Airplane Nicknames

XBRADTC’s post on hardware nicknames led me to 2 comprehensive lists airplane nicknames:

Aircraft Nicknames

       Aardvark 		    General Dynamics F-111
       Able Dog 		    Douglas AD Skyraider
       Aerobee			    Aerojet General X-8
       All Three Dead		    Douglas A3D Skywarrier
       Aluminium Overcast	    Convair B-36 Peacemaker
       Aluminium Overcast	    Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
       Aluminium Overcast	    Douglas C-124 Globemaster
       Ambar ("Barn")               Beriev MBR-2
       Angel			    Lockheed U-2
       Anushka			    Antonov An-2
       Anushka			    Polikarpov Po-2
       Ass-Ender		    Curtiss XP-55 Ascender
       Awful Terrible Six	    North American AT-6 Texan
       Baltimore Whore		    Martin B-26 Marauder
       Bamboo Bomber		    Cessna UC-78 Bobcat
       Banjo			    McDonnell F2H Banshee
       Bantam Bomber		    Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
       Barge			    Douglas SBD Dauntless
       Bat Plane                    Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
       Beast			    Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
       Bee Tee			    Vultee BT-13 Valiant
       Bent-Wing Bird		    Vought F4U Corsair
       Blackfish		    Fairey Swordfish (built by Blackburn)
       Blechesel ("Tin Donkey")	    Junkers J I
       Bloody Paraliser 	    Handley Page 0/400
       Biff			    Bristol F.2B
       Big Bird 		    McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
       Big Stick		    Convair B-36 Peacemaker
       Billy's Bomber               North American B-25 Mitchell
       Blackbird		    Lockheed SR-71
       Black Jet		    Lockheed F-117
       Bleed-Air Blimp		    Lockheed C-130 Hercules
       Bone			    Rockwell B-1 Lancer
       Boomerang                    Northrop B-2 Spirit
       Brisfit			    Bristol F2B
       Britschik ("Little Shaver")  Bell P-39 Airacobra
       Bucon			    Hispano HA 1112K
       Budget Bomber		    Northrop B-2 Spirit
       Buff			    Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
       (Big, Ugly Fat F*****)
       Bug Smasher		    Beech C-45 Expeditor
       Bumble Bee		    McDonnell XF-85 Goblin
       Buzz Bomb		    V-1
       Cadillac 		    Northrop M2
       Canuck                       Curtiss JN-4D
       Catfish			    Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk
       Cee One-Oh-Boom		    Consolidated C-109 Liberator
       Chaika (Gull)		    Beriev Be-12 'Mail'
       Chaika (Gull)		    Polikarpov I-153
       Chickenhawk		    Cessna T-41 Mescalero
       Chipmunk                     Boeing RC-135C
       Clunk			    Douglas SBD Dauntless
       Coconutknocker		    Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
       Connie			    Lockeed Constellation
       Convertor		    Cessna T-37
       Cradle                       Fairchild PT-19
       Cranberry		    Martin B-57 Canberra
       Crane			    Sykorsky CH-54 Tarhe
       Crowd Killer		    Fairchild C-87 Packet
       Crowd Killer		    Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
       Dagger			    Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
       Dart			    Convair F-106 Delta Dart
       Delta Queen		    Convair B-58 Hustler
       Deuce			    Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
       Dinosaur 		    Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar
       Dogship			    Grumman A-6 Intruder
       Dollar Nineteen		    Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
       Doodlebug		    V-1
       Dorito			    MDD A-12
       Double-Breasted Cub	    Cessna UC-78 Bobcat
       Double Ugly		    McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
       Double Ugly		    Grumman EA-6B Prowler
       Dowager Ducchess 	    Douglas C-47 Dakota
       Dragon Lady		    Lockheed U-2
       Dreifinger (Three Fingers)   Junkers Ju 88
       Droop Snoot		    Lockheed P-38 Lightning with glass nose
       Egg			    Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
       Electric Jet		    General Dynamics F-16
       Emil			    Messerschmitt Bf 109E
       Etagere (Elevator)           NC.1071
       Faithfull Annie		    Avro Anson
       Fat Albert		    Lockheed C-130 Hercules
       Fertile Myrtle		    Grumman AF-2W Guardian
       Fifi			    Grumman F3F
       Fliegendes Stachelschwein    Short Sunderland
       Flying Banana		    Vertol CH-21 Workhorse
       Flying Bathtub		    Northrop M2F
       Flying Bedstead		    Rolls-Royce TMR
       Flying Carrot		    Westland Lysander
       Flying Coffin		    Airspeed Horsa
       Flying Dump Truck            Douglas AD Skyraider
       Flying Edsel		    General Dynamics F-111
       Flying Eggbeater 	    Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly
       Flying Gas Station	    Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
       Flying Prostitute	    Martin B-26 Marauder
       Flying Potato		    Martin-Marietta X-24A
       Flying Flatiron		    Martin-Marietta X-24B
       Flying Shithouse 	    Kaman HH-43 Huskie
       Flying Suitcase              Handley Page Hampden
       Flying Speed Brake	    Lockheed Constellation
       Flying Washboard 	    Ford Trimotor
       FOD Vacuum		    Northrop F-89 Scorpion
       Ford			    Douglas F4D Skyray
