23rd August 2018., Dublin Airport, Ireland

 

A definite hybrid, CN 5258, a CN SD40-2W that was the testbed for the CN LNG experiment, works the K933 switch job that originates out of CN Snow Yard in Lansing and serves the GM Lansing Delta Twp. plant that produces the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and the Buick Enclave. Loads are pulled in to CN Cory Yard and are picked up by various trains, including A451, & L502.

Arriva London North Ltd.:

 

VDLbus DB300 (Daimler) /

Wrightbus Gemini 2DL (10.5m)

H41/24D - 2011

 

DW411 was retrofitted with a new driveline, as a testbed for what would become the Wrightbus StreetDeck. The original 6-cyl Cummins ISBe engine was replaced with the Mercedes-Benz (Daimler) OM934. The vehicle caught fire shortly after arrival to the London fleet in 2011, so instead of being written off, she was given a new lease of life, and a slightly different identity!

 

Former driver trainer DLA33 [S233 JUA] can be seen parked behind.

 

Arriva Bus Garage, Southbury Road, Enfield

 

Tuesday 12th November 2019

Electro-Motive SD70ACe demonstrator #1206 and SD90MAC-H testbed unit #90 sit out behind the EMD La Grange plant, birthplace of many famous diesels.

12-7-2016 - Airbus Industrie, Airbus A350-941.

 

Powering into the air at Farnborough ready to start its display at FIA 2016.

 

Info:

 

The aircraft was built in 2013 and is part of the Airbus test bed fleet of A350 aircraft.

C/n - 2

This is the X-34 Technology Testbed Demonstrator being delivered to NASA Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The X-34 demonstrated key vehicle and operational technologies applicable to future low-cost reusable launch vehicles.

 

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

 

Credit: NASA

Image Number: EC99-44976-4

Date: April 16, 1999

Grumman F-14A Tomcat

157986 YF-14A/B

Prototype #7 Engine/F-14B Testbed

Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, New York City, NY.

  

Featured in the 1986 film “Top Gun,” the F-14 Tomcat was the Navy’s first-line fighter from 1972–2006. In full forward-sweep position, its distinctive variable-geometry wings provide the lift needed for slow-speed flight essential for carrier landings. In swept-back position, the wings blend into the aircraft, giving the F-14 Tomcat a dart-like silhouette for supersonic flight at speeds up to 1,544 mph (2,485 kph) and heights more than 50,000 feet (15,239 meters). Powerful on-board targeting systems allow a Tomcat’s two-seat crew of pilot and radar intercept officer to simultaneously fire up to six Phoenix missiles at six different targets at ranges exceeding 100 miles (161 km)! For close-in action, F-14’s typically carry shorter-ranged Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles in addition to a 20mm M61 cannon.

 

This aircraft displayed on the flight deck, 157986, was the seventh Tomcat built by Grumman (the oldest is located in Long Island, NY) and was retained as their primary research and development airframe. In 1973, it served as the prototype for the “Super Tomcat” series, which incorporated more powerful engines. The Tomcat is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.

 

www.intrepidmuseum.org/getdoc/253d9d94-1407-47f7-986c-7d5...

First flight date04/02/1983

  

Honeywell operates Boeing 757-225 N757HW as an engine testbed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. It is powered by a pair of Rolls royce RB211-535E4B37 turbofans. It carries a third jet engine on the right side of the forward fuselage. The construction number of N757HW is 22194. It first flew on February 4, 1983. It was delivered to Eastern Airlines as N504EA on February 28, 1983. It was withdrawn from use at McCarren Airport, Nevada in January 1991. Airtours International Airways registered it as G-JALC on February 1, 1995. Airtours International Airways changed its name to MyTravel Airways on May 1, 2002. Honeywell International Incorporated gave it its current registration on October 4, 2005. It was flown to Pinal Airpark for painting on October 24, 2005. It made its first flight with three engines on December 20, 2008

First time visit to Russia to present "Highspeed WiFi" copabilities.

Airbus A220-300

[Bombardier Aerospace 'CSeries' CS300 (BD-500-1A11)]

MSN 55002

C-FFDO [Airbus S.A.S. livery]

 

C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP)

 

Copyright © 2018 A380spotter. All rights reserved.

Honeywell Testbed B757-200 N757HW

Gogo's flying WiFi testbed taxis out to Runway 01R as "Boeing Three Two One Golf Golf".

 

Originally delivered to Malaysian Airlines as 9M-MFA. Also operated by:

 

Air France (F-GJNQ)

Czech Airlines (OK-XGV)

Orenair (VP-BPE)

 

Pony Express 2 (PE2) continues Lockheed Martin’s initiative for rapid-prototyping and flight qualifying new technology on orbit. The PE2 mission -- four Lockheed Martin payloads integrated on two 12U Terran Orbital satellite buses -- will demonstrate mesh networking, tactical communications, SmartSat™ and HiveStar™. PE2’s satellites will eventually help form an on-orbit testbed to demonstrate the power of space-augmented JADO.

Copyright © John G. Lidstone, all rights reserved.

You are warned: DO NOT STEAL or RE-POST THIS PHOTO.

It is an offence under law if you remove my copyright marking, or post this image anywhere else without my express written permission.

If you do, and I find out, you WILL be reported for copyright infringement action to the host platform and/or group applicable.

The same applies to all of my images.

My copyright is also embedded in the image metadata.

Pratt & Whitney 747SP testbed.

Pinal Air Park.

Marana, AZ.

5-2-22.

Photo By: Ned Harris

Gromov Flight Research Institute

Flying testbed for flight research of the D-30KP-3 ''Burlak" engine. This is developed by NPO 'Saturn' for the IL-76 engine upgrade program.

Frame now stored at Zhukovsky International Airport

29-08-2019

 

Shot through window of moving bus

Not my photo but one gifted to me by family friend Mr T Harwood in the mid 1960s. Hope you find it interesting. A Saunders-Roe Skeeter 5, later converted to a Skeeter 6. G-AMTZ acted as a major development prototype for the Skeeter program. It was used by Saunders-Roe and the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down for trials including an air ambulance configuration and also with a rocket booster system on the rotor head and became an extremely useful testbed for Skeeter devlopment with engine changes and upgrades. It was this work that later led to mass production of this type. The registration was first made in 1952 and was transferred to XG303 with the military in 1954 albeit the civil registration wasn't cancelled. After completion of this test work the aircraft was returned to the civil register briefly in 1959. Sold in 1960 for ground instruction use by the Army Air Corps and there the trail ends. It is probable that it was eventually stripped of useable parts and scrapped.

Shackleton WL796 was built by Avro in 1953 at Chadderton in Lancashire and final assembly and first flight was at Woodford in Cheshire. Loaned to Avro for the SBAC Show at Farnborough in 1953, where it famously performed flight displays equipped with an underslung Mk.3 Airborne Lifeboat which can just be seen above. In 1954 to 38 Squadron and 37 Squadron in 1957. The airframe was officially withdrawn from RAF service and struck off charge and was stored at 27MU RAF Shawbury and broken for scrap in 1967.

The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' only jet aircraft to achieve combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneered by Sir Frank Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd. Development of the aircraft began in 1940, although work on the engines had been under way since 1936. The Meteor first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with No. 616 Squadron RAF. The Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in its aerodynamics, but proved to be a successful combat fighter. Gloster's 1946 civil Meteor F.4 demonstrator G-AIDC was the first civilian-registered jet aircraft in the world.

 

Several major variants of the Meteor incorporated technological advances during the 1940s and 1950s. Thousands of Meteors were built to fly with the RAF and other air forces and remained in use for several decades. The Meteor saw limited action in the Second World War. Meteors of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fought in the Korean War. Several other operators such as Argentina, Egypt and Israel flew Meteors in later regional conflicts. Specialised variants of the Meteor were developed for use in photographic aerial reconnaissance and as night fighters.

 

The Meteor was also used for research and development purposes and to break several aviation records. On 7 November 1945, the first official airspeed record by a jet aircraft was set by a Meteor F.3 at 606 miles per hour (975 km/h). In 1946, this record was broken when a Meteor F.4 reached a speed of 616 miles per hour (991 km/h). Other performance-related records were broken in categories including flight time endurance, rate of climb, and speed. On 20 September 1945, a heavily modified Meteor I, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent turbine engines driving propellers, became the first turboprop aircraft to fly. On 10 February 1954, a specially adapted Meteor F.8, the "Meteor Prone Pilot", which placed the pilot into a prone position to counteract inertial forces, took its first flight.

 

In the 1950s, the Meteor became increasingly obsolete as more nations introduced jet fighters, many of these newcomers having adopted a swept wing instead of the Meteor's conventional straight wing; in RAF service, the Meteor was replaced by newer types such as the Hawker Hunter and Gloster Javelin. As of 2013, two Meteors, WL419 and WA638, remain in active service with the Martin-Baker company as ejection seat testbeds. Two further aircraft in the UK remain airworthy, as does another in Australia.

Ultimate Long Range Leader

3805 East rolling along VT 114 in the unincorporated community of Warren's Gore, Vermont (population: 4). The lead unit is former NS/SOU 7002, a GP40X testbed that has been chopnosed and had Canadian-style snow shields added; along with its SD45-style flared radiators give it a unique look.

Formerly used with ADL as a Euro 6 testbed ? is this Enviro 400 Hybrid. Seen here at Bracknell with an X4 to Reading

A European lunar landscape: a 1:1 model of ESA’s Argonaut lunar lander at Europe’s Moon on Earth, LUNA.

 

Argonaut is ESA’s lunar lander programme and represents Europe’s future autonomous, versatile and reliable access to the Moon. Argonaut lunar landers, fully built by European industry, will transport 1.5 tonnes of cargo to anywhere on the lunar surface, supporting international robotic and crewed missions to the Moon. The cargo could include vital resources for astronauts such as food, water and air, as well as rovers, science instruments, infrastructures for communication and power generation and more. Together with the lander's ability to survive the harsh lunar night (unlike Apollo missions), these supplies will support long-term human presence on the Moon, helping to develop the capabilities needed to live and work on the lunar surface.

