Category Archives: Technology

Kit Bashing, Technology

A-10C: Primer Black is the new Zinc-Yellow?

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U.S. Air Force photo by Alex R. Lloyd.

In 2019, several A-10Cs underwent wing replacement, which included new paint, by the Ogden Air Logistics Complex on Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah.

USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.

They were the last of 173 A-10s to get the new wing upgrade.  I’m not sure if this if the primer paint as most A-10s I’ve seen get re-painted are primered with a zinc yellow paint.

USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.

A hanger full of stripped A-10s waiting for their new wings, and new clothes.

USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.

A naked A-10C, with brand new wing, gets towed to the paint shop.

A new shark-mouth to go with the new wing for this 23d Wing Flying Tigers A-10, home based on Moody AFB, Georgia, 09JUL2019.

Perhaps there were too many A-10s to paint as by December 2019, painters on Hill AFB began using robots to strip them naked.

A-10C: AFGHAN PHASE INSPECTION

Vehicle I-D:  A-10 South East Asia camo

Kit Bashing, Technology

Bare Metal: New ‘Patina’ style F-16 Camo?

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U.S. Air Force photo by Alex R. Lloyd.

On 22MAR2021, a patina camo-ed F-16 took to the sky over Hill Air Force Base, Utah.  Whoops, perhaps the pilot was a little to anxious to get airborne as the F-16 was in need of new clothes after undergoing depot level rebuild.

USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.

This was a test flight (Functional Check Flight aka Zoom flight) by the 514th Flight Test Squadron, after repairs/modifications by the Ogden Air Logistics Complex.

USAF photo by Todd Cromar.

On 16FEB2021, an ‘elected’ official was shown the bare-assed tail end of our stripped down F-16 in the Ogden Air Logistics Complex (OALC).  Hopefully the Congressman was able to control his-self.

USAF photo by R. Nial Bradshaw.

April 2020, a Secretary of the Air Force gets a tour of the OALC, notice the partially primered F-16 in the background.

USAF photo by R. Nial Bradshaw, 23JAN2019.

In January 2019, a different Secretary of the Air Force was lectured on how Utahans rebuild cockpits of naked F-16 two seaters.

Vehicle I-D: NEW CLOTHES FOR A TEXAS F-16

Vehicle I-D: NEW F-16 WRAITH! NIGHT FIGHTER WW-2 STYLE!

Kit Bashing, Technology

Bare Metal: C-5M Super Galaxy Super Strip

Video

U.S. Air Force by Joseph Mather.

During the Summer of 2020, a C-5M Super Galaxy got stripped for depot level maintenance in the refurbished Hanger-125 on Robins Air Force Base (AFB), Georgia.

USAF by Joseph Mather.

The C-5M is the largest aircraft operated by the U.S. Air Force (USAF).

USAF by Joseph Mather.

By mid-November the C-5M rolled out, but still a little more work needed before test-flight and new clothes.

Photo by Rashida Banks.

In 2018, the World War Two era Hanger-125 underwent a $75-million renovation, supervised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Photo by Rashida Banks.

Building (hanger) 125 is capable of fully enclosing multiple large aircraft at the same time, for depot level tear-down.

Photo by Rashida Banks.

Hanger-125 has four ‘docks’, which allows up to four C-5 type aircraft, or a whole bunch of smaller aircraft.  Building/Hanger-125 takes-up 14.7 acres (5.9 hectares) of land.

USAF by Joseph Mather.

Rebuilders can perform mass-depot level maintenance on several smaller aircraft at the same time, like these F-15s which just happen to be stripped down at the same time as our C-5M, in Summer 2020.

USAF photo by Edward Aspera Junior.

In 2019, this naked C-5 was exposed to a group of looky-loos from other USAF depots, as part of a get-together discussing how best to do their jobs.

