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The English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft and was the first aircraft in the world capable of supercruise. The Lightning was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; pilots commonly described it as "being saddled to a skyrocket".
XS904 first flew on 26th August 1966 and started her RAF life with 11 Squadron in April 1967. Apart from brief periods with 5 Squadron and in storage or on overhaul, she spent her entire career with 11 Squadron. With the type's retirement from service she continued to fly with BAe on Tornado F3 Radar Development trials. Finally retired in late 1992, she was acquired by the Lightning Preservation Group at Bruntingthorpe and flown there on 21st January 1993.
This former U.S. Air Force Convair YF-102A Delta Dagger (Serial Number 53-1788) is part of the collection of the Carolinas Aviation Museum located at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was photographed in 2004 while on display outside of the old museum complex. This aircraft, dating from 1953, was the second YF-102 prototype built for the U.S. Air Force. It was last used in service as a maintenance training device by the South Carolina Air National Guard.
The primary mission of the F-102 Fighter was to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft. It was the world's first supersonic all-weather jet interceptor and the U.S. Air Force’s first operational delta-wing aircraft. The F-102 made its initial flight on Oct. 24, 1953, and became operational with the Air Defense Command (ADC) in 1956. At the peak of deployment in the late 1950s, F-102s equipped more than 25 ADC squadrons. Convair built 1,000 F-102s, 889 of which were F-102As. The USAF also bought 111 TF-102As as combat trainers with side-by-side seating.
In a combat situation, after electronic equipment on board the F-102 had located the enemy aircraft, the F-102's radar would guide it into position for attack. At the proper moment, the electronic fire control system would automatically fire the F-102's air-to-air rockets or missiles. The F-102 was not equipped with a gun system.
The F-102 Delta Dagger was primarily used for the air defense of the United States and Canada, although it did see limited air combat use overseas during the Vietnam War. The F-102 was also exported to Greece and Turkey for NATO air defense duties. The F-102 was withdrawn from regular use in the 1970s.
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: 24 unguided 2.75-inch rockets and six guided missiles
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney J57 engine with afterburner
Maximum speed: 810 mph
Cruising speed: 600 mph
Range: 1,000 miles
Ceiling: 55,000 ft.
Span: 38 ft. 1 in.
Length: 68 ft. 4 in. (including boom)
Height: 21 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 31,559 lbs. maximum
Circa 1970. Czechoslovak, East German and Soviet Army officers during a joint exercise in Eastern Europe.
Photo from the booklet "CIA Analysis of the Warsaw Pact Forces: The Importance of Clandestine Reporting."
For more information, visit the CIA's Historical Collections page (www.cia.gov/library/publications/historical-collection-pu...).
Fehler bitte melden. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob alle Angaben richtig sind.
Please displaying errors. I am not shure if all given informations are correct.
With Japan’s surrender in August 1945, Us Army found itself with occupation responsibilities in Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea, but due to public pressure caused an immediate and hasty demobilization, and with many seeing that nuclear weapons and airpower seemed to diminish the need for conventional forces.
The Us Army fell from a strength of over 8,000,000 in August 1945, the army declined to less than 3,000,000 by January 1946, and 554,000 troops by March 1948 with demobilization also affected the combat capability as most veterans, except for the relatively few career soldiers, were discharged and replaced by inexperienced recruits. Still, with the advent of the Cold War, a Peacetime draft began with the passage of the Selective Service Act of 1948 as a way to restore military effectiveness and as a response to challenges by the Soviet Union in Greece and Berlin also in the same year, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 abolishing racial segregation in the U.S. military.
U.S. military forces remained at a level of about 1.5 million personnel until the Korean War in 1950. However, the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 saw an expansion of the army as it saw U.S. military forces unprepared for the war, with U.S. ground forces also witnessing the scope of defeat Weakened by inadequate weapons, limited numbers, and uncertain leadership.
United States Air Force Museum, Dayton (2005)
United States - East-Coast Tour 2005
Douglas X-3 Stiletto, 49-2892 in USAF markings
Photo selection
The United States Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio is one
of the largest Aviation Musems of the World.
The collection was displayed in 3 museum buildings, an outside display in front of the entrance and a seperate building on the airbase.
Visiting the restoration area was on special appointment.
(I never made it sofar)
The photos are equally tagged to the display area's.
In front of the museum are the outside displays and the Experimental and Presidental aircraft are in the remote hangar.
The main museum is divided in various periodes of aviation.
1st building World-War I and World-War II
2nd building Korean War and South-East Asia
3rd building Coldwar Period and Recent Aircraft
In 2016 a fourth building opened containing most aircraft that were previously on display at the airbase.
