Archive for the ‘Bird of the Week’ Category
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Boeing’s early biplane building experience paid off with the Boeing/Stearman PT-17. Over
10,000 were built for military primary pilot training.
By:
Norm Goyer
Boeing never built many aircraft that could be described as General Aviation
sport aircraft. The closest would be their PT-17, a military primary trainer.
They built no four or even two-passenger planes that were sold to the civilian
market after 1930. These were not Boeing’s market niche, airliners, military
trainers and bombers were the aircraft of choice. So other than military pilots,
Boeings did not show up in many civilian pilot’s logbooks.
This flight of early PT-17s, flying in formation, was typical during the early years of
World War II. Thousands of pilots had to be trained in a hurry. Note the
different wheels on the early models.
Of the hundreds of planes I have flown, there are only two Boeings listed, and
they were very different. I flew the Navy Boeing N2S (PT-17) and the B-52
nuclear long range bomber. It would be difficult to find two more diverse
aircraft. The PT-17 was the last biplane Boeing built and the last tube and
fabric tail dragger primary trainer. The Beechcraft T-34 primary trainer was
next in line and is an all-metal, low-wing monoplane with a tricycle gear and a
flat six engine. The days of big radials, struts and flying wires were over.
But, the PT-17 lives on and will for many decades to come. Why? It was a super
good aircraft.
Note the rugged construction of the Kaydet. A Navy WAVE is shown being given an
indoctrination ride in a Boeing N2S.
In reality the Kaydet was an ideal primary military trainer. It was not easy to
fly; it had a narrow landing gear, impeded visibility forward, Gosport tubes for
communications and was slightly underpowered. This meant students had to fly the
wings not the engine. The anemic 220 hp Continental radial engine was adequate,
but could not fly the plane out of airspeed trouble. But the instructors loved
the airplane, because it was very good at protecting the student and the
instructor in case of a landing or take off accident, and there were many of
these. The fuselage was constructed of welded steel tubing reinforced at all
stations. The wings were strongly constructed and had numerous struts and flying
wires for bracing. What this meant was that the wings would slowly crumple
taking up the G forces of a botched landing or take off. If the plane nosed
over, as many did, the upper wing, with its sturdy cabane struts, would protect
the occupants from head injuries. If a young cadet managed to survive the
primary phase of his training, it proved that he could fly. They were then
transitioned into the fixed-gear, low-wing BT-13 basic trainer, then onto the
Texan for advanced training. This progressive system proved to be an ideal
military flight training method. If a student could fly the Texan, he could
safely fly any military fighter that the Army Air Force had in its inventory.
They all flew easier than the mighty Texan. I can personally vouch for that
fact.
The Red Baron aerobatic team performed in Super Stearmans before thousands of air show
fans. The team was recently disbanded due to the current financial situation.
Large numbers of restored Boeing PT-17s and N2Ss can be seen at any air show
where warbirds are exhibited or aerobatic teams perform. The Kaydet, re-engined
with a Pratt & Whitney 450 hp engine, known as the Super Stearman, are in high
demand. These aircraft cost $11,000 new and now bring over ten times that amount
for a 60 year old airplane. The line forms to the right.
Specifications:
Performance
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
The most widely used FAC aircraft during Vietnam was the Cessna O-1/L-19 Bird Dog. It used many elements of the civilian Cessna 170. It also saw service in Vietnam.
By: Norm Goyer
When the US Army Air Corps became the US Air Force in 1953, there never had been a liaison aircraft that was not constructed of tube and fabric. The military made it very clear that any future aircraft it would purchase would have to be of all metal construction for added longevity. Cessna at the time was manufacturing the all-metal Cessna 170 as a four-passenger private aircraft. This design became the basis of their new liaison L-19 Bird Dog. The first flight of the new aircraft occurred in 1950, and Cessna immediately received orders for more than 3,400 of the aircraft. The greatest difference from the Cessna 170 was that the L-19 only had two-seats, in tandem configuration, (the largest tandem-seat aircraft that Cessna ever produced), with angled side windows to improve ground observation. Other differences included a re-designed rear fuselage, providing a view directly to the rear a feature later dubbed “Omni-View” and used on all Cessna single-engine aircraft after 1964. The L-19 also had transparent panels in the wings’ center-section, similar to those found on the Cessna 140 and the later Cessna 150 Aerobat model. These allowed the pilot to look directly overhead. A wider door was fitted to allow a stretcher to be loaded.