Time lapse USAF music video by Paul Wenzel, C-5 gets new clothes at Robins AFB, 2018:

Bare Metal: WISE GUY RESURRECTION

Bare Metal:  NASA TRUCKS SAVING THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY

Bare Metal: KC-135R GETS STRIPPED

Kit Bashing, Technology

Re-Build a 1:1 scale F-15 Canopy

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“We are set up to be part of the sustainment effort for F-15 aircraft canopies. We are part of the team that does the replacement parts like the canopies, stabilizers or any of the other flight controls that keep F-15 aircraft flying.”-Alberto Garza-Mayer, 572nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, February 2021

U.S. Air Force photo by Joseph Mather, 11FEB2021.

“After a while, flying during storms or other types of weather conditions, the canopy will develop hazing to a point it will not be serviceable anymore and will need to be replaced.”-Alberto Garza-Mayer, 572nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia, February 2021

USAF photo by Joseph Mather, 11FEB2021.

“The canopies will get disassembled and de-painted. After it is disassembled, we do a frame inspection check to see if the canopy is still serviceable.” -Alberto Garza-Mayer, 572nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia, February 2021

“Once the canopy goes through its necessary repairs, it is resealed where the canopy sits onto the airframe. Then all the holes are located to drill. There are about 3-hundred fastener holes that hold the canopy to the frame. We drill the holes, then trim it to fit within technical order tolerances, make sure it fits, do a final inspection, and install it onto the frame.” -Alberto Garza-Mayer, 572nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia, February 2021

“Last year, we averaged six or seven canopies a month, so we were in the 80-plus canopies completion range. This year, the numbers have been lowered, so we have been doing around four canopies a month.” -Alberto Garza-Mayer, 572nd Commodities Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia, February 2021

USAF photo by Airman First Class Anthony Clingerman, 18NOV2020.

At Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, November 2020, 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron performed maintenance on a F-15 canopy.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Anthony Clingerman, 18NOV2020.

This included buffing-out the canopy.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Rebeckah Medeiros, 23JUL2020.

Back in July 2020, 18th Equipment Maintenance Squadron personnel at Kadena Air Base (AB), in Japan, were building their own F-15C canopy braces.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Rebeckah Medeiros, 23JUL2020.

This involved using Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) program to shape aluminum stock.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Rebeckah Medeiros, 23JUL2020.

The aluminum braces are necessary to prevent warpage of the F-15 canopy.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Rebeckah Medeiros, 23JUL2020.

USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Matthew B. Fredericks, 19SEP2019.

Canopy inspection on F-15C, Kadena AB, September 2019.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Alexandre Montes.

What’s left of a F-15 ‘gate guard’ canopy after 2018’s Hurricane Michael hit Tyndall AFB, Florida. (Photo taken in February 2019)

USAF photo by Naoto Anazawa, 24OCT2018.

Under the canopy, Kadena AB, October 2018.

USAF photo by Naoto Anazawa, 24OCT2018.

USAF photo by Naoto Anazawa, 24OCT2018.

Oregon Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Jennifer Shirar.

An Oregon Air National Guard F-15, from the 173rd Fighter Wing. minus its canopy during phased inspection, October 2014.

Oregon ANG photo by Master Sergeant Jennifer Shirar.

Vehicle I-D: IDAHO’S TIGERS & THUNDERBOLTS BLAST THE SKIES OVER FLORIDA!

Vehicle I-D: F-15EX HAS ARRIVED! COMMANDER SAYS “IT’S AN EX-CITING DAY!”

Vehicle I-D: KADENA EAGLE

1:1 SCALE WIND TUNNEL MODELS?

Technology

B-1B Ruptured Duck saved from the Boneyard, but it’ll never fly again!

Video

On 23FEB2021, a ‘divested’ B-1B bomber landed at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California, being saved from the ‘boneyard’ in Arizona, but never to fly again.

U.S. Air Force photo by May Straight.

The B-1B tail number 86-0099 arrived with Ruptured Duck artwork on the side.

USAF photo by May Straight.

Under the National Defense Authorization Act, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is required to divest 17 B-1B Lancers (aka Bones) in order to justify buying the new B-21 Raider (a new version of the B-2).