United States Air Force Museum, Dayton (2005)
United States - East-Coast Tour 2005
Lockheed YF-12A Blackbird, 60-6935 United States Airforce
Photo selection
The United States Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio is one
of the largest Aviation Musems of the World.
The collection was displayed in 3 museum buildings, an outside display in front of the entrance and a seperate building on the airbase.
Visiting the restoration area was on special appointment.
(I never made it sofar)
The photos are equally tagged to the display area's.
In front of the museum are the outside displays and the Experimental and Presidental aircraft are in the remote hangar.
The main museum is divided in various periodes of aviation.
1st building World-War I and World-War II
2nd building Korean War and South-East Asia
3rd building Coldwar Period and Recent Aircraft
In 2016 a fourth building opened containing most aircraft that were previously on display at the airbase.
United States Air Force Museum, Dayton (2005)
United States - East-Coast Tour 2005
General Dynamics Dynamics F-16A Falcon, 81-0663 as USAF Thunderbird 1
Photo selection
General Dynamics - F-16 Falcon
The United States Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio is one
of the largest Aviation Musems of the World.
The collection was displayed in 3 museum buildings, an outside display in front of the entrance and a seperate building on the airbase.
Visiting the restoration area was on special appointment.
(I never made it sofar)
The photos are equally tagged to the display area's.
In front of the museum are the outside displays and the Experimental and Presidental aircraft are in the remote hangar.
The main museum is divided in various periodes of aviation.
1st building World-War I and World-War II
2nd building Korean War and South-East Asia
3rd building Coldwar Period and Recent Aircraft
In 2016 a fourth building opened containing most aircraft that were previously on display at the airbase.
Recreation Park, Kraggenburg (2015) - Netherlands
Mikoyan MiG-21MF Fishbed, 7436 Poland Air Force
Photo selection
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Russian Woodpecker)
Duga (Russian: Дуга) was a Soviet over-the-horizon (OTH) radar system used as part of the Soviet ABM early-warning network. The system operated from July 1976 to December 1989. Two operational Duga radars were deployed, one near Chernobyl and Chernihiv in what was then called the Ukrainian SSR (present-day Ukraine), the other in eastern Siberia.
The Duga systems were extremely powerful, over 10 MW in some cases, and broadcast in the shortwave radio bands. They appeared without warning, sounding like a sharp, repetitive tapping noise at 10 Hz, which led to it being nicknamed by shortwave listeners the Russian Woodpecker. The random frequency hops disrupted legitimate broadcasts, amateur radio operations, oceanic commercial aviation communications, utility transmissions, and resulted in thousands of complaints by many countries worldwide. The signal became such a nuisance that some receivers such as amateur radios and televisions actually began including 'Woodpecker Blankers' in their circuit designs in an effort to filter out the interference.
The unclaimed signal was a source for much speculation, giving rise to theories such as Soviet mind control and weather control experiments. However, because of it's distinctive transmission pattern, many experts and amateur radio hobbyists quickly realized it to be an over-the-horizon radar system. NATO military intelligence had already given it the NATO reporting name of either STEEL WORK or STEEL YARD. While the amateur radio community was well aware of the system, this theory was not publicly confirmed until after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom II was retired from Luftwaffe service during an airshow at Wittmund AFB in summer 2013. Depicted here is 37+22 in Norm 90J, the last standard paint scheme of the Luftwaffe Phantoms from the 90's. #PhantomPharewell #F-4Phantom
Categories:
McDonnell Douglas - F-4 Phantom - Cold War Aircraft - Luftwaffe - Bundeswehr - Wittmund 2013
Mil Mi-14PL 1008 of the Polish Navy on static display at RIAT Fairford 2015.
Categories:
Mil - Mi-14 - Cold War Aircraft - Poland - RIAT 2015
The 'Humber Pig' is a Lightly Armoured Truck used by the British Army from the 1950's until the early 1990's. The Humber Pig saw service with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) chiefly as an Armoured Personnel Carrier from late 1958 until early 1970. The Humber Pig became particularly well known from its presence on the streets of Northern Ireland during the worst of the Troubles.
Officially designated Truck, Armoured, 1 Ton, 4x4, the Humber Pig is based on the FV1600 Series of four wheel drive 1-ton payload Trucks manufactured for the British Army by Rootes from 1952 to 1955. The Humber Pig FV1611 is the Armoured variant of FV1601 CT Truck and the FV1612 the Armoured version of the FV1602 CT FFW Truck. As FV1609 an Armoured version was originally designed to fulfil many roles with Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, RS, REME and Infantry. The full Armoured body was fitted to fulfil the need for an Armoured Personnel Carrier until the Alvis Saracen could be delivered in numbers. The Armoured bodies were produced by J. Sankey as well as the Royal Ordnance Factories, of 3,700 Humber Trucks some 1,700 Pigs were produced.
