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).
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:
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Second Class Austin Ingram.
This photo, taken from a U.S. Navy (USN) P-8A Poseidon, shows Mount Etna on 14JAN2021, before the eruptions started.
U.S. Navy photo by Captain Kevin Pickard, Junior.
As if dealing with pandemic panic-attack restrictions wasn’t enough, the personnel on U.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella have also been on alert since Mount Etna began erupting in February 2021.
USN photo by Captain Kevin Pickard, Junior.
NASA photo from 2006.
Mount Etna is located on Sicily, just off the toe of the Italian boot. It is considered one of the most active volcanos on Earth.
USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Zach Dalton.
Michigan: On 15MAR2021, FEMA ordered the Department of Defense to deploy military medical and support personnel to Michigan, to support federal Community Vaccination Centers (mass vax sites). FEMA Region 5 video of mass vax site in Ford Field:
Washington: On 24MAR2021, FEMA ordered the Department of Defense to deploy military medical and support personnel to Washington for mass vax ops. Video report, on 31MAR2021, FEMA and the U.S. Army began vaccination ops in Yakima County:
Washington DC: On 01APR2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ordered the Department of Defense to deploy military medical and support personnel to Maryland, Tennessee and Wisconsin, to support federal Community Vaccination Centers: “In support of FEMA, our service members continue to vaccinate more and more Americans. Once open, these three new sites will create thousands of additional opportunities each day for eligible Marylanders, Tennesseans and Wisconsinites to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.”-Lieutenant General Laura J. Richardson, U.S. Army North and the Joint Force Land Component Command of U.S. Northern Command
On 30MAR2021, FEMA ordered the Department of Defense to deploy military medical and support personnel to Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, Indiana and Missouri, to support federal Community Vaccination Centers (mass vax sites).
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Second Class Tyler R. Fraser.
These U.S. Sailors are originally from Philippines, now they are U.S. citizens. They followed the legal steps to becoming citizens and were sworn in on 29MAR2021, during a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony onboard Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Air and Marine Operations video of the rescue of an illegal who broke his leg trying to cross the Baboquivari Peak Wilderness, 30MAR2021:
The U.S. Coast Guard helped capture these boats approximately five miles off West Palm Beach. The boats held illegals from Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas and Dominican Republic. Department of Homeland Security detained some of the illegals because they are suspected of committing ‘other crimes’.
USCG photo.
On 18MAR2021, USCG captured 17 illegals from Cuba, approximately 54 miles south of Key West. They were sent back to Cuba.
USCG photo.
The USCG says it captured this boat, with three illegals from Cuba on it, approximately 50 miles southeast of the Bahamas, 14MAR2021. The illegals were returned to Cuba.
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.
“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.
The C-54 was the militarized version of the DC-4 airliner, developed during the Second World War.
Photo via Tinker Air Force Base History Office.
C-54s at the Douglas factory in Oklahoma, sometime in the 1940s.
Notice, three and four bladed propellers. Photo via Tinker Air Force Base History Office.
U.S. Air Force photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox.
C-54E flying museum on Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 08JUN2012.
USAF photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox, 08JUN2012.
USAF photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox, 08JUN2012.
USAF photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox, 08JUN2012.
USAF photo by Melanie Rodgers Cox, 08JUN2012.
C-54 Flight Chief Timothy Chopp, poses with children from a local school. The flying museum reminds people of one of the first incidents of the undeclared Cold War; The Berlin Airlift. It was probably the first time military air transports were used in a massive humanitarian relief effort.
Video, C-54 over air show in Michigan, 2014:
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Chad Thompson, 09SEP2016.
Spirit of Freedom sits on the tarmac at the Great Falls International Airport, Montana, 09SEP2016.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Chad Thompson, 09SEP2016.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Chad Thompson, 09SEP2016.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joe McFadden, 22NOV2016.
The man responsible for the Berlin Airlift’s unofficial ‘Candy Bomber’ operation (which became part of the larger official Operation Vittles food supply mission); retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Gail Halvorsen at the Berlin Airlift Memorial outside Frankfurt International Airport, Germany, 22NOV2016. It started innocently enough, simply handing out candy to German children watching USAF aircraft landing on the Western side (split in half due to political divisions between the victors of the Second World War) of the war ravaged city of Berlin. So many children started showing up for sugar food that Halvorsen started tossing the candy out his C-54 before he landed. Soon, fellow transport pilots began following his lead, and candy donation drives were held in the U.S. to help bomb the children of the West Berlin area with candy.
Official USAF video report:
Ohio Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Hope Geiger.
Douglas C-54 Skymaster ‘Spirit of Freedom’ museum plane during the Toledo Air Show in Swanton, Ohio, 14JUL2019.
U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Carolyn Herrick.
Two short lived C-27J Spartans sit mummified on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, 02JUN2016. Spartans were being interned at Davis-Monthan in 2013.
Video by Airman First Class Kelly Greenwell, Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMaRG) personnel mummifying an Ohio Air National Guard (ANG) C-27J with ‘spraylat’, 24OCT2013:
The Lockheed Martin-Leonardo Alenia Aermacchi (aka Leonardo Company) C-27J Spartan is a modernized version of the Aeritalia-Alenia Aeronautica G.222 (aka C-27A). The ‘J’ denotes that it uses the same engines and similar avionics as the C-130J Super Hercules. The concept for the C-27J was apparently suggested in 1997, the first flight of a C-27J was in September 1999. In June 2007, the U.S. Army (USA) and U.S. Air Force (USAF) decided to try the C-27J for their ‘Joint Cargo Aircraft’ operations. By 2009, the USA/Army National Guard Bureau decided they didn’t like the C-27J and gave their Spartans to the USAF/Air National Guard Bureau. The USA said their Chinook, and other utility helicopters, were much more cost effective at tactical transport, than the C-27J.
