View allAll Photos Tagged generaldynamics
PictionID:44933113 - Catalog:14_015889 - Title:Model Details: Damage Outpost II; Model Nose Cone Fairing Date: 10/30/1959 - Filename:14_015889.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
PictionID:44932529 - Catalog:14_015842 - Title:Sycamore Canyon Facilities - Filename:14_015842.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
PictionID:44932122 - Catalog:14_015809 - Title:Dyess AFB Details: Site 578; Complex 11 Chart; Oplin - Filename:14_015809.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
PictionID:44933175 - Catalog:14_015894 - Title:Atlas Details: Silo 1/10 Scale Model Mock Up; Side View of Lower Section Date: 12/02/1959 - Filename:14_015894.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Hill Aerospace Museum
History of the F-111E "Aardvark"
The F-111E was a long-range, all-weather strike aircraft, first manufactured in 1967. They were used during the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm bombing raids, and in the Gulf War for strategic bombing, ground attack, and electronic warfare missions. These aircraft were credited with destroying roughly 1,500 tanks and armored vehicles.
The F-111E "Aardvark" at Hill Air Force Base
In 1965, the Ogden Air Materiel Area was assigned the specialized repair of the F-111A aircraft equipment-including struts, wheels, and brakes. Over the years, Hill Air Force Base also maintained, supported, and oversaw several F-111 aircrew training systems and simulators. The F-111E on display was manufactured in 1969, and it served on several bases within the United States and at the Royal Air Force Base in Upper Heyford, England, in 1971. In 1994, this aircraft moved to the Hill Aerospace Museum for display.
Interesting Fact
The F-111E set a record for the longest low-level supersonic flight (172 miles at less than 1,000 feet altitude) on November 9th, 1966. It was also the first tactical aircraft to cross the Atlantic from the United States to Europe without refueling in May 1967.
Specifications
S/N 68-0020
Manufacturer: General Dynamics
Crew: Two
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P3 turbofans: 18,500 lbs. thrust each in afterburner
Wingspan: 63 ft (extended); 31 ft 11 ½ in (swept)
Length: 73 ft 5½ in
Height: 17 ft 6 in
Weight: 46,172 pounds (empty): 98,850 pounds (maximum)
Speed: 1,453 mph, Mach 2.5 (maximum): 470 mph (cruising)
Range: maximum: 3,165 miles (with external fuel tanks)
Service Ceiling: 61,000 ft
Armament: One 20mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon with 2,000 rounds of ammunition; up to 30,000 pounds of conventional or nuclear ordnance (internal and external)
Time Magazine
December 6, 1963
Hoofs of Hydrogen
After five years and $325 million worth of frustration, a snow-white Centaur rocket flashed its hoofs high over Cape Kennedy last week and galloped into orbit. As its Atlas booster fell away, the Centaur's own nozzles bloomed with a blue, barely visible flame: the high energy signature of burning hydrogen.
Up by the Bootstraps
Designed to hurl more than a ton of instrument pay loads all the way to the moon, the 281 ft. Centaur generates 30,000 lbs. of thrust with its two restartable Pratt & Whitney engines. The hydrogen fuel they burn has been the key-and the curse of the Centaur system from the time it was born on engineers' drawing boards. As early as 1909, U.S. Rocket Pioneer Robert Goddard noted that hydrogen (in liquid form, known as LH.) might prove to be the optimum chemical rocket fuel. Its light molecular weight, less than half that of standard liquid fuels, gives it 35% more thrust per pound. But LH, begins to boil above. -423°F, and because it is so cold, engineers usually find it too hot to handle. Most metals shiver to pieces when they come in contact with it, and its extreme volatility makes it flash into explosive gas at the gentlest slosh.
In 1958, when Pratt & Whitney engineers set out to develop the Centaur's engines, they boldly planned to turn that touchy temperament to their advantage. In the final product, frigid LH, does two jobs as it courses toward ignition. First, it is pumped through an outer jacket where it cools the thrust chamber's fierce 6,000° heat, and in the process vaporizes itself for ultimate burning. But before it reaches the chamber, the gas is expanding fast enough to spin an auxiliary turbine, which pumps more fuel and oxidizer into the cooling jacket. Thus the LH, practically lifts itself by its own bootstraps.
Out of the Stable
After more than 700 ground firings, the engine seemed ready for a test in the weightless environment of space. But the crucial first shot ended in flaming failure before the engines could ignite. Just 55 seconds aft er lift-off, a weather shield tore loose, followed by a blazing rupture in a hydrogen fuel tank. With Centaur already 18 months behind schedule and Congressmen crying inept management, NASA shifted the program from Mar shall Space Flight Center, where Wernher von Braun's team was primarily concerned with the Saturn program, to the Lewis Research Center in Cleveland. There tough-minded Director Abe Silverstein, 55, took charge.