Twenty prototype Humber Pigs FV1609A (no armoured rear roof) entered Troop trials in 1956, when these trials ended ten were issued to the RUC in October 1958. In 1960 the RUC Humber Pigs were upgraded with a rear roof to emulate the FV1611 that was then in production. The Truck chassis proved ideal for Urban Internal Security Duties, and ended up serving longer than the larger, heavier Saracens that were intended to replace them. As the Troubles in Northern Ireland escalated during the 1970's, some 487 'Army Pigs' were further modified with additional internal and external Armour during the period of September 1972 to July 1973. These were referred to as Mark II Vehicles, the last of the Mark II Humber Pigs were removed from service in the early 1990's.
Official designations :-
• FV1601, FV1602 — un-armored Cargo GS and FFW (fitted for wireless) Humber CT trucks.
• FV1609 — c1956 Prototype APC vehicle with removable rear roof, canvas roof, and removable windscreens.
• Mk 1 FV1611 and FV1612 plus FV1609 vehicles converted to Mk 1 Pig spec with fully integrated rear roof and armour. Side storage boxes in Northern Ireland to prevent terrorists from placing explosives.
• FV1620 — Humber Hornet, a dedicated converted FV1611 to Malkara missile-launching platform.
• Mk 2 FV1611 and FV1612 —Additional armour for protection against small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades, ''barricade removers'' (heavy-duty bull bars) which enabled them to force their way through barricades erected in the streets.
Unofficial designations :-
Some vehicles were equipped with the machine gun turret from the Shorland ISPV. All below were developed for use in Northern Ireland.
• 'Flying Pig' — FV1611 with extending riot screens either side and roof.
• 'Holy Pig' — fitted with rooftop hatch surrounded by perspex screen (reference to the Popemobile)
• 'Kremlin Pig' — fitted with wire screening for protection against rocket propelled grenades (RPG-7's)
• 'Squirt Pig' — fitted with a water cannon beside driver for riot control.
• 'Foaming Pig' — fitted with a foam generator to diffuse bomb blasts.
• 'Felix Pig' — modified for bomb disposal duties.
• 'Turret Pig' — Has the machine gun from the Shortland armored vehicle installed for operation in the Armagh area.
Humber Pig (Truck, 1 Ton, Armoured, 4x4, Humber) :-
▪︎ Type :- Armoured Personnel Carrier
▪︎ Place of origin :- United Kingdom
▪︎Manufacturer :- Humber (Rootes Group) / Joseph Sankey & Sons (GKN) / Royal Ordnance Factories.
▪︎No. built :- 1,700
▪︎Variants :- Mk1, Mk2
▪︎Mass :- 4.8 ton Mk1 / 6.5 ton Mk2
▪︎Length :- 16ft 2in
▪︎Width :- 6ft 8in
▪︎Height :- 6ft 11in
▪︎Crew :- 2 + 6 (max. 8)
▪︎Main armament :- Limited fitting of 7.62×51mm L4 Light Machine Gun or .30 in 7.62×63mm Browning M1919 Machine Gun
▪︎Engine :- Rolls-Royce B60 6-cyl 4.2 litre petrol I-6 120hp
▪︎Operational range :- 250 miles
▪︎Maximum speed :- 40mph.
Musee du Chateau, Savigny les Beaune (2010 and 2011) - France
Gloster Meteor NF-11, NF11-24 French Air Force
Photo selection
A former Soviet Navy B-39 submarine, classed as a Foxtrot sub' by NATO. I took this photograph in the early 1990s when the vessel was moored at the Thames Barrier. From a 35mm negative scan.
HÄGGLUNDS BV 206 -
This particular vehicle is an ex- Swedish Army variant, complete with all its CES (complete equipment schedule) e.g. pick axe, shovels and tow ropes. The BV 206 was designed to work in some of the most hazardous conditions, particularly in the mountainous regions of Sweden where any normal vehicle would have failed. It is fully amphibious and yet this vehicle is just as agile in the desert terrains found in the Middle East.
It has the capability to carry up to 17 men, 6 in the front cabin and 11 in the rear cabin, or 2.5 tons of equipment or supplies at speeds of up to 40mph. The BV 206 saw service with the British Army from the mid 1980’s and is still used today. The only major modification is the replacement of the Ford V6 petrol engine, with a Mercedes diesel engine.
