For today's quickie we present a Sukhoi Su-27P Flanker of the Russian Knights demo team, seen at an airshow in Zhukovsky, near Moscow back in 2004. Dat's a 'purty-lookin' paint job, ain't it?
Enjoy...
Sergey Ryabtsev photo
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Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Fancy Flanker
Sergey Ryabtsev photo
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Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Gibralter After Dark
Today we bring you a quickie in the form of a super-groovy purty-pikshur. Some sources state that the Dakota shown in this photo from 1944 was operated by BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation), while others state that it was an RAF-operated machine. Either way, seems as though it's a British ship... and with that backdrop, it really doesn't matter a whole helluvalot, does it?
Enjoy...
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Enjoy...
Imperial War Museum
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Monday, January 2, 2017
Night Hurricane
For our little cyber-rag's first installment of the new year we bring you a striking photo which has fascinated your blogmeister since his childhood and which helped foster an intense interest in nocturnal aerial combat which persists to this day.
First seen by yours truly on a postcard purchased at an airshow, this super-groovy photo from early 1942 shows a Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc flown by Squadron leader Dennis Smallwood, C.O. of 87 Squadron, RAF. During the Battle of Britain 87 Squadron was busy both night and day, eventually becoming one of the first dedicated night-fighter outfits of the RAF. It is this role for which the squadron is best-known, and the reason that this Hurri is finished in the all-black paint scheme referred to as 'Special Night'.
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First seen by yours truly on a postcard purchased at an airshow, this super-groovy photo from early 1942 shows a Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc flown by Squadron leader Dennis Smallwood, C.O. of 87 Squadron, RAF. During the Battle of Britain 87 Squadron was busy both night and day, eventually becoming one of the first dedicated night-fighter outfits of the RAF. It is this role for which the squadron is best-known, and the reason that this Hurri is finished in the all-black paint scheme referred to as 'Special Night'.
Imperial War Museum
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Friday, December 23, 2016
Bear Hunting
Your blogmeister has long been fascinated by 'intercept' photos and has collected a good number of them over the years... so this will undoubtedly be the beginning of yet another recurring series here on 'TWW'.
From time to time the Russkies get a bit curious about what we're doing, and vice-versa. Sometimes one side gets a bit close for comfort, and the other side sends somebody out to say, 'Wasssuuuuup?'
The photo we present today documents one of these 'meet and greets' which occurred on February 15th, 1977 when an F-14A Tomcat from VF-14 'Top Hatters' intercepted a Tupolev Tu-95 'Bear D' over the Mediterranean Sea. VF-14 was at the time flying as part of CVW-1 aboard the USS John F. Kennedy, and this particular Tomcat was still decked out in special markings that had been applied to celebrate the USA's bicentennial the previous year.
More intercept shots to come!
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From time to time the Russkies get a bit curious about what we're doing, and vice-versa. Sometimes one side gets a bit close for comfort, and the other side sends somebody out to say, 'Wasssuuuuup?'
The photo we present today documents one of these 'meet and greets' which occurred on February 15th, 1977 when an F-14A Tomcat from VF-14 'Top Hatters' intercepted a Tupolev Tu-95 'Bear D' over the Mediterranean Sea. VF-14 was at the time flying as part of CVW-1 aboard the USS John F. Kennedy, and this particular Tomcat was still decked out in special markings that had been applied to celebrate the USA's bicentennial the previous year.
U.S. Navy photo
More intercept shots to come!
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Thursday, December 22, 2016
Learning to Fly
Today we bring you a really swell shot showing a stacked formation of five North American BT-9s from Randolph Field, Texas, circa 1940.
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Project 914 Archives
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Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Local Weather Modification
We loves-us some purty-pikshurs around these parts, and today's offering certainly qualifies. 'Tis an ausgezeichnet shot of a German Luftwaffe F-4F Phantom II turnin' and burnin' with the cloud machine switched on. Genießen!
