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Showing posts from January, 2010

Re: 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane

This is pretty cool footage of a U2 climbing out to 70,000 ft AGL and landing.   (Sorry if you already know this) but the British guy is talking about things boiling - at those altitudes and with your body temp of 98.6F, your blood would boil if you lost even a little cabin pressure.  As you can see this Kelly Johnson machine was nothing but a glider with a BIG engine (and very good cameras) - there has always been a story circulating among my aerospace friends that a U2 had an engine quit over Alaska (not sure where) and he was able to glide back to Sacramento, CA.   Do I believe it?  Maybe....  Pretty heavy glider, but then so is the Space Shuttle. PS:  Can you believe this company went on to make the SR-71? This video is a once in a lifetime experience of a British civilian getting a flight at over 70,000 ft. in a U-2 spy plane.  Please note at the take-off the assist wheels on the outer edges of the wings which drop off upon take-off.  The wings are so long that they n

Re: Vietnam resource from Butch Morris

Forward from Ralph Jessup,   Subject: Vietnam resource from Butch Morris Interesting, yet sad reading of all these lost crew and pilots.  I exchange e-mail with the first one shot down and rescued: Curt Briggs.  Phil     http://www.8tfw.com/pages/aircraftlosses.htm     I'm the first loss and the first rescued.       Curt                 This might keep you     busy and off the streets for a while     http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Thomas.Pilsch/Vietnam.html#Aircraft        

Re: 4 U airdales

Grey Eagle

A high quality look at some high quality aviation. http://www.asb.tv/videos/view.php?v=1bf99434&br=500 Thanks to all who have flown for our country, and thanks to all that have helped that cause. and thanks to Bill H for the link.

EAA 650 is on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/eaa650 Is the link that will get you there. If you have any video to share, let us know, or if you know anyone in the videos, let them know they are up there, and send us the names, so we can give credit. Thanks to Herb Combs and Jack Eads for taking and converting the videos, so we can see them.

January 2010 meeting

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January Meeting We got together in the Old Terminal building and had some biscuits and gravy provided by Teey and Jack Eads. John Hayes told us about upcoming events, and welcomed some newcomers. Then our guest speaker Willis Zeise spoke about a peculiar set of incidents involving a plane crash and a 'red Wire'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIA1ikdCB3M

B-17 polishing

http://www.autopia.org/forum/ pro-details-before-after/ 118137-20-screaming-polishers- 50-pounds-polish-600-man- hours.html

Unintended Loop at Takeoff

Subject: Unintended Loop at Takeoff...WOW!! Read this first then watch! The new F-35 is a vertical takeoff supersonic jet for the Navy and the Marines. I would say there's nothing about this incident the pilot enjoys other than the end result. If he could have ejected at 100' upside down and lived, he would have. Looks like the afterburner kicks in while still vectored for vertical takeoff. DUH! Lockheed would call this a "software malfunction" and needs to do a little more "regressive testing". Good demo of power-to-weight ratio of this aircraft! And some unbelievable stability control. If he didn't come out of the loop wings-level, it probably would have been bad news, maybe taking some of the carrier with him! Flying through your own exhaust can lead to equipment malfunctions, too, but fortunately he avoided that. This is the most unbelievable piece of flying you will ever see in your life. This is how a supremely well-trained US Navy p

Spitfire Restored

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Spitfire - restored and operational: Ardmore Airport, just south of Auckland, New Zealand. These test flight pictures were taken Sept 29, 2009 .....After all its test flying was completed, this plane was scheduled to be disassembled and shipped by container to Texas, USA. The history of this particular plane (BL628) is a little 'cloudy' (beginning in 1943), but Spitfire History says it went to RNAS in Belfast, Ireland and then was sent out to Victoria, Australia! Who cares.....it looks superb!

Aerial Battle

Aerial Combat Encounter This came from a gent who runs a 2000 acre corn farm up around Barron , WI , not far from Oshkosh . He used to fly F-4Es and F-16s for the Guard and participated in the first Gulf War. Submitted for your enjoyment, and as a reminder that there are other great, magnificent flyers around besides humans. ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- - I went out to plant corn for a bit to finish a field before tomorrow morning and witnessed The Great Battle ... A golden eagle - big bastard, with about a six foot wingspan - flew right in front of the tractor. It was being chased by three crows that were continually dive bombing it and pecking at it. The crows do this because the eagles rob their nests when they find them. At any rate, the eagle banked hard right in one evasive maneuver, then landed in the field about 100 feet from the tractor. This eagle stood about 3 feet tall. The crows al

support your local Airport

http://www.indystar.com/article/20100101/BUSINESS/1010372/Airports-make-the-case-they-re-worth-the-state-funding

Night Forced U2 Landing

A very interesting story, I had never heard about. You may have to "copy and paste" this link into your browser but it is worth seeing. It is a "Christmas card video" from this Chinese couple but as the video plays, he will explain the full story of the night engine out landing in the U-2. Miracle U-2 Landing at Cortez, CO If you think "The Miracle on the Hudson " was something, wait 'til you watch this. I had never heard of this incident until now. An amazing story! http://www.hmhfp.info/SG_09E. html Ralph Jessup

NASA Aerodynamics tool

Here are the NASA graphics we talked about. Clicking on the first two URL's will bring up the programs on line. Go to the third link for additional stuff and info on downloading the programs on to your computer so they can be run off-line. FoilSim II Version 1.4n http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/foil4.html FoilSim II Version 1.5a http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/foil2.html More free NASA software. http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/freesoftware_page.htm At the bottom of this window you will find an Index of the educational programs. I wish I had something like these to use back in the 1940's when I was in school. They are still of great value to an old guy. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks. Willis