The Korean winters proved the concept of an all metal aircraft.
The first combat the L-19 saw was in Korea, where it was used as a liaison plane, but proved to be too slow for FAC duties. An instrument trainer variant was developed in 1953, later versions had constant-speed propellers. An even later version, the L-19E, had a larger gross weight. Cessna produced 3,431 aircraft which were also built under license by Fuji in Japan. In 1962, the Army L-19 was renamed the O-1 for Observation. Many years later the Cessna Bird Dog entered its second war in Vietnam. During the early 1960s, the Bird Dog was flown by South Vietnamese airmen, US Army aviators and CIA aircrews. In 1964, the Department of Defense issued a memorandum directing that the U.S. Army turn over its O-1 Bird Dogs to the US Air Force, while the army began its transition to a helicopters.
This Canadian L-19 has been retrofitted with a Hoffman four-bladed prop and extra quiet exhaust for noise abatement during long searches.
During the course of the Vietnam War, 469 O-1 Bird Dogs were lost to all causes. The Air Force lost 178, the Marine Corps lost seven. Two hundred eighty four were lost from the US Army, South Vietnamese Forces, and clandestine operators. Three Bird Dogs were lost to enemy SAM missiles. After the war, many O-1s were turned over to the Civil Air Patrol for such duties as aerial search. Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs were used by the military until 1974. The only O-1 remaining in CAP inventory is a static display on a post in front of CAP headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base. Many of these aircraft were sold to private pilots as recreational aircraft. Others went to museums where they are usually displayed in their military combat markings. In Canada, the Royal Canadian Air Cadets use ex CAF L-19 aircraft equipped with a towing rig to tow their Schweizer 2-33 gliders for the Air Cadet gliding program. The L-19/O-1 is a popular ex-military “warbird” with private pilots. As of June, 2009, more than 330 were registered with the FAA. Others are owned and operated outside the United States by individuals and flying clubs.
The L-19/O-1 Bird Dog was a workhorse in Vietnam. The cockpit was large enough for added radios, comfort and visibility for the crew.
Specifications:
Performance
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Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
The Stinson L-5 Sentinel was the FAC of choice during World War II.
By: Norm Goyer
One of the interesting facts of Forward Air Controller aircraft is that nobody every designed one, they just adapted what was available, even though many were not really suitable. When World War II started to escalate, the need for small aircraft to fly cover for the ground troops and to help spot artillery positions became apparent. The Grasshopper fleet could be used in an emergency but these planes were very underpowered, 65-90 hp and super slow spelled “TARGETS.” What was needed was a more powerful and larger aircraft capable of being able to cruise a bit faster, carry a larger payload, mostly in communication equipment, yet still be capable of landing and taking off in small areas closer to the battle front action. The L-4 Cub was typical of the many small two place civilian type training aircraft that were pressed into the military for lack of available aircraft. I have seen an L-4 Cub with smoke rocket launchers strapped to the wing struts. All of the small liaison type aircraft did a fantastic job and deserve the recognition they received, but FAC aircraft, they were not.
Both the Navy and Marines operated L-5s from small aircraft carriers.
Just before hostilities started, the Stinson Division of Consolidate Vultee was building a small 90 hp Stinson 105 Voyager. As the demand for a larger liaison airplane was realized Stinson redesigned the Model 105 into a larger two-place, tandem liaison aircraft called the L-5 Sentinel. They used a Lycoming 185 hp engine, a large fuselage capable of carrying one stretcher and room for radios. The large engine and efficient slot and flap equipped wings gave the aircraft STOL performance and yet was very easy to fly. Those of us who have flown the L-5 certainly know that it was and is a great old airplane. After the war, when they became surplus, many were turned over to CAP Squadrons for search duties. That is where I first flew the L-5. We had a Piper L-4, an Aeronca L-16 and two Stinson L-5s; all were very good search aircraft. Glider clubs also used surplus L-5s as tugs. There was even an L-5 biplane conversion used for ag-dusting. One sat at Flabob Airport in SoCal for years causing many a visitor to exclaim, “What is that?”
Note the wooden prop and large cockpit windows on this L-5.