 

The model stands in LUNA, a cutting-edge lunar training ground that recreates some of the challenging conditions on the Moon, such as the harsh sunlight and dusty ground, to help researchers prepare for exploration on the lunar surface. At the heart of the facility is a 700-square metre testbed filled with simulated lunar dust, with a deep floor area that allows for sampling and drilling up to three metres below the surface. The facility is located near Cologne, Germany and is operated jointly by ESA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Here, engineers, scientists and astronauts can prepare for the next steps forward to the Moon.

 

Watch Matthias Maurer walking across the dusty terrain of LUNA.

 

Credits: ESA-R. Barbosa

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 9, 2019) A Sikorsky CH-53E "Super Stallion" with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), takes off of the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) during a vertical replenishment-at-sea. The Marines and Sailors of the 11th MEU are deployed to the 7th Fleet area of operations to support regional stability, reassure partners, and allies, and maintain a presence postured to respond to any crisis ranging from humanitarian assistance to contingency operations.

  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sikorsky CH-53E "Super Stallion" is a heavy-lift helicopter operated by the United States military. As the Sikorsky S-80 it was developed from the CH-53 "Sea Stallion", mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. It was built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps. The less common MH-53E "Sea Dragon" fills the United States Navy's need for long range minesweeping or Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) missions, and perform heavy-lift duties for the Navy. Under development is the Sikorsky CH-53K "King Stallion", which has new engines, new composite material rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin; this is to replace the CH-53E.

  

Background

 

The CH-53 was the product of the U.S. Marines' "Heavy Helicopter Experimental" (HH(X)) competition begun in 1962. Sikorsky's S-65 was selected over Boeing Vertol's modified CH-47 "Chinook" version. The prototype YCH-53A first flew on 14 October 1964. The helicopter was designated CH-53A "Sea Stallion" and delivery of production helicopters began in 1966. The first CH-53As were powered by two General Electric T64-GE-6 turboshaft engines with 2,850 shp (2,125 kW) and had a maximum gross weight of 46,000 lb (20,865 kg) including 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) in payload.

 

Variants of the original CH-53A "Sea Stallion" include the RH-53A/D, HH-53B/C, CH-53D, CH-53G, and MH-53H/J/M. The RH-53A and RH-53D were used by the US Navy for mine sweeping. The CH-53D included a more powerful version of the General Electric T64 engine, used in all H-53 variants, and external fuel tanks. The CH-53G was a version of the CH-53D produced in West Germany for the German Army.

 

The US Air Force's HH-53B/C "Super Jolly Green Giant" were for special operations and combat rescue and were first deployed during the Vietnam War. The Air Force's MH-53H/J/M "Pave Low" helicopters were the last of the twin engined H-53s and were equipped with extensive avionics upgrades for all weather operation.

  

H-53E

 

In October 1967, the US Marine Corps issued a requirement for a helicopter with a lifting capacity 1.8 times that of the CH-53D that would fit on amphibious warfare ships. The US Navy and US Army were also seeking similar helicopters at the time. Before issue of the requirement Sikorsky had been working on an enhancement to the CH-53D, under the company designation "S-80", featuring a third turboshaft engine and a more powerful rotor system. Sikorsky proposed the S-80 design to the Marines in 1968. The Marines liked the idea since it promised to deliver a good solution quickly, and funded development of a testbed helicopter for evaluation.

 

In 1970, against pressure by the US Defense Secretary to take the Boeing Vertol XCH-62 being developed for the Army, the Navy and Marines were able to show the Army's helicopter was too large to operate on landing ships and were allowed to pursue their helicopter. Prototype testing investigated the addition of a third engine and a larger rotor system with a seventh blade in the early 1970s. In 1974, the initial YCH-53E first flew.

 

Changes on the CH-53E also include a stronger transmission and a fuselage stretched 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m). The main rotor blades were changed to a titanium-fiberglass composite. The tail configuration was also changed. The low-mounted symmetrical horizontal tail was replaced by a larger vertical tail and the tail rotor tilted from the vertical to provide some lift in hover while counteracting the main rotor torque. Also added was a new automatic flight control system. The digital flight control system prevented the pilot from overstressing the aircraft.

 

YCH-53E testing showed that it could lift 17.8 tons (to a 50-foot (15 m) wheel height), and without an external load, could reach 170 knots (310 km/h) at a 56,000 pound gross weight. This led to two preproduction aircraft and a static test article being ordered. At this time the tail was redesigned to include a high-mounted, horizontal surface opposite the rotor with an inboard section perpendicular to the tail rotor then at the strut connection cants 20 degrees to horizontal.

 

The initial production contract was awarded in 1978, and service introduction followed in February 1981. The first production CH-53E flew in December 1980. The US Navy acquired the CH-53E in small numbers for shipboard resupply. The Marines and Navy acquired a total of 177.

 

The Navy requested a version of the CH-53E for the airborne mine countermeasures role, designated "MH-53E "Sea Dragon". It has enlarged sponsons to provide substantially greater fuel storage and endurance. It also retained the in-flight refueling probe, and could be fitted with up to seven 300 US gallon (1,136 liter) ferry tanks internally. The MH-53E digital flight-control system includes features specifically designed to help tow minesweeping gear. The prototype MH-53E made its first flight on 23 December 1981. MH-53E was used by the Navy beginning in 1986. The MH-53E is capable of in-flight refueling and can be refueled at hover.

 

Additionally, a number of MH-53E helicopters were exported to Japan as the S-80-M-1 for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

 

The base model CH-53E serves both the US Navy and Marines in the heavy lift transport role. It is capable of lifting heavy equipment including the eight-wheeled LAV-25 Light Armored Vehicle, the M198 155 mm Howitzer with ammunition and crew. The Super Stallion can recover aircraft up to its size, which includes all Marine Corps aircraft except for the KC-130.

 

The 53E needs 40 maintenance hours per flight hour due to aging parts, lack of available new replacement parts and the extension of the overall airframe lifetime.

 

CH-53K

Main article: Sikorsky CH-53K "King Stallion"

The US Marine Corps had been planning to upgrade most of their CH-53Es to keep them in service, but this plan stalled. Sikorsky then proposed a new version, originally the CH-53X, and in April 2006, the USMC signed a contract for 156 aircraft as the CH-53K. The Marines are planning to start retiring CH-53Es in 2009 and need new helicopters very quickly.

 

In August 2007, the USMC increased its order of CH-53Ks to 227. First flight was planned for November 2011 with initial operating capability by 2015.

  

Although dimensionally similar, the three engine CH-53E "Super Stallion" or Sikorsky S-80 is a much more powerful aircraft than the original Sikorsky S-65 twin engined CH-53A "Sea Stallion". The CH-53E also added a larger main rotor system with a seventh blade.

  

Design

 

The CH-53E as designed to transport up to 55 troops or 30,000 lb (13,610 kg) of cargo and can carry external slung loads up to 36,000 lb (16,330 kg). The CH-53E has incorporated the same crash attenuating seats as the MV-22B to increase survivability of passengers but at a cost of reducing its original troop transport capacity.[citation needed] The "Super Stallion" has a cruise speed of 173 mph (278 km/h) and a range of 621 miles (1,000 km). The helicopter is fitted with a forward extendable in-flight refueling probe and it can also hoist hose refuel from a surface ship while in hover mode. It can carry three machine guns: one at the starboard side crew door; one at the port window, just behind the copilot; and one at the tail ramp. The CH-53E also has chaff-flare dispensers.

 

The MH-53E features enlarged side mounted fuel sponsons and is rigged for towing various minesweeping and hunting gear from above the dangerous naval mines. The "Sea Dragon" can be equipped for minesweeping, cargo and passenger transportation, and troop insertion. Its digital flight-control system includes features specifically designed to help towing mine sweeping gear.

 

Upgrades to the CH-53E have included the Helicopter Night Vision System (HNVS), improved .50 BMG (12.7 mm) GAU-21/A and M3P machine guns, and AAQ-29A forward looking infrared (FLIR) imager.

 

The CH-53E and the MH-53E are the largest helicopters in the Western world, while the CH-53K now being developed will be even larger. They are fourth in the world to the Russian Mil Mi-26 "Halo" single-rotor helicopter and the enormous, twin transverse rotored Mil V-12 "Homer", which can lift more than 22 tons (20 tonnes) and 44 tons (40 tonnes), respectively and the Mi-26's single-rotor predecessor Mil Mi-6, which has less payload (12 tonnes) but is bigger and has a higher MTOW at 42 tonnes.

The F-106 was the ultimate development of the USAF's 1954 interceptor program of the early 1950s. It was the sixth iteration of the famous 1950s-era “Century” series of jet fighters. The initial winner of the competition had been the F-102 Delta Dagger, but earlier versions of this aircraft had demonstrated extremely poor performance, being limited to flying at subsonic speeds and relatively low altitudes. During the testing phase, the F-102 underwent numerous changes to improve its performance, notably the application of the area rule to the fuselage shaping, an engine change, and the dropping of the advanced MX-1179 fire control system and its replacement with a slightly upgraded version of the MX-1 already in use on subsonic designs. The resulting aircraft became the F-102A, and despite being considered barely suitable for its mission, the Air Force sent out a production contract in March of 1954, under which the first deliveries were expected during the following year.

 

By December 1951, the Air Force had already turned its attention to a further improved version, which was initially referred to as the F-102B. The main planned change was the replacement of the F-102A's Pratt & Whitney J57 (which had itself replaced the original J40) with the more powerful Bristol Olympus, which was produced under license as the Wright J67. By the time this engine would be available, the MX-1179 was expected to be available, and thus, it was also selected. The result would be the "ultimate interceptor" that the USAF had wanted originally. However, while initial work on the Olympus appeared to be going well, by August of 1953, Wright was already a full year behind schedule in development. Continued development did not resolve problems with the engine, and in early 1955, the Air Force approved the switch over to the Pratt & Whitney J75.

