Tag Archives: labor

News reports said the fire was inside the ship, for an indication of how big the fire was this pic (by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Austin Haist) clearly shows flames jetting from the island superstructure.

On the morning of 12JUL2020 a fire broke out inside amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) while it was moored pier side at Naval Base San Diego. LHD 6 had been in San Diego, California, since 2018 for a major refit.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Kory Alsberry, 14JUL2020.

Flight crews with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 used their MH-60S Knighthawks to work around the clock as an airborne bucket brigade, trying to contain the fire.

USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Christina Ross, 13JUL2020.

USN photo by Lieutenant Joseph Kendrick, 13JUL2020.

Video by Petty Officer 1st Class Benjamin Kittleson, 13JUL2020:

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Patrick W. Menah Junior, 13JUL2020.

Video by Lieutenant Joseph Pfaff, 13JUL2020:

Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin Leitner, 13JUL2020:

While boats and groundcrews focused on shooting water to the inside of the ship, the Knighthawks focused most of their drops on the burning island superstructure. Video by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jasen MorenoGarcia:

USN photo by Petty Officer Second Class Patrick W. Menah Junior, 14JUL2020.

Night video, by Seaman Zachary Pearson, of Knighthawk water drop on deck surrounding the island superstructure, 15 July:

USN photo by Petty Officer Third Class Garrett LaBarge, 14JUL2020.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Julio Rivera, 15JUL2020.

On 16 July, firecrews were evacuated from LHD 6 due the ship listing. The list is blamed on all the water pumped into the ship.

Vehicle I-D: WASH YOUR HAWK!

Technology

Final Flight of the Fort Polk Kiowas

Image July 16, 2020 Hutchins AAron

“They were great birds to fly. You could land them anywhere, in any type of environment; they were great for what we were using them for here.”-Captain Tyler Smith, Bravo Company commander, 1st Bn, 5th Avn Reg

The U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 5th Aviation Regiment OH-58C Kiowas fly over Fort Polk, Louisiana, for the last time, 09JUL2020. The Kiowa helicopters are being replaced with UH-72 Lakotas.

Farewell water salute.

The U.S. Army’s oldest operational aircraft is a Kiowa, tail # O-16696, now to become a static display ‘gate guard’ at Fork Polk. Three of the Fort Polk Kiowas will be cannibalized for spare parts while the other four retiring Kiowas will be used by sheriff departments in Texas, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

The Kiowa family of helicopters have been used by the U.S. Army since 1969. Ultimately, 2-thousand-2-hundred different versions of the Kiowa would be built between 1966 and 1989. The U.S. Army’s last operational ‘C’ Kiowas are based at Fort Irwin (National Training Center), California, but will also be retired soon.

Vehicle I-D: COLORADO MILITIA LAKOTA RESCUE TRAINING

Influenza, Technology

Pandemic Overflight: The Sandman Enters

Video June 9, 2020 Hutchins AAron

California Air National Guard photo by Lieutenant Colonel David Allamandola, 13MAY2020.

California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing flies their F-15C Eagles over Fresno, in hopes of scaring-off the CoViD-19, 13MAY2020.

Video, launching a few F-15Cs to fight California CoViD-19:

Video, cockpit view F-15C 144th FW flyover, 13MAY2020:

Florida Army National Guard photo by Sergeant Spencer Rhodes, 13MAY2020.

Florida Air National Guard 125th FW’s F-15Cs did battle with CoViD-19 over the Orange County Convention Center’s Pandemic testing operations, 13MAY2020.

U.S. Air Force photo by Erica Campbell, 14MAY2020.

F-15s from 96th Test Wing flew over Florida on 14MAY2020.

SINGAPORE SKY PIRATES & IDAHO GUNSLINGERS flew a CoViD-19 salute on 15MAY2020, along with Idaho National Guard A-10Cs.

Over the mountains near Hailey, Idaho, 15MAY2020.

Louisiana Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Toby M. Valadie, 01MAY2020.

B-52 and F-15s over Louisiana, 01MAY2020.

Video, B-52s and F-15s over New Orleans:

Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing.

U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Michael Hong, 13MAY2020.

Two 104th FW F-15Cs off the coast of New Jersey, 13MAY2020.

