CoolPix: Blue Angels Over Baltimore Last week (Now With Desktop Sizes!)

(click pic for hi-res)

 I've been bringing you what I call CoolPix images for a long time now, and I've always intended that you would use them as desktop backgrounds. But I imagine a lot of folks don't have the easy means to resize or crop an image to best fit their specific screen size. So I decided I'd give you some help, starting with this AWESOME Blue Angels image captured last Friday over Baltimore.

 This beautiful image is in the standard CoolPix size of 1600 pixels wide above (when you click the pic) and then below I have links to several of the most popular sizes for screen resolution. If I get some positive feedback on making the cropped and resized images available (for free!) then I'll see if I can make it regular part of CoolPix images in the future. So download and then gimme some feedback!

Blue Angels over Baltimore on 6-15-12:

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 Lastly, here's the description of this pic from the US Navy website:

 BALTIMORE (June 15, 2012) Capt. Brandon Cordill, left wingman of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, flies an F/A-18 Hornet over Baltimore during the Star Spangled Sailabration, which coincides with Baltimore Fleet Week 2012 and commemorates the War of 1812 and the writing of the "Star Spangled Banner." (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Johnson/Released)

Video: Kick The Tires And Light The Fires! F-35C Makes First Night Flight

 The carrier based variant of the Lockheed Martin F-35 is the C model... it's got the bigger wing, larger control surfaces, stronger landing gear and a hook, among other differences. One thing in common with the A and B models, which are much farther ahead in the flight test program, is the ability to use the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan to turn kerosene into a massive roman candle! Wow that afterburner looks hot!

 This video is a nice compliment to the one I posted the other day of the first F-35A night refueling excercise. The airplane looks very nice in the night sky... and I'm really beginning to love the way it looks in the day sky too! A few more rock music videos like this from Lockheed Martin featuring the F-35 and even the haters are gonna have to let up a little. As for me, I'm liking me some Lightning II : )

 Oh, and yeah I know... the F-35 really only has the one 'fire'.

Screenshot: beautiful afterburner fire on the first night flight for the F-35C - 6.13.12

Video: Welcome Home (I Think) - X-37B Lands After 469 Days In Space

 Do you remember the launch of an Atlas V rocket back on March 5, 2011 that was carrying the second Boeing X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle on its first flight? Well unless you're an uber space geek then you probably don't remember that launch. You're more likely to remember the return from space of the first X-37B back on December 3, 2010. Well anyway, the point is that early this morning, Saturday June 16, 2012, X-37B OTV-2 landed autonomously (pre-programmed making its own decisions) at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base at 5:48 am local time after spending 469 days in space circling the Earth.

Video screenshot: X-37B landing rollout early this morning after 469 days in space
 

 The mission appears to have been very successful. Great launch, great landing. It's what happened in between that stirs up all kinds of crazy talk. I haven't dug very deep to try to learn what the micro shuttle spacecraft might have been up to, but so far it appears to all be classified, including what the payload was. China seems to think it's a weapon and the U.S. Air Force (who actually operates the mysterious X-37B) says it's just a technology testbed for future satellites. Time will tell. Well, maybe it will.

 I put up a post with some background info on the X-37B (Getting To Know Discovery’s Runt Cousin: The Air Force X-37B) a little over a year ago. What I didn't know at the time was that Boeing also envisions the X-37C, an enlarged version of the X-37B (sized between 165% and 180%) that could actually be used to transport up to six astronauts and some cargo into space. That's pretty impressive as a people hauler given that the X-37C is still quite tiny compared to the Space Shuttle. You can learn more about the X-37C at Space.com: Secretive US X-37B Space Plane Could Evolve to Carry Astronauts.

X-37B, X-37C and Space Shuttle size comparison (illustration: Boeing)
 

 I find it all a remarkably encouraging actually... from the recent success of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the SpaceDev Dream Chaser making steady progress toward aerodynamic drop tests, we are seeing an amazing collection of ideas and realities for future manned space exploration. Almost makes me feel like a kid again : )

Video: Out Late In Your F-35 And You Need Petrol - Watcha Gonna Do?

 Aerial refueling is one of those intense skills kinda like carrier landings, it's just not an easy thing to do. But just like carrier landings, can you even imagine doing it at night in the dark? Wow that sounds like too much work to me! Definitely separates the men from the boys.

 This video shows the F-35 doing some night refueling testing over Edwards Air Force Base back in March 2012. I've noticed before that the F-35 seems remarkably rock-solid stable in the air, maybe more than other aircraft. I might just be imagining that, but if it's true, aerial refueling is a nice place to have an extra-solid flying platform. And it's good to know if you get caught out late in your F-35 and need some petrol, there's an app for that : )

Video screenshot - KC-135 refueling an F-35 over Edwards AFB in night tests

Screenshot: night F-35 refueling tests conducted in March 2012 - looks like a challenge!

Video: The Arizona Desert, A B-17, And A B-25 - Wow!

 Seeing the B-17 Sentimental Journey and the B-25 Maid in the Shade flying around the Arizona desert doesn't exactly make sense to me, but this video is so enjoyable to watch that it doesn't need to make sense. It's actually some fabulous footage taken from a helicopter of the airplanes flying during a weekend event in conjunction with Veterans Day back in 2010. And of course, the setting for historic warbirds like these never really matters, they are simply awesome to see when in the air... especially when they are being used to honor those who have served the United States Armed Forces.

 This video also convinces me that airplanes were meant to have propellers! Wow, do I ever love to see spinning discs with the sun shining on them. Can we agree on this right now? From this day forward all airplanes that have an engine MUST have a nice big prop! Ok, we could never make that work, but wow, I love me some big props : )

Screenshot: the awesome and beautiful B-17 Sentimental Journey on takeoff

Screenshot: the almost as beautiful B-25 Maid in the Shade (if only it was a taildragger!)