 

The J75 was bigger than the J57 in the F-102A and had a greater mass flow. This demanded changes to the inlets to allow more airflow, and this led to the further refinement of using a variable-geometry inlet duct to allow the intakes to be tuned to the best performance across a wide range of supersonic speeds. This change also led to the vents being somewhat shorter. The fuselage grew slightly longer and was cleaned up and simplified in many ways. The wing was partially enlarged in area, and a redesigned vertical tail surface was used. The engine's two-position afterburner exhaust nozzle was also used for idle thrust control. The nozzle was held open, reducing idle thrust by 40%, giving slower taxiing speeds and less brake wear.

 

Throughout the early development of the F-102B, it had to compete for attention and resources with the F-102As; the aviation author Marcelle Knaack observed that there were less funds to develop the more capable systems of the F-102B, which would have been useful in more quickly overcoming some of the technical difficulties that would be encountered. The number of F-102As on order grew substantially beyond that which had been originally forecast, indicative of the growing importance attached to what had once been intended to be an interim or 'stop-gap' aircraft to fill in until the F-102Bs could be delivered. In December of 1955, a mock-up with the expected layout of the MX-1179, now known as the MA-1, was inspected and approved.

 

On April 18th, 1956, in a clear sign of growing confidence that the aircraft was improving, an extended production contract for 17 F-102Bs was issued to Convair; however, this order was for substantially fewer aircraft than had been anticipated initially at this stage. On June 17th of that year, the plane was officially re-designated as the F-106A. On August 18th, 1956, the USAF issued a systems development directive that called for both the development and the production of the F-106s to occur simultaneously; Knaack attributed this policy to being responsible for several later problems in the program. In April of 1957, the USAF formally rejected Convair's F-102C proposal (essentially a re-engined model of the F-102) to concentrate on the more advanced F-106 program, which it had anticipated to enter service during the following year.

 

On December 26th, 1956, the prototype F-106, an aerodynamic test bed, performed its maiden flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California. On February 26th, 1957, the second prototype, which was outfitted with a fuller set of equipment, made its first flight. Early flight testing around the end of 1956 and the beginning of 1957 demonstrated somewhat disappointing results, having achieved less of a performance gain over the F-102 than had been anticipated. Specifically, both the acceleration and maximum speed were below Convair's estimates. Furthermore, both the engines and avionics proved to be somewhat unreliable. These combined problems and the delays associated with them were nearly responsible for the termination of the program.

 

However, the service decided to persist with the F-106 program after the Air Defense Command had heavily advocated for it. Based upon the test data submitted, USAF officials had determined that modifications to the inlet duct cowling and charging ejectors were likely to increase both acceleration and speed; modifications would be made following the completion of Category II testing and were evaluated during Category III testing. At this stage, the service enacted several measures to hasten development towards production; in April of 1957, it authorized the conditional acceptance of several F-106s being used by Convair for flight testing; it also took several quick decisions to settle outstanding development questions. By mid-1957, funding for 120 F-106As had been allocated. The USAF ultimately opted to order 350 F-106s, which was substantially less than the planned 1,000 fleet of aircraft. Deliveries of the single-seat F-106A and the twin-seat F-106B combat-capable trainer variant commenced to 15 fighter interceptor squadrons in October of 1959.

 

On December 15th, 1959, an F-106 flown by Major Joseph W. Rogers made history when his plane set a new world speed record for fighter jets, reaching an incredible speed of 1,525.96 mph (2,455 kph) at 40,500 ft (12,300m). The F-106 was envisaged as a specialized all-weather missile-armed interceptor to shoot down bombers. It was complemented by other Century Series fighters for different roles, such as daylight air superiority or fighter-bombing. To support its part, the F-106 was equipped with the Hughes MA-1 integrated fire-control system, which could be linked to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) network for Ground Control Interception (GCI) missions, allowing the aircraft to be steered by controllers. The MA-1 system proved to be highly troublesome and was eventually upgraded more than 60 times while in service.

 

Like the F-102s, the F-106 was designed without a gun or provision for carrying bombs, but it carried its missiles in an internal weapons bay for clean supersonic flight. It was armed with four Hughes AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles (either AIM-4F/G infra-red guided missiles or semi-active radar homing (SARH)-guided (which detected reflected radar signals) AIM-4E missiles, along with a single 1.5 kiloton-warhead AIR-2 (MB-2) Genie unguided air-to-air rocket intended to be fired into enemy bomber formations. Like its predecessor, the F-102 Delta Dagger, it could carry a drop tank under each wing. Later, jet fighters such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the F-15 Eagle took missiles recessed externally in the fuselage. However, stealth aircraft would re-adopt the idea of carrying missiles or bombs internally for a reduced radar signature.

 

The first ejection seat fitted to early F-106s was a variation of the seat used by the F-102 and was called the Weber interim seat. It was a catapult seat that used an explosive charge to propel it clear of the aircraft. This seat was not a zero-zero seat and was inadequate for ejections at supersonic speeds as well as ground-level ejections and ejections at rates below 120 knots (140 mph; 220 kph) and 2,000 ft (610 m). The second seat that replaced the Weber interim seat was the Convair/ICESC (Industry Crew Escape System Committee) Supersonic Rotational B-seat, called the supersonic "bobsled," hence the B designation. It was designed with supersonic ejection as the primary criterion since the F-106 was capable of Mach 2 performance. Fighter pilots viewed high-speed ejections as the most important. Seat designers considered an ejection at low altitude and slow speed the most likely possibility. The ejection sequence with the B-seat was quite complicated, and some unsuccessful ejections resulted in pilot fatalities. The third seat, which replaced the Convair B-seat, was the Weber Zero-Zero ROCAT (Rocket Catapult) seat. Weber Aircraft Corporation designed a "zero-zero" seat to operate at up to 600 knots (690 mph; 1,100 kph). High-altitude supersonic ejections were rare, and ejections at relatively low altitudes and speeds were more likely. The Weber "zero-zero" seat was satisfactory and was retrofitted to the F-106 after 1965.

 

Early operations of the F-106 were troubled by numerous technical issues; these included generator defects, fuel-flow issues (particularly during cold weather), and combustor-starter malfunctions. In December of 1959, all F-106s were temporarily grounded following the accidental jettisoning of the canopy mid-flight on one aircraft. Many of, but not all, of these problems were resolved by the start of 1961; this can be partially attributed to two significant modification and retrofit programs conducted during this timeframe. Following the resolution of initial teething problems—in particular, an ejection seat that killed the first 12 pilots to eject from the aircraft—its exceptional performance led to the aircraft becoming relatively popular amongst its pilots.

 

The F-106 served in the contiguous U.S., Alaska, and Iceland, as well as for brief periods in both Germany and South Korea. The F-106 was the second-highest sequentially numbered P/F- aircraft to enter service under the old number sequence (the F-111 was highest) before the system was reset under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system. In service, the F-106's official name, "Delta Dart," was rarely used, and the aircraft was universally known simply as "The Six" as it was the sixth and last member in Convair’s Century series of jet fighters. The arrival of the F-106 in quantity quickly led to the withdrawal of various older aircraft that were being used in the interceptor role at that time, such as the North American F-86 Sabres and the Northrop F-89 Scorpions.

 

Although contemplated for use in the Vietnam War, the F-106 never saw combat, nor was it exported to any foreign users. However, after the cancellation of their own Avro Arrow, the Canadian government briefly considered purchasing the F-106C/D. To standardize aircraft types, the USAF was directed to conduct Operation Highspeed, a fly-off competition between the USAF F-106A and the U.S. Navy F4H-1 (F-4B) Phantom, which was not only as capable as the F-106 as a missile-armed interceptor but could carry as large a bomb load as the Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bomber. The Phantom was the winner but would first be used to escort and later replace the F-105 fighter bomber in the late 1960s before replacing older interceptors in the Air Defense Command in the 1970s.

 

The F-106 was progressively updated in service, with improved avionics, a modified wing featuring a noticeable conical camber, an infrared search and track system, streamlined supersonic wing tanks that provided virtually no degradation to overall aircraft performance, better instrumentation, and features like an inflight refueling receptacle and an arrestor hook for landing emergencies.

 

Air-to-air combat testing suggested "The Six" was a reasonable match for the F-4 Phantom II in a dogfight, with superior high-altitude turn performance and overall maneuverability (aided by the aircraft's lower wing loading). Indeed, the Phantom had better radar—it was operated by an additional crew member—and could carry a load of up to four radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow and four infrared AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, while the AIM-4 Falcon missiles carried by the F-106 proved to be a disappointment for dogfighting over Vietnam. The F-4s had a higher thrust/weight ratio with superior climb, better high-speed/low-altitude maneuverability, and could be used as a fighter-bomber. Air combat experience over Vietnam showed the need for increased pilot visibility and the utility of a built-in gun, which had been added to the "E" variant of USAF Phantoms.

 

In 1972, some F-106As were upgraded in Project Six Shooter, which involved fitting the F-106 with a new canopy without metal bracing, significantly improving pilot visibility. Also added was an optical gunsight and provision for a M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon. The M61 Vulcan had 650 rounds of ammunition in the center weapons bay, replacing the AIM-26 Super Falcon or Genie. The F-15A Eagle started replacing the F-106 in 1981, with "The Sixes" being passed on to Air National Guard units. The F-106 remained in service in various USAF and ANG units until they were fully retired from service in August of 1988.

