Video: B-58 Hustler - First (And Most Awesome) USAF Supersonic Bomber!

CoolPix - Modern Military: The NB-58A, Hustler With A 5th Engine!

(click pic for hi-res)

 It’s been a very B-58 weekend for me.  It’s pretty common for me to do a little googlin’ of the Convair B-58 Hustler on a regular basis, but this weekend I lit the afterburners.  As a result, this week’s gonna be ‘B-58 Week’ at AirPigz.com.  In addition to at least 1 regular post a day, you can expect 1 Hustler post a day as well.

 I’m kicking it off here on Sunday night with this CoolPix in the Modern Military category.  At first glance it looks like your run-of-the-mill B-58 (ha, like a B-58 could ever be called rotm!), but it’s far from it.  That’s not the traditional fuel tank/weapon pod hanging under the airplane, it’s a 5th and even more powerful turbojet engine!  The GE J93 to be exact.  That’s the engine that was specifically designed for use on the Mach 3 XB-70.  The engine was ready to fly before the XB-70, so it was decided that some inflight testing would be a good idea.  Thus the NB-58A was born.  BTW, I've removed a lot of the scratches and other blemishes from this old original pic so it's sure to look good when you check out out super sized.

 The standard GE J79 turbojet engines on the B-58 developed around 15,000 pounds of thrust with afterburner, but this extra J-93 engine was rated around 28,000 pounds with afterburner!  Just imagine an airplane like the B-58, which was already capable of flying at 60,000+ feet, able to go Mach 2, and had a gross-weight rate of climb of over 17,000 feet per minute... just imagine what a 28,000 pound kick in the butt would do.  Well, interestingly enuf, imagine may be exactly what we have to do here.  My research indicates that the funding for this research project was cancelled the day before the first flight.  (you gotta be kidding!)  Ground runs had been made, but it appears that the NB-58A never actually flew with the J-93 engine installed.

 The airplane pictured is #55-662, the 3rd B-58 to be built.  First flight was on May 6, 1957.  Can you even believe that?  Here’s an airplane that looks like it coulda been designed and built just yesterday, yet it was in the air when Chevy was building the iconic 57 Bel Air!  No matter how you look at it, the B-58 is a stunning accomplishment of design and engineering.

 Tho #55-662 never flew with that J-93 engine, it was later one of the 8 aircraft converted to the TB-58A, the trainer version that added an instructor seat behind the pilot, and it then spent some time as a chase plane for the XB-70.  This airplane set a record of 256 sorties flown without a missed or late takeoff… pretty impressive  It’s also special to me in that it was one B-58’s from the 305th Bomb Wing that operated out of Peru, Indiana at Bunker Hill AFB (later Grissom AFB), which just happens to be an hour down the road from me.  That made it pretty easy for me just yesterday to go get a load of pix of the 4th B-58 to be built, aircraft #55-663, which is on outdoor display at the Grissom Air Museum.  It’s one of only 8 B-58’s that still exist.  You'll see some of those pix later in ‘B-58 Week’ : )

AirPigz Podcast #9: U-2 Spy Plane Pilot Colonel Lars Hoffman

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U-2 Spy Plane pilot: U.S Air Force Colonel Lars Hoffman

Interview with Col. Lars Hoffman - 1:01:20

 Lars Hoffman is the husband of Jill Rutan Hoffman who I interviewed in podcast #6, and he's an experienced U-2 pilot.  Lars shares a lot of really interesting details on what it's like flying the U-2 at altitudes up to 70,000 feet.  The challenges of flying that high for both the airplane and the human body are significant, and we talk about a lot of them.  You might be surprised like I was at many of the very unique characteristics of the U-2... it's a pretty fascinating operation.

 The video below is from the 'James May on the Moon' special that ran on the BBC and it really helps to show what the experience is like when flying so high above the earth.  I highly recommend you watch the video first, and then enjoy this interview with Lars as he takes you even deeper into the world of the U-2.

 We also talk some about the work of Burt Rutan, who is the uncle of Lars' wife Jill, on the space tourism project.  This video from the AMA Expo 2010 is a really neat look at Burt's experience over the years with model aviation, and it includes some interesting insight into the design and function of the spacecraft he has been designing.

 I hope you enjoy this really interesting podcast!

CoolPix - Modern Military: 4 F-117 Nighthawks In Formation

(click pic for hi-res)

 The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk 'Stealth Fighter' was officially retired from the United States Air Force on April 22, 2008.  With initial design work done in the 70's, the F-117 went operational in 1983 as the first ever stealth aircraft, with a nearly invisible radar signature.  It was also very successful in that it was designed, built and put into service in total secrecy.  The airplane was eventually acknowledged to the public in 1988.

