"The C-9A Nightingale is an adapted version of DC-9 which was from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation. It was mainly used for missions like medical and evacuations. The aircraft also transported high ranking government officials on air missions. It demonstrated its distinctiveness and flexibility by serving throughout the world, not only in the military, but also in some civilian hospitals and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In June 17 1968, the first C9A Nightingale was rolled out and distributed in August. The standard crew of the aircraft aboard consisted of a pilot, a co-pilot, two nurses, three technicians and a flying crew chief. It was used in the Pacific Theater and was assigned to the 374th Airlift Wing based in Japan. The C-9A Nightingale was also stationed in Germany."
|
"The Boeing E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a United States Air Force (USAF) airborne battle management and command and control asset. Its primary role is to provide dedicated support of ground and air theater commanders. The E-8C can respond quickly and effectively to support worldwide military contingency operations, capable of evaluating enemy situation by conducting ground surveillance. It is a jam-resistant system, able to operate despite experiencing heavy electronic countermeasures. The aircraft can stay airborne for 9 hours without refueling. The E-8C was derived from the Boeing 707-300 series commercial airframe. It was modified with radar, communications, operations and control subsystems required to perform its mission. The radar and computer subsystems on the E-8C can gather and display broad and detailed battlefield information. Data, including position and tracking information on enemy and friendly ground forces, is collected as events occur. The information is then relayed in near-real time to the US Army's common ground stations. This information is vital in air-to-ground operations and allows air and land commanders to gain and maintain control of the battlespace and execute against enemy forces. As a battle management and command and control platform, the E-8C can support a wide range of roles and missions from peacekeeping operations to major theater war. "
|
"Joint STARS uses a sophisticated radar system that can scan an entire region and then send the data to a computer which analyzes movement and alerts reconnaissance specialists of any suspicious activity in near-real time. Operators onboard the aircraft can provide ground and air commanders with command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information on ground-based enemy activities from hundreds of miles away. With the ability to see vehicle movement around the clock and in any weather conditions, the system provides invaluable information to ground and air commanders that allow friendly forces to delay, disrupt and destroy their enemy. The reliability, fuel efficiency and increased operational effectiveness inherent in the engine upgrade translates to increased Joint STARS availability to the warfighter and decreased costs. Replacing all of the engines in the Joint STARS fleet will pay for itself through the reduced operation and maintenance costs of the current engines. The new engines can also provide added power generation for future upgrades to the radar sensor and mission equipment. A recent Air Force study indicated the fleet could stay in service beyond 2050 because of the investment made when the airframes were refurbished during production. The engine upgrade program is based on the Propulsion Pod System incorporating Pratt & Whitney's commercially-proven JT-8D-219 jet engine and Seven Q Seven pylons, thrust reversers, and instrumentation. "
|
"The B-52H Stratofortress, manufactured by Boeing, is a strategic bomber capable of supporting large-scale, global missions in a nuclear or a conventional role. The B-52H plays an important role in these specialized missions until 2035. It had its first flight in April 1952. The B-52H Stratofortress entered service in 1961 and 104 were built. The last was delivered in 1962; however, its service life is expected to continue beyond the year 2030, due to extensive system and structural upgrades. The B-52H, a B-52 variant, is a very large aircraft, with a length of 159ft 4in and a take-off weight of 488,000lb. The all-metal skin bears a high proportion of the flight loading. When on the ground, the surface of the aircraft on the forward section of the fuselage has a wrinkled appearance. The skin expands and becomes smooth as the crew compartment is pressurised when the aircraft gains altitude. Later on in the decade, the B-52H was fitted to carry the new ""Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)"" and ""Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW)"" guided glide bombs. These weapons use the ""Global Positioning System (GPS)"" satellite constellation to zero in on target coordinates. Use of the JDAM and other GPS weapons was enabled by yet another Buff avionics upgrade, the ""Conventional Enhancement Modification (CEM)"" program, which was begun in 1994. "