 

Between June 1st, 1983, and August 1st, 1988, the Delta Darts were incrementally retired and sent to the Military Storage and Disposition Center in Arizona. When the need for a high-performance Full-Scaled Aerial Target Drone was required, the USAF began withdrawing Delta Darts from storage. Starting in 1986, 194 of the surviving surplus aircraft were converted into target drones, and these were designated QF-106As and used for target practice vehicles under the Pacer Six Program by the Aerial Targets Squadron. The last one was destroyed in January of 1998. The drones were still capable of being flown as manned aircraft, such as for ferrying to a test; during the trial, they were flown unmanned. The QF-106 replaced the QF-100 Super Sabre drone; the last shootdown of a QF-106 (BuNo 57-2524) took place at Holloman AFB on February 20th, 1997, after which the QF-106 was superseded by the QF-4S and QF-4E Phantom II drone.

 

Six aircraft were retained by NASA for testing purposes through 1998. An F-106B two-seat trainer was operated by NASA Langley Research Center between 1979-1991. This Delta Dart was used in research programs ranging from testing supersonic engines to improving the maneuverability of fighters. Between 1980 and 1986, the aircraft was modified for lightning strike research and became known as the “Lightning Strike Plane” and was struck 714 times without significant damage. While on an hour-long flight at 38,000 ft (12,000 m) in 1984, lightning struck the research aircraft up to 72 times. One effective modification was the replacement of the composite nose radome with a metallic radome. Although the maximum speed of the F-106 was Mach 2.3, during the lightning experiments, it was flown at subsonic speeds into clouds at 300 knots (350 mph; 560 kph) from 5,000 to 40,000 ft (1,500 to 12,200 m). The aircraft was equipped with optical sensors, which consisted of a video camera and a light detector. Data acquisition was performed with 1980s state-of-the-art digital waveform recorders.

 

NASA used six drones in its Eclipse Project, which ran from 1997–1998. The Dryden Flight Research Center supported project Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable Aerotow-launch vehicle. The objective was to tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 aircraft with a C-141A as a transport aircraft. This test demonstrated the possibility of towing and launching a space launch vehicle from behind a tow plane.

 

On February 2nd, 1970, an F-106 of the 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, piloted by Captain Gary Foust, entered a flat spin over Montana. Foust followed procedures and ejected from the aircraft safely. The resulting change of balance caused the plane to stabilize and later land "wheels up" in a snow-covered field, suffering only minor damage. The aircraft, appropriately nicknamed "The Cornfield Bomber," was then sent back to base via rail, repaired, and returned to service, and is now on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton.

 

This F-106B, BuNo 57-2513, was only the 33rd F-106 ever produced, and spent almost all of its career as a testbed, flying with the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, California after delivery in 1958, then assigned directly to USAF Logistics Command from then until 1982, usually flying from Kelly AFB, Texas. It was assigned to the 325th Fighter Weapons Wing at Tyndall AFB, Florida until 1986, when it returned to California; it was assigned to the B-1B development program at Palmdale to act as a chase plane. (Yanks' sources also claim that 57-2513 briefly served with the 120th Fighter-Interceptor Group (Montana ANG) at Great Falls AFB, but the F-106.net page doesn’t confirm this.)

 

57-2513 flew with the B-1 chase program until 1990, when it returned to Tyndall and was assigned to 475th Weapons Evaluation Group, and was finally retired in 1993–one of the last (if not the last) non-drone F-106s to leave service. It would be acquired by the Yanks Air Museum in 2004 and restored to its markings when it was with the B-1 program.

Arriving into Dublin Airport from Stockholm Arlanda 25th May 2016, is the flying testbed owned and operated by Honeywell International.

Boeing 757 Line number 5, was delivered as N504EA to Eastern Airlines, the launch customer for the successful single aisle narrow body on 28th February 1983. She then became G-JALC with Airtours International in the United Kingdom on 1st february 1995 and Airtours successor Mytravel Airways until 2005 when Honeywell international purchased her.

General Electric's engine testbed parked outside their Victorville hangar, though it seems to have all four of its original engines installed at the moment.

KLFI (Joint Base Langley-Eustis) - 18 SEP 2018

 

Honeywell Aerospace's 1983 Boeing 757 Connected Aircraft parked on the ramp in front of the NASA Langley Research Center hangar at Langley AFB (Joint Base Langley-Eusis). It arrived here the previous day from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, where it is based.

 

This Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4 powered Boeing 757 was the fifth 757-200 to roll off the assembly line at Renton.

 

This airplane was delivered to Eastern Airlines on 28 FEB 1983, which it served for nearly 8 years as N504EA before Eastern Airlines ceased operations on 19 JAN 1991.

 

The aircraft was in storage for just over 4 years before being put into service for Airtours International Airways on 06 MAR 1995 as G-JALC.

 

On 01 MAY 2002, the aircraft was transferred to MyTravel Airways as G-JALC.

 

The aircraft was acquired by Honeywell Aerospace on 04 OCT 2005 as N757HW to be used as a testbed aircraft for Honeywell's business aircraft engines, in addition to testing new avionics and airborne weather radar. It's latest mission has turned it into the Connected Aircraft, which can transmit, receive, analyze, and share data which equates to reduced operating costs. The idea is to have the airplane self-monitor and report things that need to be done. For example with an airborne maintenance issue. The airplane will tell the company what needs to be done or fixed before the next flight so that maintenance can be waiting at the gate at the end of the current flight and mitigate or eliminate a future flight delay, which costs the industry 25 billion annually.

 

By enabling advanced troubleshooting, Honeywell estimates that the costs to diagnose an issue can be reduced by up to 25%. An example of this technology is Honeywellâs smart brakes installed on N757HW.

 

Airplane brake wear is measured by pilots and mechanics on walkarounds by looking at brake wear indicators, located in various parts of the brake disc. If the indicator is positive and not flushed with the index, the brake is not worn and is safe for flight.

 

If the indicator is flush with the surface or below it, the brakes must be replaced. Honeywell has designed software to measure and transmit the brake condition to maintenance control to actively monitor and preempt the necessity for brake changes, saving potentially thousands on delayed flight costs.

 

The Connected Aircraft is also a passenger oriented concept. Honeywell, in partnership with Boeing and Inmarsat via GX Aviation, has pioneered a faster airborne WiFi experience for end users.

 

The JetWave modem, not the antenna, has two receivers. The dual receivers allow the JetWave hardware to talk to two beams on the satellite at the same time and allows for seamless switching between beams. Thatâs where the consistent experience comes in.

 

GX Aviation has consistent global coverage regardless of being over water or land. The dual receivers allow users to stay connected while in one beam, while the second receiver acquires the new spot beam as an aircraft moves from one beam to another. GX users use one beam at a time.

 

Perhaps the most important passenger experience enhancement is the ability to live stream and FaceTime with little or no interruption. Using two receivers to have the best-blended WiFi signal ensures constant coverage, even over water, where historically WiFi has had issues.

 

Further, Honeywell now offers an integrated flight planning software â GoDirectFlight Services, that can enable flight dispatchers to better plan flights at scheduled air carriers.

 

Hex Code: AA34CE

Configuration: Testbed

Engines: 2x Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4

A testbed using the frame of a VIA LRC (VIA 6908) at CAD.

N805X operated by Northrup Grumman Systems Corp Bombardier CRJ700-701ER Flying testbed, seen landing at Baltimore MD 16th Dec 2021

"#harrymorrowphoto1

flickr.com/harrymorrowphotography

harrymorrowphotography.com

globalairpower.net"

C-130 Hercules military transport plane heading east over my house and turning south to approach the Davis-Monthan AFB runway from the southeast to the northwest.

______________________________

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-130_Hercules

 

C-130 Hercules

Straight-wing, four-engine turboprop-driven aircraft overflying water

USAF C-130E

Role: Military transport aircraft

National origin: United States

ManufacturerLockheed

Lockheed Martin

First flight23 August 1954

Status: In service

Primary users:

United States Air Force

United States Marine Corps

Royal Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force

Produced: 1954–present

Number built: Over 2,500 as of 2015[1]

Unit cost

C-130E $11.9 million[2]

C-130H $30.1 million[3]

Variants:

AC-130 Spectre/Spooky

Lockheed DC-130

Lockheed EC-130

Lockheed HC-130

Lockheed Martin KC-130

Lockheed LC-130

Lockheed MC-130

Lockheed WC-130

Lockheed L-100 Hercules

Developed into: Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules

 

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin.

 

Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medivac, and cargo transport aircraft. The versatile airframe has found uses in a variety of other roles, including as a gunship (AC-130),for

airborne assault,

search and rescue,

scientific research support,

weather reconnaissance,

aerial refueling,

maritime patrol, and

aerial firefighting.

 

It is now the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide. Over forty models and variants of the Hercules, including a civilian one marketed as Lockheed L-100, operate in more than sixty nations.

 

The C-130 entered service with the U.S. in the 1950s, followed by Australia and others. During its years of service, the Hercules family has participated in numerous military, civilian and humanitarian aid operations. In 2007, the C-130 became the fifth aircraft—after the English Electric Canberra, B-52 Stratofortress, Tu-95, and KC-135 Stratotanker—to mark 50 years of continuous service with its original primary customer, in this case, the United States Air Force. The C-130 Hercules is the longest continuously produced military aircraft at over 60 years, with the updated C-130J Super Hercules being produced today.[4]

 

Contents [hide]

1Design and development

1.1Background and requirements

1.2Design phase

1.3Improved versions

1.4More improvements

1.5Later models

1.6Next generation

1.7Upgrades and changes

1.8Replacement

2Operational history

2.1Military

2.2Civilian

3Variants

4Operators

5Accidents

6Aircraft on display

6.1Australia

6.2Canada

6.3Colombia

6.4Indonesia

6.5Norway

6.6Saudi Arabia

6.7United Kingdom

6.8United States

7Specifications (C-130H)

8See also

9References

10External links

Design and development[edit]

 

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2014)

Background and requirements[edit]

 

The Korean War, which began in June 1950, showed that World War II-era piston-engine transports—Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars, Douglas C-47 Skytrains and Curtiss C-46 Commandos—were inadequate for modern warfare. Thus, on 2 February 1951, the United States Air Force issued a General Operating Requirement (GOR) for a new transport to Boeing, Douglas, Fairchild, Lockheed, Martin, Chase Aircraft, North American, Northrop, and Airlifts Inc. The new transport would have a capacity of 92 passengers, 72 combat troops or 64 paratroopers in a cargo compartment that was approximately 41 feet (12 m) long, 9 feet (2.7 m) high, and 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. Unlike transports derived from passenger airliners, it was to be designed from the ground-up as a combat transport with loading from a hinged loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage.

