3175375
Senior Member
Martin XPB2M-1 Mars flying boat prototype with a Piper Cub on its wing for scale.
Heavy Metal
- Thread starter amazinblue82
- Start date
3175375
Senior Member
Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer prototype, with open bomb bay, testing a six-finger dive brake.
Only 30 made. Only one surviving aircraft.
Douglas BTD Destroyer - Wikipedia
Only 30 made. Only one surviving aircraft.
Douglas BTD Destroyer - Wikipedia
3175375
Senior Member
The Short Sturgeon TT.2 was a large twin-engine monoplane with a sleek, mid-wing design and a distinctive elongated nose in its target tug configuration. Its all-metal fuselage was constructed in four sections, ending in a cantilever tailplane with a single rudder. The rudder and tailplanes were fabric-covered.
The wings featured a swept leading edge and tapered outboard sections, with wing folds positioned beyond the twin Merlin 140 engines, which drove contra-rotating propellers for better blade length management.
Short Sturgeon - Wikipedia
The wings featured a swept leading edge and tapered outboard sections, with wing folds positioned beyond the twin Merlin 140 engines, which drove contra-rotating propellers for better blade length management.
Short Sturgeon - Wikipedia
3175375
Senior Member
XB-35/YB-35/YB-49/YRB-49
On October 21, 1947, Northrop's Max Stanley completed the inaugural flight of the all-jet YB-49 Flying Wing prototype. The 34-minute flight, which began at Northrop Field in Hawthorne, California, was marred by a fire in the Northrop P-61C chase plane, which crashed near Palmdale. Fortunately, all crew members aboard the chase plane successfully bailed out.
Northrop YB-49 - Wikipedia
Northrop YB-35 - Wikipedia
It is indeed sad to read that the programs (XB and YB-35 and the YB and YRB-49) were terminated for unknown reasons.
On October 21, 1947, Northrop's Max Stanley completed the inaugural flight of the all-jet YB-49 Flying Wing prototype. The 34-minute flight, which began at Northrop Field in Hawthorne, California, was marred by a fire in the Northrop P-61C chase plane, which crashed near Palmdale. Fortunately, all crew members aboard the chase plane successfully bailed out.
Northrop YB-49 - Wikipedia
Northrop YB-35 - Wikipedia
It is indeed sad to read that the programs (XB and YB-35 and the YB and YRB-49) were terminated for unknown reasons.
3175375
Senior Member
The historic Philippine Mars waterbomber lifted off over Sproat Lake, B.C., on Dec 3.⠀
⠀
The low-and-slow flight is part of a gradual ramp-up to moving the Mars to its final resting place at Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona.⠀
⠀
More details here: Philippine Mars takes flight over Sproat Lake, B.C. - Skies Mag
⠀
: Derek Heyes
⠀
#Skiesmag #PhilippineMars #PimaAirAndSpace #AirHistory Coulson Aviation - Next Gen Firefighting
The flight to Arizona will be her last and the last time a Martin Mars flies.
3175375
Senior Member
This might have been posted before, but I am not sure:
What is the largest airplane that never flew?
The MD-12 that was introduced to the public late 1991. It was about the same size as the 747 but had a higher seating capacity. McDonnell Douglas was falling apart at the time and it was clearly a ploy to make the company seem better than what it was. Everyone knew they didn’t have the money or resources to design such an aircraft. Boeing was not intimidated and neither was airbus. Although Airbus didn’t have a double decker, at the time, they did already announce the production of the A380. The MD-12 received 0 orders and the production was further cancelled. It was no surprise to anyone with interest in aviation. They were dealing with a lot of issues on their aircrafts and it just wasn’t logical for them to be focusing on a double decker when they had issues to fix first. It was a desperate move to remain relevant, they saw Boeing growing further from them, and Airbus began rapidly growing as well. Shortly after, In 1997, McDonnell Douglas was sold to Boeing. Boeing inherited a headache with the DC-10 Because of its outdated design. Before the merger, McDonnell Douglas had issues with the production of MD-95, it was a long battle that ended ugly for them, however when the merger with Boeing took place, they decided to follow through with the aircraft, and its design, but renaming it as the Boeing 717.
What is the largest airplane that never flew?
The MD-12 that was introduced to the public late 1991. It was about the same size as the 747 but had a higher seating capacity. McDonnell Douglas was falling apart at the time and it was clearly a ploy to make the company seem better than what it was. Everyone knew they didn’t have the money or resources to design such an aircraft. Boeing was not intimidated and neither was airbus. Although Airbus didn’t have a double decker, at the time, they did already announce the production of the A380. The MD-12 received 0 orders and the production was further cancelled. It was no surprise to anyone with interest in aviation. They were dealing with a lot of issues on their aircrafts and it just wasn’t logical for them to be focusing on a double decker when they had issues to fix first. It was a desperate move to remain relevant, they saw Boeing growing further from them, and Airbus began rapidly growing as well. Shortly after, In 1997, McDonnell Douglas was sold to Boeing. Boeing inherited a headache with the DC-10 Because of its outdated design. Before the merger, McDonnell Douglas had issues with the production of MD-95, it was a long battle that ended ugly for them, however when the merger with Boeing took place, they decided to follow through with the aircraft, and its design, but renaming it as the Boeing 717.