The original duty of the L-5 “Sentinel” was to deliver information and needed supplies to front line troops. On the return trip, it would evacuate the badly wounded soldiers to rear area field hospitals for medical attention. Troops called the L-5 the Flying Jeep. The USAAF, US Marines, and US Navy used this aircraft in the European, Pacific, and Far East theaters during World War II, and in Korea during the Korean War. The British RAF operated 100 Sentinels in India and Burma. Over its production life, L-5s were modified with constant speed props, 28 volt batteries and drooping flaps and ailerons. One belonging to the US Marines was even operated from an aircraft carrier. But it was the L-5s successful use as a Forward Aircraft Controller in World War II that will be most remembered.
The Stinson L-5 was inspired by the pre-war Stinson 105 Voyager. Note the signature shape of the vertical stabilizer. The L-5 is a great flying airplane.
Specifications:
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Crew: 2 (pilot and observer)
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Length: 24 ft 1 in
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Wingspan: 34ft 0 in
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Height: 7 ft 11 in
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Wing area: 155 ft²
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Empty weight: 1550 lb
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Loaded weight: 2020 lb
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Max takeoff weight: 2050 lb
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Powerplant: Lycoming O-435-1, 185hp
Performance
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Friday, February 19th, 2010
The Northrop YB-49 wing was powered with eight jet engines.
By: Norm Goyer
The Northrop Flying Wing project which started in 1944 and ended in 1950 was and is the most convoluted story of any World War II aircraft. Rumors of sabotage, political chicanery, and suspected conflict of interest dealings were rampant throughout the wing’s short history. But, in the end, Jack Northrop was proven correct when five decades later, the Northrop B-2 Flying Wing stealth bomber took off from Mojave Desert on a very successful flight. This ugly, but beautiful, B-2 flying wing bomber is a show stopper whenever it performs for the public, and just as devastating when used in warfare. Jack Northrop was correct, it is the bomber platform of the future. Northrop lived long enough to see a scale model of the B-2 in 1980. The wheelchair bound Northrop is reported as saying, ” I know now why God has kept me alive all this time.” Northrop died a few weeks later.
The prototype XB-35 of the jet powered YB-49 Northrop Wing was powered with piston-engines, it was not very successful.
The Northrop flying wing program started in 1944 when the XB-35 propeller driven prototype wing first flew. Even though the XB-35 program was cancelled in May of 1944, there was sufficient interest by the Feds to keep the program alive, but they insisted that the wing must be powered by jet engines not propellers; the era of piston-powered military aircraft was considered dead. It was during the many test flights of the new jet powered YB-49 that the troubles began. Research into these problems revealed the following:
The first YB-49 jet-powered aircraft flew on October 21, 1947 and immediately proved more promising than its piston-engine counterpart. The YB-49 set both an unofficial endurance record of staying continually above 40,000 ft for six hours, and a trans-continental speed record, flying from Muroc Air Force Base in California (Edwards AFB) to Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C. in 4 hours 20 minutes. “The return flight from Andrews was marred by a multiple failure in six of the eight engines. Inspection after a successful emergency landing revealed no oil had been replaced in these engines after the Muroc-to-Andrews leg, raising a suspicion of industrial sabotage. The Air Force engineer in charge of this detail became ill shortly before the scheduled departure and did not accompany the YB-49 back to Muroc. He later died in a motorcycle accident under mysterious circumstances.”
The program was scrapped in 1950 when all Flying Wings were melted down. These are finished and partially finished YB-49s waiting for the smelter.
Jack Northrop was always a technological trailblazer. But his independent nature often collided with the behind-the-scenes political wheeling-and-dealing in Washington. These suspected contracts tended to run huge military allocations with millions of dollars at stake for government contractors. In 2010, what else is new in Washington, DC other than, “business as usual.” But the wing’s difficulties continued.
Data from the YB-49 program was used when the new Northrop B-2 bomber was being designed. The current B-2 bomber is shown as it passes over the Arch in St. Louis.
The second YB-49 was lost on 5 June 1948, killing its pilot, Major Daniel Forbes, for whom Forbes Air Force Base was named, Captain Glen Edwards, copilot after whom Edwards Air Force Base is named, and three other crew members. Their aircraft suffered structural failure when both outer wing sections detached from the center section. Investigation revealed the YB-49 was lost due to excessive pullout loads imposed on the airframe when a planned stall recovery resulted in a high speed, nose-over dive. The high speed dive was the result of the wing’s very clean, low-drag, design. Nose it over and a rapid speed increase is immediate.