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Project 914 Archives
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Monday, December 19, 2016
A Deuce Lets Loose
Today we bring you a super-freakin' groovy shot of a Convair F-102A Delta Dagger firing its load of 2.75 FFARs, probably at a target drone... but if you use your imagination, you can almost see that Deuce sitting about a mile behind a Tu-95 Bear...
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Project 914 Archives
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Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Sweeping Forward
Today we present a couple'a photos showing one of the most visually striking aircraft to ever take flight... the Grumman X-29.
On this day back in 1984 Grumman test pilot Chuck Sewell took the first X-29 into the air for its maiden flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It had been more than a decade since an 'X' series aircraft had flown, and it would be a couple years shy of another decade before the program came to an end.
Two X-29s were constructed, based primarily on the Northrop F-5 airframe and incorporating completely new forward-swept wings. Their USAF serial numbers were 82-0003 and 82-0049. From 1984 to 1992, both X-29s made at least a couple hundred flights (the exact number eludes us, as every single reputable reference we've come across indicates a different number) testing flight performance of the the forward-swept-wing and its thin supercritical airfoil, variable camber wing surfaces, fly-by-wire control systems, and the use of new and novel materials such as composites in aircraft construction, among other things.
Anyhoo, this-here cyber-rag is more about the images than anything else, so here's a couple'a cool shots of the first X-29... enjoy.
First flight, of '003' December 14th, 1984.
And a super-groovy top-down view of '003' from 1985...
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On this day back in 1984 Grumman test pilot Chuck Sewell took the first X-29 into the air for its maiden flight at Edwards Air Force Base in California. It had been more than a decade since an 'X' series aircraft had flown, and it would be a couple years shy of another decade before the program came to an end.
Two X-29s were constructed, based primarily on the Northrop F-5 airframe and incorporating completely new forward-swept wings. Their USAF serial numbers were 82-0003 and 82-0049. From 1984 to 1992, both X-29s made at least a couple hundred flights (the exact number eludes us, as every single reputable reference we've come across indicates a different number) testing flight performance of the the forward-swept-wing and its thin supercritical airfoil, variable camber wing surfaces, fly-by-wire control systems, and the use of new and novel materials such as composites in aircraft construction, among other things.
Anyhoo, this-here cyber-rag is more about the images than anything else, so here's a couple'a cool shots of the first X-29... enjoy.
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First flight, of '003' December 14th, 1984.
USAF photo - Edwards AFB
And a super-groovy top-down view of '003' from 1985...
NASA photo
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Sunday, December 11, 2016
Commando, With a Capitol 'C'
Although you rarely see any of them in this-here cyber-rag, we've got a soft spot for birds of the Curtiss-Wright variety around these parts, especially the P-40 Warhawk and the C-46 Commando. Your blogmeister's Grandfather did his part during the Second World War, working at Curtiss-Wright in Buffalo, NY, helping to build many examples of both aforementioned types, which has led to your blogmeister living a life-obsessed... and today he feels compelled to present something from his personal vault.
Curtiss Commando N9893Z was manufactured in Buffalo, NY as C-46D 44-77574. Although we currently have no information as to her wartime service, we do know that she served with the 335th Troop Carrier Squadron, 514th Troop Carrier Group at Burlington AFB, Vermont in 1952 and with the 2578th Air Force Reserve Flying Training Canter at Ellington AFB, Texas in 1953. After that, another blank period until 1961 when she came under the ownership of Capitol Airways.
During her time with Capitol, N9893Z was leased, first to Quicktrans which did contract work for the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Supplies and Accounts during the early-mid 1960s, and later to Lufthansa, helping to establish that line's cargo operations.
Though we do not know the name of the photographer or the location, the photo presented here was likely taken in 1969 or the early 1970s after N9893Z had ended her stint with Lufthansa. In 1973 she was sold to Shamrock Airlines, then went on to Caribbean Air Service a few years later, and in 1978 ended up in Colombia, re-registered as HK-2020, though we're not sure as to which outfit(s) she may have been operating with. Apparently the 'ole gal soldiered on into the new century but, again, we're not sure as to further details.