Photo by Sanders Hall, 01MAY2020.

F-15E Strike Eagles fly over Onslow Memorial Hospital, North Carolina, 01MAY2020.

Video, Oregon National Guard 173rd Fighter Wing’s Sandman preps to join other F-15Cs for CoViD-19 overflight, 08MAY2020:

Video, F-15Cs doing battle against CoViD-19 in the skies over Oregon, 08MAY2020:

Video, Oregon National Guard 173rd FW’s Sandman preps to join other F-15Cs for yet another CoViD-19 overflight, 15MAY2020:

Pandemic Overflight: A-10C (FOR COVID?) THUNDERBOLT-2

B-52, BOMB THE VIRUS BACK TO THE STONEAGE!

KC-135

C-130 HERKS FOR HEROES

F-15 Eagle: NEW TAIL FEATHERS FOR OREGON EAGLE

Technology

Triple Engined F-106B Delta Dart; more taxpayer funded support for the airliner industry

Video June 1, 2020 Hutchins AAron

Soon to become ‘616’, day of delivery to NASA from USAF, 31OCT1966. NASA photo.

In 1966, NASA took possession of a USAF F-106B that had been used to test ejection seats and radar systems.

NASA photo, 1969.

NASA photo.

Something different about this F-106B.

NASA photo, 1969.

NASA tail code 616 while in use at Lewis Research Center, Ohio, and changed to 816 while at Langley Research Center, Virginia. USAF tail code 72516.

NASA photo, 1969.

F-106B and its F-8 Crusader ‘chase’ plane. NASA photo, 1969.

F-106B before the J85 engines were mounted. NASA photo, 1968.

A lot of surgery and load-testing. 2-thousand-5-hundred pounds of weapon system hardware were removed.

The electrics/wiring was stripped. NASA photo, 1966.

NASA photo, 1966.

Elevon load test, NASA photo, 1967.

NASA photo, 1967.

1:20 scale wind tunnel model. NASA photo, 1967.

‘616’ after the internal modification, but before the J85 surgery. NASA photo, 1968.

Two aircraft tractors used to manipulate the ‘vertical load tester’ device. NASA photo, 1968.

NASA photo, 1968.

Rear lateral load tester. NASA photo, 1968.

Looking like the rear load tester, NASA claims this is the “front mount side load tester”. NASA photo, 1968.

NASA photo, 1968.

Despite no engines, they were pumping JP-4 (a type of kerosene for jet aircraft), apparently to test the fuel tanks? NASA photo, 1968.

NASA photo, 1968.

Underwing nacelle. The first research flight with the three engines was on 03JUN1968.

NASA photo, 1968.

General Electric J-85 engine. The J85 was originally designed for a air-to-surface missile carried by the B-52, but it went on to power the T-38, F-5, A-37 and CT-114.

NASA photo, 1968.

Nacelle build-up. Apparently the left (port, #2) engine was a special version of the J85, and the right (starboard, #3) engine was the standard production J85. The idea was to use the experimental things on the ‘special’ J85 and then compare the performance to the ‘normal’ J85.

NASA photo, 1968.

Interior of J85 nacelle. NASA photo, 1968.

Aft missile bay fuel tank. NASA photo, 1968.

A new fuel tank was made to fit the internal weapons bay.

NASA photo, 1971.

NASA photo, 1976.

Note three jet exhausts on the F-106B. The co-pilot in the rear seat operated the J85 engines.

NASA says this photo shows the rear seat throttle controls for the two J85 engines.

NASA photo, 1968.

NASA tried different sensors.

NASA photo, 1974.

The U.S. Air Force wanted to test different types of exhaust nozzles in an attempt to achieve supersonic cruising (without using the after burner).

NASA photo, 1969.

The U.S. commercial passenger airliner industry also wanted to test ideas for the Super Sonic Transport (SST). Boeing/General Electric/NASA’s first attempt at an SST was canceled in 1970 when the U.S. Senate refused to spend anymore tax dollars on it. Another attempt was made in the 1990s when NASA/Boeing began using a modified Russian SST, that program was also canceled due to lack of funding.

NASA photo, 1971.

General Electric 32 spoke fan nozzle. NASA photo, 1971.

