New York National Guard photo by Captain Mark Getman.
The Spirit of Long Island (#0222, aka Triple Deuce) served in the New York Air National Guard from 1966 until 2019. On 18AUG2021, after several days of moving and assembly, Triple Deuce began a new job as gate guardian for F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base.
New York National Guard photo by Captain Mark Getman.
The 106th Maintenance Group spent two years going through red tape, and Air Force Museum demilitarization training, to get the HC-130 rescue Hercules qualified as a gate guard.
New York National Guard photo by Captain Mark Getman.
New York National Guard photo by Captain Mark Getman.
New York National Guard ‘engine mount’ video by Warrant Officer-1 Edward Shevlin:
New York National Guard photo by Captain Mark Getman.
New York National Guard photo by Captain Mark Getman.
New York National Guard ‘end result’ video by Warrant Officer-1 Edward Shevlin:
Firtina = Tempest (most often loosely translated as storm, but a Tempest is an English word for a particularly violent storm, which artillery bombardments certainly are)
Also, note the large vent on the front left of the turret, to keep all those new electronics cool.
Photo via ASELSAN.
Photo via ASELSAN.
T-155 in the town of Binnish in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, 12FEB2020. Photo by Omar Haj Kadour, Agence France-Presse.
T-155 pounds targets in Northern Syria, October 2019.
Firtina pounding targets in Syria, January 2019.
Ammo-supply vehicle for T-155.
The T-155 has its ammunition delivered by the POYRAZ Ammunition Resupply Vehicle.
Photo via ASELSAN.
This 2018 Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri (Turkish Armed Forces) promotional video has scenes of T-155:
2017 Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri video mainly of the T-155:
In 2016, Turkish taxpayer owned MKEK (Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu, Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation) patented two new systems for controlling and loading of the main gun.
T-155 destroyed by Kurdish-YPG Russian made Konkurs anti-tank missile, somewhere in Syria. However, Islamic State has also been taking credit for destroying Turkish tanks inside Syria.
This 2015 Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri promo-video has scenes of T-155, about 41 seconds in:
T-155s fire upon YPG targets north of Aleppo, Syria.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Michael S. Murphy.
US-2 gets fueled on Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, 20FEB2020.
Photo via ShinMaywa Industries.
First flight of the prototype PX-S was in October 1967. The production Patrol Seaplane-1 (PS-1, aka SS-2) flying boat is a anti-ship combat aircraft which does not have conventional landing gear, it is not amphibious as the ‘landing gear’ is actually beaching gear (with each main gear leg having one wheel/tire) and cannot withstand the impact of landing on a runway.
Photo via ShinMaywa Industries.
ShinMaywa flying boats incorporate a ‘spray suppressor’ around the forward hull, to allow rough seas handling.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Todd F. Michalek.
In October 1974, the prototype US-1 first flew.
Photo via ShinMaywa Industries.
The US-1A (aka PS-1 Kai, aka SS-2A) is a Search And Rescue (SAR) plane that has conventional landing gear (with each main gear leg having two wheels/tires) which allows the flying boat to land on a paved runway, making it a true amphibious aircraft. The visual difference between a PS-1 and US-1 is the bulge housing the conventional type landing gear on the US-1, the PS-1 has no side fuselage bulge.
Short USMC video, by Corporal Waiyan Tin, of US-1A taking off from U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, 2017:
Cockpit of US-2 (US-1A Kai). USMC photo by Lance Corporal Todd F. Michalek.
Typical interior of PS-1/US-1A. Photo via ShinMaywa Industries.
In the 1980s, Japan replaced its PS-1s with Lockheed designed P-3 Orions (Kawasaki began licensed building of P-3Cs in 1978).
USMC photo by Sergeant Chase Tillett, MCAS Iwakuni, 05MAY2017.
The US-1As were retired in 2017, replaced by the updated US-2 (prototype US-1A Kai which first flew in December 2003, and began operations as US-2 in March 2007).
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Todd F. Michalek.
The visual identifier of the upgraded US-2 (US-1A Kai) are the propellers.
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Harrison Rakhshani.
US-2 (US-1A Kai), MCAS Iwakuni, May 2019. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Kenny Nunez.
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Kenny Nunez. US-2 (US-1A Kai), MCAS Iwakuni, May 2019.
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Nathan J. Maysonet. US-2 (US-1A Kai), MCAS Iwakuni, 2018.
MCAS Iwakuni, 09AUG2017. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Gabriela Garcia-Herrera.
MCAS Iwakuni, July 2017. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Jacob A. Farbo.