|
"The A-10A Warthog’s official name came from the P-47 Thunderbolt of World War II. Known for its nickname Warthog or Hog, the A-10A aircraft provides airborne forward air control to guard all aircraft against ground targets. The A-10A Warthog aircraft is a single seat twin engine and one of the variants of A-10 aircrafts. Developed by the Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force, the A-10A Warthog provides close air support of ground forces and attacks tanks, armored vehicles and other ground targets. It is the first US Air Force aircraft designed for CAS use only. The first flight of the A-10A Warthog was on May 10, 1972. The A-10A aircraft has the following weapons: one single General Electric GAU-8/A 30mm, avenger cannon, AGM-65 maverick, AIM-9M sidewinder, conventional low drag and retarded bombs, cluster bombs, the OA/A-10A’s also carry the AN/ ALQ-119 ECM pod or the AN/ALQ-131 ECM. The A-10A Warthog is built around single 300 mm cannon which can disable a main battle tank from 6.580 m distance. Moreover, the A-10A is well armored for the protection of its pilot and systems. The pilot of the A-10A Warthog is shielded by a bullet proof wind screen and encircled by a titanium armor weighing 544 kg and varies in thickness up to 3.8 cm. 144 A-10A Warthog were deployed by the USAF from January to February 1991. The A-10A Warthog was used in various roles such as a daytime tank killer, Scud hunter, suppressed Iraqi air defenses, attacked early warning radars and shot down two Iraqi air defenses. "
|
"The EA-6B Prowler, manufactured by Grumman (now Northrop Grumman Aerospace), is a twin-engine, mid-wing aircraft designed as a modification of the basic A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6B's primary mission is to protect fleet surface units and other aircraft by jamming hostile radars and communications. The Prowler has the ability to passively detect enemy radars without making its own presence known. The Prowler can carry up to five tactical jamming pods which allow it to effectively degrade enemy radars. The Prowler also carries a High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), which provides the capability to destroy enemy radars and the capability to track and destroy radar. The Grumman EA-6B Prowler has a crew of four, a pilot and three Electronic Counter-measures Officers (known as ECMOs). The aircraft is capable of speeds of up to 950 km/h with a range of 1,840 kilometers and powered by two non-afterburning Pratt & Whitney J52-P408 turbojet engines. Since EW operations are very demanding, the Prowler is a high-maintenance aircraft and undergoes frequent equipment upgrades more than any other aircraft in the Navy. There are currently 19 Prowler squadrons in the military: four in the Marines and fifteen in the Navy. There are four ""Expeditionary"" squadrons manned by both Navy and Air Force personnel which deploy to overseas bases as a replacement for the EF-111. The Marine squadrons are stationed at Cherry Point, NC. The Navy has fourteen squadrons based at NAS Whidbey Island, WA, and one permanently deployed in Atsugi, Japan. "
|
"The A-4 Skyhawk is an American attack aicraft designed and prosuced by Douglas Aircarft Corporation originally designed for the United States Navy aircraft carriers. In 1951, just after Operation Desert Storm, the United States Marine Corps used the A-4 during the Vietnam War. In May 25, 1972, the Douglas A-4F Skyhawk aircraft of Attack Carrier Wing 21 (CVW-21) are parked on the flight deck of the attack aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19), armed for a mission over Vietnam. It was the most popular US naval aircraft exports of the post-war era. In 1967, it was removed from front line squadrons, with the last one retiring in 1975. The A-4F Skyhawk has a maximum speed of 585 knots and a range of 1,700 nm and it incorporates a 2 x 20 mm Colt Mk 12 cannon, 100 rounds/gun and a 4 x AIM-9 Sidewinder. It has a low-mounted delta , tricycle undercarriage and a dingle turbojet engine in the rear fuselage sides. The tail has a cruciform design, with the horizontal stabilizer mounted above the fuselage. The armament consists of two 20 mm Colt Mk 12 cannon. There's a total of 2,960 A-4 Skyhawks built, including 555 two-seat trainers. "
|
"The TA-4J Skyhawk is a two-seat, lightweight, high performance aircraft with a modified delta wing manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company of Long Beach, CA. The TA-4J's maiden flight was on December 17, 1968 and first entered service in the mid-1969. TA-4J deliveries were supplemented by conversion of numerous TA-4Fs to the ""J"" designation through removal of ordnance system components. In 1968, a contract was let to produce the TA-4J, a trainer version of the TA-4F. The TA-4J Skyhawk differed from the TA-4F through the removal of tactical weapons system and aerial tanker components and the installation of the J52-P6 engien instead of the higher rated engine J52-P8. The TA-4J is primarily used for training and various other contract duties such as Electronic Warfare, Adversary and Threat Simulation. A total of 277 TA-4Js were built. "