USAF photo by Giancarlo Casem, 23FEB2021..

Ruptured Duck is now the new Edwards Aircraft Ground Integration Lab (EAGIL) static test aircraft.  It’s hoped the EAGIL program will save taxpayers money by reducing the costs of developing electronic upgrades for aircraft, compared to using flying test-beds.

USAF photo by Wesley Farnsworth, 17APR2017.

B-1B #86-0099 was named Ruptured Duck in 2017, on the 75th Anniversary of the Doolittle vengeance raid on Japan.  One of the B-25 Mitchell bombers in that raid was named Ruptured Duck:

Official video explainer:

Natural sound video, by Giancarlo Casem, of Ruptured Duck’s arrival on Edwards AFB:

‘Divestiture’: ANOTHER B-1B ‘BONE’ SENT TO THE BONEYARD! IS THE END NEAR?

Technology

Silly-vilian airliner brought back from the dead, to serve in the military!

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U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez.

On 03MAR2021, a mummified civilian airliner was hauled off to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, drafted for use as an emergency response trainer for the U.S. military.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

The 40 miles trip from Wilmington Air Park took three days.  Its new home is the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

N798AX was a 767-200 series, last used by Germany’s DHL, first used by Japan’s All Nippon Airways, then Hokaido International Airlines, then by ABX Air in the United States before being leased to DHL.  DHL used the 767 for just under a year before its retirement,  N789AX was just over 34 years old when ‘retired’.  In November 2020, N789AX was broken-up at Wilmington Air Park, Ohio.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

It is not a Boeing 707, or a KC-135 (which itself is not a 707).  It is a Boeing 767, and will be used to mimic the military version of the 767; the KC-46.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

The zombie 767 will join a zombie KC-135, which was delivered to School of Aerospace Medicine at the end of March 2020, to train flight nurses, medevac technicians and critical care air-transport team members in the movement and treatment of patients onboard aircraft.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

The School of Aerospace Medicine also uses a zombie C-130, and five other aircraft, for the same training.

USAF photo by R.J. Oriez.

TaCaMO: One plane controlling the nation’s nuclear arsenal!

Vehicle I-D: C-54 SKYMASTER, AN AIRBORNE WILLY WONKA?

Influenza, Technology

One Ring to Rule Them, Big Brotherism in the name of fighting a Pandemic?

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31 March 2021 /23:33-UTC-07 Tango 06 (12 Farvardin 1400/18 Sha’ban 1442/20 Ren-Chen 4719)

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Third Class Isaak Martinez.

Quietly, around the 15th of March, 2021, the crew aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex-LHD 2 placed shiny black rings on their fingers.  The rings came from the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), which claimed they were part of a new way to keep people healthy.

USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Isaak Martinez.

It’s part of a U.S. Navy (USN) study called Crew Readiness, Endurance, and Watchstanding (CREW). The official reason for the CREW ring is so leadership can monitor essential personnel who are not getting enough sleep: “We want CREW to be a decision support tool so that you can understand how fatigued people are and how much sleep they are or are not getting.  We can then determine how those fatigue levels correspond with the health of the individual so that we can provide a way or course of action to offset some of the risks that come with fatigue and poor health.”-Doctor Rachel Markwald, NHRC

USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Isaak Martinez.

The crew of the USS Essex are the first to take part in the study.  Supposedly, the rings can also detect when a person’s performance is down due to being infected, it is hoped the rings might be able to detect infection before a person realizes they are sick.  The CREW monitoring system can also be used in bracelets.  Doctor Markwald claims she’s already getting good feedback from crewmembers.

According to a recent U.S. Naval Institute report, the ‘sleep’ monitoring program is an effort to prevent major fatal accidents.  From my personal experience in the military, why don’t the higher-ups just admit they push their personnel too hard.

Pandemic Shenanigans: MORE FALSE POSITIVES! J&J VAX UNDER STUDY FOR INFERTILITY! SHUTDOWNS FALSELY BLAMED ON COVID!

