"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/26/2015 at 11:04 • Filed to: planelopnik, planelopnik history
8
4|
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
06/26/2015 at 11:04 • Filed to: planelopnik, planelopnik history | 8
| 4 |
This is today’s Aviation History Speed Round , getting you caught up on milestones and important historical events in aviation from June 24 through June 26.
June 25, 1947 – The first flight of the Boeing B-50 Superfortress. The early history of the B-29 tells of an aircraft that was an extremely capable bomber that was plagued by engine problems. Starting in 1944, the US Army Air Force began a program to replace the engines of the B-29 with more reliable and more powerful units, and the resulting aircraft was designated the XB-44 Surperfortress. With the end of the war, orders for all military aircraft were cut drastically, and the up-engined B-29, which was to have been produced as the B-29D, was also cut. But the USAAF, wanting to put the new bomber into production anyway, redesignated it the XB-50, and the plane would remain in service for almost 20 years. In addition to the larger engines, the fuselage was also lengthened, the vertical stabilizer enlarged, and new aluminum alloys used to decrease weight. While never seeing actual combat, the RB-50 reconnaissance version would be used extensively to probe the northern reaches of the Soviet Union before the advent of the MiG-15, and the KB-50 aerial tanker would see service as the first tanker capable of keeping up with the newer jet fighters, though it was later supplemented with a pair of General Electric J47 jet engines. With the introduction of the Boeing B-47 and B-52, the B-50 was retired in 1965.
June 25, 1946 – The first flight of the Northrop YB-35 Flying Wing. Any part of an aircraft that moves through the air produces drag, so wouldn’t the best way to eliminate drag be to eliminate part of the plane? That was Jack Northrop’s idea, and he took the concept to its fullest degree by producing an aircraft that was no more than a flying wing. With the elimination of all parts of the aircraft that didn’t produce lift, the theory was that the YB-35 would carry more weight farther, faster and cheaper than traditional aircraft. While the YB-35 showed some promise, and even better range performance than its main competitor, the Convair B-36, signficant problems with the engines provided by the US Army Air Force eventually grounded the airplane. Since propeller engines were deemed obsolete by the end of the 1940s, the YB-35 was fitted with eight jet engines, reclassifying the bomber as the YB-49. The new jets gave the airplane the performance it needed, but the range was cut nearly in half, and the flying wing no longer had the capability to reach deep into Russia. It was also very difficult to fly. Thirteen YB-35s were built, though only one ever flew. Two of the airframes were converted to the YB-49, one of which crashed. All remaining airframes were scrapped. While some, including Jack Northrop are convinced that it was a conspiracy that ended the flying wings, it was more likely a case of an idea that was ahead of its time, an idea that would eventually be vindicated by the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bomber.
June 25, 1944 – The first flight of the Ryan FR Fireball. As the world entered the jet age, the US Navy didn’t want to be left behind. But if you were flying an airplane over the vast expanses of the ocean, you probably didn’t want to trust your fate to a relatively untested jet engine. That’s why the Navy hedged its bets with its first jet-powered fighter, the Ryan Fireball (the name itself is not very reassuring), an aircraft that was a hybrid of both jet and propeller power. The Fireball featured a 1350 hp Wright Cyclone radial in the front, and a General Electric I-16 (later J-31) turbojet in the rear, fed by ducts in the wing roots. Unfortunately for the Fireball, and its pilots, the first three prototypes were lost to crashes, and the airframe itself proved too weak for the rigors of carrier operation, and further modifications were required. Despite its difficult development phase, the Navy eventually ordered 100 aircraft, with a commitment for 1000 more. Production was canceled with the end of the Pacific War after only 66 were produced, and the Fireball never saw combat. Carrier trials proved difficult, as further structural weaknesses were found, but the Fireball is on record as the first jet-powered aircraft to land on a carrier, but only because the radial engine failed. A handful of pilots were qualified to operate from carriers, but structural problems persisted, including one aircraft that broke in half while landing. By August of 1947, all Fireballs were removed from service and most were scrapped.