       Fork-tailed Devil	    Lockheed P-38 Lightning
       FRED                         Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
       (Fantastic Ridiculous Economic Disaster)
       Fritz			    Messerschmitt Bf 109F
       Frog			    Martin P5M Mariner
       Frustrated Palm Tree	    Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfly
       Gabelschwanzteufel	    Lockheed P-38 Lightning
       (Fork-tailed devil)
       Gator			    Boeing T-43
       Go Get Him Fido              AIM-120 AMRAAM
       Ghost			    Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
       Ginnie			    Vickers Virginia
       Gipsy Rose Lee		    Curtiss P-40L Warhawk
       Gliding Electric Show	    Grumman EA-6B Prowler
       GLOB			    Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
       (Ground Loving Old Bastard)
       Gooney Bird		    Douglas C-47 Dakota
       Grach                        Suchoi Su-25
       Grand Old Lady		    Douglas C-47 Dakota
       Ground Gripper		    De Havilland Trident
       Ground Loving Whore	    Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
       Guppy			    Grumman AF-2W Guardian
       Gustav			    Messerschmitt Bf 109G
       Gutless Cutlass		    Vought F7U Cutlass
       Habu			    Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
       Halibag                      Handley Page Halifax
       Heinneman's Hot Rod          Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
       Helldiver                    Curtiss F8C
       Herk			    Lockheed C-130 Hercules
       Hog			    Republic F-84 Thunderjet
       Hog			    Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
       Hog			    Lockheed C-130 Hercules
       Hog			    Bell UH-1 Iroquois
       Hog Nose                     Boeing RC-135M
       Hook			    Boeing CH-47 Chinook
       Huey			    Bell UH-1 Iroquois
       Huey Cobra		    Bell AH-1 Cobra
       Hummer			    Cessna T-37
       Hummer			    Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
       Hun			    North American F-100 Super Sabre
       Iron Butterfly		    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Ironworks		    Grumman
       Ishak ("Jackass")            Polikarpov I-16
       Jenny			    Curtiss JN
       Jug			    Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
       Jump Jet 		    BAe/MDD AV-8 Harrier
       Kaasjager (Cheese fighter)   North American F-86K Sabre
       Katy			    Payen Pa 49
       Katyusha 		    Tupolev SB-2
       Kanonenvogel                 Junkers Ju 87G
       Kobry ("Cobra")              Bell P-39 Airacobra
       Kraft Ei (power egg)         Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet
       Kukuruznik		    Antonov An-2
       Lanc                         Avro Lancaster
       Lawn Dart		    General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
       Lawn Dart		    Rockwell B-1 Lancer
       Lead Sled		    McDonnell F3H Demon
       Lead Sled		    Republic F-84 Thunderjet
       Lead Sled		    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Lead Sled		    Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
       Lead Sled		    Boeing RC-135U
       Lieutenant Eater 	    Republic F-84 Thunderjet
       Little Hummer		    General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
       Little Hummer		    Douglas A-26 Invader
       Little Racer		    Douglas A-26 Invader
       Lizzie			    Westland Lysander
       Loach			    Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
       Magnesium Overcast	    Convair B-36 Peacemaker
       Man-Eater		    LTV A-7 Corsair II
       Maytag Messerschmitt	    Ryan PT-22 Recruit
       Meatbox                      Gloster Meteor
       Mezek ("Mule")               Avia S-199
       MiG Master		    Vought F8U Crusader
       Mighty Iron Hardware	    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Mighty Mite		    Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
       Monkeyknocker		    Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
       Mos Neata (Geezer)	    I.A.R. 39
       Mosca (Fly)		    Polikarpov I-16
       Nighthawk		    Lockheed F-117
       Ninak			    De Havilland D.H.9A
       North American Safety Jet    North American T-2 Buckeye
       Old Metuselah		    Douglas C-47 Dakota
       Old Shaky		    Douglas C-124 Globemaster
       Old Smokey		    McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
       Olive on a toothpick	    Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
       One-Oh-Wonder		    McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
       Overcast 		    North American B-70 Valkyrie
       Panzerknacker                Junkers Ju 87G
       Peacemaker		    Convair B-36
       Pea Shooter		    Boeing P-26
       Peter Dash Flash 	    North American P-51 Mustang
       Pinball			    Bell RP-63 Kingcobra
       Placid Plodder		    Douglas C-47 Dakota
       Plastic Bug                  McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet
       Polecat			    Grumman X-29
       Porker			    Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
       Pregnant Beast		    Grumman TBF Avenger
       Puff, the Magic Dragon	    Douglas AC-47
       Pylly Walteri                Brewster B-239 Buffalo (Finnish)