Ohio Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Jeffery Allen.
Ohio ANG C-27J loads-up in Qalat, Afghanistan, 15AUG2011.
Despite the publicity over the mishandling of the U.S. Spartan program, and mothballing of ANG aircraft, the C-27J is very much alive, in use with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOC).
U.S. Army video report about Operation Toy Drop, December 2015:
U.S. Army photo by Sergeant First Class Sean A. Foley.
Paratroopers jump from a perfectly good USSOC Spartan, over Fort Bragg in North Carolina, 26OCT2015.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Third Class Taylor Bacon.
USCG HC-27J delivering pandemic vaccines to San Diego, California, 09MAR2021.
The C-27J is also being used by at least a dozen countries.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Christopher Quail.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-27J leaves tiny Tinian, U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, during Cope North wargame, 19FEB2014.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Dana J. Butler.
Lietuvos Karinės oro pajėgos (Lithuanian Air Force) C-27J on Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, 01APR2014.
USAF photo by Senior Airman Damon Kasberg.
Bulgarian Air Force (Voennovazdushni sili, Военновъздушни сили) C-27J Spartan during NATO’s Steadfast Javelin-2 wargame, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 02SEP2014.
USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Joe W. McFadden.
Hellenic (Greek, Πολεμική Αεροπορία, Polemikí Aeroporía) War Aviation Spartan takes off from Souda Bay, Greece, 29JAN2015.
USAF photo by Senior Airman Nicole Sikorski.
Bulgar C-27J Spartan over Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 16JUL2015.
Ministerstvo obrany Slovenskej republiky video from October 2017:
Photo via Leonardo Company.
C-27J of the Fuerza Aérea del Perú.
RAAF video of dirt strip landing, May 2018:
USA photo by Sergeant First Class John Etheridge.
RAAF C-27J during Talisman Saber wargame, 17JUL2019.
USA photo by Private First Class Andrew Webbbuffington.
U.S. paratroopers jumping from a perfectly good Italian Aeronautica Militare C-27J, 25JUL2019.
USAF photo by Senior Airman Malcolm Mayfield.
Forțele Aeriene Române (Romanian Air Force) Spartan during Carpathian Summer wargame, 31JUL2019.
Mexican Army & Air forces (ejército y FAM) video of C-27J (as well as C-295) loading-up with aid for flooded cities in the state of Tabasco, November 2020:
November 2020 promotional video by Leonardo Company:
Photo by Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Region.
In the land of the Canucks, a colorful Cormorant with rotary wings has refused to fly south for the Winter, and was recently seen flying the skies over Newfoundland and Labrador.
Photo by Can-NorAD-R.
Photo by Can-NorAD-R.
The Canuck’s have ‘kawai’ Unimogs.
The CH-149 Cormorant is Canada’s nomenclature for the AgustaWestland AW101 (formerly EH101), it is the Search and Rescue (SaR) version of Canada’s CH-148. In the United Kingdom the AW101 is known as the Merlin. Canada is part of the Commonwealth of Nations, which is lead by Queen Elizabeth the Second of United Kingdom, but apparently tried to show some independence by calling its AW101 ‘CH-149 Cormorant’.
Video by Sergeant Chloe Barns, C Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division’s OH-58D final flight, Afghanistan, 22NOV2014:
Video report of last flight of OH-58D over Hawaii, January 2015:
By the end of November 2015, the Tennessee Army National Guard became the last state militia to operate the OH-58D, sending 30 Kiowa Warriors to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB) in Arizona: “We don’t have to do anything when we drop them off. It’s their helicopter. They shake our hand, say thank you, and we walk away from it. It’s a different feeling, kind of painful, knowing we have flown all of these aircraft in different countries and now see them being torn down for storage. It hurts a little bit.”-Chief Warrant Officer 3 Peter Neveu
U.S. Army photo by Captain Joe Bush. Over Fort Polk, Louisiana, 2015.
2016 was a bad year for the U.S. Army’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, it was retired en masse. Kiowa Warriors based across the United States were ordered decommissioned by December 2016.
By January 2016, already more than 140 Kiowas had been interned at Davis-Monthan AFB.
The ‘D’ version of the Kiowa was being replaced with a recon version of the AH-64 Apache: “Reconnaissance is a mission, not an airframe. Making the transition with the Kiowa pilots will cross-pollinate the recon mindset to Apache.”-Major Adam Camarano, November 2015
Department of Defense photo by Kenneth Kassens.
In April 2016, the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division made a dramatic en masse last flight over Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Freeman.
32 OH-58D Kiowa Warriors took part in the massive final flight.
USA photo by Sergeant Daniel Schroeder.
Video by Staff Sergeant David Birchfield, of what is claimed to be a Guinness world record for the largest formation of helicopters:
DoD photo by Kenneth Kassens.
Video, by Staff Sergeant David Birchfield, of what a Guinness world record for the largest formation of helicopters sounds like from the ground:
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Freeman.
This is what happens when a helicopter passes through the ceremonial water salute by air base fire trucks.
USA photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher Freeman.
A true rotor wash.
USA photo by Sergeant Neil A. Stanfield.
USA photo by Captain Adan Cazarez.
Two autographed final flight T-shirts were given to staff a Fork Polk’s elementary school, Kimberly Hampton Primary School.
USA photo by Sergeant Jesse Smith. Rodriguez Live Fire Range in Korea (South), June 2015.
2017 was the year OH-58Ds were retired from U.S. Army operations in Republic of Korea (South), when the 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry(cav-all-ry) Regiment, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division completed its rotation and was ‘re-deployed’ elsewhere.
ANOTHER B-1B ‘BONE’ SENT TO THE BONEYARD! IS THE END NEAR?
