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Airborne Hurricane Hunters, when did it all start?

The first hurricane (typhoon) hunter was a pilot flying a Second World War T-6 Texan through the eye of a hurricane, on a dare!  Realizing that flying through a hurricane was doable, the U.S. Air Force set upon a long journey of modifying aircraft to collect weather data about hurricanes.

The first data collected, in 1944 by B-25 bombers (WB-25 Army Hurricane Reconnaissance Unit), is credited with saving hundreds of lives.  Prior to the development of airborne hurricane hunters, thousands of people in the United States died as a result of hurricanes, but after the use of flying weather trackers the average death toll dropped significantly.

Painting by Thomas Wojahn of a WB-50 of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Falcon Alpha Mission-1957.

Perhaps the name The Hurricane Hunters came from the the title of a book first published in 1955 about the U.S. military’s obsession with tracking hurricanes. Download your free copy here.

Silent U.S. Navy film, from 1961, showing the use of the EC-121 Warning Star (WV-2) ‘AWACS’ as a hurricane hunter:

Hunter AFB, WB-47E City of Savannah Hurricane Hunter I, September 1963.

Even the B-47 strategic bomber (WB-47) was used as a Hurricane Hunter.

WC-130 Hercules f the 815th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 920th Weather Reconnaissance Group, being prepared for a mission to monitor Hurricane Allen, August 1980.

Official USAF video history report, including the T-6, B-25, B-29 (WB-50) and C-130:

A USAF WC-130 Hercules from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, ‘Hurricane Hunters’, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. USAF photo dated 1995.

But it not just lives that are saved with the creation of airborne hurricane hunters, in this 2018 video report about the purpose of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi) it’s revealed that mass evacuations of the public cost one-million USD per mile of coastline!  Taxpayer costs can be reduced by providing accurate weather data to allow for more timely evacuation orders:

HurricaneHunters.com

WC-130J & WP-3D: HUNTING DORIAN

T-6 SNJ TEXAN POKEY AIRPORT, 2012 & 2014

Dorian more powerful than U.S. military aircraft?

02SEP2019, U.S. Coast Guard deploys C-130s in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian.

Evacuation of E-8C J-STARS from Warner Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, 02SEP2019:

On 01SEP2019, U.S. Customs & Border Protection transferred one of their UH-60 Black Hawks from Puerto Rico to Homestead, Florida, to be used in hurricane rescue operations:

U.S. CBP also deployed P-3 Orions to Homestead, Florida, 31AUG2019.

Florida National Guard helicopters staged in the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, in anticipation of Hurricane Dorian, 01SEP2019.

MH-60R Sea Hawks assigned to USN’s Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 48, in Florida, were sent to Maxwell Air Force Base, in Alabama, to escape the wrath of Dorian, 01SEP2019.

Video of preparations to exodus Naval Air Station Jacksonville:

Video of arrival at Maxwell AFB:

On 30AUG2019, Florida National Guard F-15C/D Eagles evacuated to Ohio.  Video of arrival of Florida Eagles at Wright-Patterson AFB:

A USN Patrol Squadron 26 P-8 Poseidon arrives at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, 30AUG2019.

30AUG2019, USN’s Patrol Squadron 10 evacuates P-8 Poseidon from NAS Jacksonville:

On 30AUG2019, Little Rock Air Force Base, Alabama, began accepting military aircraft from locations within the projected path of Hurricane Dorian:

HC-130 Combat King from Georgia.

A-10C Thunderbolt-2s from Georgia.

At Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, A-29 Super Tacanos were locked down in the hangers: 

29AUG2019, KC-135Rs evacuate MacDill Air Force Base, Florida:

WC-130J & WP-3D: HUNTING DORIAN

SLOW DISASTER RELIEF: FLORIDA MILITIA DISCOVERS A MAJOR CAUSE, NEW PREPS FOR HURRICANES!

ALABAMA MILITIA PREPS FOR HURRICANE USING WORLD’S LARGEST MAP OF ALABAMA!