The last operational YB-49 prototype was destroyed during high-speed taxi trials at Edwards AFB. The nose wheel encountered severe vibration problems which collapsed the gear. This destroyed the aircraft when it was engulfed in flames due to full fuel tanks. “The taxi trials took place with the YB-49’s fuel tanks full, an unusual testing procedure, adding to further speculation of sabotage of the aircraft.”
But the Wing’s problem didn’t stop there, it was also determined during bombing tests it showed a tendency of Flying Wings to “hunt” in yaw after turns and when flying in “disturbed” air, degraded bombing accuracy. It was thought that one of the new Honeywell autopilots, with yaw damping, would correct this flaw. The government scrapped the entire program in 1950 and all remaining unfinished Wings were melted down for scrap. Only to rise again, decades later, as the very successful B-2 Bomber. (It is to be noted that all of the original flight test data obtained was retained and played an important role in the new B-2 Flying Wing, even the wingspan is identical. NG )
Specifications
Performance
Armament
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Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Colonel Bob Thacker, on the right, while stationed in England flying B-17s.
By: Norm Goyer
I have known and met many accomplished pilots, real heroes and entertainers, while writing for both full scale and model aircraft publications. For instance, I became friendly with Bob Hoover during a Sun ‘n Fun Air Show. We had adjacent booths in one of the display hangars and spent hours talking between lulls in spectators; one year we also had Patty Wagstaff as a neighbor. I had known Patty for years while writing for Sport Pilot. I found Jim Bede to be a super interesting person, a different drum, yes, but fascinating. Few people knew that the late Roy Orbison was a model builder and would often show up at contests, in fact I was in the process of writing a story about Roy when he passed on. I even heard how clumping-kitty-litter was discovered by its inventor, Don Thorsen, another very accomplished pilot and model builder. Of course Dick Rutan’s early model building has been well documented. And of course, my all time favorite personality, the Old Colonel, Bob Thacker. While I was editor of Scale R/C Modeler, Bob Thacker wrote many articles for our magazine, as well as some for Air Progress. One year Tina, my late wife, and I visited with Bob and Betty Jo in their home in San Clemente, tastefully furnished with mementos of the Colonels past postings, there was even a Japanese garden overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Twin Mustang “Betty Joe” replica with a misspelling of Betty Jo.
I would have to include Colonel Thacker and Bob Hoover as real heroes for their vast accomplishments during armed conflict. Both are graduates of the United States Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB. A few years ago, Bob Thacker was enrolled in the AMA (Academy of Model Aviation) Hall of Fame as a modeler who has contributed so much to our country and to our hobby. The Colonel once told me a story that I will never forget, his minute-by-minute recreation of landing his crippled B-17 at Pearl Harbor during the December 7, 1941 attack, after a long ferry flight from San Francisco. He did not have enough fuel to continue to an auxiliary field, so he had to land his aircraft with one gear stuck in the wells as a result of an attacking Zero’s bullets. Some military photographer on the ground at Pearl Harbor actually filmed the landing which I am sure you have probably seen many times.
Colonel Thacker is shown with one of his turbine powered models, a Lockheed XP-80, that he and Chuck Yeager test flew at Edwards AFB.
His most notable achievement came in 1947 with his test of the Betty Jo, a P-82 Twin Mustang, named after his wife. This was to be the first nonstop test of a fully loaded fighter between Honolulu, Hawaii and New York City, New York. The 14 hour, 32 minute test, which started at Hickam Air Force Base on February 27, and which ended at LaGuardia Airport was a success; Thacker even set the speed record at an average of 350 miles per hour. Both the aircraft and the flight jacket Thacker wore are on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. His co-pilot on the trip was Lt. John Ard. The trip remains the longest and fastest ever by a propeller-driven fighter. Another notable achievement came in 1972 as the test pilot of a solar-powered aircraft designed and built by Lockheed.
Colonel Bob Thacker is shown in front of his Betty Jo on display at the Wright Patterson Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Colonel Thacker’s wartime record of flying two tours in a B-17 in World War II, a single tour in the Korean War flying a B-29 Superfortress, and classified (secret) high-altitude reconnaissance missions during the Vietnam War earned him two Silver Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, ten air medals and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm Leaf. I am proud to have known Colonel Bob Thacker for many years, a true American Hero.