3175375
Senior Member
3175375
Senior Member
A Constellation was a Blue Angel. "learn sumthin' airy day".
File:Blue Angels Lockheed C-121 in flight 1968.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
"The U.S. Navy Lockheed C-121J Constellation (BuNo 131623) in flight in 1968.
This aircraft became "Blue Angel Number 8" in 1968 and was assigned to the team to transport support personnel and equipment to air show locations around the United States.
The overall blue paint scheme pictured was replaced in 1969 with one in which the upper half of the fuselage above the yellow line was painted white.
The C-121J replaced the Douglas C-54 Skymaster as the Blue Angels support aircraft prior to the start of the 1968 show seaso.
The aircraft served the team for over two years untile replaced by the Lockheed KC-130F Hercules during the 1970 show season."
3175375
Senior Member
There was an EW version (EC-121) at Camarillo airport in California that had a large radome on the bottom. I don’t know where that aircraft went.
Like this? ~50 pics at link
"The EC-121, originally designated RC-121, was a radar-picket version of the U.S. Air Force's C-121 passenger airplane.
The EC-121 provided early warning by detecting and tracking enemy aircraft with the electronic gear in the large radomes above and below its fuselage.
The Air Force ordered 82 EC-121s between 1951 and 1955, 72 of which were EC-121Ds. The EC-121 entered service with the Air Defense Command in 1953, flying patrols off the U.S. coasts as an aerial extension of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line.
EC-121s remained in service until they were replaced by more capable E-3 Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control System). The last EC-121 was retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1978."
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67newport
Old Man with a Hat
Douglas Aircraft, Long Beach
67newport
Old Man with a Hat
3175375
Senior Member
Ju 52/3m is unloaded from an American C-124 Globemaster at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, August 5, 1966.
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II - Wikipedia
Junkers Ju 52 - Wikipedia
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II - Wikipedia
Junkers Ju 52 - Wikipedia
3175375
Senior Member
3175375
Senior Member
Four years ago, B-52H 60-0034 "Wise Guy" emerged from her long restoration, updates, and depot maintenance at Tinker AFB, OK, after resting at the 309th AMARG "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for nearly 12 years. Immediately after her restoration by the crews at the 309th AMARG, she was ferried to Barksdale AFB, LA for more repairs, before being ferried to Tinker AFB, OK for inspection, repairs, and updates, partly within the programmed depot maintenance program.
On December 14, 16, and 18, 2020, "Wise Guy" took her first wheels-up flights since the day she landed at AMARG in 2008. She was without paint for all three flights, her bare skin shining from the light dusting of snow across the frigid Oklahoma plains.
Its hard to believe its been four years since those flights and eventually returning to Minot AFB, ND months later, painted in standard gray with her nose art reapplied.
True story, "Gumby" that flew "Wise Guy" to AMARG as a Captain in 2008, flew her back to Minot as a Lt. Colonel in 2020. She left one surprise for him as she departed out of Tinker: her right front gear refuse to retract.
Here are a few shots from that historic time, four years ago. She was the second B-52H restored from the Boneyard into full service and shared the PDM space with 61-0007 "Ghost Rider", the first B-52H restored from long term storage. "Ghost Rider" happened to be going through a four-year PDM cycle at the same time.
On December 14, 16, and 18, 2020, "Wise Guy" took her first wheels-up flights since the day she landed at AMARG in 2008. She was without paint for all three flights, her bare skin shining from the light dusting of snow across the frigid Oklahoma plains.
Its hard to believe its been four years since those flights and eventually returning to Minot AFB, ND months later, painted in standard gray with her nose art reapplied.
True story, "Gumby" that flew "Wise Guy" to AMARG as a Captain in 2008, flew her back to Minot as a Lt. Colonel in 2020. She left one surprise for him as she departed out of Tinker: her right front gear refuse to retract.
Here are a few shots from that historic time, four years ago. She was the second B-52H restored from the Boneyard into full service and shared the PDM space with 61-0007 "Ghost Rider", the first B-52H restored from long term storage. "Ghost Rider" happened to be going through a four-year PDM cycle at the same time.
image source: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - Wikipedia
20 minutes from the 1940's.
Perhaps if you get time over holidays, and have a mechanics eye/ear for what these guys arre doing, might be interesting.
Army Air Corp & Boeing collaborate on a training film to prep a B-17 radial engine, new right outta the box, for replacement.
A little corny with dialogue, but a TON of technical, engineering insight conveyed. And, for me, a better appreciation of enlisted folks contributing to war effort without raising a gun.
Yeah, war is ugly/people die, but this presents another side of the story. Some of what keeping the machines running was about.
20 minutes from the 1940's.
Perhaps if you get time over holidays, and have a mechanics eye/ear for what these guys arre doing, might be interesting.
Army Air Corp & Boeing collaborate on a training film to prep a B-17 radial engine, new right outta the box, for replacement.
A little corny with dialogue, but a TON of technical, engineering insight conveyed. And, for me, a better appreciation of enlisted folks contributing to war effort without raising a gun.
Yeah, war is ugly/people die, but this presents another side of the story. Some of what keeping the machines running was about.
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67newport
Old Man with a Hat
67newport
Old Man with a Hat
3175375
Senior Member
Here’s the identification of B-17s:
