Videos

D-Day KC-135, ‘Hundred Proof’ & other nose arts

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of D-Day the U.S. Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing (descendant of 100th Bombardment Group [Heavy]) gave some of their Stratotankers full color markings.

Skipper III in honor of retired Master Sergeant Dewey Christopher, a World War II veteran. U.S. Air Force photo by Karen Abeyasekere, 21JUN2019.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Alexandria Lee, 19JUN2019.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Joseph Barron, 31MAY2019.

Video, 48 hours of refueling hell, including invasion stripes:

They even gave a couple of KC-135s ‘heritage’ WW2 markings. The D on the tail was used by the 100th BG(H). USAF photo by First Lieutenant Nathanael Callon, 26MAY2019.

The EP is the flight symbol of the 351st Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group(H), which dates back to 1942 and the letter A on the tail is the aircraft number. USAF photo by Senior Airman Benjamin Cooper, 09MAY2019.

Video explains the World War Two connection for ‘Black Jack’ and the 100th ARW:

Video interview, ‘Savage’ artist gives one reason why he joined the USAF:

In this video some guy explains why he’s infatuated with the ‘All American Girl’:

B-52H STRATOFORTRESS NOSE ART

IDAHO PRIDE A-10C NOSE ART

NEBRASKA KC-135 TEENAGED NOSE ART

TENNESSEE KC-135 NOSE ART

SNOOPY RC-135S COBRA BALL NOSE ART

C-17 NOSE ART

Vehicle I-D: M4 Sherman, WW2 to Iran-Iraq War

March 1981, my father W. L. Hutchins checking out the Sherman in front of the Ely, Nevada, VFW Post.

The M4 Sherman is the iconic U.S. tank from World War 2.  It was also used after WW2 by many countries across the world.  There are many variants, and to make things more difficult for kit bashers there were many field modifications.

1-116th Cav, 1-148th FA, Pocatello, Idaho. Photo by AAron B. Hutchins.

Video report 03NOV2021, Museum Support Center–Anniston Army Depot is about to attempt to restore a recovered sunken ‘DD’ Sherman from Operation Overlord June 1944:

U.S. Army Central, Sumter, South Carolina, welcomes the arrival of a M4A3(76)W HVSS Sherman tank, 15JUL2021. U.S. Army photo by Michael Clauss.

It was originally on display on Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. U.S. Army photo by Specialist Amber Cobena.

In December 2020, the U.S. Army’s Army Maneuver Center of Excellence used examples of WW2 Sherman tanks to demonstrate the ingenuity/inventiveness of U.S. military personnel.

October 2020 promotional video, the National Army Museum’s Cobra King Sherman:

July 2020, volunteers with the Selfridge Military Air Museum take a restored Sherman for a spin, before parking it for its new ‘gate guard’ duty. Michigan Air National Guard photo By Munnaf H. Joarder.

Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 07MAY2020. The tank memorializes the Harrodsburg Tankers, which were captured by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War Two. Kentucky Army National Guard photo by First Lieutenant Cody Stagner.

Reenactment of Battle of the Bulge, 14DEC2019, Belgium.
U.S. Army photo by Corporal Kevin Payne.

Pennsylvania ‘gate guard’, 05NOV2019. Pennsylvania Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Bryan Hoover.

Texas Military Forces Museum Sherman takes part in a reenactment, 13APR2019. Texas Army National Guard photo by Specialist Tom Lamb.

Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, 11SEP2018. U.S. Army photo by Pierre-Etienne Courtejoie.

Video of ‘IN THE MOOD’ gate guard being moved from Belgium to Germany for restoration, 09JUL2019:

See more about IN THE MOOD: PAINTING & DECALING A 1:1 SCALE M4 SHERMAN

D-Day reenactors June 2019, Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant Ryan Rayno.

U.S. military video by Staff Sergeant Draeke Layman, Sherman Tanks in Mons, Belgium, 2019:

M4A1 Battle of the Bulge commemorations in Belgium, December 2018. U.S. Army photo by Pierre-Etienne Courtejoie.

Sainte Mere Eglise, 04JUN2017. USA photo by First Lieutenant Victoria Goldfedib.

This tank looks ‘crody’ because it was salvaged from the sea off United Kingdom, in 1984. It’s now part of commemorations for Operation Tiger. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Timothy R. Smithers.

Pennsylvania National Guard ‘living’ memorial, February 2016. Pennsylvania Army National Guard photo by Private First Class Hannah Baker.

December 2015, the town of Clervaux, Luxembourg, dedicates a Sherman tank memorial to a little known part of the Battle of the Bulge:

New York National Guard personnel spent 22 months renovating this Sherman. Put on display in Saratoga Springs, September 2015. New York Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Major Corine Lombardo.

Restored Sherman taking part in D-Day celebrations in France, June 2015. USA photo by Sergeant Austin Berner.

Sherman loaded for transport to the Fort Polk Museum, Louisiana, 12SEP2012.

This April 2011 photo shows three versions of the M4 Sherman, taking part in a Texas Military Forces World War Two reenactment on Camp Mabry. Texas Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Josiah Pugh.

A Sherman tank war memorial in Cassino, Italy. Texas Army National Guard photo by Sergeant First Class Daniel Griego, March 2010.

Silent U.S. Army film, dated 23APR1945, Sherman tanks enter the city of Leipzig, Germany.  Combat action, civilians wounded, civilians welcome U.S. troops, German officer surrenders:

New York Army National Guard M4A3 Sherman, Fort Drum, during the 1950s.

An Easy Eight Sherman in Kumchun area, Korea, October 1950.

Believe it or not, this is a 70 years old Iraqi Sherman! It was ‘appropriated’ by U.S. Army forces and ‘repatriated’ to the U.S. towards the end of 2011. The pic was taken on Camp Virginia, Kuwait, as it awaited ship-out.

Iranian M36B1 Jackson version of the Sherman, used against Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. Captured by Iraq and put on display, only to be ‘captured’ by U.S. forces and supposedly ‘repatriated’ to the United States.

A U.S. Marine checks-out a stripped Sherman in Beirut, Lebanon, April 1983.

Photograph from World War Two, 03JUN1944. The Sherman in the foreground has the rounded cast hull, while the Sherman behind it has the welded hull.

USMC vet Kenny White checks out a Marine Sherman gate guard at Twentynine Palms, California, December 2014. USMC photo by Lance Corporal Medina Ayala-Lo.

In Virginia, reenactors playing Marines fighting the Japanese stand aside for an approaching Sherman, August 2013. USMC photo by Corporal Paris Capers.

My grandfather, O.G. Hutchins, on his newly arrived USMC Sherman, sometime before shipping out against the Japanese.

My grandfather O.G. Hutchins, tank commander in the USMC during World War Two. Note the snow tracks used as sand tracks in the Pacific Theater (also indicative of some 75mm gunned Shermans, that is not saying they were the only Shermans that used them, obviously not). Also, notice the final-drive cover is different from the M4 in the above photo. He’s smiling because prior to getting Shermans his USMC unit was using tiny Stuart tanks (note how tall he is, even in the Sherman he had trouble ‘buttoning up’).

My grandfather’s old helmet. O.G. ‘Hutch’ Hutchins.

See my grandfather’s 1st Marine Division unit citations for actions in World War Two and Korea in LAST RIDE FOR 1ST, 2ND & 4TH TANK.

It has become dry and brittle due to decades of improper storage on my father’s property in the Mojave Desert of Southern California.

The hardened leather helmets were called ‘football helmets’ because they were directly based on the old style American football helmet.

Photo by Richard C. Ferguson, September or October 1950. Inchon, Korea, Easy Eight ‘Candy Ass’ decided to take a swim after off-loading from LST. It appears there’s only one cable (attached to front tow hook) keeping Candy Ass from going under.

U.S. Marine Corps photo, dated October 1950. It’s not Korea, it’s a pass-in-review of Shermans and F7F Tigercats at Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Argentinian Shermans waiting for new homes, or the scrapper.

Argentine hybrid-hull Sherman with French 105mm gun in what looks like a Firefly turret, and powered by a diesel motor.

Chile used Israeli M51 Super Shermans as live-fire range targets.

Chilean M60, a M4A4 Sherman with Israeli designed 60mm high velocity gun.

I can’t remember where this photo was taken (Fort Irwin?), sometime mid-late 1990s.  Me in front of a Sherman based Recovery Vehicle.

IDAHO VEHICLE I-D:  1-148 FIELD ARTILLERY GATE GUARDS

The U.S. military trains to save your pet from disaster!

On 11JUL2019, U.S. Army Reserve veterinarians operate on a cat in New York state, as part of a massive Air Force, Army, Navy, Reserves and National Guard mission (Healthy Cortland and Greater Chenango Cares Innovative Readiness Training) to provide taxpayer funded pet care, as well as healthcare for poor people (so much for ObamaCare), in Cortland and Chenango counties.

In July 2019, U.S. Army veterinarians vaccinate pigs in Gyuana, as part of a Veterinary Medical Readiness Training Exercise during operation New Horizons 2019.

At the end of June 2019, U.S. Marines worked with Onslow County Animal Control, in North Carolina, to set up pet cages in preparations for the 2019 hurricane season.

In June 2019, U.S. Army Reserve veterinarians provided taxpayer funded vaccinations to farmers in Guatemala (you know, one of the countries flooding the U.S. with illegals).

 At the end of May 2019, the Oklahoma National Guard rescued flood victims, including pets.  There was no shortage of volunteers to help the animals: “… I had asked for anybody who wanted to help with the rescue, transport or housing of livestock for flood victims. That roster grew over 36 hours to about 500 people and once we knew we had the resources to help we reached out to individuals in need.”-Captain Thalia Douglas

Video of Muscatatuck Urban Training Center animal farm, Indiana, 02MAY2019, where civilian and military first responders train for disasters:

In April 2019, a first ever Pet Owner Disaster Preparedness Fair was conducted at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Veterinary Center, in Washington state.

 15APR2019, a dog recovers from surgery in Palau, it was the result of cooperation between the Palau Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and U.S. Army veterinarians.

Official video explainer from MEDCOM (U.S. Army Medical Command) Public Health Activity Italy, about Animal Care Specialists training:

Official video of the history of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps:

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PETS AFTER PARADISE (as in the California city) IS DESTROYED BY THE FIRES OF HELL?

TO SAVE THE ANIMALS, U.S. MILITARY DEPLOYED TO GEORGIA!

Super Guppy be old, but NASA still uses it!

According to press release there were only four Super Guppies made, only one is still being used by NASA.

On 11JUL2019, NASA Super Guppy 914 made a fuel stop at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas:

The following pics are from February 2019, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina:

The following pics are from May 2018, El Paso International Airport: 

Official video explainer of Super Guppy eating a Tyndall AFB, Florida, T-38 in March 2017:

The following pics are from November 2012, March Air Reserve Base in California: 

What’s it like to fly on a Super Guppy?  Here’s a five minute long video to find out:

The following pics are from June 2012, Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility Washington:

Time lapse video of load-up at Houston, Texas:

 

Boeing 377SGT Super Guppy, May 1976, swallowing the X-24 and HL-10 lifting bodies at Edwards AFB (Dryden), California:

A Guppy before it got upgraded to Super status with turbo-prop engines, Edwards AFB (Dryden), October 1962: 

MODEL KIT EC-130J GETS SPECIAL HANDLING BY NATIONAL GUARD!

WILD FIRES 2019: DC-10, IDAHO’S 911

 

All hell breaks loose in Wisconsin, operation Patriot North is underway!

Video, Nebraska National Guard UH-72 Lakota joins the fun:

Food insecurity, unemployment, failed national and local governments, and non-stop natural disasters leading to race riots and civil war.  It’s July 2019 and Wisconsin is ground zero for Patriot North 2019 DomOps (Domestic Operations).

New Hampshire Air National Guard medic treats a ‘person’ wounded by a ‘zombie’ at Camp Douglas.

Apparently various National Guard focused  ‘patriot’ operations are not called patriot because they’re trying to be patriotic, the ‘patriot’ exercises are a directive of the Patriot Act signed into law after the 9-11 attacks.

Official video explaining The Burn Pit:

Starting the third week of July, Air and Army National Guard units from across the United States converged upon Volk Field and Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, for a massive domestic ‘natural-or-man-made’ disaster response exercise.

Video of Texas National Guard C-130H landing on dirt:

More than 7-hundred federal and local government employees, civilian volunteers and National Guard personnel from more than 20 states are taking part in the inter-agency operation, in preparation for catastrophic events.

Video, various National Guard C-130H Hercules rolling into Wisconsin, off-loading personnel, rescue dogs and equipment:

Patriot South 2019 was already held, in Georgia, back in March.  Watch this official promo video and be afraid of what your government is expecting:

June 2019: ARKANSAS HIT BY UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE, USAF SCRAMBLED!

Tornado prep, USAF style: TORNADO & FLOOD FACTS, ACCORDING TO THE USAF, HOW TO PREP!

Kodiak Mace 2019: USMC KC-130J vid fest!

Kodiak Mace, May 2019, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska.

Getting ready to jump outta perfectly good airplane.

Videos of various U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J ops:

 

BLACK LETTER C-130J; IT’S A BYATCH!

Model kit EC-130J gets special handling by National Guard!

A real 193rd Special Operations Wing EC-130J Commando Solo, October 2020. Air National Guard photo by Munnaf Joarder.

In April 2019, Pennsylvania’s 193rd Special Operations Wing’s Fabrication Shop recently was given the opportunity to repaint the EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft model outside the wing HQ building.

Video of repairs to model that has been on display since 2006:

Kit Bashing:

USAF photo by Airman First Class Thomas Charlton.

WORLD’S LARGEST C-141B STARLIFTER MODEL?

Black Letter C-130J; it’s a byatch!

In June 2019, a C-130J in Japan was proclaimed to have achieved Black Letter proficiency; no maintenance problems!

In the official video report, USAF 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chiefs explain just how hard it is to get the rare Black Letter:

Here’s official Ramstein Black Letter C-130J video report from May 2018:

VEHICLE I-D: LAST ‘SPOOKY’ DAYS OF THE AC-130U GUNSHIP?

Vehicle I-D: Fury vs Mig

MiG-17 on the left, Fury in the middle, MiG-15UTI on the right. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Tristan Truesdell, 13JUL2019.

In July 2019, the state of Montana was invaded by marauding MiG-15UTI and MiG-17, and a lone FJ-4 Fury came to The Big Sky state’s defense.

USAF photo by Airman First Class Tristan Truesdell, 13JUL2019

MiG-17. USAF photo by Airman First Class Tristan Truesdell, 13JUL2019.

It was part of an air show at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

VEHICLE I-D: MIG 17 V U.S. NAVY FERRARI

POCATELLO AIRPORT 02 AUGUST 2014: MIG-15 UTI & MIG-17

POCATELLO AIRPORT 02 AUGUST 2014: FJ-4 FURY

 

“ending operations effective immediately.”: U.S. Hi-Tech/Communications breakdown, January 2019

Incomplete list, mainly links to main stream news media reports, of U.S. internet/high-tech/communications job destruction and cyber-chicanery announcements in January 2019:

At the end of January, U.S. led NATO countries converged on Estonia to conduct cyber warfare ops.  Cyber operations included attempted attacks on industrial control systems, physical security systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and maritime surveillance systems, according to U.S. 24th Air Force/Air Forces Cyber.

During the ongoing U.S. meddling in Syrian politics, a female U.S. Navy Cryptologic Technician was killed in Manbij, on 16JAN2019.

Proof of just how dire things have gotten within the media industry, 1-thousand job cuts announced at BuzzFeed, HuffPost and Gannett!

China’s (Taiwan) Foxconn kills 50-thousand contractor jobs across the world, blaming it on crashing Apple iPhone sales!

The looming danger in high-tech car safety systems

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

CALIFORNIA:  Space Exploration Technologies issued a layoff WARN, 577 people in Hawthorne to become jobless in March!  Solid state battery maker Seeo issued a shutdown WARN for its ops in Hayward, 45 jobs gone in March.   Online entertainment company Machinima issued multiple WARNs, at least 81 jobs in Burbank gone in March.  Carlisle Interconnect Technologies issued shutdown WARNs for its ops in El Segundo and Riverside, 338 jobs gone by October!  Automotive pricing and information website TrueCar eliminating 35 jobs by mid-March.  Verizon subsidiary Oath eliminating 71 jobs by the end of March.  Symantec continues killing jobs, this time 14 people were suddenly laid off.   Photonics company Invuity finally revealed to state unemployment officials that it laid off 81 people back in October 2018.  Texas based AT&T issued several WARNs, 78 jobs gone by the end of March.  Software maker VMware issued a layoff WARN for its Palo Alto ops, 126 jobs gone by April!

Helicopters and drones with hi-tech surveillance equipment will ostensibly be used to count how many homeless people live in San Diego County (interesting that apparently nobody has a problem with this, but many people have a hissy about the government counting non-citizens)

Viacom’s Paramount Pictures lays off 20 people

Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group suddenly lays off 22 people

Palo Alto based online home improvement platform Houzz lays off 180!

Elon Musk founded, Palo Alto based Tesla eliminating 3-thousand jobs due to lack of profitable sales!

Elon Musk founded, Hawthorne based Space X eliminating about 7-hundred jobs! 

Mojave based Virgin Galactic lays off 40 employees ahead of transition to New Mexico spaceport

Santa Clara based McAfee suddenly lays off 2-hundred employees!

Cupertino based Apple eliminated 2-hundred jobs from its self-driving car program!

After nine years of hype, San Francisco based online meal delivery company Munchery is now dead: “Today, with a heavy heart, we’re reaching out to announce that Munchery is closing its doors and ending operations effective immediately.”

“They can hear you!”  The new electronic warfare ‘Greywolf’ vehicle spotted at U.S. Army’s Fort Irwin National Training Center, 13JAN2019.

COLORADO: Cable TV company WideOpenWest (aka WOW!) shutting down a call center, 2-hundred jobs gone by March!

ILLINOIS:  Cable TV company WideOpenWest (aka WOW!) issued a layoff WARN, 56 jobs in Warrenville gone by March.  Audio/video equipment maker Harman International issued a shutdown WARN for its Vernon Hills ops, 59 jobs gone in March.

MARYLAND: On 04JAN2019, the U.S. Navy Reserve created a new Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group (NCWDG) Reserve unit: “There is a growing demand for Reservist skill sets from all designators. This is where it all comes together. Regardless of their designator, they have impressive skill sets from their civilian work they can apply to Navy needs.”-Captain James Lee, commander of new unit

In the following official USAF video report, new recruits are told that modern warfare IS about creating better video games:

MICHIGAN:  Reprise Media issued a layoff WARN for its ‘Search, Social, Mobile Media’ ops in Birmingham, 92 jobs gone. Also in Birmingham, global media advertiser Universal McCann Worldwide issued a WARN, 116 jobs gone!  Once again in Birmingham, ‘communication, media and technology specialists’ Mediabrands issued a shutdown WARN for its I-T ops, effective in March.

MINNESOTA: ‘Backup’ security software maker Code42 suddenly laid off 55 people due to crashing global sales

NEW YORK:  Concentrix-Convergys issued a shutdown WARN for its call center in Watertown, between 114 and 540 people affected by the end of April!  Sun & Earth Energy company issued a layoff WARN, between 47 and 58 jobs goneMonolith Solar issued a layoff WARN, as many as 23 employees affected.

App ‘savant’ kills self with cocaine and heroin!

NYC based global communications company Ketchum warns of Double-Digit Job Cuts

NYC based Verizon eliminating 8-hundred jobs!

No longer NYC based Lionsgate Lays Off 25 as part of its Escape from New York to California operation

Washington state founded, yet headquarters based in NYC (news media still says its based in Washington, for some reason), online make-up seller Julep suddenly lays off 102 people and goes bankrupt busted!

Texas based AT&T shutting down Syracuse call center, 150 jobs gone!  (the official WARN says 155 jobs gone as operations are Escaping from New York to Florida)

NORTH CAROLINA: Conduent to lay off 61 employees

More proof the housing market isn’t doing well, iconic tech giant IBM laying off 310 people as it gets out of the mortgage processing business!

OHIO:  Teleperformance shuts down Fairborn facility, 334 layoffs!

OKLAHOMA: Online children’s clothing boutique, T’Dazzled Too, bankrupt-busted due to owing customers thousands of dollars

OREGON: Bend based Western Communications now chapter 11 bankrupt-busted

TEXAS: Official report about taxpayer funded ‘Hack-of-the-Drones’ involving personnel from the U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy:  DVIDS_News_306568_791ccf518d402d1c6fe40a3ebe93e655210305df63065fd0dc3cec6e2e893243

Dallas based AT&T boasted about how many people they’ve hired, then admitted they were going to have to eliminate an undisclosed number of jobs

Dallas Morning News suddenly laid off 43 people due to crashing revenues

WASHINGTON: On 11JAN2019, the U.S. Army created the new Intelligence, Information, Cyber, Electronic Warfare and Space unit (known as I2CEWS) at Joint Base Lewis McChord: “Today we’ll activate the Army’s first I2CEWS detachment, which is the critical unit in the Multi-Domain Task Force and the centerpiece of how the Army will conduct Multi-Domain operations in the future.”-Lieutenant General Gary Volesky, I-Corps

Boeing, a company that’s been proven to have major hi-tech software malfunctions of its aircraft, is now switching to computers to conduct quality control inspections!

WISCONSIN: Mail order/online gift gourmet food seller Figi’s suddenly halted some operations and will layoff 276 people by March!  For proof brick-n-mortars are not the only companies suffering declining sales, Figi’s reps said that despite investing millions of dollars into their ops, profits keep falling. 

In four years, Rhinelander based Drs. Foster and Smith (DFS) went from the largest online seller of pet products in the country to out of business, the final 289 jobs killed by brick-n-mortar competitor PetCo!

U.S. Tech/Communications breakdown, December 2018: “UNFORTUNATELY OUR RENT IS TOO HIGH”