, such as they are, of the time spent by a downed F-15E pilot and his back-seater among the rebels outside Benghazi:
One of the pilots was picked up by rebel forces near the site of the crash and brought by car to the Fadeel Hotel in Benghazi around 2 a.m., according to a handful of people who said they met with the pilot. It’s unclear why the opposition forces brought the pilot to that particular hotel. Dina Omar, 30, an Egyptian cardiologist who has been volunteering at the rebel frontlines was in the Internet café at the hotel at the time. She heard from the hotel staff that a pilot had been brought in and went to see him in a large suite in the hotel. She saw a man wearing a light brown pilot suit in his early 30s lying down on a couch. “He was feeling insecure and unsafe,” she said. “He did not talk much.”
According to an NPR report, American Marines, using an Osprey aircraft, recovered one of the airmen. The other crewmember was recovered by rebel forces and is now in U.S. hands, according to the Associated Press.
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Have a friend that's an ANG crew chief on the 16's out of Atlantic City. On their last Balad deployment he was able to get a photo pass out of his unit and ended up with a dozen or more "cover" photos on the Balad website and AF.mil. The Combat Camera guys were pretty hot about a flightline guy getting their 'press' - and getting some excellent shots. (http://www.balad.afcent.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123203787)
Back during Desert Storm we had the only two-seat 16 in the Gulf. "Balls 47" sat as a cann bird for the first few weeks of the war while our assigned CC guys really pushed to be able to fly. One day the Col. said to put her together. When we rolled her out, there were suddenly a lot of concerns about maintenance, scheduling, regulations, etc. In the end she got in a lucky thirteen missions and a good portion of the air-to-air video on TV was taken from 86-0047's back seat. (If the Combat Camera guys hadn't finally taken the seat, you know that I'd already volunteered myself and my camera for it...)
Pretty well known video that our CC guys put together with a
couple of camcorders and VCR's all wired together.
Just like everything else, I've worked with some great Combat Camera guys over the years - others who are mostly there filling up a spot.
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(12XU2A3X3 just beat me to it...)
I wonder if the "inability to demonstrate" is due to the lagging flight test schedule, or it is a sign of a deeper issue.
On the bright side, ten years from now we might be seeing brand new fighters refueling from brand new tankers...
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Bigger
And triple the cost.
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I think he retired as a 3-star.
I know that name, the older and the younger. 3-star is correct.
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Secretary of State Clinton has stated that US Military aircraft have delivered "emergency core coolant" to the disabled and overpressure and overheating Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. They have announced plans to release radioactive steam to relieve the pressure.
I'm not a nuclear pro by a long shot, but don't most nuke plants use basically plain water as coolant?
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In a similar story, early in Desert Storm a KC-135 flew way into Iraqi airspace to rescue an F-16 returning from an airstrike (might have been one of my unit's acft) - may have been a similar outcome as well, I know that they were awarded after the war for the flight, but would bet that they were probably second-guessed not long after touching down.
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Per the Columbus AFB WG/CC, Mustache March is CANCELLED!
Don't think of it as canceling Mustache March, think of it as postponing the entire month. Until the ORI is over, just continue to sign everything off as February - Wednesday will be Feb 30th, Friday will be the 32nd...
But Sir, if it was March, I'd have a mustache.
Sort of like 'out-shoeing' the shoe.
Was asked by a couple of people what Mustache March was, so based on some of what I've learned here, and read in a couple of books, I pounded this out on the keyboard today: "Mustache March and the Legendary Robin Olds"
I'm not a writer, by any stretch, but maybe it will at least partially answer, "Hey, why do all of those guys have mustaches all of a sudden?"
(Any comments, additions and/or corrections are welcome...)
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Who'd have thought that the star of the number one sitcom on TV and the long-time dictator / head loony of Libya would both be interviewed on the news last night - and Gaddafi would come off as being more grounded in reality...
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Libya unrest: UK rescue plane had a 'narrow escape'
Pictures from on-board the RAF Hercules on a recovery mission inside Libya. Courtesy MoD.
Disaster was narrowly averted when small arms fire entered the cockpit of a RAF C130 Hercules evacuating Britons and foreign nationals from Libya, it has emerged.
One round bounced off the pilot's helmet but he was unscathed during Sunday's rescue of oil workers.
