History Friday

[Biff_T]

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/vermont-garrison-0

Another badass. 

[HerkPerfMan]

The Royal Air Force has officially retired its C-130 fleet after 56 years of operation. The final C-130Js (Mk 4 and 5) were retired 30 June 2023. No 47 Squadron completed a farewell flypast over the entire country, including the Mach Loop. Interestingly, they could not return to RAF Brize Norton as planned...because the runway was melting from the extreme high temperatures.

One of RAF C-130Js was sold to the US Navy and converted to the new Fat Albert for the Blue Angels.

Best collection of photos and videos from the flypast here: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/britain-bids-farewell-to-c-130-hercules-with-spectacular-flypast

 

[jonlbs]

Story comes from Elmer Bendiner’s 1980 memoir, The Fall of the Fortresses, based on some light research. Googling the aircraft led to a facebook post about recovering the tail gun that had a comment with the story below about the aircrafts ultimate end it would seem.

 

The crew of an 8th Air Force B-17 has been recovered from a crash site in the Harwich Estuary.

The wreckage of B17G Flying Fortress 43-37516 'Tondalayo' was recovered from the River Stour by the US Army CHLLI team, led by Major Todd Heussner, and assisted by Royal Navy clearance divers. The sole objective was to recover the remains of the aircraft's missing pilot and co- pilot, Lt Col Earle J. Aber & Lt Maurice J. Harper.

Both men perished on the night of March 4th 1945, when their aircraft was shot down by British anti- aircraft defences .The tragedy unfolded around 9.15pm, when the Tondalayo , returning from a leaflet drop on Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, was crossing inland over the east coast. At the same time two enemy aircraft, homeward bound after a sneak raid, were heading easterly at a lower altitude, which no doubt confused the defenders. At 12,000 feet, over Clacton-on-Sea, exploding shells set the aircraft alight in the area of the waist gun positions, severing control cables and injuring the Bombardier, Lt Connie Morton., who sustained injuries to his eyes and right leg. The aircraft rapidly descended to 8,000 feet, and was heading for an emergency landing at Woodbridge when the aircraft was hit again, crippling her further and this time injuring the tail gunner. It was at this point the 'bail out' order was given. All the crew abandoned the aircraft apart from Aber and Harper. Captain Stonerock (navigator) was the last crewman through the hatch at 5,000ft, and later reported that both Aber and Harper had their harnesses on, but not their chutes, so it can only be assumed that they had insufficient time or altitude to do so.

This all matt black special operations aircraft was attached to the 406th Night Leaflet Squadron based at Cheddington, and was the personal aircraft of the unit's commander, Lt Col Aber, being retained by him when the squadron converted to Liberators. Aber was on his 51st mission when he was shot down. Lt Harper had flown Spitfires with the RCAF, before volunteering for a tour on 'Heavies.'

Recovery work began on June 9th 2000, when a salvage barge was positioned on the crash site located on the low tide mark off Wrabness. First attempts at clearing the mud from the site using giant vacuum hoses were soon abandoned due to technical difficulties, primarily with pumps and filters becoming clogged by heavy clay in which the wreckage lay. The recovery continued with a large tracked excavator. The operator worked blindly as the site was only visible for short periods of time. A vast quantity of wreckage was eventually recovered using this method. Parts included one of the aircraft's Cyclone engines together with several super chargers, propeller blades and an undercarriage leg. It was established that the entire tail section and rear fuselage was compressed into little more than eight feet, all of which was painstakingly worked through and sorted until the remains of Lt Col Aber and Lt Harper were found in the area of the bomb bay. Work finally ceased on June 28th when it was thought that sufficient remains of both men had been found. DNA tests later carried out at the US Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii proved their identity. Both men now share a joint grave in Arlington National Cemetery, with Colonel Aber having an additional grave at Cambridge in the American Cemetery.

Pilot Lt. Col E.J Aber
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt M.J Harper
Navigator Capt P.S Stonerock
Bombardier 1st Lt C.R Morton
Radio T/Sgt C.P Valley
Top Turret T/Sgt M.Silber
Ball Turret S/Sgt S.Dombrowski
Tail gunner S/Sgt R.W Ramsey
Waist Gun S/Sgt F.W Thomas
Waist Gun S/Sgt J.A Trexler
Waist Gun 2nd Lt R.W Billings

[Biff_T]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/in-the-early-1960s-soviet-union-sold-titanium-to-the-us-believing-they-needed-it-for-pizza-ovens-but-instead-they-used-it-to-build-the-iconic-sr-71-blackbird-mach-3-spy-plane/

 

[uhhello]

2 hours ago, Biff_T said:

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/in-the-early-1960s-soviet-union-sold-titanium-to-the-us-believing-they-needed-it-for-pizza-ovens-but-instead-they-used-it-to-build-the-iconic-sr-71-blackbird-mach-3-spy-plane/

 

Check out Skunk Works for a great read.  

