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Little known / experimental aircraft
- Thread starter Randy Daytona
- Start date
One of the coolest conversations I’ve ever had was at a New Year’s party with Lt Col (ret) Blair Bozek, a former RSO who ejected from the SR-71. As of 2019, he was working a contractor gig in the DC area. Great guy with some amazing stories!
All good background history.
Interesting interview with NASA’s lead propulsion engineer who worked on the SR-71:
Former SR-71 Engineer Talks NASA's Blackbird Revival Program
Insights into the current status of NASA's SR-71 #844, what it will take to fly it again, and what the agency may be looking to do with it.www.twz.com
Did the recovery ops for the sub launched TLCM shoots in Maine (twice).
We used to chase those when I was in VX-9 years ago. The Super Hornet could be set up with a control panel we could use to take control of the missile in case they lost the ground control signal near a populated area. If all else failed, the chase aircraft could send the missile commands to steer away from populated areas and self-destruct (from a safe distance.)
For launch, we’d rendezvous with the cruiser and set up a timing pattern, then join on the Tomahawk in the launch phase. It’s tricky- once the booster burns out, you have to be really close to see it and fly formation, so you had to nail your timing. Then escort the missile while talking to ATC and range control. Busy mission for sure.
Yeah, the A-6 had override controls as did the F-4. We had about a 60 second window when we could expect the missile to pop out of the water close to an orange buoy marker. The 4 chase a/c set up an orbit around the marker, with each a/c about 90 degrees apart. First plane to see it come out of the water was to latch on and keep sight for the reasons you mentioned. The other 3 would then join up. The pre-brief the day prior was interesting. The Pax guys said they'd gotten word that the Greenpeace people had plans to try to capture the missile with a net and helium balloons during the low-level over the FL panhandle. There were guard helos everywhere looking for suspicious vehicles along I-10. WhIle doing the wx recce and monitoring the control freq, which was the -880, we heard a helo report a strange Winnebago parked along I-10. The guys in the -880 directed us to check it out. We went into a spread formation at about 100 feet straddling the interstate looking. Made 3 passes up and back the stretch that the guard guys reported the Winnebago but never saw anything. Sure was fun though. A license to steal. So we then bingoed to the tanker and got gas to complete the mission.
I have fond memories of both my TLAM-N sub launch exercises! 1989 and again in 1990 staging out of then NAS Brunswick. The PAX -880 is also well remembered!
I remember how well funded and well resourced these events were. Nothing was spared. Each time we brought two H-46 helos from NAS Norfolk with a complete complement of pilots, aircrew and maint folks - with a support pallet of gear brought via C-9. Rental cars were generously doled out as was per diem. The BOQ an Brunswick was ours and many of our enlisted maintainers got off-base hotels.
Both ops occured in winter. I remember the -880 broadcasting status updated on UHF during the launches.
The TLAM had the capability of navigation based on passive imaging and Maine was chosen because the terrain and topography mimic its intended targets in Soviet Russia.
The scenario for us helo folks were as the recovery team. The TLAM would expend itself after hitting its target, deploy a chute and float to earth in the Maine mountains not far from Rangeley Mountain (home of East Coast SERE). Our job was to locate the missle visually, guided by the chase aircraft and hover over the target. We then hoisted down a General Dynamics civilian EOD type who would disarm/defuel the TLAM and render it safe for transport. We would lower a nylon harness and 100 foot pendant through the hell-hole and the tech would attach to the TLAM and after hoisting him back, we would lift the whole missile out of the woods and fly to a prepared clearing. Maine Army Guard personnel would refuel us from 55 gallon drums of JP-4 while we loaded the missile in the cabin and we would fly back to NAS Brunswick.
I remember once that the APU would not start on one event and we could not shut down to refuel. I made the decision as the HAC to gravity hot-refuel from hand cranked pump. Another time I remember the weather coming in and basically having to ITO out of the LZ in the Maine mountains and putting to use the ant-ice features of the H-46 that prior I had only read about.
Also fond memories of 2 am LL Bean shopping runs. I still have the Norwegian fisherman's sweater I purchased during one of these Dets. Oh and lobster. Much lobster.
One of my fellow pilots and co-pilot on the failed APU mission sortie was the late CDR Rob Murphy, USN who after retirement, went on to a successful career at NAVAIR as a GS and passed away too young while in his office at Pax. Rob was the NAVAIR PMO for MQ-8 Fire Scout at the time of his passing.
I remember how well funded and well resourced these events were. Nothing was spared. Each time we brought two H-46 helos from NAS Norfolk with a complete complement of pilots, aircrew and maint folks - with a support pallet of gear brought via C-9. Rental cars were generously doled out as was per diem. The BOQ an Brunswick was ours and many of our enlisted maintainers got off-base hotels.
Both ops occured in winter. I remember the -880 broadcasting status updated on UHF during the launches.
The TLAM had the capability of navigation based on passive imaging and Maine was chosen because the terrain and topography mimic its intended targets in Soviet Russia.
The scenario for us helo folks were as the recovery team. The TLAM would expend itself after hitting its target, deploy a chute and float to earth in the Maine mountains not far from Rangeley Mountain (home of East Coast SERE). Our job was to locate the missle visually, guided by the chase aircraft and hover over the target. We then hoisted down a General Dynamics civilian EOD type who would disarm/defuel the TLAM and render it safe for transport. We would lower a nylon harness and 100 foot pendant through the hell-hole and the tech would attach to the TLAM and after hoisting him back, we would lift the whole missile out of the woods and fly to a prepared clearing. Maine Army Guard personnel would refuel us from 55 gallon drums of JP-4 while we loaded the missile in the cabin and we would fly back to NAS Brunswick.
I remember once that the APU would not start on one event and we could not shut down to refuel. I made the decision as the HAC to gravity hot-refuel from hand cranked pump. Another time I remember the weather coming in and basically having to ITO out of the LZ in the Maine mountains and putting to use the ant-ice features of the H-46 that prior I had only read about.
Also fond memories of 2 am LL Bean shopping runs. I still have the Norwegian fisherman's sweater I purchased during one of these Dets. Oh and lobster. Much lobster.
One of my fellow pilots and co-pilot on the failed APU mission sortie was the late CDR Rob Murphy, USN who after retirement, went on to a successful career at NAVAIR as a GS and passed away too young while in his office at Pax. Rob was the NAVAIR PMO for MQ-8 Fire Scout at the time of his passing.
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