WC-130J & WP-3D: Hunting Dorian

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, U.S. Air Force Reserve out of Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, went hunting for a hurricane named Dorian.  Video, WC-130J take-off preps, 31AUG2019:

The crew of the WC-130J Super Hercules gathered data for the National Hurricane Center.  Video, onboard the WC-130J, 31AUG2019:

Personnel from the U.S. Naval Academy observes data from the Navy Airborne Expendable Bathythermographs deployed from the WC-130J Super Hercules. USAF photo by Lieutenant Colonel Marnee A.C. Losurdo.

Preparing to drop a Navy Airborne Expendable Bathythermograph into the hurricane. USAF photo by Lieutenant Colonel Marnee A.C. Losurdo.

WC-130J returns from Hunting Dorian, 05SEP2019. USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Christopher Carranza.

USAF photo by Randy Bynon, 13NOV2019.

Video from NOAA (National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration) WP-3D Orion (aka N42RF Kermit the Frog-Sky Hopper), flying the Eye of Dorian, 01SEP2019:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration WP-3D Orion, Keesler AFB. USAF photo by Randy Bynon, 13NOV2019.

2017: WC-130J SUPER HERCULES TRACKS HURRICANE HARVEY

HARVEY: WHAT’S A DROPSONDE?

Vehicle I-D: F-8 DFBW, or another reason why today’s techie generation owes the military industrial complex!

Anybody who thinks digital is a technology that only recently emerged needs to take a trip in the Way-back Machine.

10JAN1973

Between 1972 and 1985 a modified F-8C Crusader proved the concept of digital fly-by-wire technology, now taken for granted on today’s military and commercial aircraft.

The ‘Apollo’ computer system was jammed into every available space on the fighter aircraft, including it’s gun bays.  The testing took place at the NASA Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, (now the Dryden Flight Research Center) and Langley Research Center.

Phase-1 pilot’s control box originally was used on the Apollo Moon mission’s Lunar Modules.  Phase-2 used three IBM AP-101 computers for the flight control system.

NASA video of intentionally induced oscillations upon landing:

211 DFBW flights were made.

Build one yourself:

Apparently they have DFBW conversion kits in 1:144 and 1:48, as well.

HISTORY OF MILITARY COMPUTERS SINCE WW2, BIRTH OF THE INTERNET!

VEHICLE I-D: MIG-31 SPACE BOUND DOGFIGHTER?

 ‘NEW’ F-16 VISTA

 QF-16 DRONE

Vehicle I-D: Cold War Zombie tank T-55, they’re everywhere!

I calls it a zombie tank because it’s six decades old and refuses to die.

People’s Republic of China, 2021:

CHINA’S TYPE 59D, UPDATED COLD WAR T-54/55, TO LIVE-ON AS A ROBOT TANK?

CHINA STILL USES THE NATO GUNNED TYPE 88 WARSAW PACT BASED T-54/55 TANK

Lost your hull?  No problem, mount your turret on a truck trailer:

Syria 2012 to present:

Date and location unknown, possibly inside Syria, a T-55 somehow ended up on its turret!

Government T-55s.

Insurgent T-55.

With a mine-roller.

Iraq 2020: They still like those Chinese Type 69s. See more in Iraqi Armor after the Invasion.

Romanian T-55s taking part in NATOs Saber Guardian, June 2019:

U.S. Navy photo by Lieutenant Alex Cornell du Houx, 13JUN2019.

Video August 2018, Afghan government T-55 Boom Stick in action in Sangin District, while U.S. Marines watch:

Kurdish Peshmerga T-55, Iraq, May 2016: 

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Sergio Rangel, 29MAY2016.

Click here to watch extremist insurgents execute captured Syrian soldier with a T-55 tank!

Romanian T-55s, April 2016:

African Union T-55AMV, 2015:

African Union female T-55 crew:

Bamyan, Afghanistan, 2012:

An old T-54.

See more in Steel Skeletons of Soviet Afghanistan.

Daymirdad, Afghanistan, 2011: 

T-55, U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Sean Casey, 09JAN2011.

Iraq 2010:  U.S. BRINGS DEAD IRAQI T-55 BACK TO LIFE!

