And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, August 1, 2021
They say even a brick will fly if given enough power
The A-7 Corsair II, known as SLUF, fits that bill. For a short period the Navy held the record for flying from the Atlantic ocean to the Pacific ocean in the shortest time. The record was taken away when the Air Force learned the route was over Panama.
The Phantom indeed had more than enough power. Sometime way back in the late 70's or early 80's, I was in the Navy stationed at NAS Keflavik Iceland. We shared the base witht he 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) "The Black Knights". One day, a two plane flight was taking off for a standard patrol around the Iceland operating area. The number two plane had just rotated and as his wheels left the deck, the right wingtip folded up. Our intrepid junior birdman thinking very quickly unlocked and raised the left wingtip as well to maintain symmetrical flight and punched in afterburners to get his airspeed up. He was way to heavy to land the plane with his full patrol load of gas and weapons, so he had to circle the base for about an hour with his wingtips folded before he came in for a landing. The Phantom IIE was a beast
I don't recall the wing tip "fold/unfold switch" in the cockpit on the AF version. Maybe in the Navy?. I suspect the ground crew just forgot to lock both tips and one just folded shortly after the first.
I spent 2 years at NAS Key West,'66-'68, and my office was in the Ops building closest to the main runway. The entire wall of my office was glass and at night when the Phantoms would position themselves for take off, you would just see the twinkling of their lights. Then you'd hear them rev them up and go to afterburners and take off. Man, it was a sight! I'd always wanted a picture but cameras weren't allowed in my space.
SIGH...one of the few Babes not of North American lineage that could make me stray.
ReplyDeleteOld Double Ugly. I put in 12 years in the front seat.
ReplyDeleteLC LtC
Best looking brick the US military ever flew.
ReplyDeleteThe A-7 Corsair II, known as SLUF, fits that bill. For a short period the Navy held the record for flying from the Atlantic ocean to the Pacific ocean in the shortest time. The record was taken away when the Air Force learned the route was over Panama.
ReplyDeleteLoved that beast. Grew up around them, then got to wrench on ‘em for a while. Fun fact: you can’t see a whole lot out of the back seat.
ReplyDeleteThe Phantom indeed had more than enough power. Sometime way back in the late 70's or early 80's, I was in the Navy stationed at NAS Keflavik Iceland. We shared the base witht he 57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) "The Black Knights". One day, a two plane flight was taking off for a standard patrol around the Iceland operating area. The number two plane had just rotated and as his wheels left the deck, the right wingtip folded up. Our intrepid junior birdman thinking very quickly unlocked and raised the left wingtip as well to maintain symmetrical flight and punched in afterburners to get his airspeed up. He was way to heavy to land the plane with his full patrol load of gas and weapons, so he had to circle the base for about an hour with his wingtips folded before he came in for a landing. The Phantom IIE was a beast
ReplyDeleteJapan is now retiring the last of their flying F4 Phantoms.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall the wing tip "fold/unfold switch" in the cockpit on the AF version. Maybe in the Navy?. I suspect the ground crew just forgot to lock both tips and one just folded shortly after the first.
ReplyDeleteI flew the AF versions C/D/E. It's been a while, but I don't recall that switch either. So you could be right, that it's a Navy/Marine thing.
DeleteI believe lots of pilots loved the F4
ReplyDeleteI spent 2 years at NAS Key West,'66-'68, and my office was in the Ops building closest to the main runway. The entire wall of my office was glass and at night when the Phantoms would position themselves for take off, you would just see the twinkling of their lights. Then you'd hear them rev them up and go to afterburners and take off. Man, it was a sight! I'd always wanted a picture but cameras weren't allowed in my space.
ReplyDeleteYes, and if you drop them, they go 'thud'...
ReplyDelete