Mayday

[Tosg]

Re: Mayday

The F-1 races in Corvallis, OR in the early 1980's were sponsored by Blitz-Weinhard brewing. There was much Henry Weinhard's consumed during those events.

The 1977 shots of N51JB are with longtime F-1 pilot Tom Summers flying, one of the nicest guys ever to run the pylons.

[speeddemon]

Re: Mayday

Speed -- Maybe I will -- the race was a lot of fun -- the only race I've ever been to that was sponsored by a beer company! Lots of free beer in the evenings, and pretty good beer, too -- not like all this American cow pee. Due to miscommunications, the Unlimiteds started one race right through the middle of a formation of dancing helicopters -- now that was scary! Skip set the course record in Z's F-86. Gary Levitz mad as Hell -- telling Sandberg "You're too nice to your crew!" Bud Granley in Miss America as pace plane. A demo by the only F-101 Voodoo I've ever seen fly (and loudly too!).

Ah -- seems like only yesterday! But over two decades ago -- almost a quarter century -- I must be getting old...

WHAT???? Gary Levitz mad as hell????? Sorry...I just can't see that happening! One of my 'favorite' shots of Gary is one I took at Reno a couple months later....I was standing at the wingtip of Tipsy Too, and Gary is literally snarling something to one of Sandberg's crew guys from the cockpit. I showed him that photo a few years later and all he did was laugh out loud about it. I think he even remembered what he was upset about...but I can't think of what it was.

As far as the Voodoo's.....man, those are the 'good old days'. 409 Squadron from up at Comox used to open the shows at Abbotsford and Paine Field every year. GREAT stuff. That is when I fell in love with the F-101. During 1978, I think, it was some anniversary of the RCAF, and 409 Squadron did up one in special paint scheme....similar to what Greenamyer had on the American Jet Bearcat...but much more spectacular. It was called Hawk One.....sky blue front end, and the rest of the plane done up as a Hawk.

[G. van Dyk]

Re: Mayday

As far as the Voodoo's.....man, those are the 'good old days'. 409 Squadron from up at Comox used to open the shows at Abbotsford and Paine Field every year. GREAT stuff. That is when I fell in love with the F-101. During 1978, I think, it was some anniversary of the RCAF, and 409 Squadron did up one in special paint scheme....similar to what Greenamyer had on the American Jet Bearcat...but much more spectacular. It was called Hawk One.....sky blue front end, and the rest of the plane done up as a Hawk.

Hey Speed
You'll probably like this page at the Canadian Forces website.

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/historical/voodoolst_e.asp

The Hawk One is still guarding the gate at Comox. Check out the second last image shows all the Voodoo squadron's anniversary schemes: Hawk One leading, from 409 sqn Comox BC, Lynx from 416 sqn Chatam NB, Alouette from 4 sqd Bagotteville PQ, and Black Night from 414 sqn North Bay ON.

I've seen CF-101s fly several times. I do believe a J-57 to be one of the more efficient ways of conveting jet fuel into noise. I remember the double bang when the ABs were lit to be particularly startling the firt time I heard it.

Cheers all
Gerry

[speeddemon]

Re: Mayday

Hey Speed
You'll probably like this page at the Canadian Forces website.

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/historical/voodoolst_e.asp

The Hawk One is still guarding the gate at Comox. Check out the second last image shows all the Voodoo squadron's anniversary schemes: Hawk One leading, from 409 sqn Comox BC, Lynx from 416 sqn Chatam NB, Alouette from 4 sqd Bagotteville PQ, and Black Night from 414 sqn North Bay ON.

I've seen CF-101s fly several times. I do believe a J-57 to be one of the more efficient ways of conveting jet fuel into noise. I remember the double bang when the ABs were lit to be particularly startling the firt time I heard it.

Cheers all
Gerry

Great pics...especially the one taken from the back seat on take off!!!

I was up at Abbottsford the year that they learned NOT to turn both burners on at the same time. KA-BOOOM. Big fireball, followed by two chutes. After that, they lite one, then the other...resulting in that great 'double-bang'.

Man...I miss those airplanes. Between them and the Vulcan, airshows just aren't fun anymore.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: Mayday

As far as the Voodoo's.....man, those are the 'good old days'. 409 Squadron from up at Comox used to open the shows at Abbotsford and Paine Field every year. GREAT stuff. That is when I fell in love with the F-101.