 It's interesting to note that while it carries the 'F' designation, it's really an 'attack' aircraft.  Designed with radar scattering flat surfaces, the airplane wound up having a look that makes it one of the most unusual military aircraft ever... especially for one actually put into service.  The F-117 proved extremely successful in Operation Desert Storm, having flown only 2% of the missions yet was responsible for 40% of the strategic target attacks.

 The F-117 is a fascinating part of the Lockheed Skunk Works legacy, and this pic of 4 of them in formation helps to remind us of what an amazing accomplishment the airplane is.  Be sure to click the pic to see it big with lots of detail!

Fascinating 1959 Farnborough Video: A Brave New World!

 I’ve purposely posted part 2 of this video first cuz it has the most flying action, and it’s some pretty amazing flying action at that!  After a glimpse of a unique hovercraft, we see the fabulous, tailless, Avro Vulcan bomber take off.  But even more important to me is just how close some of the people are to the flying going on.  This was a fantastic era, one I wish very much that we stilled lived in today.  When that Vulcan takes off, there are about 20 people, probably associated with the event, standing in the grass along the runway… one guy about 20 feet from the edge of the runway! 

 You’ll see several other places with people close to the runways, but there’s also clear views of the jets flying right over the huge crowds.  I know some people will strongly disagree with me, but I think the risks are totally worth the vastly improved experience seeing, hearing, and feeling these airplanes so close.  We live in an era now that tries to remove all the risks from living.  But the truth is you can’t, and we never will be able to. 

 I think societies are much stronger when we acknowledge the risks, and then face them straight on, with boldness and courage.  We also have a ton more fun that way too!  Anyway, it’s remarkable to see the contrast to the way things are done today.

 Other extremely notable footage in the video are of airplanes like the Vickers Vanguard; the Argosy freighter; the ultra-cool hybrid rotorcraft Fairey Rotodyne; the first ever British VTOL jet, the experimental Shorts SC.1; and some great views of the Black Arrows aerobatic team flying 16 Hawker Hunters in close formation!  What an incredible history lesson in this 7 minute video of what appeared to be a brave new world coming over the horizon.

 Part 1 of the video below is also great to see, but doesn’t have as much overall action.  There is a lot of footage of the de Havilland Comet tho, very cool stuff to see.  It’s also interesting to see the strength of the British aerospace industry at the time.  It's a great video history lesson : )

CoolPix - Modern Military: Holy Smoke! B-47 Stratojet JATO Takeoff

(click pic for hi-res)

 This amazing entry in the CoolPix collection helps to set the line between ‘Vintage Military’ and ‘Modern Military’.  I’ve decided we’ll make the break at the end of WWII.  This also fits pretty well since that’s basically the time period where we entered the jet age as well.

 This pic is from 1954 of a Boeing B-47 making a Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO).  The rather massive JATO package was a great help in getting the aircraft off the ground a lot quicker than with just the 6 wing mounted jet engines.  Tho the airplane was fast, with a cruising speed of about 550mph, the jet engine technology of the time didn’t make good thrust at slow speeds.  JATO was a good solution to this issue at the time.  It’s really interesting to see this huge amount of smoke pouring out of the rockets, as well as a lot coming the 6 jets too.  Early jet engines were also well known for making a lot of smoke!

 It’s also very cool to see 3(!) B-36’s in the background.  This is truly a fascinating picture.  The original picture on the internet has several cracks in the photo paper and other blemishes.  I’ve photoshopped those out and made a near perfect pic here for you to enjoy : )    

 Seems like the Boeing B-47 Stratojet is often forgotten in history, at least compared to how much of a quantum leap the airplane was.  First flight took place in December 1947, a little over 2 years after the end of World War 2.  The distance in design philosophy from an airplane like the B-29 to the B-47 is pretty staggering.  The key elements being the swept wing and the jet engines.  The other aircraft in the running for the US Military contract for a long range jet bomber were all configured with a straight wing.  The B-47 concept also began with a straight wing, but as development continued, Boeing engineers turned to German information gained after the war on swept wing technology.  Boeing committed to the swept wing (35 degrees on the B-47), and at that point, one of the most important elements to usher in a successful jet age, both military and civilian, was defined.

 Here are a few other interesting pieces of info on the B-47:

 It was thought that the wing would have to be thin to achieve high speeds, thus the fuel was carried in the fuselage, or in underwing external tanks.  Fuel location had to be managed carefully to keep the center of gravity in the proper position.

 The design was so aerodynamically clean, and early jet engines were so slow to spool up, that a drogue chute was utilized in flight during the landing phase to create drag.  This allowed the engines to carry some power in the event of a missed approach while also allowing a steeper approach angle without excessive speed.