I have to leave you with one more pure Colonel Bob story. Thacker and his wife were taking a tour at the Air Museum and the narrator pointed to Bob’s F-82 and told the gathered spectators that this plane had been restored exactly as it was when flown to the world’s record. The Colonel held up his hand and told the curator that the name of the pilot was painted just beneath the cockpit and it was missing on this restoration. The narrator wanted to know how he knew that and the Colonel responded, ” Young man, I am Colonel Bob Thacker and this lovely lady right here is Betty Jo.”
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Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
The Funk was a two-place, side-by-side light aircraft. Only 300 were built and are now collector’s item. The Army Air Force had a single Funk liaison aircraft.
By: Norm Goyer
Some time ago I owned a small airport in upstate New York near Albany. I had several local pilots who kept their aircraft in one of my three small hangars. Among them was a retired school principal who owned a very unusual aircraft and used it to give a very unusual passenger rides around the rolling hills of New York. We called the teacher the “Professor” and he owned a very rare aircraft. About once a month would show up, roll his blue Funk out, dust it off and proceed to take his favorite passenger for a ride. His passenger was always his Russian Blue cat, and she was a beauty. Our airport cat, a grizzled weather beaten yellow tom, thought the professor’s kitty was pretty neat. The professor had attached a small padded platform to the back of the bench seat so his kitty could have an unrestricted view. It was very beautiful in Delanson, NY with the rolling hills surrounding the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal. These two famous water ways bordered our little hill-top airport. It was a great area for sightseeing rides. I can just imagine the jokes about the poor professor being in a Blue Funk he had to endure over the years.
The Funk was first powered with a Ford tractor engine, then a 75-hp Lycoming and finally a 85-hp Continental.
The history of the Funk is almost as unusual as the professor and his pussycat. Incidentally, the airport was registered with the FAA and was on the charts as Goyer Airport, something I had always dreamed of, owning, my very own airport. Unfortunately, or fortunately, a year later a local car dealer offered me so much money for my dream airport that I sold it and moved to California. Smartest move of my rather convoluted life.
This beautifully restored 1948 Funk was owned by John Maxfield. This is one of several popular paint combinations for restored Funks.
The Funk Model B was the first powered aircraft designed by brothers Howard and Joe Funk, whose previous experience was in homebuilt gliders and sailplanes. The Funk was similar in appearance to a Piper J-4 Cub Coupe, the Model B was a strut-braced high-wing monoplane with a conventional tail unit and fixed tailwheel landing gear. The first Funk aircraft was powered by the brothers’ own Model E engine developed from a Ford tractor engine. When the test flights were successful the brothers formed the Akron Aircraft Company in 1939 to build the Funk B. After production began, the engine was changed to a 75hp Lycoming GO-145-C2 horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine and was re-designated the Model B-75-L. This was the Funk that the professor owned.
The Funk brothers first installed a Ford tractor engine, but found that it was not suitable and switched to a Lycoming 75-hp horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine.
In 1941 the company moved from Akron to Kansas and the company was renamed the Funk Aircraft Company. Production was stopped during the Second World War and one aircraft was pressed into service in 1942 with the United States Army Air Corps as the UC-92.After the war in 1946, production was resumed using a Continental C-85-12 engine and the aircraft was renamed the Funk Bee, Model B-85-C. It did not sell well, and production was halted in 1948. Over 300 aircraft of all variants had been built.
Specifications Funk B-85-C
General characteristics
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Thursday, January 28th, 2010
The large cargo doors on the Cessna 206 makes loading of bulky items easy.
By: Norm Goyer
I have had extensive experience with Cessna’s line of heavy single-engine aircraft, including their 205 and 206. I always thought this series of aircraft were the most useful aircraft produced by Cessna for sportsmen, large families and small businesses. Aircraft are expensive to purchase, expensive to maintain, but if they could earn part of their keep, or even make money, aircraft would be a lot more popular. Essentially, the 206 replaced the Cessna 185 for so-called bush flying.
This late model 206 H is an excellent heavy hauler aircraft. It is still being manufactured by Cessna.