434th Air Refueling Wing Teaching Kids To Fly A KC-135? Well, Sorta : )

434th ARW's KC-135 flight deck simulator at the Kokomo, Indiana airshow on Saturday

 I made the trip just over an hour southwest of my home to Kokomo Indiana on Saturday to check out the Kokomo Wings and Wheels car and air show, but I admit my primary motivation was to finally get to go flying with Billy Werth in his Pitts S2C. Billy was there to perform in the airshow and it looked like it was gonna work out great for us to go flying after the show was over. As it turned out, I didn't get that flight in after all due to circumstances out of my control... but I did have a really nice time in the great weather surrounded by the sights and sounds of a range of warbirds and aerobatic aircraft. It was a great day!

 In addition to the aircraft putting on aerial demonstrations, there were several slick static displays that included an Army Blackhawk that had flown in, a go-cart and minivan powered by turbine engines (more on those before long!) and the KC-135 flight deck simulator seen in these pictures. The KC-135 cockpit was part of a promotional project from the 434th Air Refueling Wing that operates out of Grissom Air Reserve Base which is just about 10 miles north of Kokomo. These are the same fine folks that let me go along on a trip to refuel a B-52 back in July of 2010 (check out my 56 pic post of that ride!) - and Grissom was one of just two Air Force Bases that operated the amazing B-58 Hustler thru the 1960's.

Another fresh flight crew getting ready to step into the KC-135 front office
 

 There was a small crowd around that KC-135 cockpit all day with lots of kids getting the chance to sit in the seats and put their hands on the control yoke. And the representatives of the Air Force Reserve that were interacting with the kids were doing a fantastic job of connecting with them and helping them to get a better understanding of what it takes to fly a Stratotanker. I was very impressed with the entire display.

 Everyone that wasn't worn down by all the sunshine was really enjoying the display

 I have nothing but praise for the people involved in the Air Force Reserve work done at the Grissom Air Reserve Base... great people doing a great job of serving the United States of America. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication! And that includes airshow pilot (and my friend) Billy Werth who is actually a KC-135 instructor pilot at Grissom!

One day these little guys just might be doing it for real. Great outreach by the 434 ARW!

Poll: Awesome Or Ugly? The 1931 Vickers Type 161 Biplane Pusher

The very interesting 1931 Vickers Type 161 - vote now: Awesome or Ugly?

 The poll from last Friday with boomin' bombers (supersonic US bombers) has over 200 votes and the B-58 Hustler is snagging the lead with about 47% of the vote. Yay! I was hoping it would be the overall fave.

 Today I'm trying something new: Awesome or Ugly? It's a simple poll to see what you think about really unusual aircraft while also showing you some thinking from the past that you may have never seen. This one is the 1931 Vickers Type 161 pusher biplane designed as an interceptor attack aircraft. Apparently it performed quite well but for whatever reason the concept wasn't put into production.

 The most unusual design aspect to me is that aft tail cone mounted behind the approximately 500hp Bristol Jupiter radial engine, which just happens to spin a 4-blade prop! The Vickers Type 161 was just very, very different! I'm guessing it was a pretty big rush to fly too, especially with all that power and no prop blast in your face!

 I think it's awesome... what about you?

Videos: Some USAF Thunderbirds Action For Your Memorial Day

 
 The official Thunderbirds youtube channel (usafThuderbirdVideo) has put some great videos up in the last few days, and I figure seeing these beautiful F-16's in the air is another great way to remember those who have given their life in service to the United States Armed Forces on this Memorial Day. The video above gives a nice little insight into the air refueling process to keep the jets percolating on long leg trips (tho it can't begin to compare to this incredible Blue Angels refueling in the clouds video!)

 And the one above gives you a backseat view of the slot aircraft on takeoff (starting in a wing position) and then as the team goes directly into a loop. The best part is the sliding into the slot position part way thru the loop! What an amazing view, and it all underscores the amazing skill and concentration required to operate these aircraft in such a tight formation. Awesome stuff to see - great job Thunderbirds!

Screenshot from the loop video showing the view a little over halfway thru - wow!

Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives - Memorial Day 2012

 This video from last year shows a level of dedication and gratitude that all of us Americans should have for those who have given their life in service to the United States of America. Memorial Day shouldn't be about cookouts, family and fun... not that there's anything wrong with any of that, but as a nation of people who are free only because of the willingness of those who will defend that freedom, we have a responsibility to remember those who gave all they had.

 Thank you Staff Sgt. Tim Chambers for your dedication to the fallen servicemen and women. May we all learn from your tremendous example.

Poll: Which Supersonic US Bomber Makes Your Heart Beat The Fastest?

1950's era Convair B-58 Hustler

 I figure it's time for a poll to see which supersonic bomber from the US y'all think is the sweetest, the hottest, or just the mostest of the most. It's an easy choice for me (B-58 Hustler), but I'll add that each of these three aircraft are top-shelf awesome to me. And yeah, I know the XB-70 was never anything more than an X-plane, but you just can't can't have a poll about supersonic bombers and not include the stunning Valkyrie.

 So please take a moment and vote for your favorite of these three supersonic bombers: the Convair B-58 Hustler; the North American XB-70 Valkyrie; or the Rockwell B-1 Lancer. If you're an Aardvark fan, sorry... I decided we're talking full on dedicated bombers for this poll. And really(?) - you'd pick the F-111 over any of these three hotties?  Lets. Get. Real!

 The poll is at the bottom of the post. Happy voting : )

1960's era North American XB-70 Valkyrie

1970's era Rockwell B-1 Lancer