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Curtiss Commando N9893Z was manufactured in Buffalo, NY as C-46D 44-77574. Although we currently have no information as to her wartime service, we do know that she served with the 335th Troop Carrier Squadron, 514th Troop Carrier Group at Burlington AFB, Vermont in 1952 and with the 2578th Air Force Reserve Flying Training Canter at Ellington AFB, Texas in 1953. After that, another blank period until 1961 when she came under the ownership of Capitol Airways.
During her time with Capitol, N9893Z was leased, first to Quicktrans which did contract work for the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Supplies and Accounts during the early-mid 1960s, and later to Lufthansa, helping to establish that line's cargo operations.
Though we do not know the name of the photographer or the location, the photo presented here was likely taken in 1969 or the early 1970s after N9893Z had ended her stint with Lufthansa. In 1973 she was sold to Shamrock Airlines, then went on to Caribbean Air Service a few years later, and in 1978 ended up in Colombia, re-registered as HK-2020, though we're not sure as to which outfit(s) she may have been operating with. Apparently the 'ole gal soldiered on into the new century but, again, we're not sure as to further details.
Project 914 Archives (S.Donacik collection)
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Friday, December 9, 2016
Weekend Warriors
Today we present a fine photo showing three examples of the North American FJ-1 Fury, only thirty of which were built and a type which could not be labeled as 'resoundingly successful'. Nonetheless, it was a stepping stone to greater things, ultimately leading to the F-86 Sabre.
Flown by the Naval Air Reserve outfit based at NAS Oakland in California, these FJ-1s, including BuNo. 120353, the jet nearest to the camera, were photographed in August of 1950, just a few years before the type was retired from active service.
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Flown by the Naval Air Reserve outfit based at NAS Oakland in California, these FJ-1s, including BuNo. 120353, the jet nearest to the camera, were photographed in August of 1950, just a few years before the type was retired from active service.
Project 914 Archives
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Thursday, December 8, 2016
Ole' Magnet Ass
The last of the U.S.A.'s original space pioneers has gone West...
Before he became one of the 'Mercury Seven' and the first American to orbit the Earth, John Herschel Glenn, Jr. was a fighter pilot in the United States Marine Corps, flying combat missions in both the Second World War and the Korean War.
During his first tour of duty in the Korean War he flew the Grumman F9F Panther with VMF-311. It was during this time that he acquired the nickname 'Magnet Ass'... apparently Lady Luck felt that it was Glenn's lot in life to attract more anti-aircraft fire than the rest of his squadron mates. On two occasions he returned to base with a jet that was riddled with more than 250 flak holes.
Glenn flew a second tour in Korea, though this time he was participating in an inter-service exchange program with the USAF, flying a North American F-86 Sabre with the 25th FIS, 51st FIW. It is the Sabre he flew during this second tour that is the subject of today's installment of 'TWW'...
Named 'MiG Mad Marine', and carrying the names of Glenn's daughter Lyn, wife Annie, and son Dave on the nose, the jet also displays three red stars under the windscreen which represent the three MiG-15s he shot down during the tour.
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Before he became one of the 'Mercury Seven' and the first American to orbit the Earth, John Herschel Glenn, Jr. was a fighter pilot in the United States Marine Corps, flying combat missions in both the Second World War and the Korean War.
During his first tour of duty in the Korean War he flew the Grumman F9F Panther with VMF-311. It was during this time that he acquired the nickname 'Magnet Ass'... apparently Lady Luck felt that it was Glenn's lot in life to attract more anti-aircraft fire than the rest of his squadron mates. On two occasions he returned to base with a jet that was riddled with more than 250 flak holes.
Glenn flew a second tour in Korea, though this time he was participating in an inter-service exchange program with the USAF, flying a North American F-86 Sabre with the 25th FIS, 51st FIW. It is the Sabre he flew during this second tour that is the subject of today's installment of 'TWW'...
Named 'MiG Mad Marine', and carrying the names of Glenn's daughter Lyn, wife Annie, and son Dave on the nose, the jet also displays three red stars under the windscreen which represent the three MiG-15s he shot down during the tour.