The museum uses the BV 206 predominately to give their visitors the experience of being in a military specification vehicle whilst being driven over their off-road assault course and test track.
PERFORMANCE - Hägglunds BV 206 is a special military vehicle designed for use as an all-terrain transport vehicle, capable of travel both on and off roads, under almost all conditions and in all extremes of climate. Its large track area allows the vehicle to travel over deep snow and soft ground which would be impassable to almost all other tracked and wheeled vehicles. It is also amphibious, being propelled in the water by its four tracks. The BV 206 consists of two track-driven cars that are coupled together by a central, articulated steering assembly. Steering is accomplished using hydraulic cylinders that turn the cars relative to each other, giving the vehicle a turning radius of about 35ft.
ENGINE - Hägglunds BV 206 is fitted with a ford V6 petrol engine producing 136bhp at 4,600rpm giving the vehicle a maximum speed of 40mph on the road and 30mph in water.
Information sourced from - norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/hagglunds-bv-206/
Aeronauticum, Nordholz (2015) - Germany
Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic, 61+14 German Navy (Bundesmarine)
Photo selection
Nike Ajax, a two stage anti-aircraft missile. A US weapon of the 1950s and 1960s. Replaced by the Nike Hercules.
After visiting the Cherokee National Museum, I drove southwest, to go to Fort Sill. This is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma. It is home to the Artillery Museum and the Air Defense Artillery Museum. I visited this place on June 8, 2019.
From 1960, issued by the government, complete with instructions, blueprint and foreward by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.
Showing off its large bomb bay with the doors wide open. Inside are the signatures of all supporters of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust. Avro 698 Vulcan B2 G-VLCN XH558 during its last appearance at RIAT.
Categories:
Avro - Vulcan - Cold War Aircraft - RAF - RIAT 2015
Collections:
2/14 Armored Cavalry History
www.14cav.org/a60a-history.html
You Tube Video: Historical Value
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYzjdaCGtnE&list=PLNF-Ite1V54...
Stasi
Local airport, Otocac (2015) - Croatia
Republic F-84G Thunderjet, 10531 and RF-84G 10686 Thunderjet former Yugoslav Air Force
10531 is reported 52-8447 served with JRV since July 1953.
10686 should be 52-3192, received from Greece in 1960.
Photo selection
The 'Humber Pig' is a Lightly Armoured Truck used by the British Army from the 1950's until the early 1990's. The Humber Pig saw service with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) chiefly as an Armoured Personnel Carrier from late 1958 until early 1970. The Humber Pig became particularly well known from its presence on the streets of Northern Ireland during the worst of the Troubles.
Officially designated Truck, Armoured, 1 Ton, 4x4, the Humber Pig is based on the FV1600 Series of four wheel drive 1-ton payload Trucks manufactured for the British Army by Rootes from 1952 to 1955. The Humber Pig FV1611 is the Armoured variant of FV1601 CT Truck and the FV1612 the Armoured version of the FV1602 CT FFW Truck. As FV1609 an Armoured version was originally designed to fulfil many roles with Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, RS, REME and Infantry. The full Armoured body was fitted to fulfil the need for an Armoured Personnel Carrier until the Alvis Saracen could be delivered in numbers. The Armoured bodies were produced by J. Sankey as well as the Royal Ordnance Factories, of 3,700 Humber Trucks some 1,700 Pigs were produced.
Twenty prototype Humber Pigs FV1609A (no armoured rear roof) entered Troop trials in 1956, when these trials ended ten were issued to the RUC in October 1958. In 1960 the RUC Humber Pigs were upgraded with a rear roof to emulate the FV1611 that was then in production. The Truck chassis proved ideal for Urban Internal Security Duties, and ended up serving longer than the larger, heavier Saracens that were intended to replace them. As the Troubles in Northern Ireland escalated during the 1970's, some 487 'Army Pigs' were further modified with additional internal and external Armour during the period of September 1972 to July 1973. These were referred to as Mark II Vehicles, the last of the Mark II Humber Pigs were removed from service in the early 1990's.
Official designations :-
• FV1601, FV1602 — un-armored Cargo GS and FFW (fitted for wireless) Humber CT trucks.
• FV1609 — c1956 Prototype APC vehicle with removable rear roof, canvas roof, and removable windscreens.
• Mk 1 FV1611 and FV1612 plus FV1609 vehicles converted to Mk 1 Pig spec with fully integrated rear roof and armour. Side storage boxes in Northern Ireland to prevent terrorists from placing explosives.