|
"During the 1950s, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) identified the requirement for an Airborne Command Post (ABCP). The idea was for specially-equipped aircraft to be airborne at all times, should the SAC's underground command center become inoperable. The first aircraft adapted for the role of ABCP were 17 Boeing KC-135B Stratotankers. The nickname “Looking Glass” was adopted because the mission mirrored ground-based command, control and communications of US strategic nuclear forces. Operations began on February 3, 1961. By 1964, the aircraft was considered dedicated to the ABCP role and redesignated EC-135. The EC-135 Looking Glass was vital to US strategic forces. Its highly trained crew and staff ensured that there was always an aircraft ready to direct bombers and missiles from the air. Members of the battle staff formed seven operational teams and represented all branches of the armed services. When airborne, the staff was under the command of a flag officer, either an Air Force general officer or a Navy admiral. The EC-135 fleet was equipped with comprehensive, high-tech communications equipment, which allowed the airborne commander to link with national command authorities, theatre forces, assets on the ground and other airborne command posts. The Looking Glass was a versatile airframe with excellent airspeed, range and endurance. It was also capable of air refueling which allowed missions to be extended almost indefinitely. This gave the aircraft range to conduct nonstop operations to any location in the world as well. "
|
"The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated as TBM by General Motors) was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps and was also used by a large number of air arms around the world. Grumman's first torpedo bomber was the heaviest single-engine plane of WWII and it was the first to feature a new wing-folding mechanism intended to maximize storage space on an aircraft carrier. The Grumman TBF Avenger entered service in 1942 and first saw action during the Battle of Midway. On the afternoon December 7, 1941, Grumman held a ceremony to open a new manufacturing plant and display the new TBF to the public. Ironically, on that day, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor, as Grumman soon found out. The plant was quickly sealed off to ward against possible enemy action. By June 1942, a shipment of more than 100 planes was sent to the Navy. On August 24, 1942, the next major naval battle occurred at the Eastern Solomons. With only the carriers USS Saratoga (CV-3) and Enterprise, the 24 TBFs present were able to sink the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo and claim one dive bomber, at the cost of seven planes. After hundreds of the original TBF-1 models were built, the TBF-1C began production. By 1943, Grumman began to slowly phase out production of the Avenger to produce F6F Hellcat fighters, and the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors took over, with these aircraft being designated TBM. Starting in mid-1944, the TBM-3 began production with a more powerful powerplant and wing hardpoints for drop tanks and rockets. The dash-3 was the most numerous of the Avengers with about 4,600 produced. However, most of the Avengers in service were dash-1s until near the end of the war in 1945. TBF/TBMs sank the two Japanese ""super battleships"", the Musashi and the Yamato. The Avengers played a major role in the American victory during World War II."
|
"The Beechcraft T-34 Mentor is a single engine, military trainer aircraft which was derived from the Beechcraft Model 35 Bonanza. A 15-year production hiatus of the Model 73 Jet Mentor led to the Turboprop era, wherein in 1973, the T-34C Turbine Mentor was a powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-25 turboprop engine. From the late 1940s to the 1950s, earlier versions of the T-34s were piston-engined and it was eventually succeeded by an upgraded model with a turboprop engine. The T-34C Turbo Mentor is a variant of the T-34, with a two-seat primary trainer fitted with turboprop engines. The T-34C was used by the Argentine Navy during the Falklands War. It was a primary trainer aircraft for the United States Navy and Marine Corps pilots. The T-34C was replaced by the T-6 Texan II but it was still considered as the primary aircraft at NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Whiting Field. The T-34C has a crew of two. It has a maximum speed of 280 kt IAS and a range of 600 nm."