I had sold a new Piper Lance to two local doctors who owned a Cessna 205. I knew the engine was high time but the airframe was in very good condition, as was the paint and interior. Our maintenance shop did a complete overhaul on the 260-hp Continental engine, which had a history of running hot. But something was still not right with this six-cylinder. It did not run hot any longer, but it was an oil-burner; you know, “check the fuel and fill up the oil.” But the aircraft was so useful for short haul charter work that we forgave it a few barrels of oil. It wasn’t dangerous, it was just, an annoyance and nobody could figure out why. We even did a second top overhaul and it still burned oil. But these mysteries do occur in aviation. Finally one of own pilots bought the aircraft and still owns it 30 years later, probably still burns oil.
The Cessna 206 is a very popular float plane for sportsmen.
Our company also had a light single engine Cessna dealership, which took advantage of “year end clearance sales” at Cessna. One year we purchased six Turbo 206 Stationairs. With our floor plan at maximum, we had to move the inventory. It took us only one year to sell them all, but we made a decent profit in the process. Besides, our crew found out that the Stationair was a super good aircraft and could be operated from unimproved fields with confidence. The 206’s combination of a powerful engine, rugged construction and a large cabin also made these aircraft popular bush planes. Cessna describes the 206 as “the SUV vehicle of the air.” These airplanes are also used for aerial photography, skydiving and other utility purposes. They can also be equipped with floats, amphibious floats and skis. Alternatively, they can be fitted with luxury appointments for use as a personal air transport. We converted ours to “children and infant Air ambulances”. We then sold them to rural medical groups. Cessna also knew they had a winner with these heavy-duty aircraft. Between the start of production in 1962 and 2006, the total Cessna 205, 206 and 207 production has been 8509 aircraft so far; because the Cessna 206 Stationair is one of only a few single engine aircraft still being produced by Cessna, so the numbers are still climbing.
Current Cessna 206s are produced with Garmin G-1000 glass cockpits.
The 205 and 206 series were initially developed from the Cessna 210, in fact, the 205 still had the bump on the bottom of the cowl for the retract nose wheel of the 210. The 205 used a Continental 260-hp for power; the 205 only had a production run of two years when it was replaced with the first of the Cessna 206, the real winner in this series.
General characteristics Cessna 206-H Stationair
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Crew: one
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Capacity: 5 passengers
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Length: 28 ft 3 in
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Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in
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Height: 9 ft 7 in
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Wing area: 174 sq ft
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Empty weight: 2,146 lb
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Useful load: 1,373 lb
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Max takeoff weight: 3,600 lb
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Engine: 1, Lycoming IO-540-AC1A5, 300 bhp
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Performance
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Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Later versions had slightly larger wings for safer maneuvering.
By: Norm Goyer
I always thought that the B-26 was way ahead of current designs when it was introduced in 1940. It was quite an airplane. It had very short wings, with a low aspect ratio, which meant the span was short and the chord was wide. Long wings have more drag than short wings but do have more lift. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 double-row Wasp engines. The propellers were Curtiss electric controlled four-bladed configuration; the B-26 was one of the first aircraft to use four blades. The Marauder was also the first aircraft to be equipped with a remotely controlled rear turret. The basic design was first conceived by the Glenn L. Martin Company in response to a military directive requiring a twin-engine aircraft capable of 350 mph with a range of 3,000 miles. To attain the speed requirement the wings were of the minimum size required to pick up the weight of the aircraft, fuel and the 2000 pound bomb load. The aircraft had a wing loading of an amazingly high 53 pounds per square foot. This was the highest of any aircraft ever chosen for military work.
The Martin B-26 was one of the first military aircraft to employ a four-bladed propeller.
The first prototype B-26, with Martin test pilot William K. “Ken” Ebel at the controls, flew on November 25, 1940. Deliveries to the U.S. Army Air Corps began in February 1941 with the second aircraft delivered in March 1941, the Army Air Corps started Accelerated Service Testing of the B-26 at Patterson Field, Ohio. The aircraft was involved in a large number of accidents almost immediately after the aircraft reached training bases. Because of the very high wing loading and small wings, the B-26 had a very high final approach speed of 120-135 mph, far greater than other twin-engine training craft. A number of the earliest B-26s suffered hard landings and damage to the main landing gear, engine mounts, propellers and fuselage. The Marauder was grounded briefly in April 1941 to investigate the landing difficulties. Two causes were found: insufficient landing speed (producing a stall) and improper weight distribution. The latter was due to the lack of a dorsal turret; the Martin power turret was not ready yet. During the later years of production the wing area was increased slightly to improve the flying characteristics.
