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Random Griz Aviation Musings
- Thread starter Griz882
- Start date
Outstanding. Many moons ago I bought a FC from Japan and the Australian government (well, the DOT) denied me import approval at the last minute. I ended up taking the money and buying an RX-4 instead. Unfortunately for me, the RX-4 was a shitheap and I ended up getting a refund from the previous owner.. thus ended up rotary experience
Bummer. Your instincts were correct. Rotary engines are the coolest. I'd love to have a JDM Savanna and every one of the US series RX7 and RX8 in a collection.
Stumbled across some War Hoover geekery today. The following is a list of milestones from the 1968 VSX operational requirements that resulted in several firsts and new capabilities.
-Completely new airframe
-Completely new and first high bypass ratio turbofan engine in this class
-First application of an airborne central digital computer and fully integrated avionics system
-First sequenced, four-crew ejection system with zero/zero to 450 knot capability
-Single engine bolter at max carrier landing weight with gear and flaps down
-Fully Automatic Carrier Landing System, or ALCS, with autothrottle delivered at IOC
-Inflight refueling
-Ability to carry and deploy sixty search stores
-Two internal bomb bays and two wing stations capable of carrying conventional bombs, torpedoes, depth charges, and nuclear weapons
-Meet MIL-SPEC Flying Qualities requirements with no stability augmentation throughout its entire flight envelope from 90-450 KIAS at sea level
-A fully automatic or electrically selectable manual back up, or EFCS, flight control system
-Ability to descend from 30,000 feet to the surface in two minutes
-A ground and in-flight operational auxiliary power unit for self-contained operations and engine starts
-The approach speed of an A-6 with the sink rate design of the A-7 attack aircraft
-Foldable wings and vertical tail to fit an <i>Essex</i>-class aircraft carrier
-First non-paper trace system of analyzing submarine acoustic signatures on a CRT projection
-Completely new airframe
-Completely new and first high bypass ratio turbofan engine in this class
-First application of an airborne central digital computer and fully integrated avionics system
-First sequenced, four-crew ejection system with zero/zero to 450 knot capability
-Single engine bolter at max carrier landing weight with gear and flaps down
-Fully Automatic Carrier Landing System, or ALCS, with autothrottle delivered at IOC
-Inflight refueling
-Ability to carry and deploy sixty search stores
-Two internal bomb bays and two wing stations capable of carrying conventional bombs, torpedoes, depth charges, and nuclear weapons
-Meet MIL-SPEC Flying Qualities requirements with no stability augmentation throughout its entire flight envelope from 90-450 KIAS at sea level
-A fully automatic or electrically selectable manual back up, or EFCS, flight control system
-Ability to descend from 30,000 feet to the surface in two minutes
-A ground and in-flight operational auxiliary power unit for self-contained operations and engine starts
-The approach speed of an A-6 with the sink rate design of the A-7 attack aircraft
-Foldable wings and vertical tail to fit an <i>Essex</i>-class aircraft carrier
-First non-paper trace system of analyzing submarine acoustic signatures on a CRT projection
Initial proposals for the VSX were made by all the usual suspects. Here were some of the contenders.
Convair/GD-21 VSX
North American VSX
McConnell Douglas MD-893 VSX
Grumann-304
Lockheed concept after Vaught changes. Vaught had their own proposal but eventually teamed with Lockheed which resulted in the War Hoover we all love and miss.
Convair/GD-21 VSX
North American VSX
McConnell Douglas MD-893 VSX
Grumann-304
Lockheed concept after Vaught changes. Vaught had their own proposal but eventually teamed with Lockheed which resulted in the War Hoover we all love and miss.
Agree. Although I bet the engine mounting cost them internal space and limited the bypass thrust.
I seem to remember the S-3 having basically the same main gear assembly as the F-8, from which the A-7 evolved.
The Viking gear was something Vaught brought to the project. It was virtually identical to the A-7.
