NAVAIR's F/A-18 Program Celebrates 25 Years of Flight

Funny thing happened as I scanned this exchange. I checked my logbook and
I've got two hops in 149484 Feb 14 and 21, 1985. PMCF from rework at NADEP
Norfolk.
Hey guys I checked my log book. I have 21 flights in 149482 for 41.9 hours it
was a K in VA-95 during the mid 80's.
Oldest bomber was 149944 in 128 early 80's.
Great planes, Last night I was flying a 727-200 with the big motor conversion
-271 engines on the pods full fuel and 29K cargo .
Going throgh 30,000 feet we were climbing at 3000 FPM at .8 mach. I told the
crew that I never flew a Military plane with that kind of performance As long
as you never went over 30 degrees AOB. I don't know if the test pilots did it
but I bet as clean as the 727 airframe is I bet it will go Mach 1in a dive.

"Mike Kanze" wrote...

The "seniormost" A-6 in my logbook is 149950 (No. 36 off the production
line), an AFC 200 A-6A at the time. Flew it first in 1972 as a FRBN in
VA-128, who then foisted it onto we Lizards for our 1973 cruise.

Lessee... I flew

T-33 133639 in 1/76

T-34B 140654 in 8/74

KA-6D 149936 in 10/83

A-6E 149943 in 4/89

A-4C 150591 in 4/76 (newer than the KA-6D and A-6E!?!)

SH-3G 151532 in 12/77

TA-4J 152867 in 12/77

(Elmshoot) wrote in message ...
Funny thing happened as I scanned this exchange. I checked my logbook and
I've got two hops in 149484 Feb 14 and 21, 1985. PMCF from rework at NADEP
Norfolk.
Hey guys I checked my log book. I have 21 flights in 149482 for 41.9 hours it
was a K in VA-95 during the mid 80's.
Oldest bomber was 149944 in 128 early 80's.
Great planes, Last night I was flying a 727-200 with the big motor conversion
-271 engines on the pods full fuel and 29K cargo .
Going throgh 30,000 feet we were climbing at 3000 FPM at .8 mach. I told the
crew that I never flew a Military plane with that kind of performance As long
as you never went over 30 degrees AOB. I don't know if the test pilots did it
but I bet as clean as the 727 airframe is I bet it will go Mach 1in a dive.

One did in an accidental dive in '79
http://www.thesunlink.com/news/99nov...y/1124b1b.html

Also a production DC-8 went supersonic (this was intentional though)

http://www.dc8.org/library/supersonic/index.php

On 12/5/03 2:49 PM, in article , "Mike
Kanze" wrote:

Woody,

149484, a KA-6D, January 1990.

For what it's worth -

According to my A-6A/B/C NATOPS, at that time (1974) 149484 was "not in
fleet use" and not even a A, B or C. A number of its production-mates were
/ were being converted to EA-6As at the time, so it's possible that this one
was sitting around at Grumman, in mod to become queer or in reserve. BTW,
149484 was No. 18 off the A-6 production line at Grumman. At that time all
of the EA-6As were conversions from among the first ~90 straight As
produced.

The "seniormost" A-6 in my logbook is 149950 (No. 36 off the production
line), an AFC 200 A-6A at the time. Flew it first in 1972 as a FRBN in
VA-128, who then foisted it onto we Lizards for our 1973 cruise.


Pretty interesting stuff. If those jets got retired, the Navy must have
brought them back to life as tankers. Knightriders did the last KA-6D
cruise (at least on the west coast). We had two 149-series tankers in the
mix. It made everybody a bit wide-eyed.

In fact, the Yogi Gallagher "B/N trappin' in the wind" event was in a
149-series KA-6D... and the jet's top-latch mechanism that failed and caused
the mishap was a "fly to failure" part. The jet was older than either of
the aircrew.

Even weirder to think I'm now flying them against guys who graduated
college in 2000.

Curt Seth, an LCDR on AIRPAC staff is screening for command. He was a
little kid running around in his Dad Roy's yard on the Rock when Roy and I
were Lizards together. When the kids of your shipmates are screening for
(and getting) command, you tend to look in the mirror just a bit longer.


Opie and I were squadronmates in VA-52. I have the same sorts of moments
with him that you had with his dad--standing around watching our kids run
around in the back yard. Hey, I feel younger already! |:-)

Just saw him at the Adversary OAG in Key West in September--great guy. He
may have time in 149484 too--although the last time it appears in my log
book is June 1991. He checked into VA-52 as a nugget when I had been in the
squadron for about a year or two.

Can't impress these kids because most of them don't know anything smaller
than KITTY HAWK class.

I have a slightly different take on this. My Dad, a Naval aviator from
1940 - 1965, and Mom attend Tailhook every year. He runs around the exhibit
area wearing a F-4U sweatshirt. It's a sure-fire conversation-starter. He
finds the "kids" as interested in that era of Naval aviation as he is in
what's currently happening with them.


I gotta make it out to TH so *I* can hear those stories too. I was working
this year.