The crew consisted of pilot, copilot, navigator plus nose gunner.
The B-26 was not an aircraft for novices. Unfortunately, due to the need to quickly train many pilots for the war, a number of relatively inexperienced pilots got into the cockpit and the accident rate increased accordingly. This occurred at the same time as more experienced B-26 pilots of the 22nd, 38th and 42nd Bombardment Groups were proving the merits of the bomber. The B-26 received the nickname “Widowmaker”. Other colorful nicknames included “Martin Murderer”, “Flying Coffin”, “B-Dash-Crash”, “Flying Prostitute” (so-named because it had “no visible means of support,” referring to its small wings) and “Baltimore Whore” (a reference to the city where Martin was based).
The B-26 completed over 100,000 thousand bombing sorties.
Contrary to its reputation some reports indicate that the B-26 had the lowest combat loss rate of any U.S. aircraft used during the war. Nevertheless, it remained a challenging aircraft to fly and continued to be unpopular with some pilots throughout its military career. It served with honor and success throughout World War II and had flown more than 110,000 sorties and had dropped 150,000 tons of bombs. The Martin Marauder was used in combat by British, Free French and South African forces in addition to U.S. units. In 1945, when B-26 production was halted, 5,266 had been built.
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Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
The F-86 George AFB gate guard was moved to Apple Valley Airport when George was closed many years ago.
By: Norm Goyer
My adopted home town of Apple Valley, California has a very close relationship with the US Air Force. Not only is neighboring Victorville the ex-home of George AFB, but just a few miles west is Edwards AFB and US Air Force Plant (home of the B-2 and the Space Shuttle). A large number of military pilots and personnel made Apple Valley their home while stationed at these bases. When we first settled in Apple Valley in 1973, the realtor took Tina and I around to show us available lots on which to build. As we drove along California Highway 18 in the center of the town, the realtor pointed out a little house on the north side of the road telling us that was the house the townspeople had built for top ranking ace of the Korean War, Captain Joseph McConnell and his wife Butch. Captain McConnell flew a number of F-86s, all named Beauteous Butch”, named after his wife. McConnell was based at George AFB. During the time period Hollywood was filming “The McConnell Story”, starring Alan Ladd as McConnell and June Allison as Butch. The film was almost completed when the shocking news of Captain McConnell’s death while testing an F-100 at Edwards AFB. The film’s ending had to be rewritten.
Captain Joe McConnell became a jet triple ace with 16 MiG kills while on duty in Korea.
A North American F-86 had been mounted on a pedestal at George AFB as a gate guard honoring one of their most famous graduates. When George AFB was closed many years ago, the F-86 was moved to Apple Valley Airport where it resides to this day. On Sunday morning, my friend and fellow pilot Walter Schomburg and I paid homage to Captain McConnell and a replica of his F-86.
North American F-86 Sabres were the US Air Force’s main fighter aircraft during the Korean War.
When America entered the Korean War, the transition from prop fighters to jet fighters was underway. Our Air Force had the Lockheed F-80 “Shooting Star” and the Republic F-84 “Thunder Jet”, both straight wing fighters. The MiGs flew circles around them. The Navy was flying straight wing Grumman Panthers and met the same fate as the Air Force. The military was forced to turn back to the World War II fighters until updated jet fighters were available. Grumman built the swept wing Cougar, North American, the fabulous F-86 and Republic, the swept wing F-84F “Thunder Streak”. Now our pilots had the right tools to compete against the MiGs. But it was the North American F-86 Sabre that turned out to be the shining star of the conflict. Sabre pilots scored heavily against the MiGs, with Captain McConnell emerging as the top jet ace of the conflict with 16 kills, making him the first triple jet ace in history.
The F-86 can often be seen at air shows around the country. This one was photographed at a recent AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
North American, Japan and Canada built over 9800 F-86s. The Sabre is credited with 792 MiG kills at a loss of 224 F-86s, some due to ground fire. All but one acknowledged aces of Korea flew F-86 Sabres. The other was a Navy pilot flying a World War II Corsair. The F-86 was built both as a fighter and a fighter bomber. Many countries used the popular Sabre as their main defense fighter aircraft. North American was justly proud of their World War II P-51 Mustang and now they had the bragging rights to the most produced jet fighter in history, the F-86 Sabre.