       (Bustling Walter)
       Queen			    Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
       Q-bird			    Grumman EA-6B Prowler
       Queer			    Grumman EA-6B Prowler
       Radial Interceptor	    Beech T-34 Mentor
       Rhapsody in Glue 	    Cessna UC-78 Bobcat
       Rhino			    McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
       Sabre Dog		    North American F-86D Sabre
       Scarier			    BAe/MDD AV-8 Harrier
       Scrapper 		    Grumman AF-2S Guardian
       Seven Balls Two		    Convair XF-92
       Shagbat			    Supermarine Walrus
       Shar                         BAe Sea Harrier
       Shithook 		    Boeing CH-47 Chinook
       Silver Bullet		    Convair XP-81
       Silver Dollar		    North American F-100 Super Sabre
       Silver Sow		    Boeing C-135
       Six			    Convair F-106 Delta Dart
       Six Shooter		    Convair F-106 Delta Dart
       Skooter			    Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
       Skunk Works		    Lockheed's Burbank plant
       Skycrane 		    Sykorsky CH-54 Tarhe
       Skyhog			    Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
       SLAT			    Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
       (Slow, Low Aerial Target)
       Sled			    Lockheed SR-71
       Slick			    Bell UH-1 Iroquois
       Slick Chick		    North American RF-100A
       Slow But Deadly		    Douglas SBD Dauntless
       Slow Navy Bomber 	    Beech SNB Kansan
       Sluf			    LTV A-7 Corsair II
       (Short, little ugly fellah)
       Snake			    Bell AH-1 Cobra
       Snake			    Lockheed P2V Neptune
       Son of a Bitch 2nd Class     Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
       Spad			    Douglas A-1 Skyraider
       Spam Can 		    North American P-51 Mustang
       Sparkvark		    Grumman EF-111 Raven
       Speedy Three		    Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless
       Spit			    Supermarine Spitfire
       Squash Bomber		    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Staggerwing		    Beech 17
       Superbolt		    Republic P-47 Thunderbolt with 'bubble'
				    cockpit.
       Stanley Steamer		    Northrop F-89 Scorpion
       Star Lizard		    Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
       Sterile Arrow		    Grumman EA-6B Prowler
       Stoof			    Grumman S2F Tracker
       Strat			    Boeing 377 Stratocruiser
       Stratobladder		    Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
       Strike Pig		    Boeing T-43
       Stringbag		    Fairey Swordfish
       Stuka			    Junkers Ju-87
       Super Hog		    Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
       Super Shitter		    Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion
       Swinger			    General Dynamics F-111
       Switchblade		    General Dynamics F-111
       Swoose Goose		    Vultee XP-54
       Tadpole			    Grumman A-6 Intruder
       Taivaan Helmi (Sky Pearl)    Brewster B-239 Buffalo (Finnish)
       Tank			    Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
       Tante Ju 		    Junkers Ju 52/3m
       Tausendfussler		    Arado Ar 232
       T-bird			    Lockheed T-33
       T-bolt			    Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
       Tennis Court		    McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
       Thud			    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Thunder Piglet		    Fairchild Republic T-46A
       Thunderscreech		    Republic XF-84H
       Tin Goose		    Ford Trimotor
       Tinker Toy		    Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
       Tin Mossie		    Vickers 432
       Torbeau                      Bristol Beaufighter TF.X
       Tripehound		    Sopwith Triplane
       Triple Threat		    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Tsetse			    De Havilland Mosquito FB Mk.XVIII
       T-tailed Mountain Magnet     Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
       Tub			    Convair TF-102 Delta Dagger
       Turkey			    Grumman F-14 Tomcat
       Turkey			    Grumman TBF Avenger
       Tweet			    Cessna T-37
       Tweety Bird		    Cessna T-37
       Ubiytsa (Killer) 	    Yakovlev Yak-3U
       Ultra Hog		    Republic F-105 Thunderchief
       Useless 78		    Cessna UC-78 Bobcat
       Useless Deuce                Lockheed U-2
       Velcro Hawk                  Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
       Vibrator 		    Vultee BT-13 Valiant
       Viper			    General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
       Voting Member		    F-16 pilot
       Warthog			    Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
       Whale			    Douglas F3D Skynight
       Whale			    Douglas A3D Skywarrior
       Whispering Death 	    Vought F4U Corsair (apocryphical?)
       Whispering Death 	    Bristol Beaufighter
       Whistling Shitcan	    BAe/MDD AV-8 Harrier
       White Rocket		    Northrp T-38 Talon
       Widow-Maker		    Martin B-26 Marauder
       Willy Fudd		    Grumman W2F
       Wimpy			    Vickers Wellington
       Wobblin' Goblin              Lockheed F-117
       World's Largest Dog Whistle  Cessna T-37
       Yastreb (Hawk)		    Polikarpov I-16
       Yastrebok (Little Hawk)	    Polikarpov I-16, also for other fighters
       Yellow Peril		    Stearman N2S / PT-17 Kaydet