One of the more poignant things at each year's Tailhook Reunion Luncheon are
the recognition awards for the old-timers, including "most straight-deck
traps" and "earliest date of designation," among others. Most of these guys
can still taxi under their own power, too, which is remarkable since they're
all in their 80s - early 90s. THAT'S impressive!

Owl sends.

On 12/5/03 8:55 PM, in article , "John
Carrier" wrote:


"Mike Kanze" wrote in message
...
Woody,

149484, a KA-6D, January 1990.

For what it's worth -

According to my A-6A/B/C NATOPS, at that time (1974) 149484 was "not in
fleet use" and not even a A, B or C.

Funny thing happened as I scanned this exchange. I checked my logbook and
I've got two hops in 149484 Feb 14 and 21, 1985. PMCF from rework at NADEP
Norfolk. Have no idea about the history of the airframe, but its the oldest
A-6 variant in my logbook (which includes a handful of EA-6A and the first
flight of the first ever rewing A6-E ... that'll get me a cup of Starbucks
for $6.95).

Well Woody, I tried to hide it from you, son. But I occasionally flew
something other than a fast mover.

R / John (AKA Masher, former fighter ... phighter? ... pilot)



Masher, I *knew* there was a reason I liked you! Nice work. You hid it
well these last many years.

--Woody

On 12/5/03 11:36 PM, in article
, "Elmshoot"
wrote:

Funny thing happened as I scanned this exchange. I checked my logbook and
I've got two hops in 149484 Feb 14 and 21, 1985. PMCF from rework at NADEP
Norfolk.
Hey guys I checked my log book. I have 21 flights in 149482 for 41.9 hours it
was a K in VA-95 during the mid 80's.
Oldest bomber was 149944 in 128 early 80's.
Great planes, Last night I was flying a 727-200 with the big motor conversion
-271 engines on the pods full fuel and 29K cargo .
Going throgh 30,000 feet we were climbing at 3000 FPM at .8 mach. I told the
crew that I never flew a Military plane with that kind of performance As long
as you never went over 30 degrees AOB. I don't know if the test pilots did it
but I bet as clean as the 727 airframe is I bet it will go Mach 1in a dive.

Those are some impressive numbers! I had the same thoughts about the 757 or
the empty 767-300. They both have better thrust to weight than the
Intruder--even at MTOW.

Mach 727's in a dive? There's the whole "Hoot Gibson" story. He may have
been supersonic.

--Woody

On 12/6/03 4:04 PM, in article
, "s.p.i."
wrote:

(Elmshoot) wrote in message
...
Funny thing happened as I scanned this exchange. I checked my logbook and
I've got two hops in 149484 Feb 14 and 21, 1985. PMCF from rework at NADEP
Norfolk.
Hey guys I checked my log book. I have 21 flights in 149482 for 41.9 hours it
was a K in VA-95 during the mid 80's.
Oldest bomber was 149944 in 128 early 80's.
Great planes, Last night I was flying a 727-200 with the big motor conversion
-271 engines on the pods full fuel and 29K cargo .
Going throgh 30,000 feet we were climbing at 3000 FPM at .8 mach. I told the
crew that I never flew a Military plane with that kind of performance As long
as you never went over 30 degrees AOB. I don't know if the test pilots did it
but I bet as clean as the 727 airframe is I bet it will go Mach 1in a dive.

One did in an accidental dive in '79
http://www.thesunlink.com/news/99nov...y/1124b1b.html

Also a production DC-8 went supersonic (this was intentional though)

http://www.dc8.org/library/supersonic/index.php

This must have been written before the DFDR and cockpit tape analysis.
Funny how they're using Hoot's experience to defend the knucklehead FO on
Egypt Air.

I agree that rushing to snap judgments on a mishap is mostly bad, but this
one seemed pretty cut and dried.

"Doug \"Woody\" and Erin Beal" wrote in message ...
One did in an accidental dive in '79
http://www.thesunlink.com/news/99nov...y/1124b1b.html

Also a production DC-8 went supersonic (this was intentional though)

http://www.dc8.org/library/supersonic/index.php

This must have been written before the DFDR and cockpit tape analysis.
Funny how they're using Hoot's experience to defend the knucklehead FO on
Egypt Air.

I agree that rushing to snap judgments on a mishap is mostly bad, but this
one seemed pretty cut and dried.

I just grabbed a link referring to the 727 dive and didn't see the
author was making a grand logic leap about the Egypt Air...
Elm's 72 is pretty sporty....Besides the 727 LOOKS like it goes fast.

If you mean any airplane (I was referring to a specific A-6 I happened to
fly that you also shared) ... The A-6 was relatively new production as a
149xxx.

T-34 - 140692
T-2 - 147450
F-8 - 145549
S-2 - 133335 (don't ask, I won't tell)
A-4 - 150105 (an Echo ... oddly enough, my last military flight)

Any of these (well, maybe not the T-34 ... they're quite popular as toys)
would most likely be enjoying a second life as a 12oz container for some
widely distributed brew, although there's the remote possibility they might
adorn a pedestal somewhere.

R / John

"John Carrier" wrote

S-2 - 133335 (don't ask, I won't tell)

I can beat that one....S2F-1 129139 :-)

Bob