Iraqi T-54/55 ARV, Salman Pak, November 2008:

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Chase Kincaid, 15NOV2008. 

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Chase Kincaid, 15NOV2008.

T-55 Salman Pak, Iraq, November 2008:

U.S. Army photo by Specialist Chase Kincaid, 15NOV2008.

Al Ja’ara village, Iraq, January 2008:

U.S. Defense Department photo, 14JAN2008.

Iraq 2003:

Chinese Type 69 (‘upgraded’ T-55). USN/USMC photo.

See more in Iraq 2003 Battle Damage.

Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, 2002:

Ventilator on turret top and small hole for bow machine gun on front slope indicates this was a T-54. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate First Class Arlo K. Abrahamson, 29MAY2002.

Cambodia: 

Iraqi Chinese made T-55 assaults Iranian infantry line during Iran-Iraq War:

Vietnam, T-54:

Supposedly upgraded Nicaraguan T-55:

Bosnia & Herzegovina 1996-98:

Croat (HVO) T-55 crew fires-off their 12.7mm gun, on the Barbara Range in Glamoc, Bosnia and Herzegovina. U.S. Department of Defense photo by Staff Sergeant Kim Price, October 1998.

A U.S. Army First Lieutenant tries to keep flames from spreading. This Serbian T-55 was deliberately blown-up with C-4 plastic explosive by the U.S. Army, on Camp Dobol, Bosnia-Herzegovina. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Angel Clemons, 15MAR1997.

T-55 ‘upgraded’ with vulcanized rubber armor, Broko area of Bosnia-Herzegovina. U.S. Department of Defense photo by Staff Sergeant Jon E. Long, January 1996.

Iraq 1991:

What’s left of an Iraqi Type 69, a Chinese ‘upgrade’ of the T-55. U.S. Department of Defense photo by Staff Sergeant Robert Reeve, March 1991.

Smoldering Iraqi T-55 on the border with Kuwait. U.S. Army photo by Specialist Joel Torres, 28FEB1991.

CzechoSlovakia 1989:

Just a few years before the end of the unofficial Cold War, Czechoslovakia upgraded their T-55s with ‘Western-NATO’ targeting systems.

CzechoSlovak T-54, date and photographer unknown.

Egypt 1985:

Notice the ‘Western’ style square search light. U.S. Department of Defense photo by Captain Mark Beberwyck, August 1985.

U.S.A. 1987:

Captured T-54/55, Foreign Materiel Intelligence Group Training Detachment, Fort Irwin, California. U.S. Army photo by Donna Fulghum, 10MAR1987.

Peru 1983:

Factory fresh/parade ready T-54 (indicated by the bow machine gun hole in the front slope), 1983(?).

U.S.A. 1984:

Photo taken by ‘yours truly’, while on a California Army National Guard drill weekend on Fort Irwin, National Training Center, California.  You can see the hole in the front slope of the hull for the bow machine gun, which is typical of the T-54.  Early T-54s also had a ventilator on the turret top.

T-54 (it has a ventilator on top of the turret) captured by Israel then turned over to the United States, notice the U.S. military antenna mast mounted on top of the turret. Photo dated November 1984.

Israel 1974:

Photo dated May 1974, location unknown, however it appears to be captured T-55s put to use by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Being cannibalized for parts.

Egypt 1974:

Egyptian T-55 destroyed by Israel, 1974. Notice somebody marked the penetration hole in the turret.

Iraq, November 1963:

Iraqi T-54 during coup led by pro-Egyptian (Nasserists) against the Ba’ath Party, November 1963.

Germany 1961:

U.S. Embassy photo. The then brand new T-54/55 is deployed in response to the U.S. deploying its then brand new M48A1, which were deployed in response to older T-34-85s being deployed in what became the Berlin Crisis which led to the creation of the Berlin Wall.

See (photos & film), and read, more in BERLIN KRISE, ‘GAME OF CHICKEN’ M48A1 VS. T-54/55!

This is a terrible Cold War era U.S. Army vehicle I-D image of a T-54.

Soviet Union:

Cold War film, late 1950s or early 1960s, Soviet T-55s getting decontaminated in NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) exercise:

A variety of variants:

So many model kits, so little time!

