The Airplane Thread

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The USAF has bought five ex-Korean Air Boeing 747-8I aircraft to convert to survivable airborne operations centers (SAOCs) to control U.S. military forces in the event of a national emergency. The aircraft will be designated E-4C and will replace aged E-4B aircraft (based on the B747-200) with a similar mission that entered service in the 1970s.

Sierra Nevada Corporation has been awarded a $13 billion dollar (!) contract to engineer and manufacture the E-4C. It should become operational around 2036.

Footnote: One of the mods is to remove the multifunction displays in the cockpit and replace them with old-fashioned round gauges, which are considered less susceptible to electromagnetic pulse interference/damage.

Old school wins again!

[vreihen16]

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[Llarry]

In the 1960s, a requirement for an aircraft capable of transporting outsized components -- mainly for the space program -- emerged, and a Boeing 377 Stratoliner (itself derived from the B-29 bomber) was developed. Radial piston engines were replaced with turboprops, and the fuselage was lengthened and greatly enlarged. The tail surfaces were enlarged as well. Not many -- dubbed Super Guppy -- were built; only one continues in service with NASA. Others are in air museums.

Here is the lone flying example.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

In the 1960s, a requirement for an aircraft capable of transporting outsized components -- mainly for the space program -- emerged, and a Boeing 377 Stratoliner (itself derived from the B-29 bomber) was developed. Radial piston engines were replaced with turboprops, and the fuselage was lengthened and greatly enlarged. The tail surfaces were enlarged as well. Not many -- dubbed Super Guppy -- were built; only one continues in service with NASA. Others are in air museums.

Here is the lone flying example.

With that hinge, it kind of makes you wonder how they rigged the flight controls-- not to mention the electrics, etc!

R.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

With that hinge, it kind of makes you wonder how they rigged the flight controls-- not to mention the electrics, etc!

The whole arrangement boggles the mind: structural integrity has to be a great challenge as well.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by Llarry

In the 1960s, a requirement for an aircraft capable of transporting outsized components -- mainly for the space program -- emerged, and a Boeing 377 Stratoliner (itself derived from the B-29 bomber) was developed. Radial piston engines were replaced with turboprops, and the fuselage was lengthened and greatly enlarged. The tail surfaces were enlarged as well. Not many -- dubbed Super Guppy -- were built; only one continues in service with NASA. Others are in air museums.

Here is the lone flying example.

Built-in headwind. :-)

[M-technik-3]

Makes the visor on Fred look simple!!

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The whole arrangement boggles the mind: structural integrity has to be a great challenge as well.

From the days when Boeing used to know how to engineer things (with slide rules and paper draftsmen).....

[ezaircon4jc]

I had the "pleasure" of working the Guppy; thankfully only once. That thing climbed like a loaded Craftsman toolbox!

[Llarry]

In a further sign that Japan is emerging from the shell that it retreated into after 1945 (see Navy thread for details of transfers and sales of warships), the Japan Air Self Defense Force is sending a squadron of F-15J Eagles on a short deployment outside Japan. The aircraft will start in the UK, then move to Germany and then cross the Atlantic to CFB Goose Bay, Labrador. They will then return home to Chitose, Japan, via Alaska.

To my knowledge, this is the first deployment of JASDF fighters to Europe or North America.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

Makes the visor on Fred look simple!!

F’ing Rear End Device.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

F’ing Rear End Device.

No, no, NO.

F’ing Ridiculous Economic Disaster.

Get with the program, man!

R.

[flybigjet]

Just a little aviation-related pic from my museum sortie today.

Instead of doing the museum with me, the Minister spent the day at the spa at the Mandarin Oriental.

We both enjoyed our day and met for a lovely dinner.

R.

[M-technik-3]

Rod 25th was on time for it's local Thursday 1700Z departure. Depending on the day they fly right overhead for departure and then change up depending on runway schedule. Should have snapped a pic. Weird because I was so used to TF39's that the CFM6's I don't even pay any attention too.

[vreihen16]

As a heads-up, there is news coming in early this morning from the other side of the pond that there are huge airport delays all across Europe due to a cyber attack against Collin Aerospace (RTX), which apparently shut down the airport ticketing systems for several airlines. They are having to check in passengers manually with paper at the counters, with all self-serve options offline. Probably not a good weekend for a European holiday, especially if someone is traveling through Heathrow, Brussels, or Berlin.....

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by Llarry

In the 1960s, a requirement for an aircraft capable of transporting outsized components -- mainly for the space program -- emerged, and a Boeing 377 Stratoliner (itself derived from the B-29 bomber) was developed. Radial piston engines were replaced with turboprops, and the fuselage was lengthened and greatly enlarged. The tail surfaces were enlarged as well. Not many -- dubbed Super Guppy -- were built; only one continues in service with NASA. Others are in air museums.

Here is the lone flying example.

I used to see the guppy and other similar shaped planes at the airport Goleta by Santa Barbara back in the early 70s. What a strange sight they were.

Check out this link to see the story and photos of these old, fat birds.

https://goletahistory.com/the-guppies/

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

From the days when Boeing used to know how to engineer things (with slide rules and paper draftsmen).....

My father-in-law was an engineer at Northrop back 1940. He used to tell me his desk was right outside Jack Northrop's office. Mr. Northrop would say hello each day. Yes, the engineers used slide rules at the time. I've still got his old slide rule in a box in the garage. I'll have to get it out and relearn how to use it.

[vreihen16]

I wonder what the Boeing option order code is for countermeasure flares on a 737-800?????

https://www.twz.com/air/boeing-737-f...redible-photos




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[Llarry]

Here's a blast from the past with a twist. The F-117A Night Hawk first flew in 1981, became operational in 1983 and was operational for 25 years. In 2008, the USAF retired the aircraft but placed the 48 or so remaining F-117As (of 59 produced) in flyable storage at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada.

But the F-117A continues to fly in limited numbers. It is still a very stealthy aircraft and is flown for test and training purposes within the USA. The USAF projects that it will be flying until about 2034.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_F-117_Nighthawk

[Llarry]

The United States has approved the sale of 40 new production fighters to Switzerland. The approval covers either 40 F-35A stealth strike fighters or 40 F-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters. The ball is now in Switzerland's court as to which they prefer. The F-18 is actually the more expensive choice; powerplants are the most expensive component of a modern fighter and the F-18 has two while the F-35 has one.

In related news, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps plan to purchase 22 more F-5E/F fighters from Switzerland. They have already bought 44 F-5s to equip adversary squadrons. Just one Swiss squadron still flies the F-5. It may be some time before the aircraft will be transferred.

In other adversary/aggressor news, American firm Air USA is buying 46 ex-Australian F-18A/B Hornets for use as adversary/aggressor aircraft. 36 of these are planned to be flyable, with 10 providing spare parts. This is further evidence that commercial operation of adversary aircraft is big business.

[vreihen16]

The UN General Assembly is meeting this week in NYC, and that means that many of the world's VIP transports are parked for the week at KSWF:








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[Llarry]

The Indian Air Force has retired the MiG-21 after over sixty years of service. The IAF was a major user of the type for many of those years, and the final versions of recent years were extensively upgraded.