|
"The T-6A Texan II is designed by Pilatus Aircraft AG and manufactured by Raytheon Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas, USA. The T-6A Texan II is a single-engine, two-seat primary trainer aircraft, which is designed to train Joint Primary Pilot Training, or JPPT, students in basic flying skills common to U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots. The T-6A Texan II offers better performance and significant improvements in training effectiveness, safety, cockpit accommodations and operational capabilities than present aircraft. Powered by a single, Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68 turboprop engine with a four-blade propeller, it features a stepped-tandem, and cockpit configuration, with the instructor's rear seat rose slightly to improve visibility from the rear cockpit; modern avionics; and improved egress systems. Both T-6A cockpits are covered by a single, side-opening, non-jettisoned canopy. The T-6A offers increased bird strike protection over current training aircraft, and will improve the safety of landing and low-level training at Air Force and Navy bases. It has a pressurized cockpit to permit training at higher, less-congested altitudes and reduce the stress on student pilots. The aircraft is equipped with an onboard oxygen-generating system that reduces the time needed to service the aircraft between flights. The T-6A provides the highest degree of flexibility of any primary trainer. It is equally capable of training the beginner pilot or performing training missions well into an advanced training curriculum. The T-6A is currently used by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, the Hellenic Air Force of Greece and the NATO Flying Training in Canada program as a primary trainer and weapons and navigation trainer. "
|
"The Spad S. XIII is a French biplane fighter aircraft of World War II, developed from the earlier highly successful SPAD S. VII. The S. VII had been surpassed by the latest German scouts. SPAD designer Louis Bechereau initially produced the S. XII, though it had limited success which eventually led to the development of the S. XIII. The SPAD XIII's maiden flight was on April 4, 1917, and was delivered the following month to the French Air Service. The Spad XIII was flown by famous French fighter pilots such as Georges Guynemer and Rene Fonck. Italy's Francesco Baracca and the United States Army Air Service's Eddie Rickenbacker, also became leading aces with 34 and 26 confirmed victories, respectively. The SPAD XIII differed form its predecessor since it incorporates a number of aerodynamic and other refinements, including a more powerful Hispano-Suiza engine and a second VIckers .303-cal. machine gun for added firepower. The improvements greatly increased its flight and combat performance. It was also faster than its main contemporaries. The SPAD XIII has a maximum speed of 218 km/h and has an armament of 2 x .303-cal. (7.7-mm) Vickers machine guns. The SPAD XIII was one of the most capable fighters of the war and one of the most produced. There were 8,472 built and orders for around 10,000 more cancelled at the Armistice."
|
"The Fairchild PT-19 was a monoplane trainer aircraft that served with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), British Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. It was used by the USAAF during the primary flying training phase as the introductory pre-solo trainer for new pilots before passing them on to the more agile Kaydet biplane. Prior to World War II, basic flight training in the United States was generally provided in light biplanes, such as the Kaydet, which tended to be slow, stable and tolerant of fledgling pilots. However, given the increasingly high performance nature of the world's combat aircraft, the USAAF reasoned that the primary training was too easy, giving the student a false sense of mastery that could slow down his learning or even cause him to fail. Experienced instructors wanted the primary trainer to be a monoplane, with higher wing loading that required more careful flying. After its first flight in May 1939, the Fairchild M-62 two-seat monoplane won a fly-off competition later that year against 17 other designs for the new Army training airplane. With a wing loading factor about 43 percent higher than the Kaydet, the M-62 had a higher stalling speed and required more care at low speeds, making it exactly what the Army was looking for. It was a trainer that was more similar to the fighter aircraft the trainees would eventually fly. On September 22, 1939, the USAAF ordered 270 of the craft, with two open cockpits, as the PT-19 Cornell. Compared to the earlier biplane trainers, the PT-19 provided a more advanced type of aircraft. Speeds were higher and its flight characteristics demanded more precision and care. It was inexpensive and simple to maintain. It was one of a handful of primary trainer designs that were the first stop on a cadet's way to becoming a combat pilot. Thousands of the PT-19 series were rapidly integrated into the US and Commonwealth training programs, serving throughout World War II and beyond. Even after their retirement in the late 1940s, a substantial number found their way into civilian hands. Approximately 100 PT-19s are still flyable today. "
|
"The Stearman Model 75 is a biplane, military trainer aircraft with 8,854 built in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. It is perhaps the most famous biplane in the US since it was the primary basic trainer throughout World War II. The PT-17 Stearman is a variant of the Stearman 75, with a Continental R-670 engine. The PT-17 has a crew of two, for a student and an instructor. It has a maximum speed of 124 mph and a range of 505 mi. During the war, almost all American pilots undeertook basic training on either the PT-13s or the PT-17s. The PT-17 was exported to Canada as the Kaydet, Britain and other nations. After the war, the aircraft's rugged construction and good low speed handling saw large numbers converted for agricultural spraying work. Conversions involved the replacement of the aircraft's fabric covering with metal, while many were fitted with more powerful 335kW P&W R985A61 radials. There are hundreds of Stearmans which were currently flown in private hands, although its not used for crop spraying any more. "
|