• FV1620 — Humber Hornet, a dedicated converted FV1611 to Malkara missile-launching platform.
• Mk 2 FV1611 and FV1612 —Additional armour for protection against small-arms fire and rocket propelled grenades, ''barricade removers'' (heavy-duty bull bars) which enabled them to force their way through barricades erected in the streets.
Unofficial designations :-
Some vehicles were equipped with the machine gun turret from the Shorland ISPV. All below were developed for use in Northern Ireland.
• 'Flying Pig' — FV1611 with extending riot screens either side and roof.
• 'Holy Pig' — fitted with rooftop hatch surrounded by perspex screen (reference to the Popemobile)
• 'Kremlin Pig' — fitted with wire screening for protection against rocket propelled grenades (RPG-7's)
• 'Squirt Pig' — fitted with a water cannon beside driver for riot control.
• 'Foaming Pig' — fitted with a foam generator to diffuse bomb blasts.
• 'Felix Pig' — modified for bomb disposal duties.
• 'Turret Pig' — Has the machine gun from the Shortland armored vehicle installed for operation in the Armagh area.
Humber Pig (Truck, 1 Ton, Armoured, 4x4, Humber) :-
▪︎ Type :- Armoured Personnel Carrier
▪︎ Place of origin :- United Kingdom
▪︎Manufacturer :- Humber (Rootes Group) / Joseph Sankey & Sons (GKN) / Royal Ordnance Factories.
▪︎No. built :- 1,700
▪︎Variants :- Mk1, Mk2
▪︎Mass :- 4.8 ton Mk1 / 6.5 ton Mk2
▪︎Length :- 16ft 2in
▪︎Width :- 6ft 8in
▪︎Height :- 6ft 11in
▪︎Crew :- 2 + 6 (max. 8)
▪︎Main armament :- Limited fitting of 7.62×51mm L4 Light Machine Gun or .30 in 7.62×63mm Browning M1919 Machine Gun
▪︎Engine :- Rolls-Royce B60 6-cyl 4.2 litre petrol I-6 120hp
▪︎Operational range :- 250 miles
▪︎Maximum speed :- 40mph.
Part I :-
The Conqueror was born out of the 1944 FV200 project, a proposed '‘Universal Tank'’ platform that could be modified to perform various roles (ranging from Gun Tank to Engineering Vehicle and Self-Propelled Guns) which would all share the same chassis. A 55 ton Tank armed with a 20 pounder Gun designated FV201 was chosen for further development into a Heavy Tank. This later evolved in 1952 into the FV221 Caernarvon which utilized a Centurion Mk.III Turret and Gun. In 1955, the 120mm L1 Rifled Gun was introduced to the chassis in a brand new turret, thus, the FV214 Conqueror was born.
The Conqueror was worthy of its name. It was an impressive vehicle at 38ft long (with the Gun forward, 25ft 4in otherwise) 13ft 1in wide and 10ft 5in tall. The vehicle was propelled by an 810hp Rolls-Royce Meteor M120 engine, which allowed the 55 ton tank to achieve a top speed of 22mph. The Tank’s weight was supported on a Horstmann suspension with four, two-wheel bogies per side, the drive sprocket was at the back while the idler was at the front. Armour on the Tank was a maximum of 7in thick on both the front of the hull and the turret. The track was 31in wide and had 102 links per side. The Conqueror had an extremely short service life, spent almost entirely in West Germany, before being retired in 1966. It was found, by this point in time, that the Centurion, now armed with the famous L7 105mm Gun, was just as an effective Tank as the larger Conqueror, as such, the behemoth became the last of its kind.
Weighing in at 63 tons, the FV214 Conqueror (officially the ‘Tank, Heavy No.1, 120mm Gun, Conqueror’) was a monstrous Tank, that was armed with a powerful 120mm Rifled Gun and was protected by armour that was up to 10in thick. The weight of this Tank presented a logistical issue, however, there were no Recovery Vehicles capable of moving it, other than Heavy-Duty Tractors such as the FV1201A Heavy Artillery Tractor. The Americans faced a similar issue with the M103 and, as such, developed the M51, a Heavy Recovery Vehicle built on the chassis of (and specifically designed to assist) the M103 Tank. The British would do the same and, in 1959, create the FV219 Conqueror Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV) built using the chassis, propulsion and suspensions systems of the Tank on which it was based, and would be followed, in 1960, by the FV222 Mk.II ARV.