and here too but there may be some overlap. I’m sure most are familiar to most readers. Feel free to add some in the comments that aren’t listed. 2 that I didn’t see were the Cessna 208 called the “Baja” and the Citation 1 called the “slowtation.”

“When You Are Tired Of London, You are Tired Of Life” (1974 Version)

 

Wandering around my scanned slides, and knowing our own HogdayAfternoon is a Londoner, I thought he (& you) would get a kick out of some of these pictures. These photos were made in Dec 1974, just a few weeks before I was to be discharged.

And admittedly I saw only a tiny sliver of Britain, London, Greenwich (where all that Zulu stuff comes from ) – think I took a tour or 2 out in the country.

Only had a week so I really had to see things the tourist way.

Being a Spec/4 making the sum of $400/month I still managed to find a place to stay in London – someone’s home (is there a Victoria area of London HD?)

As I recall the house was a bit on the dirty side but huge breakfasts – a typical British breakfast bangers (sausage – bacon, etc) – then each day I decided what to see.

What I did see made me want to come back and see more – 39 years and counting

One of the highlights was – like a trip to Manhattan in 2005 – I had to see a play on the west end. And looking back I happened to pick one of the memorable plays – by a memorable cast – in West End history.

Pygmalion, with Diana Rigg.

And being a lowly Spec/4 (that’s Corporal to the rest of the world) and being in jeans -not appropriate for the theater at the time – I managed to get Standing Room Only for 3 pounds.

 

If there is a quintessential British play on any short list would be G.B. Shaw’s (Britain and America are 2 countries separated by a common language) Pygmalion, about a professor’s bet that he could turn a poor London street girl, Eliza Doolittle, into a proper British lady speaking the Queen’s English.

Anyway, I hopped an Air Force C141 from Rhein-Main with a promise to the Sgt and CO that I would be pack in precisely 7 days.

There’s a funny story about how that turned out which I’ll tell in a later installment.

Anyway I’ll make this into 2-3 installments & try to only upload the pics that give you a sense of London – 39 years ago.

Hope you enjoy it.

…the train station by R.A.F. Mildenhall

On the way in, stopped at Cambridge..

Victoria Station, of course!

 

That is Diana to the left – sure my picture was against theater rules but I am sure the statute of limitations has arrived.