National Museum of the United States Air Force
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Monday, December 5, 2016
Stupid Stuka Tricks
Today's installment of 'TWW' is about as quick a quickie as you're gonna find around here... enjoy...
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Original image found on Tumblr
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Saturday, December 3, 2016
Back To the Future...?
With this installment of 'TWW' we begin what may or may not be a recurring series which we will dub, 'What in the Sam Hill is Going On Here?'
Well, we actually know what in the Sam Hill is going on here... sorta. An American Airlines DC-3 is taking off while a stagecoach rambles on alongside.
What's that? Your blogmeister thinks he can hear the readership of about half-a-dozen or so exclaim, gratefully, "Thanks ever so much, Captain Obvious!"
You're welcome.
Now, the not-so straight dope on this, as we understand it, is that the photo was taken in 1937 and used in an American Airlines advertisement a while later... like, in 1949. Hey, that's what we came up with after a fairly short bit-o-digging on the interwebz. Whether it's 100% accurate or not, we dunno.
Anyhoo, we do know for sure that the photo was indeed taken... 'cuz here it is.
And we also know that the photo was used in an advertisement, because... you guessed it, here'tis!
Other'n that, we don't know what the Sam Hill is going on here.
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Well, we actually know what in the Sam Hill is going on here... sorta. An American Airlines DC-3 is taking off while a stagecoach rambles on alongside.
What's that? Your blogmeister thinks he can hear the readership of about half-a-dozen or so exclaim, gratefully, "Thanks ever so much, Captain Obvious!"
You're welcome.
Now, the not-so straight dope on this, as we understand it, is that the photo was taken in 1937 and used in an American Airlines advertisement a while later... like, in 1949. Hey, that's what we came up with after a fairly short bit-o-digging on the interwebz. Whether it's 100% accurate or not, we dunno.
Anyhoo, we do know for sure that the photo was indeed taken... 'cuz here it is.
Project 914 Archives
And we also know that the photo was used in an advertisement, because... you guessed it, here'tis!
Project 914 Archives
Other'n that, we don't know what the Sam Hill is going on here.
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Writing the Book
In our last installment of 'TWW' we shared a photo showing a Lockheed P2V Neptune from US Navy Patrol Squadron Eight and mentioned that said squadron was part of Task Group ALFA when the photo was taken.
Also mentioned was that Task Group ALFA was at the time writing the book on modern combined anti-submarine warfare operations. In other words, they were using all available assets, surface ships, attack subs, and carrier-borne aircraft as well as land-based birds all as one big cooperative team in developing effective tactics and techniques for sub-hunting.
So then, here's a look at those assets... Task Group ALFA, circa 1959.
Here's the Navy's caption for this photo:
"Formation portrait of the Atlantic Fleet anti-submarine group's ships and aircraft, taken during exercises in 1959 with Secretary of the Navy William B. Franke embarked. Ships include the group flagship, USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) in center, two submarines, and seven destroyers. Identifiable among the latter are USS Eaton (DDE-510) at left front, USS Beale (DDE-471) following Eaton, USS Waller (DDE-466) in the center foreground, and USS Conway (DDE-507) at right front. Aircraft overhead include two four-plane formations of S2F Trackers and three HSS-1 Seabat helicopters from the Valley Forge air group, plus one shore-based P2V Neptune."
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Also mentioned was that Task Group ALFA was at the time writing the book on modern combined anti-submarine warfare operations. In other words, they were using all available assets, surface ships, attack subs, and carrier-borne aircraft as well as land-based birds all as one big cooperative team in developing effective tactics and techniques for sub-hunting.
So then, here's a look at those assets... Task Group ALFA, circa 1959.
US Navy photo
Here's the Navy's caption for this photo:
"Formation portrait of the Atlantic Fleet anti-submarine group's ships and aircraft, taken during exercises in 1959 with Secretary of the Navy William B. Franke embarked. Ships include the group flagship, USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) in center, two submarines, and seven destroyers. Identifiable among the latter are USS Eaton (DDE-510) at left front, USS Beale (DDE-471) following Eaton, USS Waller (DDE-466) in the center foreground, and USS Conway (DDE-507) at right front. Aircraft overhead include two four-plane formations of S2F Trackers and three HSS-1 Seabat helicopters from the Valley Forge air group, plus one shore-based P2V Neptune."