USMC video by Lance Corporal Cory Schubert, US-2 (US-1A Kai), January 2015:
Shin-Meiwa US-2 lifts off, 07JAN2015. USMC photo by Private First Class Carlos Cruz Jr.
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Todd F. Michalek.
Warming up the modern engines of the US-2, U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, 08JAN2013.
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Todd F. Michalek.
Starting the old-skool three-prop engines of the US-1A, U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, 08JAN2013.
USMC photo by Lance Corporal Todd F. Michalek.
ShinMaywa Industries reports that as of 2020: PS-1 ASW Flying Boat 23 aircraft in total (Completed production)
US-1A SAR Flying Boat 20 aircraft in total (Completed production)
US-2 SAR Flying Boat 7 aircraft in total (in production)
ShinMaywa video documentary, history of the company:
Alaska Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
In Gregorian year 1987, an Alaskan Army National Guard Sikorsky CH-54B Tahre (aka Skycrane) was used to recover a World War Two era (built in 1943) OA-10 PBY Catalina, which had been abandoned on Dago Lake in 1947, and sold as scrap for a whopping $58!
AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
The Canadian Vickers built Catalina was abandoned due to engine problems. While rotting near Dago Lake it got the nickname Queen of Dago Lake, while Dago Lake got the nickname PBY Lake. In the 1980s, the members of the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum decided to fund a recovery operation with the help of the Army National Guard. The original hope was to restore the flying boat to operational condition.
Sling load gear was flown-in by UH-1 Iroquois (Huey). AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
Two moves by helicopter were made in 1984 and 1987.
AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
The first try failed after a strap broke, forcing the Catalina to be abandoned again, this time on Lake Clark Pass.
AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
The photos in this article are from the 1987 move.
Crane operator viewpoint, note the stabilizing drogue chute streaming from the tail of the Catalina. AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
Skycrane named Penelope flies off with the OA-10. AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
Flying high! AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
Penelope delivers the goods. AANG photo by Sergeant Kevin L. Bishop.
Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum video from 2020, revealing that the Catalina is still languishing. About seven minutes into the video you can see it is actually being used as an awning for benches for tourists:
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Jacqueline Marshall.
“This is an exercise evolution of the Rally in the Valley 2020 exercise conducted in West Virginia. Our efforts will prepare Reserve and National Guard units to execute at the speed and range required to take on near-peer adversaries. Additional training included combat airlift as well as multi-capable mobility Airmen who are able to refuel and re-arm aircraft in austere locations with minimal support.”-Major Christopher Acs, 327th Airlift Squadron, U.S. Air Force Reserve (USAFR)
WANG photo by Jacqueline Marshall, 13SEP2021.
U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Major Ashely Walker, 13SEP2021.
13SEP2021 saw a dramatic opening to wargame Rally in the Rockies 2021; for the first time a C-130J Super Hercules intentionally landed on U.S. Route 287, in the middle of nowhere rural Wyoming (near Rawlings)!
U.S. Air Force Reserve video by Major Ashely Walker, 13SEP2021:
WANG photo by Jacqueline Marshall.
So far, all the news outlets reporting this landing are calling it Highway 287 which is incorrect. It is officially U.S. Route 287 (aka US287). It would be okay if they wrote highway with a lower case ‘h’, but they use an upper case ‘H’ which indicates an official title.
Cowboy State Daily’s quick slo-mo video of landing:
WANG photo by Jacqueline Marshall.
Anybody thinking about the Cold War era movie Red Dawn, supposedly taking place in next-door-from-Wyoming Colorado?
USAFR photo by Major Ashley Walker.
Rally in the Rockies is scheduled to run from September 13th through the 16th. It involves 12 military units from various state National Guards and the USAFR, as well as the Wyoming Department of Transportation. The wargame is preparation for combat operations within the United States, for ‘contested areas’!
USAF photo by Lieutenant Colonel Marnee A.C. Losurdo, 14SEP2021.
C-130H from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, drops supplies near Rifle Garfield County Airport, Colorado.
USAF photo by Major Ashley Walker, 13SEP2021.
The first day of Rally in the Rockies also involved USAFR C-130Hs operating from a Landing Zone near Guernsey, Wyoming. The wargame simulating conflict inside the United States involved the states of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.
USAF photo by Major Ashley Walker.
Cold War era (late 1960s) film of C-130 and C-160 landing on European highway:
Incomplete list of links to news reports which should cause you to question the main stream excuse that automotive industry problems are due to pandemic caused computer chip shortages. The biggest proof that it isn’t computer chip shortages, is that electric car sales and production are at record levels, partly because of government mandates and partly because the car makers themselves are shifting to only electric vehicle production! Perhaps the shutdown of combustion engine vehicle production is just a false flag operation to re-tool factories for electric car production?