Or if not do you know a good barrister HD? Is Rumpole still around?

I’ll show some more tomorrow – will try to leave out the overtly tourist things and give you a flavor, er, flavour, of London nearly 40 years ago.

Flight Crew Talk: The Beatings Will Continue.

Reblogged from JetHead's Blog:

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What we have here . . . is a failure to communicate.

You wouldn't think it would be so hard for crewmembers to communicate in flight--we have the technology; interphone, PA system, headsets and handsets--even our oxygen masks on the flight deck are wired for sound.

Nonetheless, once the cockpit door is closed, communication dies a slow, miserable death and as captain--it's YOU taking the Cool Hand Luke beating from the Road Boss.

Read more… 877 more words

Sunrise

We were assigned the yo-yo tanker for the early morning wasex (war at sea) launch. We being me and Joe.
One might ask what the heck is a yo-yo tanker? Well, a yo-yo tanker is either a good deal or a bad deal, depending on the viewpoint one wants to adopt.
A yo-yo tanker is usually the first jet launched off the carrier, in this case the USS Constellation. The tanker has a full load of jet fuel, climbs to on station, and awaits the strike force which will launch after the tanker.
The tanker quickly passes all the fuel he can to the fighters and bombers and sends them on their merry way to whatever target or adversary is out there and is the subject wanting the attention of so many of the Navy’s finest.
Once all the fuel the tanker can afford to give away is gone, the tanker goes right back down to the pattern and traps on the ship. Then the tanker hot pumps (is refueled on deck while still running), taxis to the nearest catapult, and is launched again to be available to the returning fighters and bombers who have burned up all of Uncle Sam’s precious fuel–being the purveyors of destruction and fast flight that they are.
The good deal part of all this is the tanker crew gets to bag two cat shots and two traps whilst the other mortals on the same launch get just one apiece.
The bad deal part of all this is the tanker crew is just that, a tanker crew. The other planes have left on a mission, they are going to practice dropping ordinance on some target and chasing bad guys around the pretend hostile sky. Droning around with a fuel hose out the back end is not the epitome of coolness. You have to adopt an attitude that works for you.
On this day Joe and I punched off the pointy end of the ship in our KA-6D while it was still dark. There was a pinkish edge to the horizon, which was an absolute bonus thing to see as the tanker accelerated off the bow into what could have been the deepest of dark black places in the sky. You take all the help offered, a horizon is always good for the soul.
Joe and I climbed up to about 20,000′ in the direction of the target and took up a left orbit. Soon the fighters showed up and one by one they sucked up all the fuel we could give for the moment. Calculating how much fuel to give away is an art and a survival tactic. The art part comes with giving away as much as you possibly can to those who will really need the fuel to accomplish the mission. Typically the fighter guys, F-14′s in this case, will take every ounce a tanker will give. If it weren’t for safeguards on the tanker the turkeys could suck out all the fuel the tanker owns and leave it in a flameout. The survival part is conniving as best as one can the anticipated time the tanker will land back on the ship. Give away as much fuel as possible but still have enough to loiter around until the ship has a clear landing area. Miscalculating and being too conservative means the strike force leaves with not as much fuel as they thought they would have. Being a liberal with the fuel give away might up the pucker factor greatly when the ship relays that it won’t be ready to recover aircraft when you thought it would.
On this occasion the ship let us know that it would at least 20 minutes or so longer than we anticipated before we could recover. And they let us know before we gave away that 20 minutes extra fuel. Nice.
So there we were, droning around in the sky all our own. Everybody else had left. Joe and I were simply enjoying the quiet interlude as we waited for the deck to be ready.
The pinkish twinge on the horizon turned to a bit of orange, and then a glorious burst of orange, Joe and I got to watch a spectacular sunrise at sea. The rim of the sun came out of the sea and mist with all the majesty Our Creator can muster. As sunrises go, this one was a lollapalooza. Just flat awesome. Aviation gives us bonuses once in a while.
Joe remarked that we had just seen one heck of a sunrise, he wished he could see it again.
Sometimes you get a request you can grant.
I rolled the jet over, pulled the nose down, and we dropped about 15,000′ or so quickly, then started a climb. Our descent had put us below the horizon relative to the sun.
As we climbed upward we got to watch the beautiful sunrise all over again.
Remembering that morning still makes me smile.