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Thursday, December 1, 2016
Sub Hunter
Today we bring you a splendid photo showing Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune BuNo. 128328 while she was assigned to VP-8 in 1959. Patrol Squadron Eight was at the time operating as part of Task Group ALFA which was writing the book on modern combined anti-submarine warfare operations.
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Lieutenant Commander Robert Lee Hogg, US Navy (Retired)
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Wednesday, November 30, 2016
The First Hornet
We've said it again and again... we love purty pikshurs around here, and for today's quickie we bring you one. F-18A BuNo. 160775, the first of three initial Full-Scale Development Hornets to be constructed, was photographed against a gorgeous golden sunset in 1979...
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Project 914 Archives
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Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Der Geschwaderlöwe
It's mascot time again, folks!
This time around we have a lion cub named 'Simba', kept by Leutnant Franz von Werra of II Gruppe, JG 3 during the early stages of the war. Lions seem to have been a somewhat common mascot in the Luftwaffe, with the name 'Simba' being equally popular.
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This time around we have a lion cub named 'Simba', kept by Leutnant Franz von Werra of II Gruppe, JG 3 during the early stages of the war. Lions seem to have been a somewhat common mascot in the Luftwaffe, with the name 'Simba' being equally popular.
Project 914 Archives
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Monday, November 28, 2016
Angelito
Today on 'TWW' we present what your blogmeister thinks is a super-groovy photo. The caption in the news tag on the reverse of the print provides only this vague description: "A Spanish Air Force plane flies over Sevilla." The date given is January 16th, 1941. For those among our readership of about half-a-dozen or so who may not be in the know, this 'Spanish Air Force plane' is a Henschel Hs 123.
First used in Spain by Germany's 'Legion Condor' during the Spanish Civil War, the type gained considerable favor with Franco's Nationalists as an excellent ground support aircraft and was given the suitable nickname of 'Angelito'... 'Little Angel'. After the end of the war, the victorious Nationalists purchased the surviving 'Legion Condor' machines as well as eleven additional examples for the Ejército del Aire.
The Hs 123 was also used by the Germans during the Second World War, especially on the Eastern Front. Production of the type ended in 1940, though, and lack of spare parts saw its retirement from front line service by 1944. At least one Hs 123 is known to have soldiered on in Spanish service until 1945. Sadly, no examples of this robust and, by all accounts, highly effective warplane are known to survive today.
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First used in Spain by Germany's 'Legion Condor' during the Spanish Civil War, the type gained considerable favor with Franco's Nationalists as an excellent ground support aircraft and was given the suitable nickname of 'Angelito'... 'Little Angel'. After the end of the war, the victorious Nationalists purchased the surviving 'Legion Condor' machines as well as eleven additional examples for the Ejército del Aire.
Project 914 Archives
The Hs 123 was also used by the Germans during the Second World War, especially on the Eastern Front. Production of the type ended in 1940, though, and lack of spare parts saw its retirement from front line service by 1944. At least one Hs 123 is known to have soldiered on in Spanish service until 1945. Sadly, no examples of this robust and, by all accounts, highly effective warplane are known to survive today.
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Sunday, November 27, 2016
Beautiful Demons
Today we have another quickie for ya'll... a fine photo showing Hawker Demons of 23 Squadron, Royal Air Force, during the 1930s.
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RAF Photo
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Saturday, November 26, 2016
Jumping Tigers
Today we bring you a super-groovy quickie... a photo showing three AV-8A Harriers of VMA-542 'Tigers' during maneuvers sometime in the 1970s. Sorry folks, we don't know much more than that, except to say that VMA-542 was the second U.S.M.C. outfit to convert to the quirky little British jump-jet.
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Project 914 Archives (USMC photo)
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