June 26, 1948 – The Berlin Airlift begins. Following WWII, the German capital of Berlin was a divided city. The Russians controlled the eastern half of the city, and the western half was divided between the French, British and Americans. The city itself was deep inside territory that was fully controlled by the Russians. On June 24, 1948, the Russians, hoping to make the city entirely their own, cut off the western sectors from the outside world, severing water connections, and halting all vehicular and river traffic into or out of the Allied sectors. West Berlin was effectively cut off from the West. But while the Russians could cut the roads, and build a wall, they could not put a roof over the city, and the Berlin Airlift became the greatest airlift of supplies in history. Starting haphazardly at first, the operation taken over first by US General Joseph Smith, who had commanded B-29s under General Curtis LeMay during the war. But Smith had no airlift experience. He was replaced in July by Maj. Gen. William Tunner, a veteran of airlift operations over the Himalayas. Tunner instituted new rules such as requiring IFR landings regardless of weather, no more aircraft stacking awaiting landing, and aircraft were required to return to their starting point if they missed an approach. He required crews to stay with their planes, having refreshments brought out to the planes on the tarmac. By the end of August, 1500 daily flights were delivering more than 5000 tons of cargo, enough to keep the city fed and powered. In the face of such Allied resolve, the Russians finally conceded and lifted the blockade one minute after midnight on May 12, 1949.
June 26, 1898 – The birth of Willy Messerschmitt. Messerschmitt began his design career building sail planes during WWI, then moved on to build small sport planes and small passenger planes. In 1936, Messerschmitt won the competition to provide the nascent Luftwaffe with a new frontline fighter, the Bf 109, one of the war’s iconic fighters, and an aircraft that would be produced in greater numbers than any other aircraft in history. In 1938, the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was renamed Messerschmitt AG, and his company would go on to design the world’s first operational jet fighter, the Me 262, though Messerschmitt took no part in its design. After the war, Germany was forbidden from producing aircraft until 1955, so Messerschmitt turned to the manufacture of sewing machines, prefab buildings, and the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! automobile. He also exported his aircraft design talents to other countries, designing the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! jet trainer for Spain in 1952 before he was allowed to return to aircraft manufacturing to produce the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and then Lockheed !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! under license for the West German Luftwaffe. His final design was the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , supersonic interceptor for the Egyptian air force.
Short Take Off
June 24, 1956 – The first flight of the Sukhoi Su-9 , a single-engine delta-wing interceptor developed by the Soviet Union which served until the 1970s. (Photo by Mike1979 Russia via !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )
June 25, 1997 – The first flight of the Kamov Ka-52 Alligator , a single-seat, heavily armed reconnaissance derivative of the Ka-50 which features Kamov’s signature coaxial rotor system, removing the necessity for a tail rotor. (Photo by Vlsergey via !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )
June 25, 1936 – The first flight of the Bristol Blenheim , a British light bomber that saw extensive action in the early part of WWII.
June 25, 1886 – The birth of Henry H. “Hap” Arnold. Arnold was an aviation pioneer who took flying lessons from the Wright Brothers, Commanding General of the US Army Air Forces during WWII, the only Air Force general to hold five-star rank, and the only person to hold a five-star rank in two different U.S. military services (USAAF, USAF).
June 26, 1936 – The first flight of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61 , the world’s first practical helicopter.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
If you enjoy these Aviation History posts, please let me know in the comments. And if you missed any of the past articles, you can find them all at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
All photos are Public Domain or taken by the author unless otherwise credited.
ViperGuy21
> ttyymmnn
06/26/2015 at 12:08 |
|
Great article!
Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
> ttyymmnn
06/26/2015 at 12:29 |
|
Good stuff here, Timo, as always.
|
ttyymmnn
> Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/26/2015 at 12:37 |
|
Thanks!
|
ttyymmnn
> ViperGuy21
06/26/2015 at 12:38 |
|
Thanks! Every Tuesday and Friday at 11:05 ET until I’ve covered a whole year. I’ve got about 9 months to go.....