A Visit to Luxembourg City and the American Cemetary , 1974

When I got to my second duty station, a NATO radar bunker about equidistant from Trier and Bernkastel on the Moselle River (but east – picture a triangle) we had 24 hours on duty and 24 off.

So most of my trips were day trips -

One day, I just hopped on a regional train with the idea of seeing Luxembourg. Got off the train and started walking.

Didn’t know what to expect, but after seeing boulevards named after FDR and General George Patton, I knew value these people put in America during the battle of Dec, 1944.

You can discover it in the same sequence I did.

 

My caption for the above photo says “Main Boulevard and Embassy Row”

 

 

…General Patton’s grave is “front and center”, reviewing his men

Dambusters Commemoration – Plus 1

There was a couple of excellent programmes on the BBC last night, paying tribute to the Dambusters raid of 617 Squadron seventy years ago. There were two surviving crew members present at the sunset ceremony at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire which was broadcast live.

There was a flypast by two Spitfires (Griffon engined) painted sky blue, in the colours of the photo-recon units that preceded the raids and then delivered the damage reports over the following days. They landed, taxied and parked in front of the gathered guests. Two Tornados from the current 617 Sqdn made a typical, low entrance on reheat, climbed out and slotted into a circuit then landed and parked behind the Spits. The finale was a grand entrance of our last Lancaster, “The City of Lincoln” which, after several graceful fly-by’s, landed and slowly taxied to a halt, inch-perfect and centre stage, shutting down her engines as the band played the Dambusters March. It was timed to absolute perfection and was emotional enough watching on TV, so how the gathered guests felt, stood behind former bomb aimer Sgt `Johnny` Johnson and former Kiwi pilot Sqdn Leader Les Munro (both in their nineties) I can only imagine.

I wanted to let you know something else about this outwardly `very British` ceremony. As the proceedings opened, the RAF Band marched on playing a specially chosen tune for the occasion, “Eagle Squadron”. This was in honour of those American airmen who came here, as volunteers, to fly with the RAF before America joined the war. I reiterate, this was the tune that opened the ceremony.  Furthermore, I wanted to mention that among the Dambusters was American pilot Joe McCarthy who joined 617 Squadron after having just completed a tour of thirty operations and who was included in one of the tribute programmes shown on television later that evening.  As you know I do love my co-incidences – and here’s another. Joe McCarthy’s son,  former US jet pilot and Vietnam Veteran Joe McCarthy jnr,  is married to Shere Fraser, whose father was Flight Sgt John Fraser, RCAF, and a bomb aimer on the raid. Read his remarkable story here.

It was a wonderful little ceremony honouring the remarkable feat of 617 Squadron, honouring the two remarkable 617 survivors present, honouring the airmen who didn’t return that night and of those souls caught up in the terrible aftermath of the raid and, last but not least, honoring the Americans who came to fly with us several years before this raid and were part of what, arguably, still remains the RAF’s finest hour.

I know that not everyone in the current White House administration is much bothered by `Little Britain` these days and some State Department official said a few years ago that `there’s nothing special about Britain`, but those aforementioned little touches in last nights moving ceremony are a small part of the whole that makes up this Nation of mine, are part of what I believe we still stand for and testament that we don’t forget our friends.

They say

Reblogged from Snigs' Spot:

"Be kind to nurses.  We keep doctors from accidentally killing you."

I'm beginning to whole-heartedly believe that.

I swear, I'm sick of the little LPN here having to tell 8 year MDs and RNs with masters degrees that if:

A) the patient is tachycardic

B) the patient nearly falls out when they attempt to stand

and

C) the patient's hemoglobin is 6.2…

Read more… 105 more words

That dear friend of mine and The Old NFO has these words of wisdom for all. We do love Cindy so much...............................................

This day, 1943

Their finest hour

(h/t to The Dambusters)

UCAS-D at sea launch

Reblogged from Among The Joshua Trees:

The X47 UCAS-D of the US Navy has successfully launched from USS George H. W. Bush CVN-77 in the VaCapes Op Area.

I would have loved to be on that deck.

Progress? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But it is the future of Navy Air deep strike, me thinks.

http://youtu.be/hknsbswLFwo

Images of the Reno Air Races

Until about the last 5 years or so, I had been a regular attendee here – from the early 1980s. The modern Reno Air Races started in 1964, in an era when one could buy a P51 Mustang for $7,500-$10,000. Today with about 100 left in flying status the value of these planes  are in the millions, as are their British counterpart, the Spitfire.