Operation Jupiter: OPERATION COVID-19 IS FOR REAL

Technology

NATO Vehicle I-D: Tarcza Polski PT-91

Video

Just a few years before the official end to the unofficial Cold War, Poland’s military decided to modify its license built T-72M1s.  The idea was to incorporate as many locally produced upgrades as possible.  So many items were changed that the PT-91 Twardy (tough, strong) is almost a  totally different tank from the T-72; engine, transmission, auto-loader, targeting system, etc.

U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Andres Chandler, 13JUN2020.

Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland, June 2020.

USA photo by Sergeant Andres Chandler, 13JUN2020.

USA photo by Sergeant Andres Chandler, 13JUN2020.

NATO video of PT-91 live-fire during wargame in Latvia, April 2020:

Canadian Forces photo.

Polish Hussars PT-91 during Assurance wargame in Latvia, 26JUL2018.

Michigan Army National Guard photo by Captain Tyler Piper, 06JUN2018.

Michigan Army National Guard photo by Specialist Alan Prince , 06JUN2018.

Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, June 2018.

Michigan Army National Guard photo by Specialist Robert Douglas, 15JUN2018.

USA photo by Specialist Hubert D. Delany the Third, 06JUN2018.

USA photo by Specialist Hubert D. Delany the Third, 06JUN2018.

Polish PT-91 in Latvia, at Camp Ādaži, 11MAR2018. Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.

Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.

In Latvia, February 2018, NATO wargame Reassurance.  A PT-91 arrives for ‘decontamination’.

Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.

A Slovenian soldier checks for ‘contamination’ of PT-91’s tracks/road wheels.

Canadian Forces photo by Corporal Jean-Roch Chabot.

Polish PT-91 about to get ‘decontaminated’ during CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear) training in Latvia.  Back in the Cold War, and through the 1990s, we called it NBC (nuclear Biological Chemical) training.

Camp Ādaži, Latvia. Canadian Forces photo by Master Corporal Gerald Cormier, 02OCT2017.

Canadian Forces video by Master Corporal Brandon O’Connell, Polish PT-91 during NATO wargame in Latvia, 2017:

Camp Ādaži, Latvia. Canadian Forces photo by Master Corporal Gerald Cormier, 02OCT2017.

U.S. Army photo by Charles Rosemond, 15JUN2017.

Adazi, Latvia, during NATO Saber Strike wargame, June 2017.

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Brandon Best, 04JUN2017.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by First Lieutenant Kristine Racicot.

Since the 1990s, many new versions of the PT-91 battle-tank have come out, with different designations and names. There’s even recovery vehicles, engineer vehicles, bridgelayers and self propelled artillery based on the PT-91. Besides Poland, Georgia, India and Malaysia use some type of PT-91 variant.

Soviet era Armor in use by NATO:  POLAND

NATO:   POLAND SUKHOI 22

Technology

TaCaMO: E-6B Mercury

Video

“This plane was built for the Cold War. It serves as the link between the national decision makers and the nuclear triad.”-Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey Penington, Task Force 124, July 2007

U.S. Air Force photo by Greg L. Davis, 23AUG2019.

U.S. Navy E-6B from Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Oklahoma, flies over Colorado, 23AUG2019.

U.S. Air Force photo by Greg L. Davis, 23AUG2019.

The E-6B has a greatly strengthened airframe/wings/landing gear compared to its E-6A incarnation, due to greater weight caused by lots of electronic gear and extra fuel capacity.  By 2003, the entire E-6A fleet was converted to B standard.

U.S. Air Force photo by Greg L. Davis, 23AUG2019.

E-6B Mercury refuels from a KC-135.  The KC-135 and E-6B are not the same type of aircraft.  The E-6B is based on the Boeing 707, the KC-135 is not.  While the KC-135 is based on the same prototype-predecessor it was developed independently from the 707, and airframe parts are not interchangeable.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Jacob Skovo.

E-6B Mercury, assigned to Strategic Communications Wing 1 at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, taxis on the flightline of Offutt AFB, Nebraska, 15JUL2019.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Jacob Skovo.