Silent video of multi-engined F-106B ‘616’ roll-out, take-off, flight and landing. This edit also includes lightning strike testing, NASA ‘816’ (formerly 616) was also ‘lightning hardened’ and intentionally flown into thunderstorms. That testing helped develop technologies that are taken for granted today:

Sound check. NASA photo, 1970.

It was also used to test jet engine mufflers (acoustic suppressors) for the U.S. airliner industry. This is because taxpayers had successfully got their lawmakers to limit the level of noise created by jet airliners. Unfortunately, all attempts to suppress the noise levels of jet engines had no affect on preventing sonic booms, and many global metro areas (the only markets for SSTs) made it a crime to break the sound barrier, just one of many reasons why SSTs like Concorde and Tu-114 were killed off.

This is how NASA does a ‘mic check’. NASA photo, 1971.

‘Acoustic Plug & Shroud’ testing. NASA photo, 1971.

Half span wind tunnel model. NASA photo, 1971.

NASA photo, 1971.

Wind tunnel model with squared ‘wedge’ F-15 style intakes.

Installing a F-15 style intake on a J85 nacelle. NASA photo, 1975.

NASA photo, 1971.

Blown main-gear tire at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, 1971.

NASA photo, 1971.

About to take a final flight. NASA photo, 1977.

Supposedly this is a photo from the final flight of the three engined F-106B. It would return to having just one engine.

‘616’ to ‘816’. NASA photo, February 1990.

In 1979, NASA 616 was sent to Langley Research Center where it became 816. As the last piloted Convair F-106 anywhere, NASA 816 saw service at Langley researching storm hazards, experimenting with an ‘Off-Surface’ flow visualization system, and testing a vortex flap.

F-106B NASA 616(816) was retired in May 1991:“NASA 816 made its last flight on April 30. It was the last known piloted Convair F-106 still flying.”

Supposedly, 616/816 was not turned over for target drone duty as were the vast majority of F-106s, but retired to the Virginia Air & Space Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Bare Metal: NASA Trucks

Taxpayers help the Airliner Industry: NASA’s Tupolev 144 SST

Vehicle I-D: NASA’s F-8 SUPER-CRITICAL-CRUSADER, FATHER OF MODERN AIRLINER WING DESIGN

NASA CANBERRAS, B-57B ‘HUSH KIT’ & WB-57F RIVET CHIP/SLICE, more taxpayer funded research for the airliner industry

XB-70A VALKYRIE

Technology

Helicopters: Egypt مصر

Video May 31, 2020 Hutchins AAron

Mil 24V (Mi-35), January 2020. Apparently purchased from Ukraine.

Egyptian Ministry of Defense promotional video in which you can see AH-64 Apaches, Kamov 52 Nile Crocodile, Hips, Gazelles, Super Sea Sprites, CH-47 Chinooks and Mi-35 Hinds:

Ka-52 Nile Crocodile.

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Justin Warren.

Egyptian and Jordanian soldiers secure an urban training area after repelling out of an Egyptian Commando (Sea King), U.S. led Exercise Bright Star, September 2018.

USAF photo by Senior Airman Dawn M. Weber.

U.S. Army photo by Sergeant James Lefty Larimer.

A ‘hip’ Egyptian helicopter (Mil 17V-5) conducting med-evac (medical evacuation) training during Bright Star 2018.

USA photo by Sergeant James Lefty Larimer.

U.S. Department of Defense photo by Tom Gagnier.

Mi-17 V5 from Bright Star 2017.

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Michael Battles.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Jonathan Clay.

Egyptian navy Kaman Super Sea Sprite lands on USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) during exercise Eagle Salute, July 2018.

USN photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Jonathan Clay/Released)

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Michael Battles.

Egyptian Civil Police Gazelles get training in anti-tank operations, U.S. led Exercise Bright Star, September 2017.

USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Michael Battles.

Video, Egyptian Gazelles, 2017:

Photo via U.S. Navy.

This is a VH-3A Sea King ‘presidential helicopter’ after rebuild in the United States in 2009. This helicopter was originally given to Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat in 1974, by the U.S. taxpayers (presented by U.S. President Richard Nixon).