 

A key feature was the introduction of the Allison T56 turboprop powerplant, first developed specifically for the C-130. At the time, the turboprop was a new application of turbine engines that used exhaust gases to turn a propeller, which offered greater range at propeller-driven speeds compared to pure turbojets, which were faster but consumed more fuel. As was the case on helicopters of that era, such as the UH-1 Huey, turboshafts produced much more power for their weight than piston engines. Lockheed would subsequently use the same engines and technology in the Lockheed L-188 Electra. That aircraft failed financially in its civilian configuration but was successfully adapted into the Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol and submarine attack aircraft where the efficiency and endurance of turboprops excelled.

 

Design phase[edit]

The Hercules resembled a larger four-engine brother to the C-123 Provider with a similar wing and cargo ramp layout that evolved from the Chase XCG-20 Avitruc, which in turn, was first designed and flown as a cargo glider in 1947.[5] The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter also had a rear ramp, which made it possible to drive vehicles onto the plane (also possible with forward ramp on a C-124). The ramp on the Hercules was also used to airdrop cargo, which included low-altitude extraction for Sheridan tanks and even dropping large improvised "daisy cutter" bombs.

 

The new Lockheed cargo plane design possessed a range of 1,100 nmi (1,270 mi; 2,040 km), takeoff capability from short and unprepared strips, and the ability to fly with one engine shut down. Fairchild, North American, Martin, and Northrop declined to participate. The remaining five companies tendered a total of ten designs: Lockheed two, Boeing one, Chase three, Douglas three, and Airlifts Inc. one. The contest was a close affair between the lighter of the two Lockheed (preliminary project designation L-206) proposals and a four-turboprop Douglas design.

 

The Lockheed design team was led by Willis Hawkins, starting with a 130-page proposal for the Lockheed L-206.[6] Hall Hibbard, Lockheed vice president and chief engineer, saw the proposal and directed it to Kelly Johnson, who did not care for the low-speed, unarmed aircraft, and remarked, "If you sign that letter, you will destroy the Lockheed Company."[6] Both Hibbard and Johnson signed the proposal and the company won the contract for the now-designated Model 82 on 2 July 1951.[7]

 

The first flight of the YC-130 prototype was made on 23 August 1954 from the Lockheed plant in Burbank, California. The aircraft, serial number 53-3397, was the second prototype, but the first of the two to fly. The YC-130 was piloted by Stanley Beltz and Roy Wimmer on its 61-minute flight to Edwards Air Force Base; Jack Real and Dick Stanton served as flight engineers. Kelly Johnson flew chase in a Lockheed P2V Neptune.[8]

 

After the two prototypes were completed, production began in Marietta, Georgia, where over 2,300 C-130s have been built through 2009.[9]

 

The initial production model, the C-130A, was powered by Allison T56-A-9 turboprops with three-blade propellers and originally equipped with the blunt nose of the prototypes. Deliveries began in December 1956, continuing until the introduction of the C-130B model in 1959. Some A-models were equipped with skis and re-designated C-130D.

 

As the C-130A became operational with Tactical Air Command (TAC), the C-130's lack of range became apparent and additional fuel capacity was added in the form of external pylon-mounted tanks at the end of the wings.

 

Improved versions[edit]

 

A Michigan Air National Guard C-130E dispatches its flares during a low-level training mission

The C-130B model was developed to complement the A-models that had previously been delivered, and incorporated new features, particularly increased fuel capacity in the form of auxiliary tanks built into the center wing section and an AC electrical system. Four-bladed Hamilton Standard propellers replaced the Aeroproducts three-blade propellers that distinguished the earlier A-models. The C-130B had ailerons with increased boost—3,000 psi (21 MPa) versus 2,050 psi (14 MPa)—as well as uprated engines and four-blade propellers that were standard until the J-model's introduction.

 

An electronic reconnaissance variant of the C-130B was designated C-130B-II. A total of 13 aircraft were converted. The C-130B-II was distinguished by its false external wing fuel tanks, which were disguised signals intelligence (SIGINT) receiver antennas. These pods were slightly larger than the standard wing tanks found on other C-130Bs. Most aircraft featured a swept blade antenna on the upper fuselage, as well as extra wire antennas between the vertical fin and upper fuselage not found on other C-130s. Radio call numbers on the tail of these aircraft were regularly changed so as to confuse observers and disguise their true mission.

 

The extended-range C-130E model entered service in 1962 after it was developed as an interim long-range transport for the Military Air Transport Service. Essentially a B-model, the new designation was the result of the installation of 1,360 US gal (5,150 L) Sargent Fletcher external fuel tanks under each wing's midsection and more powerful Allison T56-A-7A turboprops. The hydraulic boost pressure to the ailerons was reduced back to 2050 psi as a consequence of the external tanks' weight in the middle of the wingspan. The E model also featured structural improvements, avionics upgrades and a higher gross weight. Australia took delivery of 12 C130E Hercules during 1966–67 to supplement the 12 C-130A models already in service with the RAAF. Sweden and Spain fly the TP-84T version of the C-130E fitted for aerial refueling capability.

 

The KC-130 tankers, originally C-130F procured for the US Marine Corps (USMC) in 1958 (under the designation GV-1) are equipped with a removable 3,600 US gal (13,626 L) stainless steel fuel tank carried inside the cargo compartment. The two wing-mounted hose and drogue aerial refueling pods each transfer up to 300 US gal per minute (19 L per second) to two aircraft simultaneously, allowing for rapid cycle times of multiple-receiver aircraft formations, (a typical tanker formation of four aircraft in less than 30 minutes). The US Navy's C-130G has increased structural strength allowing higher gross weight operation.

 

More improvements[edit]

 

Royal Australian Air Force C-130H, 2007

The C-130H model has updated Allison T56-A-15 turboprops, a redesigned outer wing, updated avionics and other minor improvements. Later H models had a new, fatigue-life-improved, center wing that was retrofitted to many earlier H-models. For structural reasons, some models are required to land with certain amounts of fuel when carrying heavy cargo, reducing usable range.[10] The H model remains in widespread use with the United States Air Force (USAF) and many foreign air forces. Initial deliveries began in 1964 (to the RNZAF), remaining in production until 1996. An improved C-130H was introduced in 1974, with Australia purchasing 12 of type in 1978 to replace the original 12 C-130A models, which had first entered RAAF Service in 1958.

 

The United States Coast Guard employs the HC-130H for long-range search and rescue, drug interdiction, illegal migrant patrols, homeland security, and logistics.

 

C-130H models produced from 1992 to 1996 were designated as C-130H3 by the USAF. The "3" denoting the third variation in design for the H series. Improvements included ring laser gyros for the INUs, GPS receivers, a partial glass cockpit (ADI and HSI instruments), a more capable APN-241 color radar, night vision device compatible instrument lighting, and an integrated radar and missile warning system. The electrical system upgrade included Generator Control Units (GCU) and Bus Switching units (BSU)to provide stable power to the more sensitive upgraded components.[citation needed]

  

Royal Air Force C-130K (C.3)

The equivalent model for export to the UK is the C-130K, known by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as the Hercules C.1. The C-130H-30 (Hercules C.3 in RAF service) is a stretched version of the original Hercules, achieved by inserting a 100 in (2.54 m) plug aft of the cockpit and an 80 in (2.03 m) plug at the rear of the fuselage. A single C-130K was purchased by the Met Office for use by its Meteorological Research Flight, where it was classified as the Hercules W.2. This aircraft was heavily modified (with its most prominent feature being the long red and white striped atmospheric probe on the nose and the move of the weather radar into a pod above the forward fuselage). This aircraft, named Snoopy, was withdrawn in 2001 and was then modified by Marshall of Cambridge Aerospace as flight-testbed for the A400M turbine engine, the TP400. The C-130K is used by the RAF Falcons for parachute drops. Three C-130K (Hercules C Mk.1P) were upgraded and sold to the Austrian Air Force in 2002.[11]

 

Later models[edit]

The MC-130E Combat Talon was developed for the USAF during the Vietnam War to support special operations missions in Southeast Asia, and led to both the MC-130H Combat Talon II as well as a family of other special missions aircraft. 37 of the earliest models currently operating with the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) are scheduled to be replaced by new-production MC-130J versions. The EC-130 Commando Solo is another special missions variant within AFSOC, albeit operated solely by an AFSOC-gained wing in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, and is a psychological operations/information operations (PSYOP/IO) platform equipped as an aerial radio station and television stations able to transmit messaging over commercial frequencies. Other versions of the EC-130, most notably the EC-130H Compass Call, are also special variants, but are assigned to the Air Combat Command (ACC). The AC-130 gunship was first developed during the Vietnam War to provide close air support and other ground-attack duties.

  

USAF HC-130P refuels a HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter

The HC-130 is a family of long-range search and rescue variants used by the USAF and the U.S. Coast Guard. Equipped for deep deployment of Pararescuemen (PJs), survival equipment, and (in the case of USAF versions) aerial refueling of combat rescue helicopters, HC-130s are usually the on-scene command aircraft for combat SAR missions (USAF only) and non-combat SAR (USAF and USCG). Early USAF versions were also equipped with the Fulton surface-to-air recovery system, designed to pull a person off the ground using a wire strung from a helium balloon. The John Wayne movie The Green Berets features its use. The Fulton system was later removed when aerial refueling of helicopters proved safer and more versatile. The movie The Perfect Storm depicts a real life SAR mission involving aerial refueling of a New York Air National Guard HH-60G by a New York Air National Guard HC-130P.