 

T-55 data @ ArmyRecognition.com

VEHICLE I-D: IRAN BUILDS ITS OWN MRAP

IRAN BUILDS ITS OWN ‘JEEP’

HOW TO BUILD A 1/1 SCALE TIGER-1 TANK

Vehicle I-D: MiG-31 space bound dogfighter?

“In accordance with the combat training plan, the crews of MiG-31BM high-altitude fighters of the Pacific Fleet’s naval aviation based in Kamchatka held a training exercise to intercept a simulated intruder of Russia’s airspace in the stratosphere. For the first time ever, new upgraded MiG-31BM high-altitude interceptor-fighters took part in a dogfight at their service ceiling. The fighters flew at a speed of 2,500 km/h and an altitude of more than 20 km.”-Russian Pacific Fleet Naval Air Force, 19AUG2019

Worn looking MiG-31.

The simulated intruder was another MiG-31BM.  The exercise involved scrambling a MiG-31BM to intercept, without using ground based radar to locate the intruder.  It was meant to test the electronic upgrades completed in February 2019.  The MiG-31BMs supposedly made six flights into the stratosphere during the mock dogfights.

Back in January 2018, the Russian Aerospace Force aviation center, in Nizhny Novgorod, made a similar high altitude dogfight claim.

In May 2019, it was announced the MiG-31K could launch hypersonic missiles, known as Kinzhal.  It’s claimed the Kinzhal (dagger) can hit speeds up to Mach 10, with a range of more than 2000km (1242.7 miles).

SOVIET GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR ‘BAT’ TO BE RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD!

VEHICLE I-D: FURY VS MIG

New Jersey National Guard saving pets in Qatar!

19 August 2019 (05:28 UTC-07 Tango 06) 28 Mordad 1398/17 Dhu l-Hijja 1440/19 Ren-Shen 4717

A struggling pet shelter in Doha, Qatar, has only three full-time staff members and more than 130 dogs and cats!  It’s looks more like a farm.

Staff Sergeant Lia Carter, New Jersey National Guard.

“We started out just wanting to find the animals in Doha, Qatar’s capital, and see what was going on with rescues.”-Staff Sergeant Lia Cater, New Jersey National Guard, who helps rescue strays in her hometown of Queens, New York

“We took 100 pounds of dog food and 50 pounds of cat food. The shelter’s staff was overwhelmed to see us. They had never had such a large group come out all at once and volunteer.”-Staff Sergeant Lia Cater, New Jersey National Guard, who helps rescue strays in her hometown of Queens, New York

“They primarily need people to come out and walk dogs, help the dogs exercise, and give the animals some personal attention.”-Staff Sergeant Lia Cater, New Jersey National Guard, who helps rescue strays in her hometown of Queens, New York

“This program gives something for everyone to look forward to. It is also good for relations between the U.S. and Qatar.”-Sergeant Jimmy Simmeron, New Jersey National Guard

“We are going to have to stop being the policemen of the world.”-Donald Trump, August 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt

OPERATION APPALACHIAN CARE; PROOF OBAMACARE FAILED, AND OBAMA KNEW IT DID!

GREAT RENEGER: GUARD DEPLOYMENTS SO COMMON EVEN BEERS ARE NAMED AFTER THEM

1939 v 2019; Germany invades Poland again, this time with the help of NATO!

In September 1939, Germany invaded Poland on the pretext that Polish terrorists were attaching German radio stations (which is now considered a False Flag attack).  It actuality was vengeance for having German territory stolen by the French and British empires, after World War One, to create what is now known as Poland.

The same thing happened after World War Two, and hundreds of thousands of Germans were disappeared by the Soviets and British empire as even more German territory was taken to create today’s boundaries for Poland!

(A generation gap exists between Germans expelled from Eastern Europe after World War II and their grandchildren, The monument was erected by members of Poland’s ethnic German minority, which was suppressed under four decades of Polish communism, Revenge on Ethnic Germans: Czech Town Divided, For the first time, a central memorial and monument for the Germans expelled from Hungary were inaugurated in Budaörs, The 1,000s of Germans massacred after WWII, also during the war the Soviet Union rounded up hundreds of thousands of ethnic Germans, and what happened to the thousands of German civilians expelled from Iran by the British and Soviet invaders?)