[SurelySerious]

Check out Skunk Works for a great read.  

Takeaway: never work with the Navy. Still applies.

[Clark Griswold]

Project Feather Duster

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[jonlbs]

 

[Biff_T]

9 hours ago, jonlbs said:

 

Fucking crazy mfers!!!!!   

[Biff_T]

Lt Dan moment....

All of the wars my family faught in since coming to America.  My Mom's an Ulster Scot. Been here since the 1700s.  They faught in everything except Mex and Spanish wars.  Lol

The earliest on my Dad's side got here around 1860.  An Irish Catholic in the Deep South who ended up fighting for the CSA within a year or so from arriving.  Weclome to America, now fight some Yankees with us Mick lol.  The rest of them came after the Civil War.  

My Mom's side  just really liked fighting in wars I think.  They faught in most of conflicts the US has been involved with since we beat those snaggled teethed British clowns.  Lol

An Ulster Scot marrying an Irish Catholic is what the country is/used to be about.  Getting over differences during difficult times and coming out of a coal mine, war or march for freedom covered in dust, with a smile and determination.  That is the American spirit.  Not the woke shit.  Don't let them take it (or let Biden plagiarize my family's history lol) 

Both sides of my family hate the English. Don't trust them either lol

Edited August 7, 2023 by Biff_T
You can see Sasha's tits!!! Lol NSFW

[Biff_T]

Gnarly. 

 

 

 

 

[pawnman]

Larry Thorn, a guy so committed to killing commies he joined 3 different armies to do it - Finland, Germany, and the US.

 

[Clark Griswold]

Recon Sabres

F-100 Slick Chicks

 

[Lawman]

Recon Sabres
F-100 Slick Chicks

 

I found this guys stuff as well.

This was an interesting one from a stand point of developing tactics literally from nothing in an information deficit on knowing what capes the other side really had.




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[Clark Griswold]

11 hours ago, Lawman said:

I found this guys stuff as well.

This was an interesting one from a stand point of developing tactics literally from nothing in an inflammation deficit.

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Yup I watched several of his vids, interesting stuff

His channel:  (43) Not A Pound For Air To Ground - YouTube

This was an interesting what if:

 

[D_Vezencuando]

Not Friday, but a worthwhile read.

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3515972/biden-awards-medal-of-honor-to-pilot-who-rescued-soldiers-during-vietnam-war/

"On the night of June 18, 1968, near the hamlet of Ap Go Cong, South Vietnam, then-Army 1st Lt. Taylor was flying an AH1-G Cobra attack helicopter when he received a radio call for help.."

[Biff_T]

1 hour ago, D_Vezencuando said:

Not Friday, but a worthwhile read.

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3515972/biden-awards-medal-of-honor-to-pilot-who-rescued-soldiers-during-vietnam-war/

"On the night of June 18, 1968, near the hamlet of Ap Go Cong, South Vietnam, then-Army 1st Lt. Taylor was flying an AH1-G Cobra attack helicopter when he received a radio call for help.."

Fuck yeah!

[O Face]

6 hours ago, D_Vezencuando said:

Not Friday, but a worthwhile read.

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3515972/biden-awards-medal-of-honor-to-pilot-who-rescued-soldiers-during-vietnam-war/

"On the night of June 18, 1968, near the hamlet of Ap Go Cong, South Vietnam, then-Army 1st Lt. Taylor was flying an AH1-G Cobra attack helicopter when he received a radio call for help.."

And if you watch until the end, you can witness ourfuckin, brain-dead, Invalid-In-Chief wander off at the inappropriate time, like a two year old. 

[FourFans]

One eyed pilot safely lands hate box glider in the mud
 

I can only guess that @HuggyU2 was the right seat IP on this one.  
 

…meanwhile, all the c-130 guys respond: ‘ok, he did it with one eye…so call it a Q1 with 2 downgrades: t-storm avoidance and centerline control’

Edited September 7, 2023 by FourFans

[Clark Griswold]

Worth the time for an interesting story

F-86D

Project Pull Out. Can’t name a program that now…


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[Biff_T]

 

 

 

[Biff_T]

 

 

 

[Biff_T]

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/kc-10-last-overseas-deployment-before-retirement/

Man tears. 

[Biff_T]

These dudes were definitely British.  "I do believe we've been hit dear sir"  something like that.  

 

 

[O Face]

In honor of:

Live footage shot 82 years ago

Edited December 8, 2023 by O Face