The BBC's Frank Gardner confirmed details of the narrow escape during the evacuation of oil workers - 20 of whom were British - from the desert.
He said an insurgent group on the ground which fired at the aircraft had mistaken it for a Gaddafi regime plane. They have since apologised for the incident.
'Bang Bang'
Some of those rescued described the moment the Hercules was shot at, forcing it to abandon a landing.
One British oil worker said: "The aircraft took two hits on the right hand side of the fuselage, you just heard 'bang bang' as the rounds actually struck."
Another said after failing to land at two blocked off fields, the Hercules was trying again at a third when the firing started, forcing them to abort.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that one of its C130 aircraft appeared to have suffered "minor damage consistent with small arms fire", adding that "there were no injuries to passengers or crew and the aircraft returned safely to Malta".
On Saturday, another 150 oil workers, many of them British nationals, were rescued from the desert by two RAF Hercules and flown to the safety of Malta.
They later caught flights back to the UK, which arrived at Gatwick airport on Sunday and early on Monday.
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A couple of days ago we lost Hervey Stockman. Sixty-eight missions flying Mustangs during WWII, one of the first handful of U-2 pilots including the very first flight over the Soviet Union, and later six years as a POW after his Phantom was lost over Vietnam.
Salute, Colonel!
From Gizmoto (a lot more at the link)R.I.P. Hervey Stockman, First Pilot to Fly a Spy Plane Over Soviet Territory
Adrian Covert — Hervey Stockman passed away today, leaving behind a legacy as the first man to pilot a dedicated spy plane in Soviet airspace. Taking the Lockheed U-2 into Communist territory in the middle of the Cold War, Stockman was able to collect data on the USSR while evading MiGs trying to intercept him. Stockman also happened to be the uncle of Giz reader Willy Pell, who has graciously shared some personal anecdotes told to him by Stockman.
According to the CIA, Stockman began his career flying combat missions as an Air Force pilot in World War II. Pell says he lied about his age to enlist when he was 17. After the war he went to school for industrial design and became an automotive designer for GM. But after the Cold War ramped up in the 50s, Stockman was recalled back to the Air Force just as Lockheed was finishing up work on the first purpose-built spy plane, the U-2.
From the POW Network website (who I'd guess won't mind being quoted...)
HERVEY S. STOCKMANColonel - United States Air Force
Shot Down: June 11, 1967
Released: March 4, 1973
Colonel Stockman, a native of New Jersey, attended Princeton University for two years, following which he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps, receiving his commission and wings in Texas in August 1943. He flew P-51 's in England in World War II, after which he withdrew from active duty to attend Pratt Institute Art School in Brooklyn, where he majored in Industrial Design. Soon he was working for General Motors in Detroit as an automotive stylist (Cadillac specialist!).
Recalled to active duty in April of 1951, Colonel Stockman enjoyed a lengthy and varied career including duty with Strategic Fighter Wings, Armed Forces Staff College, as well as a Staff Officer in NATO. December of 1966 saw him at Da Nang as Squadron Commander of the 366th TFW from which he was shot down on June 11, 1967. Colonel Stockman resided in all major prisons of Hanoi: Heartbreak, Las Vegas. Plantation, and Unity.
02/2011
Hi CC: We were saddened to hear that Hervey Stockman passed away today, one day short of his 89th birthday. He was born Feb 23, 1922. He was preceeded in death by his wife, Sally. Hervey Studdiford Stockman was the pilot of a F4C, 64-0786, from the 390 TFS, 366 TFW, Da Nang, SVN when downed over NVN on 6/11/67. His back seater was Ron Webb. He and Ron were released 3/4/73 from Hanoi during Operation Homecoming.
Hervey was the CO of the 366th TFW when he and another F4C piloted by Maj Donald Martin Klemm and 1Lt Robert Harvey Pearson collided at 14,000 feet about 10 miles northeast of Kep during a MigCAP mission. Klemm and Pearson were KIA. Hervey was flying his 310th combat
mission.
During the Second World War Lt Col Stockman had flown P-51 Mustangs from England with the Eigth Air Force while Capt Webb had been a navigator in KB-50 tankers in the early 1960s.