The right seat had flight controls with left hand throttle as mentioned. The hook was on the panel left of center. Both guys could reach it. The flaps and gear were to the left of the left seat, unreachable by the right seater. The back up electrically operated flaps were closer to the right seat. Emergency gravity gear extend was to the right of the pedestal. So, the right seat could get some flaps down, slowly. Raise and lower hook. Drop the gear but not raise it. Operate throttle and stick.
The Viking was originally to be dual piloted. Stoof thinking. The pilots though were coming from the VTJ pipeline and trained as single pilots. All the mission equipment could be operated from the copilot seat, but with a little more difficulty over the back seat. As the TACCO in back could use the help, they created the NFO COTAC . In the late 70s and 80s we tried to fly most.missions with one pilot with the NFOs switching between COTAC and TACCO. In the 90s when the ASW mission died the pilot NFO front seats became SOP. To be clear NFOs that "routinely" flew was never SOP. You could fly an entire mission and not touch the flight controls. Many days in a row. If you did fly it was usually a pretty easy basic flight environment. Of course, if you could fly safely and the pilot had confidence he might give up some pretty cool flight time to the COTAC. ?
The right seat had flight controls with left hand throttle as mentioned. The hook was on the panel left of center. Both guys could reach it. The flaps and gear were to the left of the left seat, unreachable by the right seater. The back up electrically operated flaps were closer to the right seat. Emergency gravity gear extend was to the right of the pedestal. So, the right seat could get some flaps down, slowly. Raise and lower hook. Drop the gear but not raise it. Operate throttle and stick.
The Viking was originally to be dual piloted. Stoof thinking. The pilots though were coming from the VTJ pipeline and trained as single pilots. All the mission equipment could be operated from the copilot seat, but with a little more difficulty over the back seat. As the TACCO in back could use the help, they created the NFO COTAC . In the late 70s and 80s we tried to fly most.missions with one pilot with the NFOs switching between COTAC and TACCO. In the 90s when the ASW mission died the pilot NFO front seats became SOP. To be clear NFOs that "routinely" flew was never SOP. You could fly an entire mission and not touch the flight controls. Many days in a row. If you did fly it was usually a pretty easy basic flight environment. Of course, if you could fly safely and the pilot had confidence he might give up some pretty cool flight time to the COTAC. ?
A short visit to the AF Museum this week for a retirement ceremony, I visited the rather excellent newly completed SEA pavilion. Nestled in this jam packed collection is a display of the UH-1P in action as it served it's AF personnel insertion, support and recovery mission with the 20th SOS "Green Hornets". One of the most decorated Helo units in SEA.
The UH-1P was powered by a T-58 engine - identical to what powered the H-3 and H-46. Created in parallel to the Navy's HAL-3, but in a very different context. Where HAL-3 was essentially created bottom up with local squadron staff developing how to mount weapons and with locally developed tactics, the AF took and engineered system approach at Eglin and Hurlburt carefully integrating weapons, tactics, training and even detailed specs on paint scheme. Where as HAL-3, local maintenance and aircrew Chiefs informally developed the aircraft and weapons systems to meet the mission needs of the newly created Riverine Force.
The UH-1P was powered by a T-58 engine - identical to what powered the H-3 and H-46. Created in parallel to the Navy's HAL-3, but in a very different context. Where HAL-3 was essentially created bottom up with local squadron staff developing how to mount weapons and with locally developed tactics, the AF took and engineered system approach at Eglin and Hurlburt carefully integrating weapons, tactics, training and even detailed specs on paint scheme. Where as HAL-3, local maintenance and aircrew Chiefs informally developed the aircraft and weapons systems to meet the mission needs of the newly created Riverine Force.
The flak jackets in the chin bubbles is a nice touch. Army guys were prohibited from doing that.
I didn't know that. As far back as Vietnam? I have had some guys say they did that. Especially in the OH-6. I can see why a slick Huey might not. They needed to see through the bubble when they touched down on various surfaces for troop insertion.