 

The C-130R and C-130T are U.S. Navy and USMC models, both equipped with underwing external fuel tanks. The USN C-130T is similar, but has additional avionics improvements. In both models, aircraft are equipped with Allison T56-A-16 engines. The USMC versions are designated KC-130R or KC-130T when equipped with underwing refueling pods and pylons and are fully night vision system compatible.

 

The RC-130 is a reconnaissance version. A single example is used by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the aircraft having originally been sold to the former Imperial Iranian Air Force.

 

The Lockheed L-100 (L-382) is a civilian variant, equivalent to a C-130E model without military equipment. The L-100 also has two stretched versions.

 

Next generation[edit]

Main article: Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules

In the 1970s, Lockheed proposed a C-130 variant with turbofan engines rather than turboprops, but the U.S. Air Force preferred the takeoff performance of the existing aircraft. In the 1980s, the C-130 was intended to be replaced by the Advanced Medium STOL Transport project. The project was canceled and the C-130 has remained in production.

 

Building on lessons learned, Lockheed Martin modified a commercial variant of the C-130 into a High Technology Test Bed (HTTB). This test aircraft set numerous short takeoff and landing performance records and significantly expanded the database for future derivatives of the C-130.[12] Modifications made to the HTTB included extended chord ailerons, a long chord rudder, fast-acting double-slotted trailing edge flaps, a high-camber wing leading edge extension, a larger dorsal fin and dorsal fins, the addition of three spoiler panels to each wing upper surface, a long-stroke main and nose landing gear system, and changes to the flight controls and a change from direct mechanical linkages assisted by hydraulic boost, to fully powered controls, in which the mechanical linkages from the flight station controls operated only the hydraulic control valves of the appropriate boost unit.[13] The HTTB first flew on 19 June 1984, with civil registration of N130X. After demonstrating many new technologies, some of which were applied to the C-130J, the HTTB was lost in a fatal accident on 3 February 1993, at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, in Marietta, Georgia.[14] The crash was attributed to disengagement of the rudder fly-by-wire flight control system, resulting in a total loss of rudder control capability while conducting ground minimum control speed tests (Vmcg). The disengagement was a result of the inadequate design of the rudder's integrated actuator package by its manufacturer; the operator's insufficient system safety review failed to consider the consequences of the inadequate design to all operating regimes. A factor which contributed to the accident was the flight crew's lack of engineering flight test training.[15]

 

In the 1990s, the improved C-130J Super Hercules was developed by Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin). This model is the newest version and the only model in production. Externally similar to the classic Hercules in general appearance, the J model has new turboprop engines, six-bladed propellers, digital avionics, and other new systems.[16]

 

Upgrades and changes[edit]

In 2000, Boeing was awarded a US$1.4 billion contract to develop an Avionics Modernization Program kit for the C-130. The program was beset with delays and cost overruns until project restructuring in 2007.[17] On 2 September 2009, Bloomberg news reported that the planned Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) upgrade to the older C-130s would be dropped to provide more funds for the F-35, CV-22 and airborne tanker replacement programs.[18] However, in June 2010, Department of Defense approved funding for the initial production of the AMP upgrade kits.[19][20] Under the terms of this agreement, the USAF has cleared Boeing to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) for the C-130 AMP. A total of 198 aircraft are expected to feature the AMP upgrade. The current cost per aircraft is US$14 million although Boeing expects that this price will drop to US$7 million for the 69th aircraft.[17]

 

An engine enhancement program saving fuel and providing lower temperatures in the T56 engine has been approved, and the US Air Force expects to save $2 billion and extend the fleet life.[21]

 

Replacement[edit]

In October 2010, the Air Force released a capabilities request for information (CRFI) for the development of a new airlifter to replace the C-130. The new aircraft is to carry a 190 percent greater payload and assume the mission of mounted vertical maneuver (MVM). The greater payload and mission would enable it to carry medium-weight armored vehicles and drop them off at locations without long runways. Various options are being considered, including new or upgraded fixed-wing designs, rotorcraft, tiltrotors, or even an airship. Development could start in 2014, and become operational by 2024. The C-130 fleet of around 450 planes would be replaced by only 250 aircraft.[22] The Air Force had attempted to replace the C-130 in the 1970s through the Advanced Medium STOL Transport project, which resulted in the C-17 Globemaster III that instead replaced the C-141 Starlifter.[23] The Air Force Research Laboratory funded Lockheed and Boeing demonstrators for the Speed Agile concept, which had the goal of making a STOL aircraft that can take off and land at speeds as low as 70 kn (130 km/h; 81 mph) on airfields less than 2,000 ft (610 m) long and cruise at Mach 0.8-plus. Boeing's design used upper-surface blowing from embedded engines on the inboard wing and blown flaps for circulation control on the outboard wing. Lockheed's design also used blown flaps outboard, but inboard used patented reversing ejector nozzles. Boeing's design completed over 2,000 hours of windtunnel tests in late 2009. It was a 5 percent-scale model of a narrowbody design with a 55,000 lb (25,000 kg) payload. When the AFRL increased the payload requirement to 65,000 lb (29,000 kg), they tested a 5% scale model of a widebody design with a 303,000 lb (137,000 kg) take-off gross weight and an "A400M-size" 158 in (4.0 m) wide cargo box. It would be powered by four IAE V2533 turbofans.[24] In August 2011, the AFRL released pictures of the Lockheed Speed Agile concept demonstrator. A 23% scale model went through wind tunnel tests to demonstrate its hybrid powered lift, which combines a low drag airframe with simple mechanical assembly to reduce weight and better aerodynamics. The model had four engines, including two Williams FJ44 turbofans.[23][25] On 26 March 2013, Boeing was granted a patent for its swept-wing powered lift aircraft.[26]

 

As of January 2014, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force Research Lab are in the early stages of defining requirements for the C-X next generation airlifter program to replace both the C-130 and C-17. An aircraft would be produced from the early 2030s to the 2040s. If requirements are decided for operating in contested airspace, Air Force procurement of C-130s would end by the end of the decade to not have them serviceable by the 2030s and operated when they can't perform in that environment. Development of the airlifter depends heavily on the Army's "tactical and operational maneuver" plans. Two different cargo planes could still be created to separately perform tactical and strategic missions, but which course to pursue is to be decided before C-17s need to be retired.[27]

 

Operational history[edit]

 

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2014)

Military[edit]

 

USMC KC-130F Hercules performing takeoffs and landings aboard the aircraft carrier Forrestal in 1963. The aircraft is now displayed at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.

The first production aircraft, C-130As were first delivered beginning in 1956 to the 463d Troop Carrier Wing at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma and the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, Tennessee. Six additional squadrons were assigned to the 322d Air Division in Europe and the 315th Air Division in the Far East. Additional aircraft were modified for electronics intelligence work and assigned to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany while modified RC-130As were assigned to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) photo-mapping division.

 

In 1958, a U.S. reconnaissance C-130A-II of the 7406th Support Squadron was shot down over Armenia by MiG-17s.[28]

 

Australia became the first non-American force to operate the C-130A Hercules with 12 examples being delivered from late 1958. These aircraft were fitted with AeroProducts three-blade, 15-foot diameter propellers. The Royal Canadian Air Force became another early user with the delivery of four B-models (Canadian designation C-130 Mk I) in October / November 1960.[29]

 

In 1963, a Hercules achieved and still holds the record for the largest and heaviest aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier.[30] During October and November that year, a USMC KC-130F (BuNo 149798), loaned to the U.S. Naval Air Test Center, made 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 unarrested full-stop landings and 21 unassisted take-offs on Forrestal at a number of different weights.[31] The pilot, LT (later RADM) James H. Flatley III, USN, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in this test series. The tests were highly successful, but the idea was considered too risky for routine "Carrier Onboard Delivery" (COD) operations. Instead, the Grumman C-2 Greyhound was developed as a dedicated COD aircraft. The Hercules used in the test, most recently in service with Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 352 (VMGR-352) until 2005, is now part of the collection of the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida.

 

In 1964, C-130 crews from the 6315th Operations Group at Naha Air Base, Okinawa commenced forward air control (FAC; "Flare") missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos supporting USAF strike aircraft. In April 1965 the mission was expanded to North Vietnam where C-130 crews led formations of B-57 bombers on night reconnaissance/strike missions against communist supply routes leading to South Vietnam. In early 1966 Project Blind Bat/Lamplighter was established at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand. After the move to Ubon the mission became a four-engine FAC mission with the C-130 crew searching for targets then calling in strike aircraft. Another little-known C-130 mission flown by Naha-based crews was Operation Commando Scarf, which involved the delivery of chemicals onto sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos that were designed to produce mud and landslides in hopes of making the truck routes impassable.[citation needed]

 

In November 1964, on the other side of the globe, C-130Es from the 464th Troop Carrier Wing but loaned to 322d Air Division in France, flew one of the most dramatic missions in history in the former Belgian Congo. After communist Simba rebels took white residents of the city of Stanleyville hostage, the U.S. and Belgium developed a joint rescue mission that used the C-130s to airlift and then drop and air-land a force of Belgian paratroopers to rescue the hostages. Two missions were flown, one over Stanleyville and another over Paulis during Thanksgiving weeks.[32] The headline-making mission resulted in the first award of the prestigious MacKay Trophy to C-130 crews.