Egyptian SH-3 Sea King during Bright Star 82, November 1981.

Silent U.S. Army video, by Sergeant First Class Jacobs, showing Sea King during the first Bright Star 81 (for fiscal year 1981) wargame, November 1980:

Quick video, Hip and Gazelles from Bright Star 2009:

Egyptian Mi-8 Hip during multi-national wargame Bright Star, October 2001. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Cherie A. Thurlby.

Wargame Bright Star 82, a USAF C-5A Galaxy about to touch-down in Egypt, an Mi-8 is parked in the foreground, November 1981.

Silent U.S. Army video, by Sergeant First Class Jacobs, showing Mi-8 Hips during the first Bright Star 81 (for fiscal year 1981) wargame, November 1980:

May 2020: 126 rebels killed in Sinai

April 2020: 10 Egyptian soldiers killed

February 2020: Egypt’s military is now the 9th strongest in the world

September 2019: Israeli news media accuses Egyptian military of profit-making off Sinai rebellion

Vehicle I-D: IRAQI HUEY

MIL 17 CRASH & BURN

MAINTAINING SATAN’S CHARIOT

Influenza, Technology

Drunken Cobra Recovery: Pre-Pandemic N95 Mask wearing?

Video May 28, 2020 Hutchins AAron

AH-1W (Alpha Hotel-One Wiskey) Super-Cobra.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Carley Vedro, 17OCT2019.

Checking for booby-traps planted near an abandoned AH-1W Super Cobra.

USMC photo by Corporal Carley Vedro, 17OCT2019.

Aircraft recovery training at Twentynine Palms, California, 17OCT2019.

USMC photo by Corporal Carley Vedro, 17OCT2019.

Interesting, this recovery training took place in October 2019, yet all the Marines in this pic are wearing N95 masks! The information that came with these pics did not explain why they are wearing N95 masks. N95 masks are not just for medical use, they are also used in various industries for protection against microscopic particles.

USMC photo by Corporal Koby I. Saunders, 09MAY2018.

Recovery ops, Twenty Nine Palms, May 2018.

USMC photo by Corporal Koby I. Saunders, 09MAY2018.

USMC photo by Staff Sergeant Kowshon Ye, 07NOV2017.

Aircraft salvage and recovery/refueling training at Twentynine Palms, 07NOV2017.

Video, Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 373 explains Viper recovery training during Integrated Training eXercise 3-17:

The Super Cobra in this video was the subject of a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel mission (TRAP mission) in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in June 2011. The AH-1W had one of its two turbines quit working and a new engine was installed. The video is of the start-up and take-off after the new turbine was installed:

Most U.S. Marine AH-1W Super Cobras were ‘retired’ by the end of 2019, being resurrected as upgraded AH-1Z Vipers.

RECOVERING UH-1 SKELETONS

MIL 17 CRASH & BURN

CH-47 CHINOOK COLLECTS MIL 8 ‘HIP’ BONES

Influenza

“Insidious” infection onboard USS Kidd, crew replaced?

Video May 26, 2020 Hutchins AAron

You might have heard about the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) with the controversial administrative treatment of the commander who tried to warn of the CoViD-19 infection, and that the crew was replaced while docked in Guam, but what about the USS Kidd (DDG 100)?

28APR2020, USS Kidd (not to be confused with World War Two era USS Kidd DD 661, or Cold War era USS Kidd DDG 993) arrives in San Diego, California, for quarantine. Video of arrival:

On 06MAY2020, U.S. Naval Institute News reported a “insidious” outbreak aboard USS Kidd, and just like their silly-vilian counterparts, the U.S. Navy is using mathematical ‘models’ to guesstimate the spread of CoViD-19: “When we started out this process, I started to say it was an algebra problem for us. Then it became differential equations, and then it went to multivariable calculus, and in many respects now it’s almost theoretical physics trying to figure out what is the right thing to do.”-Vice Admiral Richard Brown, commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force Pacific

The latest USN information revealed that while docked in San Diego most of the crew of USS Kidd was replaced (aka Crew Swap). A skeleton crew was initially left aboard for daily operations, until a ‘caretaker crew’ could take over.