The Conqueror ARV was the only variant of the FV214 Gun Tank to reach production and service, other Engineering Vehicles that were based on its chassis, which were carried over from the FV200 project, were planned, such as the FV215A Heavy Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE) the FV216 Mine Flail, and the FV223 Armoured Ramp Carrier (ARK) Another design to be recycled from the FV200 was the FV209, a design for an Armored Recovery Vehicle. It was this design that the Conqueror ARV would be based on, using the chassis, suspension and automotive components of the FV214 Gun Tank. Production of three prototypes commenced in 1953. By this time, the vehicle had received the designation FV219 Conqueror ARV Mk.I. These three vehicles took part in successful trials in 1955, resulting in an order for 20 vehicles. Production of the Mk.I would stop at just eight vehicles, as an improved design was soon unveiled. This became the FV222 Conqueror ARV Mk.II. Lengthy trials were avoided as it was simply an improved version of the Mk.I. The FV219 would enter service in 1959, four years after its Gun Tank relation, this would be followed in 1960 by the improved FV222.
Sourced from tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar-uk-fv219-fv222-conqueror-a...
Long Range Heavy Bomber which first flew in 1952 and is expected to remain in service until 2030.
The first specifications for what became the B-52 Stratofortress Strategic Bomber was announced in 1946. The requirement was for a Bomber with a 10,000 mile range and a speed of over 500mph. Boeing originally proposed Piston Engines for the B-52 to achieve this range, but under pressure from the Air Force which wanted the Aircraft to fly as high and fast as possible to deliver Atomic Bombs, the design was eventually modified to incorporate eight Turbojets and swept wings.
Production was finally authorised during the Korean War (1950) and the prototype flew in 1952. The total off 744 finally delivered, cost $4,500 million (1961 prises) not including development and operation costs. Since its introduction to service in 1955, the B-52 has been in Front Line Service for over four decades (equivalent to the B-17 still being in service in 1977) the USAF expect to retain 66 Aircraft in service until 2030.
Weapons carried by B-52's in the Strategic Role have included early High-Altitude Thermonuclear (hydrogen) Bombs in the 3 to 10 Megaton Range, Parachute-Retarded Bombs for Low-Altitude Attack, Hound Dog and AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missiles for 'Stand-Off Attack'. These different forms of delivery reflected responses to improved Air Defence Systems.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a Long-Range, Subsonic, Jet-Powered Strategic Bomber, designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. it has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950's. The Bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000lb of Weapons, and has a typical Combat Range of more than 8,800 miles without Aerial Refueling.
Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a Straight Wing Aircraft powered by six Turboprop Engines to the final prototype 'YB-52' with eight Turbojet Engines and Swept Wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry Nuclear Weapons for Cold War-Era Deterrence Missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker. A veteran of several wars, and has dropped only Conventional Munitions in Combat. The B-52's official name 'Stratofortress' is rarely used, informally, the Aircraft has become commonly referred to as the ''BUFF'' (Big Ugly Fat Fucker/Fella).
The B-52 has been in service with the USAF since 1955, as of June 2019, there are 76 Aircraft in inventory, 58 operated by Active Forces (2nd Bomb Wing and 5th Bomb Wing) 18 by Reserve Forces (307th Bomb Wing) and about 12 in long-term storage at the Davis-Monthan AFB Boneyard. The Bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was disestablished in 1992 and its Aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC) in 2010, all B-52 Stratofortresse's were transferred from the ACC to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept them in service despite the advent of later, more advanced Strategic Bombers, including the Mach 2+ B-58 Hustler, the canceled Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry B-1 Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit. The B-52 completed 60 years of continuous service with its original operator in 2015. After being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, the last Aircraft are expected to serve into the 2030's or possibly beyond.
▪︎Role: Strategic Bomber
▪︎National Origin: United States
▪︎Manufacturer: Boeing
▪︎First Flight: 15th April 1952
▪︎Introduction: February 1955
▪︎Status: In Service
▪︎Primary Users: United States Air Force / NASA
▪︎Produced: 1952 to 1962
▪︎Number Built: 744
▪︎Crew: Pilot / Copilot / Weapon Systems Officer / Navigator / Electronic Warfare Officer
▪︎Length: 159ft 4in
▪︎Wingspan: 185ft
▪︎Height: 40ft 8in
▪︎Wing Area: 4,000 sq ft
▪︎Empty Weight: 185,000lb
▪︎Gross Weight: 265,000lb
▪︎Maximum Takeoff Weight: 488,000lb
▪︎Fuel capacity: 39,948 Imperial gallons
▪︎Powerplant: 8 x Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 Turbofans 17,000 lbf thrust each
▪︎Maximum Speed: 650mph
▪︎Cruise Speed: 509mph
▪︎Combat Range: 8,800 miles
▪︎Service Ceiling: 50,000ft
▪︎Rate of Climb: 6,270 ft/min
▪︎Weapons: 1 x 0.787in M61 Vulcan Cannon originally mounted in a Remote Controlled Tail ▪︎Turret on the H-model, removed in 1991 from all Operational Aircraft
▪︎Bombs: Approximately 70,000lb mixed Ordnance Bombs / Mines / Missiles in various configurations
▪︎Avionics: Electro-Optical Viewing System that uses Platinum Silicide Forward Looking Infrared and High Resolution Low-Light-Level Television Sensors
ADR-8 Chaff Rocket (1965 to 1970)
LITENING Advanced Targeting System
Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod
IBM AP-101 Computer.
