Flightdeck Friday! F4D Skyray (Part 2)
Continuing from yesterday’s posting, today we look at some of the unique aspects of the Ford’s operational history. Flying the Ford: The Ford, besides having a noteworthy climb rate, was also very maneuverable, featuring an incredible roll rate. One Navy test pilot who flew the Skyray said that Air Force chase-plane pilots were desperate to…
Flightdeck Friday! Douglas F4D Skyray (Part 1)
(The Scribe is flying back to occupied Virginia Friday, hence the early publication) Presented this week: The Douglas F4D/F-6A Skyray. Another of Ed Heinemann’s now-classic designs, the F4D counted a number of firsts in its history, but like the F3H, would be victimized by the Westinghouse J-40. In its short life, the F4D (or as…
Badgers, Buccaneers and Bears … Pt 4
This is the conclusion of the 4-part series. Parts 1-3 may be found by following the links in the margin on the left. “Alpha Whiskey, Alpha Romeo, Tango One. Tango One recommends launching all available alert. Multiple bogeys inbound. Break, track 1231 now non-squawker, negative Mode 4, investigating with 9B. Setting station 9B with 11B”…
Serendipitous Monday
Your humble scribe is on travel this week, gov’mint business and all, out in the land of real mountains. Posting may or may not be spotty (non-specific enough? There’s plausible deniability for you), so here are a couple of items from around the blogsphere to chew on. Fear not, Flightdeck Friday is not in jeopardy……
When Travel was Genteel…
Lockheed C-121 ConstellationIf ever there were an example of art brought to life, the Connie has to be it. And just as a reminder of what air travel USED to be like (before generic widebodies crammed like sardine tins, like the one I’m headed off in tomorrow…)-SJS
Flightdeck Friday: Vought F6U Pirate
Certain pairings, on the surface, seem to be made for each other – Bogie & Bacall, rum & Coke ®, etc. But balsa wood and afterburners? Almost seems counter-intuitive. This weeks feature is the Vought F6U Pirate, the Navy’s first composite-built and afterburner fighter. By 1944 it was apparent from the reports being returned from…
Bring it on!
GM to produce the Camaro as a 2009 model. Full story here. Seems like the 60’s again — an embattled President embroiled in an insurgent war, a poltical party (Democrats) bent on self destruction over anti-war issues, hemlines up, etc. And here, 40 (??!!) years later, the return of the muscle car wars looms on…
Sometimes…inspite of ourselves luck kicks in t…
Sometimes…inspite of ourselves luck kicks in to save our butts…