Specifications:
Performance
· Maximum speed: 687 mph at sea level at 14,212 lb combat weight
Range: 1,525 miles
· Service ceiling: 49,600 ft at combat weight
· Rate of climb: 9,000 ft/min at sea level
· Stalling speed (power off): 124 mph (108 kt,)
· Landing ground roll: 2,330 ft,
· Lift-to-drag ratio: 15.1
· Time to altitude: 5.2 min (clean) to 30,000 ft
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Armament
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Cessna has been successful in marketing their VLJ Mustang.
Cessna has a history of topping their competition with very competitive aircraft, usually cheaper with product acceptance and control and respect for quality that some other manufacturers do not have. Their competitor’s products may be just as good, but they don’t have the Cessna name attached. Product recognition is very important with high-end products.
Cessna’s first market domination was just after World War II with its all-metal Cessna 120/140 two-passenger trainer. This modern looking aircraft almost eliminated the Cub, Champ, T’Craft and others from the flight training market. They did it again with their Cessna 310 light-twin which outsold the Piper Apache and Aztec for the very same reasons. When they introduced the Cessna 172 and 182 these two family type aircraft shot to the apex of sales, once again leaving the competition far behind. One has to admit that Cessna indeed did build great aircraft which performed very well in their intended roles. However, I personally always have preferred low-wing products, such as Piper and Beechcraft.
A modern Garmin G-1000 glass cockpit is installed in most VLJ Mustangs.
A few years ago, the FAA finally approved the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) to help give flying a badly needed shot-in-the-arm. The Sport Pilot certificate was easier to obtain and the aircraft could be flown with only a driver’s license. But, the planes were still too expensive for cash strapped flight schools. A number of the LSA aircraft were from Europe and a few were ex-experimental homebuilt types from the USA, but most were in the $130,000 range, still way too much money for a small two-place aircraft. Cessna one again took aim at the market they once held with their 152. Their designers, starting with a clean computer screen, well almost, designed the new C-162 SkyCatcher. They over tested it, widened and tweaked the interior Their smartest move was to replace the original Rotax engine with a good old American Continental modernized O-200, almost identical to the one in the early Cessna 150. And…the price was about $15,000 less than many of the European offerings, including the highly respected engine. Cessna did it again, or will, in a very short time dominate the LSA market.
A few years ago, the buzz word in business and private high speed transportation were the hoped for arrival of VLJs (Very Light Jets). These four-to-six passenger pure jets were the talk of the industry. Some companies planned to have a “jet taxi” service between nearby cities. New designs from start-up companies dominated Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture for several years. Millions were invested and millions were lost. The whole VLJ jet scene seemed jinxed, nothing seemed to work as expected. Companies went out of business leaving hundreds of customers fighting to get their deposits back. Sitting in the wings, watching this whole fiasco play out, was Cessna. Sure enough, they produced what they thought the market really wanted, an accepted design, downsized just enough to be less expensive to operate and maintain. The Cessna VLJ Mustang was born.
The Cessna Mustang VLJ is an ideal size for local airport charter trips.
The Cessna Citation Mustang VLJ, Model 510, is a “very light jet” built by Cessna at their Independence, Kansas production facility. The Mustang, in standard configuration, has four passenger seats in the aft cabin and seating for two in the cockpit. Like most other very light jets, the Mustang is approved for single-pilot operation. The Mustang is a low-wing, cantilever monoplane, with a tricycle retractable landing gear. Unlike many of the new VLJs the Mustang used the highly regarded Canadian PW-615F turbofan engines.
The Cessna Model 510 Mustang first flew April 18, 2005. The airplane received full type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration on September 8, 2006. Cessna received FAA certification to fly into “known icing conditions” on November 9, 2006 and delivered the first Mustang on November 23, 2006, the same day the FAA awarded Cessna with the necessary certification. Cessna now had both feet firmly planted in the VLJ market place.
General characteristics
Performance
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Takeoff distance: 3,110 ft
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Landing distance: 2,380 ft
Avionics
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