 

In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, as a desperate measure the transport No. 6 Squadron of the Pakistan Air Force modified its entire small fleet of C-130Bs for use as heavy bombers, capable of carrying up to 20,000 lb (9,072 kg) of bombs on pallets. These improvised bombers were used to hit Indian targets such as bridges, heavy artillery positions, tank formations and troop concentrations.[33][34] Some C-130s even flew with anti-aircraft guns fitted on their ramp, apparently shooting down some 17 aircraft and damaging 16 others.[35]

  

The C-130 Hercules were used in the Battle of Kham Duc in 1968, when the North Vietnamese Army forced U.S.-led forces to abandon the Kham Duc Special Forces Camp.

In October 1968, a C-130Bs from the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing dropped a pair of M-121 10,000 pound bombs that had been developed for the massive B-36 bomber but had never been used. The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force resurrected the huge weapons as a means of clearing landing zones for helicopters and in early 1969 the 463rd commenced Commando Vault missions. Although the stated purpose of COMMANDO VAULT was to clear LZs, they were also used on enemy base camps and other targets.[citation needed]

 

During the late 1960s, the U.S. was eager to get information on Chinese nuclear capabilities. After the failure of the Black Cat Squadron to plant operating sensor pods near the Lop Nur Nuclear Weapons Test Base using a Lockheed U-2, the CIA developed a plan, named Heavy Tea, to deploy two battery-powered sensor pallets near the base. To deploy the pallets, a Black Bat Squadron crew was trained in the U.S. to fly the C-130 Hercules. The crew of 12, led by Col Sun Pei Zhen, took off from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in an unmarked U.S. Air Force C-130E on 17 May 1969. Flying for six and a half hours at low altitude in the dark, they arrived over the target and the sensor pallets were dropped by parachute near Anxi in Gansu province. After another six and a half hours of low altitude flight, they arrived back at Takhli. The sensors worked and uploaded data to a U.S. intelligence satellite for six months, before their batteries wore out. The Chinese conducted two nuclear tests, on 22 September 1969 and 29 September 1969, during the operating life of the sensor pallets. Another mission to the area was planned as Operation Golden Whip, but was called off in 1970.[36] It is most likely that the aircraft used on this mission was either C-130E serial number 64-0506 or 64-0507 (cn 382-3990 and 382-3991). These two aircraft were delivered to Air America in 1964.[37] After being returned to the U.S. Air Force sometime between 1966 and 1970, they were assigned the serial numbers of C-130s that had been destroyed in accidents. 64-0506 is now flying as 62-1843, a C-130E that crashed in Vietnam on 20 December 1965 and 64-0507 is now flying as 63-7785, a C-130E that had crashed in Vietnam on 17 June 1966.[38]

 

The A-model continued in service through the Vietnam War, where the aircraft assigned to the four squadrons at Naha AB, Okinawa and one at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan performed yeoman's service, including operating highly classified special operations missions such as the BLIND BAT FAC/Flare mission and FACT SHEET leaflet mission over Laos and North Vietnam. The A-model was also provided to the South Vietnamese Air Force as part of the Vietnamization program at the end of the war, and equipped three squadrons based at Tan Son Nhut AFB. The last operator in the world is the Honduran Air Force, which is still flying one of five A model Hercules (FAH 558, c/n 3042) as of October 2009.[39] As the Vietnam War wound down, the 463rd Troop Carrier/Tactical Airlift Wing B-models and A-models of the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing were transferred back to the United States where most were assigned to Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.

  

U.S. Marines disembark from C-130 transports at the Da Nang Airbase on 8 March 1965

Another prominent role for the B model was with the United States Marine Corps, where Hercules initially designated as GV-1s replaced C-119s. After Air Force C-130Ds proved the type's usefulness in Antarctica, the U.S. Navy purchased a number of B-models equipped with skis that were designated as LC-130s. C-130B-II electronic reconnaissance aircraft were operated under the SUN VALLEY program name primarily from Yokota Air Base, Japan. All reverted to standard C-130B cargo aircraft after their replacement in the reconnaissance role by other aircraft.

 

The C-130 was also used in the 1976 Entebbe raid in which Israeli commando forces carried a surprise assault to rescue 103 passengers of an airliner hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. The rescue force — 200 soldiers, jeeps, and a black Mercedes-Benz (intended to resemble Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin's vehicle of state) — was flown over 2,200 nmi (4,074 km; 2,532 mi) almost entirely at an altitude of less than 100 ft (30 m) from Israel to Entebbe by four Israeli Air Force (IAF) Hercules aircraft without mid-air refueling (on the way back, the planes refueled in Nairobi, Kenya).

 

During the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas) of 1982, Argentine Air Force C-130s undertook highly dangerous, daily re-supply night flights as blockade runners to the Argentine garrison on the Falkland Islands. They also performed daylight maritime survey flights. One was lost during the war. Argentina also operated two KC-130 tankers during the war, and these refueled both the Douglas A-4 Skyhawks and Navy Dassault-Breguet Super Étendards; some C-130s were modified to operate as bombers with bomb-racks under their wings. The British also used RAF C-130s to support their logistical operations.

  

USMC C-130T Fat Albert performing a rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO)

During the Gulf War of 1991 (Operation Desert Storm), the C-130 Hercules was used operationally by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, along with the air forces of Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the UK. The MC-130 Combat Talon variant also made the first attacks using the largest conventional bombs in the world, the BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" and GBU-43/B "Massive Ordnance Air Blast" bomb, (MOAB). Daisy Cutters were used to clear landing zones and to eliminate mine fields. The weight and size of the weapons make it impossible or impractical to load them on conventional bombers. The GBU-43/B MOAB is a successor to the BLU-82 and can perform the same function, as well as perform strike functions against hardened targets in a low air threat environment.

 

Since 1992, two successive C-130 aircraft named Fat Albert have served as the support aircraft for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team. Fat Albert I was a TC-130G (151891),[40] while Fat Albert II is a C-130T (164763).[41] Although Fat Albert supports a Navy squadron, it is operated by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and its crew consists solely of USMC personnel. At some air shows featuring the team, Fat Albert takes part, performing flyovers. Until 2009, it also demonstrated its rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO) capabilities; these ended due to dwindling supplies of rockets.[42]

 

The AC-130 also holds the record for the longest sustained flight by a C-130. From 22 to 24 October 1997, two AC-130U gunships flew 36 hours nonstop from Hurlburt Field Florida to Taegu (Daegu), South Korea while being refueled seven times by KC-135 tanker aircraft. This record flight shattered the previous record longest flight by over 10 hours while the two gunships took on 410,000 lb (190,000 kg) of fuel. The gunship has been used in every major U.S. combat operation since Vietnam, except for Operation El Dorado Canyon, the 1986 attack on Libya.[43]

  

C-130 Hercules performs a tactical landing on a dirt strip

During the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and the ongoing support of the International Security Assistance Force (Operation Enduring Freedom), the C-130 Hercules has been used operationally by Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, the UK and the United States.

 

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), the C-130 Hercules was used operationally by Australia, the UK and the United States. After the initial invasion, C-130 operators as part of the Multinational force in Iraq used their C-130s to support their forces in Iraq.

 

Since 2004, the Pakistan Air Force has employed C-130s in the War in North-West Pakistan. Some variants had forward looking infrared (FLIR Systems Star Safire III EO/IR) sensor balls, to enable close tracking of Islamist militants.[44]

 

Civilian[edit]

 

A C-130E fitted with a MAFFS-1 dropping fire retardant

The U.S. Forest Service developed the Modular Airborne FireFighting System for the C-130 in the 1970s, which allows regular aircraft to be temporarily converted to an airtanker for fighting wildfires.[45] In the late 1980s, 22 retired USAF C-130As were removed from storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and transferred to the U.S. Forest Service who then sold them to six private companies to be converted into air tankers (see U.S. Forest Service airtanker scandal). After one of these aircraft crashed due to wing separation in flight as a result of fatigue stress cracking, the entire fleet of C-130A air tankers was permanently grounded in 2004 (see 2002 airtanker crashes). C-130s have been used to spread chemical dispersants onto the massive oil slick in the Gulf Coast in 2010.[46]

 

A recent development of a C-130–based airtanker is the Retardant Aerial Delivery System developed by Coulson Aviation USA . The system consists of a C-130H/Q retrofitted with an in-floor discharge system, combined with a removable 3,500- or 4,000-gallon water tank. The combined system is FAA certified.[47]

 

Variants[edit]

 

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2014)

 

C-130H Hercules flight deck

 

A U.S. JC-130 aircraft retrieving a reconnaissance satellite film capsule under parachute.

 

C-130s from the: U.S., Canada, Australia and Israel (foreground to background)

 

RAAF C-130J-30 at Point Cook, 2006

 

Brazilian Air Force C-130 (L-382)

For civilian versions, see Lockheed L-100 Hercules.

Significant military variants of the C-130 include:

 

C-130A/B/E/F/G/H/K/T

Tactical airlifter basic models

C-130A-II Dreamboat

Early version Electronic Intelligence/Signals Intelligence (ELINT/SIGINT) aircraft[48]

C-130J Super Hercules

Tactical airlifter, with new engines, avionics, and updated systems

C-130K

Designation for RAF Hercules C1/W2/C3 aircraft (C-130Js in RAF service are the Hercules C.4 and Hercules C.5)

AC-130A/E/H/J/U/W

Gunship variants

C-130D/D-6

Ski-equipped version for snow and ice operations United States Air Force / Air National Guard

CC-130E/H/J Hercules

Designation for Canadian Armed Forces / Royal Canadian Air Force Hercules aircraft. U.S. Air Force used the CC-130J designation to differentiate standard C-130Js from "stretched" C-130Js (Company designation C-130J-30s).