The caretaker crew is conducting ‘strategic deep-cleaning’ and daily operations of the ship. As of 18MAY2020, 90 of the original crew tested negative for CoViD-19 (multiple times) and were allowed back onboard: “Before we clear any Sailor to return to the ship, they must receive two separate negative test results.”-Vice Admiral Richard Brown, commander of Naval Surface Forces and Naval Surface Force Pacific

Video, initial medical screening of USS Kidd personnel in San Diego, on 28APR2020:

The first influenza-like illnesses showed up in early April while the USS Kidd was taking part in counter-drug-running operations in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean.

On 06APR2020, USS Kidd personnel were making their own cloth masks, and trying as best they could on a crowded ship to maintain social-distance. By April 22nd a Sailor had to be medevac-ed off the ship, the next day additional medical staff arrived to begin testing the crew.

Deep cleaning of the USS Kidd is expected to continue until the end of May.

Influenza, Technology

Apache fights through Pandemic

Video May 26, 2020 Hutchins AAron

U.S. Army ‘Rotary Wing Assets’, including Apaches, aboard USS Lewis B. Puller (the first of its kind mobile helicopter base-ship) somewhere in the Persian Gulf, 15APR2020.

The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is deploying to Europe to take part in anti-Russia operation Atlantic Resolve. Video, AH-64 Apache live fire, 01MAY2020, Fort Campbell Kentucky:

Also deploying from Fort Campbell, the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment took-off for South Korea. It is considered a routine ‘rotational’ deployment.

Ignoring CoViD-19 ‘social distancing’ and mask wearing advise, hundreds of family members turned out to say goodbye to Utah Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, as it deployed for a year long combat mission in Afghanistan.

National Guard personnel conduct Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) training at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, 13MAY2020.

Video, 18 AH-64s of the 1-3rd Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade fly over Bavaria, Germany, 19MAY2020:

12th Combat Aviation Brigade video explainer (with happy background music); how the AH-64D Apache Longbow can kill you:

Pandemic Overflight: A-10C (FOR COVID?) THUNDERBOLT-2

Idaho National Guard’s A-10s suddenly deployed to Middle East during Pandemic OverFlights

2107: ILLINOIS, IOWA, PENNSYLVANIA & SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIAS DEPLOY TO AFGHANISTAN!

SOUTH CAROLINA MILITIA’S SWITCH-BLADE APACHE

Vehicle I-D: AH-64D LONGBOW APACHE, GRAFENWOEHR 2016

2016: OBAMA DISAPPEARS THE LAST OF IDAHO’S APACHES!

Technology

Vehicle I-D: EA-6B Prowler upclose & thirsty

Video May 25, 2020 Hutchins AAron

Video, 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker refuels Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 (VMAQ-2) EA-6B over Iraq, June 2018:

Video, night refueling over Persian Gulf, June 2018:

Video, EA-6B Prowler assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) gets fuel from a KC-130 near Welton, Arizona, 05OCT2017:

Over Iraq, August 2017.

Video, somewhere over The Middle East, KC-10 Extender refuels EA-6B, July 2016:

Off the coast of North Carolina, refueled by KC-130J Super Hercules, September 2015.

Gulf of Alaska, June 2015.

U.S. Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler refueling over Afghanistan, 30DEC2014.

September 2011, Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 139 EA-6B gets fuel from Strike Fighter Squadron 154 F/A-18E Super Hornet.

Video, refueling over Afghanistan, May 2011:

Somewhere over The Middle East, May 2011.

Video, refueling over Iraq, May 2011:

Over Afghanistan, March 2011.

Being refueled by F/A-18E Super Hornet over Austria, March 2009.

Refueled by S-3B Viking off the coast of Japan, March 2008.

Refueling over Kyrgyzstan, March 2006.

Vehicle I-D: KC-130J REFUELS MV-22B IN FLIGHT, COOL VID!

Vehicle I-D: AERIAL REFUEL USMC CH-53 STUD

Pandemic Overflight: KC-135

Kit Bashing, Technology

Model kit E-8 JSTARS gate guard

Image May 24, 2020 Hutchins AAron

Georgia Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant Nancy Goldberger, 20MAY2020.

Personnel at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, volunteer to assemble a giant model of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), 20MAY2020.