 Come to think of it, if it weren’t for the British wanting to try a Rolls Royce Merlin to replace the decent-but-not-spectacular Allison V12, The Mustang would in all probability been another footnote in WW2 aviation.

 Point is, with a few exceptions, the Mustang has dominated the winner’s circle at Reno since 1964.

 With One exception.

 Well, 2.

 Some entrepreneurs have followed the (aeronautical equivalent) path of Sydney Allard in the 50s and Carroll Shelby in the 60s –  mating a British chassis with a powerful American engine – and put the 4,000+ hp P & W R4360 radial into a formidable airframe – the Hawker Sea Fury. The result is a piston plane capable of 500+ mph speeds.

 Then, there was Lyle Sheldon’s Rare Bear – a Grumman Bearcat. This plane, on the drawing boards during WW2, never saw combat before the Pacific war ended.

 But what a machine. It would have made a formidable opponent to the Zero.

 We had a little discussion on the FB page – which aviation piston engine sounds cooler? Well, I’ll have to say on the start up – a radial. One cylinder, 2, 3 all start to fire until all are going in a mechanical symphony.

 But at speed – flying over the deck at maybe 200’ – and nearly 500 mph?

 The Rolls Royce Merlin would be my vote.

 By the way, the original Merlin had a standard horsepower rating of almost 1500 hp – while the teams are pretty right-lipped as to their work results, ratings of 3,400 –3,500 hp keep coming up.

 The Europeans like to cite Formula 1 as the ultimate sport in speed – but to see these magnificent planes – in a tight bank, full throttle over the desert – over 2x as fast as any Michael Schumacher – well, to me that is the ultimate.

 Think these are just a bunch of souped up old planes? Competition is pretty serious – there is even a guy, retired from the famed Lockheed Skunk Works, who helps the teams.

 So, if you can’t join me this September, here is the next best thing.

How the race starts – the planes take off, group up at 2,000′ or so, and fly north of the course. A chase plane is up about another 500-1,000 feet. When they are abeam the stands the pilot in the chase plane says on the radio, “Gentlemen, you have a race”.

The chase plane also helps aircraft with mechanical problems make emergency landings.

When the races started, the chase plane was a P51 Mustang. Because of such increases in speed, the chase plane is now a T33 jet.

The Canadian Snowbirds usually make an appearance – what their little Tuder jets  lack in the power of an F16 or F18, they more then make up in the grace they fly these 9 planes – truly aerial ballet.

One of the mighty Sea Furies – when one appeared in the mid 80s (I think – Dreadnaught) – with the mighty P & W R4360 it swatted away the Mustangs like pesky flies – now you will see several up there. At over 4,000 hp I’d hate to know the GPH flow rate…but then, if you hafta ask….

Not all the aircraft are there for competition – some are on static display…

…a very rare Mustang

You pay an extra $40 or so and you get to wander around in the pit area. The proceeds help the teams pay for the costs of running these thirsty beasts.

This is one of my favorites, Voodoo

This is Strega – it has won numerous times…

 

BTW (relying on my sometimes flaky memory) – but Strega means witch in Italian – that is what is hanging from the rafter

…pretty much applicable to any form of competition

 

 

…Love that Merlin. BTW while Packard didn’t change the design of the Merlin they changed the way it was manufactured – impressing even Rolls Royce if I recall. It is a shame this preeminent automobile company went bankrupt post war, due to bad management.

…one of the Sea Furies

The Sea Fury had the Bristol Centaurus engine originally – 2500 and a 5 blade prop.

This is a Navy Tigercat – like the Bearcat (and I think the Sea Fury) – came out after the war.

I am sure the Royal Navy never anticipated this paint scheme

The Tigercat was not a competitor – just for display and demo. I think its owner owns one of the Sea Furies.

The Skyraider was on static display

…Look at the bottom of the cranshaft here – I guess the result of 3,000 hp and a broken connecting rod . My late friend, Bob Sanigar, transplanted Brit – a master mechanic – said that up until the early 60s one could buy a still-crated-in-cosmolene Packard-Merlin for a pittance.

Now of course they are like gold.