Hervey was a P-51 pilot in WW II, 504 FS. WW II missions 68. Hervey was one of the first six pilots trained to fly the high-altitude reconnaissance craft, the U-2 for the CIA. Carmine Vito is the only U-2 pilot to fly directly over Moscow. His flight was the third operational flight over potentially hostile territory, or what the pilots called "hot" flights. Carl Overstreet flew the first such flight of the U-2 on 20 June 1956. The mission covered Poland and East Germany. Then Hervy Stockman flew over Soviet territory on 4 July, going as far north as Leningrad to photograph naval shipyards and then west to the Baltic States to cover jet bomber bases. The fourth, fifth, and sixth missions were flown by Marty Knutson, Glen Dunaway, and Jake Kratt. All were successful. Vito died 8-27-03.
Erich Anderson writes the following Tribute to Hervey:
Hervey Stockman was born February 24, 1922 in Andover, New Jersey. He attended Princeton University for two years before enlisting in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on September 17, 1942. Stockman was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings on August 30, 1943. He was assigned to the 504th Fighter Squadron of the 339th Fighter Group in England during World War II, flying the P-51 Mustang. During the war, Lt Stockman was credited with destroying 2 enemy aircraft in aerial combat and flew 68 combat missions before leaving active duty and joining the Air Force Reserve on November 5, 1945. He then attended the Pratt Institute of Art Shool, where he majored in Industrial Design, followed by work at General Motors as an automotive design stylist. Stockman was recalled to active duty on April 1, 1951, and was assigned to the 561st Fighter-Escort Squadron of the 12th Fighter-Escort Wing (later redesignated the 561st Strategic Fighter Squadron and the 12th Strategic Fighter Wing) at Bergstrom AFB, Texas, where he flew F-84 Thunderjets until May 1953. Stockman then transferred to the 522nd Strategic Fighter Squadron of the 27th Strategic Fighter Wing, also at Bergstrom, where he served until January 1956, when he became one of the six original U-2 pilots, flying clandestine CIA missions over the Soviet Union between 1956 and February 1958, including the very first mission over the USSR on July 4, 1956. He next flew F-102 Delta Daggers with the 95th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Andrews AFB, Maryland, from February to July 1958, followed by duty with the 482nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, from July 1958 to February 1961. Stockman next attended Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, from February to July 1961, and then served with the 1141st Special Activity Squadron at Ramstein AB, West Germany, from July 1961 to August 1964. He served with the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing at George AFB, California, from August 1964 to December 1966, when he began flying combat missions in Southeast Asia with the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at DaNang AB in the Republic of Vietnam. Col Stockman was made commander of the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron at DaNang in May 1967, and he was forced to eject From his F-4 Phantom II over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War while flying his 310th combat mission on June 11, 1967. After spending 2,093 days in captivity, Col Stockman was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973. He recovered from his injuries at Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews AFB until August 1973, when he began Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. After graduating in August 1974, Col Stockman served with NATO in Europe followed by service as Director of Joint Test and Evaluation with the Air Force Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, where he retired from the Air Force on December 31, 1978.
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I'll post this without any comments, other than "Frickin Kaboom."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJKIrseIHRE
Things are going to get racial here.
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42 Years ago tonight, John L. Levitow (November 1, 1945-November 8, 2000), an AC-47 Spooky loadmaster for the 3rd Special Operations Squadron, lifted off in his gunship on a mission over Vietnam. By the end of the mission he would be a legend that will live forever in Air Force History.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, 3d Special Operations Squadron. place and date: Long Binh Army post, Republic of Vietnam, 24 February 1969. Entered service at: New Haven, Conn. Born: 1 November 1945, Hartford, Conn.Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Levitow (then A1C), U.S. Air Force, distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while assigned as a loadmaster aboard an AC-47 aircraft flying a night mission in support of Long Binh Army post. Sgt. Levitow's aircraft was struck by a hostile mortar round. The resulting explosion ripped a hole 2 feet in diameter through the wing and fragments made over 3,500 holes in the fuselage. All occupants of the cargo compartment were wounded and helplessly slammed against the floor and fuselage. The explosion tore an activated flare from the grasp of a crewmember who had been launching flares to provide illumination for Army ground troops engaged in combat. Sgt. Levitow, though stunned by the concussion of the blast and suffering from over 40 fragment wounds in the back and legs, staggered to his feet and turned to assist the man nearest to him who had been knocked down and was bleeding heavily. As he was moving his wounded comrade forward and away from the opened cargo compartment door, he saw the smoking flare ahead of him in the aisle. Realizing the danger involved and completely disregarding his own wounds, Sgt. Levitow started toward the burning flare. The aircraft was partially out of control and the flare was rolling wildly from side to side. Sgt. Levitow struggled forward despite the loss of blood from his many wounds and he partial loss of feeling in his right leg. Unable to grasp the rolling flare with his hands, he threw himself bodily upon the burning flare. Hugging the deadly device to his body, he dragged himself back to the rear of the aircraft and hurled the flare through the open cargo door. At that instant the flare separated and ignited in the air, but clear of the aircraft. Sgt. Levitow, by his selfless and heroic actions, saved the aircraft and its entire crew from certain death and destruction. Sgt. Levitow's gallantry, his profound concern for his fellowmen, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
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Will be in Goldsboro for the SJ airshow in April, so I'll keep my eyes open.