Marder 1A3/5. U.S. Army photo Sergeant First Class Class Michael O’Brien, 01JUN2019.

Leopard 2A5. USA photo Sergeant First Class Class Michael O’Brien, 01JUN2019.

From June thru July 2019, Germany invaded and occupied Poland, this time as part of a larger NATO operation called Noble Jump 2019.  The German led NATO ‘spearhead battalion’ also consisted of units from Netherlands (just troops as the Dutch got rid of their main battle tanks in 2011) and Norway.

Swedish made Norwegian CV90. Norwegian Army photo by Kommandersersjant Florian Fergen, 04JUN2019.

Norwegian Army photo by Kommandersersjant Florian Fergen, 04JUN2019.

Even women took part in the invasion (oh my!).

NATO video explaining the German led invasion:

“Noble Jump is a defensive exercise. It will prove our very high readiness ground troops are ready and rapidly deployable, wherever and whenever needed. Readiness and mobility are key to NATO’s deterrence posture.”-U.S. Admiral James Foggo, Allied Joint Force Command Naples/NATO Response Force 2019

German Fox (Fuchs). Norwegian Army photo by Kommandersersjant Florian Fergen, 08JUN2019.

On 13JUL2019, the invasion culminated in an epic tank battle involving armor from the United States, Germany and Poland.  However, in the video it seems they were all on the same side and you can’t tell who they’re fighting.  I don’t know who won.

Isn’t it ironic that a country punished for trying to regain and hold onto stolen territory is now helping U.S. led NATO to occupy those same territories?

HI-TECH FAIL: GERMANY STILL TRAINS UP OLD-SKOOL CAVALRY!

GERMANY FINALLY ADOPTS THE MINIGUN!

Soviet Great Patriotic War ‘Bat’ to be resurrected from the dead!

“For the first time in the world, a Tu-2 bomber will be reconstructed to its operational condition on the premises of the Novosibirsk State Technical University. The reconstruction work will be carried out by Aviarestavratsiya. This work will take three years.”-Science and Higher Education Ministry

The Tupolev 2 bomber of World War Two fame is being brought back to life in Russia.

A Tupolev TU 2 WWII Soviet front line bomber (NATO reporting name Bat) on static display at Monino Museum, Russia. TASS photo by Marina Lystseva.

According to TASS, the resurrection was supposed to start on 21AUG2019.  The specific plane to be restored to flying condition had a long history, first flying with the Soviet forces during World War Two, then flying with Chinese forces until the 1980s(!), and then ending up in the United States in the hands of the War Eagles Air Museum in New Mexico (read a description of the plane and how the Chinese used it, here).

War Eagles Air Museum, before restoration. Photo via David and Paula Barnett.

War Eagles Air Museum, after restoration.

The U.S. museum restored the Tu-2 to the point it could be used as a static display.  In 2019, the Russia based Aviarestavratsiya (air restoration)/Winged Victory Memorial supposedly acquired the plane and will bring it back to Russia: “This is not a plane that was shot down or was broken. We have not yet studied its series numbers and have not yet tracked its exact history. The plane will be studied and analyzed in detail. Each element will be reconstructed or restored.”-Boris Osyatinsky, Aviarestavratsiya/Winged Victory Memorial

However, as of 2022 the War Eagles Air Museum in New Mexico still lists the Bat as part of their displays.

By the way, China still has several Tu-2 bombers on display:

Photo via Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution.

Photo via Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution.

For kit builders there are several brands to choose from:

The ‘Bat’ served with many countries in many wars.

The old East German VEB-Plastikart (now known as adp Master Modelle) kit.

More info: https://alchetron.com/Tupolev-Tu-2

Tupolev TU-2 – Photos & Video

VEHICLE I-D: RF-84F THUNDERFLASH & YRF-84F, AN APPEAL TO MONOGRAM!