El Presidente de Nicaragua Luis Somoza DeBayle junto a su esposa la Primera Dama Isabel Urcuyo de Somoza rodeados de sus hijos: Luis, Álvaro, Bernabé, Salvadora, Gerardo, Fernando y Eduardo. Managua, 1959.
The northern part of Orford Ness, on the east coast of Suffolk, UK.
The remaining parts of "Cobra Mist" can still be seen here.
Cobra Mist was the codename for an Anglo-American experimental over-the-horizon radar station. It was known technically as AN/FPS-95 and sometimes referred to as System 441a; a reference to the project as a whole.
Cobra Mist was part of a small number of "Cobra" long-range surveillance radars operated by the US. Built through the late 1960s and into 1970, when the system was first turned on it proved to be plagued by noise problems that could not be identified, and the project was shut down in 1973.
The site and buildings were then occupied by a radio transmitting station used mainly for the UK Foreign Office and the BBC World Service until 2011.
In August 2015, the site and all the facilities previously held by the UK Foreign Office and the BBC (and prior to them the Ministry of Defence) were acquired by Cobra Mist Limited, a privately owned company.
The main building and several of the system's towers remain. Five are 340 feet high.
At the time of the Centurion AVRE’s development, the Mk.V Gun Tank was brand new, only entering service in the summer of 1955. The biggest difference between this model and it's predecessors was a change in the Coaxial Machine Guns, in an effort to standardize ammunition types, they opted to use the American Browning 7.62mm, instead of the BESA 7.92mm Machine Gun which been used on British Tanks since World War Two.
In all other major aspects, the Mk.V was almost identical to the Mk.III, the standard main armament of the Mk.V consisted of the Ordnance QF 20 Pounder Gun. It had armour from 2in up to 6in thick. The vehicle was powered by a Rolls-Royce Meteor engine producing 650hp and giving the Tank a top speed of 22mph. The vehicles weight of 51 tons was supported on a Horstmann suspension with three two-wheel bogies per-side. The Centurion had a Crew of four, consisting of Commander, Gunner, Loader and Driver. The fact that this variant was based on the Mk.V Tank led it to sometimes being called the ‘Centurion Mk.V AVRE’ (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers).
Obviously, the Centurion AVRE carried much the same equipment as its Churchill predecessor, which included a dozer blade, fascines (large bundles of branches or pipes to fill in trenches) and, of course, a powerful Demolition Gun. After designs were finalized at the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (FVRDE) trials were undertaken in 1954. A standard Centurion was used to test the chassis with the additional weight of a load of fascines and other equipment. The design met the approval of the War Office in July of 1955, and the first prototype Centurion AVRE was delivered to the FVRDE in August 1957.
Though the 290mm Petard Mortar of the Churchill AVRE was an extremely powerful Demolition Weapon, it had had a few flaws. Namely, a limited range of just 100 yards and the fact that the weapon was loaded externally. The Petard was replaced by the Ordnance BL 6.5in L9A1 Demolition Gun, a vast improvement over the Petard in both respects. It was breech loaded and had a vastly improved range. The Gun fired a 64lb High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) Shell up to 4,199ft. The Gun was reportedly accurate enough to blast a bridge girder at 1,801ft or hit a Pillbox / Bunker at 4,199ft. At greater ranges, it was an effective Area-Of-Effect (AOE) Weapon. The gun could elevate 20°, and depress 10°, though depression was limited over the engine deck. The Shell contained around 32lb of PE4 Explosives, equivalent to six 120mm HESH rounds. The round had no shell case in the traditional sense. Instead, the charge was placed inside a perforated base connected directly to the warhead and remained attached to the projectile as it flew. The gun and shell were never intended for use as an Anti-Armour Weapon. This is not to say that a 165mm HESH round from the L9 wouldn’t have been able to do so in an emergency, but it was never meant for that purpose.