At Lewis, extensive design changes quickly reshod the limping space horse. Fuel-tank baffles were added to cut down sloshing; a new separation system was developed to cut Centaur loose from its first-stage Atlas; a critical operation in the engine-start procedure was cut from 24 to four seconds. Last week, in new harness, the second Centaur charged out of its stable and into space without a hitch. Its engines burned clear and blue for the programmed 380 seconds, sent the rocket tumbling into an elliptical orbit ranging from 340 to 1,050 miles above the earth. But it was not the orbit that mattered, nor the fact that the 10,200-lb. Centaur was the largest U.S. satellite orbited to date. By proving that hydrogen engines would burn in space, Centaur showed that the U.S. space effort is on a sound propulsive track. The multistage Saturn boosters that will sling U.S. astronauts to the moon will also burn liquid hydrogen in their upper stages.
Although designated a fighter (F), the F-111 was a tactical bomber – one that could fly like no other – hundreds of miles close to the earth to avoid detection until bombs were delivered, and then up to altitude at supersonic speed to go home. The F-111 required a new engine, wings, and radar to complete its mission of dropping 8,000 pounds of bombs on a target 1,500 miles away – without refueling.
The first after-burning turbofan engine gave it the power to fly supersonically and efficiency to fly to Europe without tankers. Supersonic speeds and nap of the earth flying required wings that could change position: straight out to takeoff and land and swept for high-speed flight.
Advanced avionics allowed night, all weather flight close to the earth. The radar system could fly at 200 feet in changing terrain without pilot intervention. Pilots could shift to left or right, but radar controlled the altitude. System breakdowns were handled by putting the aircraft into a climb to get away from the ground until the pilot could take control. The entire crew compartment was an ejection pod, taking part of the wing with it for stability. Flotation bags cushioned impact and water landings.
Avionics also located and bombed targets at night and in bad weather – becoming even more important when smart bombs were developed. Also, the F-111 could take off and land on 3,000-foot runways.
It had a rocky start, but the F-111 had one of the safest operating records in history. In Vietnam it had twice the range of an F-4 and could carry two and a half times the weapons load. In 1986, 18 F-111Fs accompanied by EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft flew from England to bomb Khadafi in Libya, the longest strike mission in history.
PictionID:44932952 - Catalog:14_015876 - Title:Atlas 1B Details: Replacement Sustainer Engine on Missile 1B; Sycamore, S-2 Date: 08/02/1958 - Filename:14_015876.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Royal Danish Air Force
General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon, E-024
Tampere-Pirkkala (EFTP), Finland
27.3.2017, air exercise "Beach 2017"
PictionID:54636535 - Catalog:14_035116 - Title:Offutt AFB Details: SMA Area-APCHE Rack; Looking North West Date: 03/03/1960 - Filename:14_035116.tif - - ---- Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
88089221 :Piction ID--Short air-launched Tomahawk missile directly adapted from basic air-launched Tomahawk missile---Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---- Digitization of this image made possible by a grant from NEH: NEH and the San Diego Air and Space Museum
The success of the US Navy's BGM-109A Tomahawk program led the USAF to become interested in a ground-launched version--both the US Army and the USAF had lacked a true ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) since the retirement of the Mace in the early 1970s. The Tomahawk's small size and mobility made it tailor-made to the GLCM role, and would give the United States a counter to the new and accurate Soviet SS-20 intermediate-range ballistic missile.
As the Navy had already proven the Tomahawk system, testing the BGM-109G did not take long--the main issue was developing ground vehicles, such as mobile transporter-erector launchers (TELs) and launch control centers (LCCs), plus support vehicles. Flight tests were successful, and training began with the 868th Tactical Missile Training Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona in 1981. Deployment began in 1983, and eventually there would be six operational wings, with the most famous being the 501st Tactical Missile Group at RAF Greenham Common, UK; two wings were based in Britain, with the others in West Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. To differentiate the ground-based BGM-109G from the sea-based BGM-109A, the USAF renamed the missile Gryphon, though this was rarely used--it was either referred to as a Tomahawk, or as a "Glick-Em" (the phonetic reading of GLCM), or simply "cruises."
The arrival of the BGM-109G was seen as a deadly threat by the Soviet Union. The Gryphon had a very long range of 1730 miles, making it capable of hitting targets within the Soviet Union itself, and though it was comparatively slow compared to ballistic missiles, it was small and hard to intercept, especially if fired in large numbers that thinned out Soviet air defenses. Moreover, unlike the Tomahawk, the Gryphon was only armed with a nuclear warhead, the W84 variable yield, which could be adjusted anywhere from 0.2 kiloton (less destructive than some conventional bombs) to 150 kilotons.