Electric Viking video report, 200% increase in e-car sales in European Union (EU) despite so called pandemic shortages, also explains how Toyotas’ booming e-car sales in Europe might be the true cause for its halt to combustion car production, also, the EU is banning non-electric cars:
KPIX video report, U.S. Labor Day combustion engine car sales crashed and burned in mandated electric car California, of course ignorantly blamed on computer chip shortage:
KVVU video report, fewer people are looking to buy new cars in Las Vegas, ignorantly blames lack of customers on lack of parts (maybe it’s actually about price?):
In April of 2020, U.S. Air Force medical personnel got themselves a mask sanitizing box (aka ultraviolet germicidal irradiation machine), and you could build one yourself. The box can be used to sanitize other things as well, depending on how big you make it.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Seth Haddix.
It simple; use some plywood or thick cardboard, cover it with reflective material like that found on an automotive ‘sun shield’ or construction industry reflective foil insulation, install some high intensity UV light fixtures inside the box, and voilà!
USAF photo by Airman First Class Seth Haddix.
This USAF UV box is being used at the Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.
U.S. Army (USA) Combat Capabilities Development Command (DevCom) issued an update on its efforts to create robot combat tanks, revealing that the numbers of robot tanks being tested has tripled.
Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light (RCV-L), Michigan Army National Guard photo by Bruce Huffman.
USA video report by Douglas Halleaux, update on testing at Ground Vehicle Systems Center, Michigan:
RCV converted from a Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. U.S. Army photo by Kimberly Derryberry.
A line of converted RCV M113s & Bradleys, awaiting Phase 1 testing on Fort Carson, Colorado, 2020. USA photo by Jerome Aliotta.
USA video report by Douglas Halleaux, 2019-20 Phase 1 ‘validation’ of RCVs:
HEMTT Iron Dome radar carrier. USA photo by Darrell Ames, 15JUN2021.
Iron Dome radar deployed on the ground. USA photo by Darrell Ames, 15JUN2021.
The launch took place from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
HEMTT Iron Dome control room carrier. USA photo by Darrell Ames, 15JUN2021.
The first unit to be equipped with the Israeli system is based out of Fort Bliss, Texas.
Iron Dome launch, 22JUN2021. USA photo by Darrell Ames.
The U.S. Army plans to buy more of the Iron Dome systems and use them as anti-cruise missile weapons, at least until the U.S. develops a successful system of its own.
Promotional music video, by Darrell Ames, of multiple launches against target drones:
“This proves the capabilities of the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force to lethally target an aircraft outside of the traditional RADAR electromagnetic spectrum.”-Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Lindaman, 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron
Lockheed Martin’s Legion Pod IRST Block 1.5 targeting pod, 05AUG2021. U.S. Air Force photo by First Lieutenant Lindsey Heflin.
On 05AUG2021, for the first time an F-15C Eagle successfully launched a live Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM, aka AIM-120) using the new Legion Pod IRST (Infra-Red Search and Track) Block 1.5 system.
The target was a QF-16, shot down over the Gulf of Mexico. The F-15C was flown by the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Legion Pod IRST Block 1.5 is a new ‘passive’ targeting system, and while it was connected to the Eagle’s RADAR (RAdio Detection And Ranging) during the test, it was able to track and target the QF-16 on its own: “This successful live missile test is significant because an F-15 equipped with an IRST-cued AIM-120 allows us to achieve detection, tracking, targeting, weapons employment, and verification of an intercept without being dependent upon RADAR energy. It’s also not susceptible to radio frequency jamming or a target’s low observable design.”-Maj. Brian Davis, 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant John McRell, 08JUL2020.
Legion Pod Block 1.5 IRST has also been used to launch the AIM-9X Sidewinder, on 08JUL2020.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant John McRell.
Also on 13JUL2020, the Legion Pod Block 1.5 IRST was flown on an F-16D Block 50A.
USAF photo by First Lieutenant Savanah Bray, 13JUL2020.
Apparently the Legion Pod was originally intended to upgrade the F-16 (being referred to as the F-16 Legion Pod), yet it was discovered that by using the F-15C for testing the USAF saved $1-million and almost four years of time (four years for the F-16, only six months needed using the F-15C), over using the F-16 for testing the pod. Apparently because the F-15C’s software allowed for better/faster integration of the Legion Pod.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant John McRell, 08JUL2020.