Upon their return from the Gulf War, the Centurion AVRE's were gradually phased out, and by 1992, both 165 and 105 AVRE's had been retired. They had extended the service life of the Centurion to 45 years, only the Centurion BARV (Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle) exceeded this lifetime, remaining in service until 2003. The Centurion AVRE would be replaced in service by the Chieftain AVRE, also known as the '‘CHAVRE'’ which started life in 1989. The CHAVRE was however, unarmed, making the Centurion the last Armed AVRE to serve in the British Army. It continued to carry Fascines, Trackway and also retained the ability to clear Mines and tow heavy loads. The CHAVRE also served in the Gulf alongside the Centurion.
General characteristics:-
▪︎Type: Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1955 to 1992
▪︎Manufacturer: Leyland Motors Limited (Royal Ordnance Factory)
▪︎Number Built: 40
▪︎Mass: 57.1 tons (Battle ready) / Length: 25ft 7in / Width: 11ft 1in / Height: 9ft 8in
▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander / Driver / Gunner / Loader)
▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Meteor engine 650hp (later BL 60, 695hp)
▪︎Transmission: 5 speed Merrit-Brown Z51R Mk.F gearbox
▪︎Speed: 29.82mph on road / 18.64mph cross-country
▪︎Range: 118 miles
▪︎Main Armament: 165 AVRE - 165mm L9 Demolition Gun / 105 AVRE - 105mm L7 Gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: One Coaxial 7.62mm L8A1 Machine Gun
▪︎Armour: Turret front 7.6in / glacis 4.72in / sides 1.37in
▪︎Ammunition Used: High Explosive Squash Head (HESH) / Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS).
Sourced from tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar-uk-fv4003-centurion-avre/
A-4 Skyhawks were present at the retirement of the F-4F Phantom II from German Air Force service, celebrated by an airshow at Wittmund AFB. N262WL was on static display.
Categories:
McDonnell Douglas - A-4 Skyhawk - Fast Jet - Cold War Aircraft - Wittmund 2013
The McDonnell Douglas F-4F Phantom II was retired from Luftwaffe service during an airshow at Wittmund AFB in summer 2013. Depicted here is 37+01, the first airframe delivered in 1973. 40 years later it received a special celebratory paint scheme. #PhantomPharewell #F-4Phantom
Categories:
McDonnell Douglas - F-4 Phantom - Cold War Aircraft - Luftwaffe - Bundeswehr - Wittmund 2013
On the night of June 25, 1950, ten North Korean People's Army divisions launched a full-scale invasion of the nation's neighbor to the south, the Republic of Korea. The United Nations Security Council voted to send military forces to prevent South Korea's collapse. U.S. President Harry S. Truman ordered ground troops into the country to supplement the air and Navy support.
But the closest U.S. forces were under the strength 24th Infantry Division of the Eighth United States Army, headquartered in Japan in the Far East. At the end of the ww2, The United States Army remained in mainland Japan as an occupied Force by 1950; the 24th Infantry Division was only one of 10 active Army divisions. Moreover, many of those were understaffed and ill-equipped due to the post-war drawdown and reduction in military spending.
The Major General of the 24th Infantry Division, William F. Dean, determined that the 21st Infantry Regiment was the most combat-ready of the 24th Infantry Division's three regiments. Accordingly, a 406-man infantry force from the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, supported by a 134-man artillery battery (also from the 24th Infantry Division), was sent into South Korea to delay much larger North Korean units to buy time and allow more U.S. units into Korea.
The Force was named Task Force Smith for its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Bradford Smith; the Force was both poorly equipped and understrength with the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry having only two companies of infantry companies instead of the regulated three for a U.S. Army battalion; most of the task force soldiers were teenagers with no combat experience and only eight weeks of basic training. Only one-third of the officers in the task force had combat experience from World War II. Most of the equipment was drawn from ww2 with obsolescence/ineffective anti-tank weapons and only 120 rounds of ammunition and two days of C-rations for then.
On July 4, the task force set up in the hills north of Osan and prepared to block advancing KPA forces. The next day, they spotted an incoming column of troops from a KPA Armored Division. The ensuing battle was a rout, as the Task Force's obsolescent anti-tank weapons and understrength units were no match for the KPA's T-34 tanks and full-strength formations. Osan's battle was the first battle between American and North Korean forces, and it ended in a loss for Americans with 20 killed,130 wounded in action, and 82 captured; some would later be executed; it also shows how American forces were weak and unprepared for the war, and outdated equipment was insufficient to fight North Korean armor and poorly trained, and inexperienced units were no match for better-trained North Korean troops. Still, the men of Task Force Smith did accomplish its mission of delaying North Korean forces.