 The airplane had a high wing loading which resulted in a pretty high approach and touchdown speed.  A second, larger parachute was installed to deploy after touchdown to help slow the airplane.  Thrust reversers hadn’t been invented yet.

Caption Contest #32 Winner - And, Thank You Russia!

 This has definitely been a very interesting caption contest.  On Tuesday, the original post was picked up by a website in Russia that has a lot more traffic than AirPigz currently does.  It makes sense that they are interested cuz it’s a Russian Sukhoi jet fighter that was used in the filming of this ejection stunt.

 What followed was more traffic by far than I’ve ever seen here at AirPigz.com.   So, I wanna take this time to say thank you to all the cool people from Russia (and the region) who checked out AirPigz in the last few days… I hope you like what you’ve seen and officially ask for your support as I work toward AvGeek World Domination - for the good of us all : )

 And congrats again go out to Jay at Schumann Aviation for nailing it with a great caption.  It’s pretty hard not to Laugh Out Loud at that one!  If things go well, we'll do it all once again next Monday morning (3-8-10)... Russians always welcome!

Video: Flying Japanese Zero With Original Sakae Radial Engine

 YouTube user octane130 has a fab channel of WWII aircraft videos that really showcase the sight and sound of the engines on these aircraft.  This video of the only flying Japanese Zero to have an original Nakajima Sakae 14 cylinder radial engine is a great example.  The sound is just awesome.

 The airplane is owned by the Planes of Fame Museum in California, which rebuilt the airplane back in 1978, including having the original engine fully restored.  Apparently the few other flying examples of the Zero have had their engines replaced with more common U.S. radials.  It's quite an experience to see this beautifully restored historic aircraft fully functioning.   

Must See ‘Gray Eagles’ Video: P-51 Passion

(kinda long at 28:46 - but worth every single second)

 There’s a ‘line’ in this life that sadly most people never cross.  It’s kinda hard to define, but it’s a line of passion - and when it’s crossed, it puts you on the side of really being ‘alive’ on this earth.  There are many things that can take you over that line, and interestingly, flying is one of the most effective.

 This video has the power to help those who never knew that line was out there to possibly see it for the first time.  It also can take those who’ve been there before to once again feel alive.  And if you’re already living everyday on the good side of that line, this film is more fuel on the fire.

 It’s world-class cinematography used to tell the story of a World War II pilot, his family, a P-51, and how they all grew much closer together.  It’s about one of the greatest airplanes ever designed and built, and the generation of pilots that used it to fight for freedom.

 Many have already seen it, but you might be like me and are just finding out about it.  A friend sent me the link about an hour ago, and I figured I’d check it out.  I could see right away that it was beautifully done, but I was just gonna watch a few minutes of it… you know, stuff to do.  I couldn’t peel myself away until all 28:46 had run its course.  Powerful, beautiful, and I’m not ashamed to say it brought tears to my eyes.

 You can learn more about the film at GrayEagles.org.  You can also buy the Gray Eagles DVD thru Amazon.  For every DVD purchased, the Gray Eagles Foundation will be donating an additional DVD to an educational institution. 

 I highly recommend you put your life on hold for 30 minutes and watch this film… see if you can experience the crossing of that miraculous line where a human being goes from just living, to being 'alive’.

1919 Duesenberg Model H: V-16 Aircraft Engine - Amazing!

Amazing Duesenberg Model H engine designed for aircraft use

3 valves per cylinder and lots of springs!

(7 pix) 

 The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is housed in a building in Auburn, Indiana that was once the national headquarters for the company.  It’s a world class museum with an extensive display of cars, including a very large number of essentially perfect examples of the work done by the company in the 20’s and 30’s.  If you care about great design and the kind of work that made America great, this museum is a must see.  I’m fortunate that it’s only about an hour from where I live, which means I go about once a year.

 In addition to all the wonderful cars, there’s a couple very interesting pieces of aviation there too.  The one that boggles my mind is pictured here.  It’s the Duesenberg Model H: a V-16 (yep, 16 rather massive cylinders) in a liquid cooled engine designed for airplane use that makes 800+ horsepower… first built in 1919!  Hello, that’s like World War l times.  In fact that’s the reason this engine was being built, to be used in the war effort.  As it turned out, four prototypes where built, but the war ended in 1919 and development was stopped.  

 I admit that I’m not the most knowledgeable about all the world’s engines, but the ingenuity, design, and quality of the Model H appear to be simply amazing.  The thing is pretty huge, as in 3,393 cubic inches huge, but the beautifully compact design really seems to stand out.  As the close up pictures show, it’s remarkably well thought out, especially for the time period.

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