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The original photo comes from a story from Palm beach State College http://www.palmbeachstate.edu/x19825.xml, which describes him as: "Anthony LaTorre served in the Air Force from 2004 to 2010 achieving the rank of E-5/staff sergeant. His tours of duty include Baghdad and Fallujah in Iraq, and Kandahar, Afghanistan. He is currently a student at Palm Beach State."
His name also links to the facebook page for "Air Force Junior ROTC FL-824 Lake Worth High School" where Anthony J LaTorre IV wrote: "2000-2004 national drill team champs. still running strong..."
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In 1947 the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association decided not to send a team to the 1948 Olympic Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland, over a disagreement over amateur qualification rules. A group of members and former members of the Royal Canadian Air Force didn't think that was right (well, they were Canadian...)
The Ottawa RCAF Flyers were selected from Air Force stations across Canada and coached by Ottawa Senators legend Buck Boucher and his son, RCAF Sergeant Frank Boucher.
At St. Moritz, they beat Italy 21-1, Poland 15-0, Austria 12-0, the United States 12-3, Great Britain 3-0 and Sweden 3-1, with a scoreless tie against Czechoslovakia. In their final game, they played the host Swiss and needed to win by two goals to finish ahead of the Czech team. Sixty-three years ago today the "RCAF Flyers", skating for Canada, won the Olympic Gold.
Here's the report from Canadian Press writer Jack Sullivan in the Ottawa Journal of February 9, 1948:Murray Dowey, 22-year-old blonde netminder from Toronto, registered his fifth shutout in eight games and Wally Halder, the team's top scorer during the games with 21 goals and eight assists, fired the shot that proved the winner early in the first period.
Patsy Guzzo, Ottawa, added the second Canadian goal in the middle period and Reg Schroeter, Ottawa, made it 3-0 before the midway mark in the third period as the Canadians clung grimly to their lead.
During the second and third periods the partisan Swiss crowd, taking exception to some of the referee's decisions, hurled snowballs at the Flyers.
The ice conditions and the refereeing were so bad that at times the game threatened to develop into a farce. The officials, Eric De Marcwicz of Britain and Van Reyshoot of Belgium, were pointedly in favor of Switzerland, some of the latter's decisions being almost unbelievable.
Halder tried to check a Swiss player at one point but fell flat. The Swiss player also went down. Halder was thumbed off for five minutes by Van Reyshoot -- "for tripping and interference". Later Heinrich Boller, Swiss defenceman, cross-checked Thomas (Red) Hibbard, who fell heavily to the ice. Both players were sent to the penalty box. Near the end of the game during a scramble in front of the Canaian goal Boller punched Dowey in the face but was given only a two-minute penalty.
"We played eight men -- the Swiss players and the referees -- and still beat 'em", said Cpl. George McFaul.
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These guys might have sounded better at halftime than the vocal and audio trainwreck we saw in Dallas:
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Haha and they forgot to turn on Fergie's mic for about the first 15 seconds including a little bit of her solo.
What a shit show.
And in that 15 seconds she sounded better than she did for the next 11:45.
"Dear Kim, Your rack is unreal."
Good military/aviation books
in General Discussion
Posted
Great guy. "Like" him over on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/walterjboyne) for even more stories, if you're over there as well.