DC-130A/E/H

USAF and USN Drone control

EC-130

EC-130E/J Commando Solo – USAF / Air National Guard psychological operations version

EC-130E – Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC)

EC-130E Rivet Rider – Airborne psychological warfare aircraft

EC-130H Compass Call – Electronic warfare and electronic attack.[49]

EC-130V – Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) variant used by USCG for counter-narcotics missions[50]

GC-130

Permanently Grounded "Static Display"

HC-130

HC-130B/E/H – Early model combat search and rescue

HC-130P/N Combat King – USAF aerial refueling tanker and combat search and rescue

HC-130J Combat King II – Next generation combat search and rescue tanker

HC-130H/J – USCG long-range surveillance and search and rescue

JC-130

Temporary conversion for flight test operations

KC-130F/R/T/J

United States Marine Corps aerial refueling tanker and tactical airlifter

LC-130F/H/R

USAF / Air National Guard – Ski-equipped version for Arctic and Antarctic support operations; LC-130F previously operated by USN

MC-130

MC-130E/H Combat Talon I/II – Special operations infiltration/extraction variant

MC-130W Combat Spear/Dragon Spear – Special operations tanker/gunship[51]

MC-130P Combat Shadow – Special operations tanker

MC-130J Commando II (formerly Combat Shadow II) – Special operations tanker Air Force Special Operations Command[52]

YMC-130H – Modified aircraft under Operation Credible Sport for second Iran hostage crisis rescue attempt

NC-130

Permanent conversion for flight test operations

PC-130/C-130-MP

Maritime patrol

RC-130A/S

Surveillance aircraft for reconnaissance

SC-130J Sea Herc

Proposed maritime patrol version of the C-130J, designed for coastal surveillance and anti-submarine warfare.[53][54]

TC-130

Aircrew training

VC-130H

VIP transport

WC-130A/B/E/H/J

Weather reconnaissance ("Hurricane Hunter") version for USAF / Air Force Reserve Command's 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron in support of the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center

_________________________________

IMG_5181

The smaller model asteroid seen here atop a rover that slowly wheels around another larger model asteroid, a practical recreation of the kind of binary asteroid system to be visited by ESA’s proposed Hera mission.

 

The camera seen to the right, mounted on a 33 m track, approaches this miniature binary asteroid system to test vision-based navigation software. Employing 3D printed asteroid models, this test took place in ESA's GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator, or GRALS.

 

“ESA’s Hera mission, currently under study, would be humankind’s first mission to a binary asteroid system, targeting the Didymos pair of Near-Earth asteroids,” explains Paolo Martino, Hera system engineer.

 

“The plan is to map surface features of these bodies on an automated basis to pinpoint Hera’s position in space and chart its onward trajectory. And GRALS is letting us test candidate navigation algorithms in a real-world way.”

 

Part of the Agency's Orbital Robotics and Guidance, Navigation and Control Laboratory in its ESTEC technical centre in the Netherlands, GRALS is used to simulate close approach to uncooperative targets such as asteroids or drifting satellites.

 

b>Credits: ESA–G. Porter,CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The F-82 aircraft, originally designated P-82, was developed as a long-range bomber escort for World War II that could fly beyond the range of the available P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning. Powered by a pair of Rolls Royce Merlin counter-rotating engines and based loosely on the P-51H, the F-82 was to accompany the B-29 Superfortress on missions longer than 2,000 miles.

 

By the time the Twin Mustang was ready to serve, though, the war was coming to an end. The U.S. Air Force would eventually accept 272 of these planes, and some saw action in the Korean War. Only 22 Twin Mustangs would be built with two fully equipped cockpits so the crew could alternate control on long flights. Later, fighter versions would remove the conventional cockpit on the right side in favor of airborne radar operations equipment.

 

The Twin Mustang's heyday ended before it really got started. Most were retired in the early 1950s, and those planes were slowly cannibalized until the lack of spare parts made it impossible to keep the remaining airframes flying. Today only 5 twin Mustangs remain and this one is the only one that is in flying condition.

 

This particular aircraft had a remarkable history even before the extensive decade-long restoration. Starting life as the second of two 1945 XP-82 prototypes, it went to the Army Air Force for use in official performance testing. After successful testing. it was transferred to the National Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the forerunner of NASA, where it became a testbed for high-altitude flight.

 

On February 1950, while testing an experimental ramjet, the airplane received substantial damage after sliding off the runway during landing. The story could've ended there, with the plane finding its final resting place at a boneyard in the middle of Ohio. Instead, the aircraft was later cut in half, with the right fuselage and wing delivered to the Air Force for destructive testing.

 

Tom Reilly stumbled upon the partial Twin Mustang. Then began a decade long restoration which included searching for and finding super rare parts, including a left-turning Rolls Royce V-12 Merlin engine, fabricating the missing fuselage and wing, and slowly piecing it together.

 

I was thrilled to get the opportunity to photograph the plane during AirVenture 2019. Early one morning I heard a smarm of RR-Merlins coming low over our campground. There in the morning light was the XP-82, accompanied by several other Mustangs. That is a sight and sound that I will remember for a long time.

Unfortunately because of my schedule I was not able to photograph the XP-82 in flight. Hopefully sometime in the future I can catch some shots of it in the air.

 

Thank you Tom Reilly for your dedication in putting this rare bird back in the air!

One of Martin Baker`s two Gloster Meteor`s used for ejector seat testing touchs down at BAE Warton.

After Cliffe went to sleep upon my finishing of the Schnelljaeger, I decided to keep playing with the model. It needed a more Neustrasian look, I thought. So now I have this forward swept wing, contra-rotating propeller-propelled aerodynamic testbed. Maybe if it's good enough it'll enter full service? For now, it's just an experiment.

Changelog from the initial Cliffe version I built:

-slightly smaller propellers

-smoother nose for the tubroprop inline engine

-Awe-style wings

-4x20mm cannons in the wing pods (I'll show you when I get back from the bank, Cliffe)

-taller tail and slightly longer elevators

 

At this point, my Maelstrom is going to end up becoming everything through variations alone!

Specs:

Speed: 815 km/h (506 mph)

Engine: 3500 Horsepower Turboprop, driving a contraprop

Turn radius: 870 feet

Rate of climb: 5000 feet per minute

Armament: 4x20mm cannons

Service ceiling: 12,000 meters (~40,000 feet)

XV Patrick Blackett (X01) is an experimental ship used by the Royal Navy as a testbed for new technologies, including unmanned underwater vehicles and unmanned surface vehicles.

 

Her namesake is Patrick Blackett, a Royal Navy veteran and Nobel Prize-winning British physicist.

 

The Ship has her own QR Code

 

Pictured here arriving at Portsmouth Naval Base, where the ship is currently based

Handley Page HP 137 Jetstream G RAVL at Cranfield Bedfordshire (EGTC), first flown in 1969 but with Racal/Decca Navigation from 1974, last used by Cranfield University as a flying equipment testbed WFU in 2004.

This Boeing 707-321B N404PA was an experimental aircraft communications and sensor testbed owned by the Air Force Systems Command and operated by a joint venture between the Air Force’s 350th Electronic Systems Wing and M.I.T.’s Lincoln Labs.

Pratt & Whitney Canada 747SP C-GTFF.

 

Originally built for Korean Air on January 30, 1981, this is 1 of only 2 747SP still flying anywhere in the world.

Still equipped with JT9D engines, she serves as a testbed for Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Arriving runway 36L at KOSH.

 

Air Venture 2025.

Imbrium Lunokhod Industries VS-TX-00x 'Kērangi' Frame.

 

Little more than a tablescrap, this is a testbed for an elbow/wrist design that Ive been playing with and a lower leg design that I hoped would work well.

It's far too large for Mobile Frame Zero play, but could work as a base for a larger display mech.

Gas Turbine locomotive 18000 stands in the shed at the Didcot Railway Centre, 29th July 2016.

 

Locomotive History

In 1946 the Great Western Railway ordered from Brown Boveri of Switzerland a prototype gas turbine locomotive. However the locomotive did not arrive at Swindon Works until February 1950, well after the Great Western Railway had been nationalised as part of British Railways. 18000 spent its working life under test hauling express passenger trains from Paddington before being officially withdrawn in December 1960. The engine proved to be un- reliable and expensive to operate and was competing with diesel hydraulic and diesel electric powered locomotives of a more proven design. After withdrawal the locomotive was offered to the European Office for Research and Development and moved back to Switzerland, where the gas turbine was removed and the locomotive modified for use as a testbed for experiments on rail-wheel interaction. Once these experiments were concluded the locomotive was put on display outside the Mechanical Engineering Testing building in Vienna in 1975 and was eventually secured for preservation in the UK in the early 1990s initially being stored at Crewe Heritage Centre. The current aim is to carry out body side repairs and to conserve the locomotive bodyshell as a static display.

 

Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Test Bed Boeing 720B at the National Air Force Museum at CFB Trenton - the big nose was used to mount and test turboprop engines.

Coventry 29th August 2015.

As the clock ticks down on these important vehicles, I think a quick history lesson is on the cards....

 

New in June 2001 as a testbed vehicle, two more bendy-bus Scanias joined the fleet later that year, and all were concentrated on the 58 between Killisick, Arnold, Sherwood and Nottingham, then 704 joined the fleet the following Spring.

 

In 2002, both this one and newly acquired 705 were both churned out in blue and white for GO2 Navy 48 between Clifton and Nottingham, with the possibility of more the type being ordered, however the trial didn't come to any light, the following year the first OmniDekkas for the company went on there, alongside Tridents 428 and 430 (replacing 701 and 705).

 

Late in 2003, all five were finally together on the 58, along with 429 and 666-8, where they spent two years on the 58, before OmniDekkas ousted them in September 2005.

 

The following year, initially every 15 minutes, 701-5 moved onto Unilink 4, but demand was growing, so in 2010, an extra bus was acquired in the form of an ex-demonstrator, then in 2012 the service was increased to run up to every 7 minutes using three tri-axle OmniLinks which were acquired from the council, but were new to NCT in 2007 on Citylink 1.

 

This year they are to be replaced by the 55 plate OmniDekkas on the 58, which have just been upgraded to brand new Enviro 400 Scanias.

 

701 passes along Carrington Street in Nottingham with a 4 to NTU Clifton Campus via Trent Bridge and Wilford Green.