A nightmare scenario for the Soviets was a cloud of BGM-109Gs destroying Soviet SAM networks across Eastern Europe, followed by a barrage of Pershing II IRBMs, which were extremely accurate, against Soviet command and political targets, or SS-20 sites before they were fired. Though the Gryphones were kept at their bases, if there was a threat of war, they would be rapidly dispersed, making them even harder to intercept. The only prevention might be a preemptive strike with SS-20s or SLBMs before the Gryphons were dispersed. As this potentially increased the danger of nuclear war, the deployment of the GLCMs met with outrage from many Europeans, especially British citizens around Greenham Common, who famously and vehemently protested the presence of the missiles. (Some of these protests were secretly funded by the USSR itself, hoping that the GLCMs would be withdrawn under public pressure.)
In the end, the scenario never took place. The deployment of the Gryphon and the Pershing II actually ended up bringing the Soviet Union to the negotiating table, leading to the INF Treaty of 1988. In return for the deactivation of the SS-20 and all other Soviet IRBMs, the United States agreed to withdraw both the BGM-109Gs and the Pershing IIs. Withdrawal began in 1988 and was complete by the time the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991. All but eight BGM-109Gs were dismantled, the rest saved for museums. As it turned out, the "cruises" had ended up helping end the Cold War peacefully, rather than turning it hot.
This Gryphon is one of the remaining eight, on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum. It never left the United States and was never launched, serving instead as a maintenance trainer with the 868th TMTG at Davis-Monthan. It was donated to the museum in the 1990s. I had photographed it back in 2019, then decided not to post it, but since I have been posting missiles lately, got another picture in June 2022, under an appropriately stormy sky.
General Dynamics F-16C "Fighting Falcon" 86-0280 (WA-80)
64th Aggressor Squadron (64 AGRS), Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
86-0280
WA 80
F-16C-32-CF
5C-386
64th AGRS
Active
Aug 2007
Jan 2020
arctic c/s, '64 AGRS'
Hill Aerospace Museum
History of the F-111E "Aardvark"
The F-111E was a long-range, all-weather strike aircraft, first manufactured in 1967. They were used during the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm bombing raids, and in the Gulf War for strategic bombing, ground attack, and electronic warfare missions. These aircraft were credited with destroying roughly 1,500 tanks and armored vehicles.
The F-111E "Aardvark" at Hill Air Force Base
In 1965, the Ogden Air Materiel Area was assigned the specialized repair of the F-111A aircraft equipment-including struts, wheels, and brakes. Over the years, Hill Air Force Base also maintained, supported, and oversaw several F-111 aircrew training systems and simulators. The F-111E on display was manufactured in 1969, and it served on several bases within the United States and at the Royal Air Force Base in Upper Heyford, England, in 1971. In 1994, this aircraft moved to the Hill Aerospace Museum for display.
Interesting Fact
The F-111E set a record for the longest low-level supersonic flight (172 miles at less than 1,000 feet altitude) on November 9th, 1966. It was also the first tactical aircraft to cross the Atlantic from the United States to Europe without refueling in May 1967.
Specifications
S/N 68-0020
Manufacturer: General Dynamics
Crew: Two
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P3 turbofans: 18,500 lbs. thrust each in afterburner
Wingspan: 63 ft (extended); 31 ft 11 ½ in (swept)
Length: 73 ft 5½ in
Height: 17 ft 6 in
Weight: 46,172 pounds (empty): 98,850 pounds (maximum)
Speed: 1,453 mph, Mach 2.5 (maximum): 470 mph (cruising)
Range: maximum: 3,165 miles (with external fuel tanks)
Service Ceiling: 61,000 ft
Armament: One 20mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon with 2,000 rounds of ammunition; up to 30,000 pounds of conventional or nuclear ordnance (internal and external)
C/n 61-628/M12-2 built in 1984 as F-16A Block 15Q to USAF marked 83-1075. In 1994 to Danish Air Force marked E-075. Later upgraded to F-16A Block 20 and redesignated F-16AM. Performing at Rygge Air Show 2007 at Rygge Air Force Base / Oslo-Rygge Airport, Norway 26. August 2007.
General Dynamics F-16D "Fighting Falcon" 85-1572 (ED)
416th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Pass through Star Wars Canyon, Red Flag 19-1
Video of pass: www.flickr.com/photos/yesiwood/40129027363/
History:
Aircraft: 85-1572
LM Aero T/V: 5D-41
Plant: General Dynamics
Local C/N
Delivered USAF 85572
Current USAF 85572
Status; Active
Mar 1987 - 85572 F-16D Block 30B
Apr 1987 - USAF 480 TFS 'SP'
Jun 1991 - USAF 149 FS 'VA'
Jul 1995 - Test bed for the Recce pod.
Jan 2001 - USAF 149 FS 'VA'
Collided with F-16C (86-0228) Cost to repair was $1.2 million, 26000 work hours and over a 2-year period.