Notice what looks like a drogue type refueling system at the tail-end of the plane, it is reportedly a type of VLF antenna that’s five miles (8km) long when fully reeled out!

U.S. Air Force photo by Josh Plueger, 03OCT2017.

Panel removal from E-6B Mercury engine nacelle, 03OCT2017, Offutt AFB.  The U.S. Navy (USN) has its own maintenance unit on Offutt AFB, for the purpose of maintaining aircraft used in Airborne Command Post (AbnCP, aka Looking Glass), and Take Charge and Move Out (TaCaMO) missions.

U.S. Air Force photo by Josh Plueger, 02OCT2017.

A worn out E-6B Mercury training aircraft on Offutt AFB, under USN guard, while waiting for turn-around inspection, 02OCT2017.

USAF photo by Josh Plueger.

USN E-6B Mercury takes flight from the USAF base of Offutt, Nebraska, 28AUG2015.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Jacob Skovo.

In 2007, E-6Bs with Task Force 124 were also serving as airborne radio relay stations over Iraq: “Our role here is basically as a convoy relay. When the convoys are moving and they can’t get a hold of someone to report something or even perform a radio check, they can contact us. Because we’re so high in the air we have a greater line of sight and therefore can communicate with all convoys and reporting authorities.”-Lieutenant Junior Grade Amy Simek, TF-124 battle staff mission commander

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Jacob Skovo.

USN photo, November 1984.

Take Charge and Move Out (TaCaMO) operations began in early 1960s, using EC-130s, for the purpose of directing nuclear ballistic missile launches from submarines.

E-6A, Boeing photo, June 1987.

E-6As took over from EC-130s starting at the end of 1989.  The USN E-6B is capable of launching U.S. land based intercontinental ballistic missiles, and was actually developed to replace the USAF’s EC-135 Airborne Command Post (AbnCP, aka Looking Glass) aircraft. 

 E-6Bs launched into their new job, replacing EC-135s, in Autumn 1998. 

Official video explainer, E-6B crew controls missile launch from Vandenberg AFB, April 2017:

E-6B cockpit simulator.

EC-135E: 10329 COMES BACK TO LIFE, AGAIN!

KC-135: The Last ISO for the 916TH

BATS & BEARS, OH MY!

Technology

Technology Fail? USAF uses WW2 aircraft to develop modern Drone tech!

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USAF photo.

In reality ‘drone’ technology is not new, it can be traced back to before the Second World War.  So it’s not really a surprise to learn that the U.S. Air Force used a WW2 C-47/DC-3 Skytrain/Dakota to test the latest stuff for its MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle.

U.S. Air Force photo by David Dixon.

It is known as the Mini-AgilePod, the Air Force Research Laboratory began aerial testing using a DC-3 (silly-vilian version of the C-47), in Ohio, in 2017.

USAF photo by David Dixon.

USAF photo by David Dixon.

USAF photo.

The AgilePod is an Air Force-trademarked, multi-intelligence reconfigurable pod that enables flight-line operators to customize sensor packages based on specific mission needs.

USAF photo by David Dixon.

It was also tested on the Textron Aviation Defense’s Scorpion Light Attack/ISR jet, at the end of 2017.

USAF photo by David Dixon.

USAF photo by David Dixon.

USAF photo.

This is the larger prototype AgilePod, seen in 2016.  In 2018, a report stated that testing for the Mini AgilePod would be done over two years.  By the end of 2020, reports indicated that the AgilePod was being used to test electronic systems for other countries.   So far there is nothing indicating that it has been accepted for regular use with the U.S. military.

The Airborne Imaging DC-3 used in the AgilePod testing is based out of Mid-Way Regional Airport in Midlothian, Texas. The contractor operates several DC-3s, used in USAF testing of things like sensor pods and new styles of bomb racks.  An Airborne Imaging DC-3 is scheduled to make an appearance at the July 2021 Dayton Air show in Ohio.

Hurricane Harvey, 2017: WW2 C-47 used to deliver food aid to Texans