Mar 2004 - Delivered to 149th FS
Jun 2007 - USAF 416 FLTS 'ED'
PictionID:54636841 - Catalog:14_035141 - Title:Atlas Centaur Testing Details: Centaur Test Set Up; Venting Date: 12/08/1961 - Filename:14_035141.tif - - ---- Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
F-111F. C.N. F-36. 493rd TFS at RAF Lakenheath. 397 was in our section and I worked on it many times on Swing Shift. I believe S/Sgt Fields was it's first Crew Chief at Lakenheath. This photo was probably taken at RAF Alconbury. Photo Credit's: Unknown to me (Reprint Scan) It is unusual to see a parked F-111 with the stabilator in the neutral, (zero deflection), position like this.
General Dynamics F-16C "Fighting Falcon" 85-1547 (ED)
416th Flight Test Squadron, 412th Operations Group, Air Force Material Command, Edwards Air Force Base, California.
History:
Aircraft: : 85-1547
LM Aero T/V 5C-289
Plant: General Dynamics
Local C/N
Delivered USAF 85547
Current USAF 85547
Status; Active
Apr 1987 - 85547 F-16C Block 30B
May 1987 - 85547 USAF 14 TFS 'MJ'
Apr 1991 - 85547 USAF 56 TTW 'MC'
Oct 1991 - 85547 USAF 56 FW 'MC' F-16C Block 30B
Apr 1992 - 85547 USAF 174 FS "The Big Boss"
Jun 2003 - 85547 USAF 138 FS 'NY'
Sep 2006 - 85547 USAF 138 FS 'NY' Deployment: Iraqi Freedom
Mar 2007 - 85547 USAF 138 FS 'NY'
Oct 2008 - 85547 USAF 412 TW
Jan 2009 - 85547 USAF 445 FLTS
May 2015 - 85547 USAF 416 FLTS
PictionID:44932134 - Catalog:14_015810 - Title:Dyess AFB Details: Site 578; Complex 11 Chart; Oplin - Filename:14_015810.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
PictionID:54637334 - Catalog:14_035181 - Title:Atlas Centaur Details: Building 18; Centaur Scale Model on Range Date: 03/04/1965 - Filename:14_035181.tif - - ---- Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Danish Air Force F-16A Fighting Falcon E-194 painted to commemorate Eskadrille 730's 60th Anniversary taxies in at RIAT 2011.
General Dynamics F-16AM cn6H-84 msn80-3575
Force Aérienne Belge
Base Aérienne Salon de Provence (60 ans de la PAF)
26/05/2013
PictionID:44933199 - Catalog:14_015896 - Title:Atlas Details: Silo 1/10 Scale Model Mock Up; Overall Side View Date: 12/02/1959 - Filename:14_015896.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
F-111E. C.N. E-218. Flew with the 77th & 79th TFS at RAF Upper Heyford. Withdrawn from service to AMARC 13 October, 1993 as AA FV0180. Scrapped in 2012. Photo Credit's: Unknown to me (Reprint Scan)
PictionID:44932625 - Catalog:14_015850 - Title:Sycamore Canyon Facilities - Filename:14_015850.tif - - - - Image from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
PictionID:54637062 - Catalog:14_035159 - Title:GD/Astronautics Testing Details: OAO Structural Test Payload Fixture and Nose Fairing Placement Date: 01/15/1964 - Filename:14_035159.tif - - ---- Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Air Combat Command's West Coast F-16 Demonstration Team
Viper West
Captain Dover
388th Fighter Wing
89-2083
Republic of Singapore Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16CJ Fighting Falcon 642 c/n DA-18. A big thank you goes to Maj. Desmond Too 'Twister' who was the pilot for today's activities. Job well done - Day 2 Avalon 2011 Australian International Airshow. File: 642_YMAV_20110302_7339
The tail of FA-86, a General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon operated by 350 Smaldeel of the Belgian Air Component, on static display at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2022 (RIAT 22) held at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England.
The aircraft wears a special scheme on its tail to commemorate the squadron's 80th anniversary.
This, and other images, available for sale by clicking the link
Stock photography by Marco McGinty at Alamy
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A visit to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Arizona is a must for all aircraft enthusiasts as this is the home of AMARC (Aircraft Maintenance And Regeneration Center). The aircraft re-cycling division of the USA forces. The great aircraft boneyard in the Arizona desert holds around 4400 airframes with a book value of $23.6BN . Large numbers of KC-135, Lockheed Orion, C-130 Hercules and F-16 Fighting Falcons are currently stored here (2020); but there are plenty of more interesting aircraft too. In some cases, like the Delta Dart and Canberra, just one example is in store. There is currently a major programme to convert redundant F16C Fighting Falcons into Drone aircraft. Boeing has a contract to convert several hundred at a cost of $21M each - only for them to be shot down by modern weapons packages as part of F22 Lightning II training for pilots.