I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Voodoo. I lived at Glasgow AFB in the NE corner of Montana from 1961-1969 (just a kid). My Dad was flying B-52's and the 101 was there for NORAD, I think. Could have been escort for the B-52's, but that's a different story I suppose. Anyways, it was sooooo cool and I remember going to church and the O club afterwards for brunch with everyone and admiring the Voodoo pilots wearing their MACH (2?) lapel pins. They were pretty dang cool. The one thing I remember was the ball on the top of the nose that I think was an infrared detector? It was so pretty with all the swirly rainbow colors. That's my story about the Voodoo. We moved to Griffiss AFB after (1969-1971) and the NYANG was flying F-86's! Camo paint and all! I think they were out of Syracuse. There were F-106's serving at Griffiss for NORAD duty as I recall. It was a great time to be a kid living on AFB's.

[speeddemon]

Re: Mayday

It was a great time to be a kid living on AFB's.

Yes sireeeee.....especially when you grow up and your neighborhood AFB flies.....wait for it...........


KC-135's.

Man, THAT just pegs the excitement meter.

[Air Race Addict]

Re: Mayday

Yes sireeeee.....especially when you grow up and your neighborhood AFB flies.....wait for it...........


KC-135's.

Man, THAT just pegs the excitement meter.

AH HAH! I just about spewed.......... I know, it sucks. Nothing personal against tankers, I am sure Randy or my Dad or many others could tell you about the joy of seeing one of those babies show up just in the nick of time. BUT, when I first got here in Spokane, the B-52's were still here. Actually we see a lot of different transit aircraft flying the pattern. Still waiting for an F-22. Seen the B-2, F-117, F-18's, EA-6's, C-17's, C-5's, F-15's, P-3's, just about anything you can think of. Just have to keep your eyes open. But you are correct, nothing too cool about watching airliners in the pattern. Kinda like watching the JAL 747 in MWH. Once or maybe twice, it's okay, then you get numb.

[speeddemon]

Re: Mayday

AH HAH! I just about spewed.......... I know, it sucks. Nothing personal against tankers, I am sure Randy or my Dad or many others could tell you about the joy of seeing one of those babies show up just in the nick of time. BUT, when I first got here in Spokane, the B-52's were still here. Actually we see a lot of different transit aircraft flying the pattern. Still waiting for an F-22. Seen the B-2, F-117, F-18's, EA-6's, C-17's, C-5's, F-15's, P-3's, just about anything you can think of. Just have to keep your eyes open. But you are correct, nothing too cool about watching airliners in the pattern. Kinda like watching the JAL 747 in MWH. Once or maybe twice, it's okay, then you get numb.

Amen.

Although...following the JAL 747 in the pattern at MWH is an altogether different experience. Even the P-3 is not immune to wingtip vorticies when he goes to full flap on short final. I'd love to see one of the Sander's Smokewinders on it and follow it in.

[AERRACE]

Re: Mayday

Boy Neal those Moose Jaw pics and the Lefty shot the other day sure
brought back memories. The Voodoo was the 409th's "Hawk One", I have a B&W print you gave me of it. The man handing what is left of the nest the bird that Lefty hit was sitting in is John Baczynski. First trained on the pylons at the 1975 Lincoln, CA Air Race, "Big John" went
on to become the Pylon Chief at Reno and is now a member of the contest committee. Frank

[wingman]

Re: Mayday

Hi Frank

Thanks -- I was trying to remember the Judge's name and couldn't --never knew him well. Glad he's still around -- haven't seen him in a while...

Neal

[SCEPTER]

Re: Mayday

I've got a question for you.When a Merlin quits running,why does the prop keep turning? Is it windmilling an turning the engine.What if the engine is seized?

[51fixer]

Re: Mayday

I've got a question for you.When a Merlin quits running,why does the prop keep turning? Is it windmilling an turning the engine.What if the engine is seized?

The Bald Eagle mayday photos show that there is hyd pressure as he got full flaps and the inner gear doors returned to their closed position. That means the engine is making some power and driving the hyd pump. The D model does not have a hyd hand pump in the cockpit. If the engine was not making power He would have selected flaps which would have gone down some using up his hyd pressure and he would have dumped the gear, used the relief handle to relieve any restricted flow of hyd fluid which would allow the gear to fall quickly. Maybe they would lock down, maybe not. The inner gear doors would not have returned to the closed position.
An engine can have different type of problems and run at low power or not at all;
Spark plugs can foul out.
Certain valvetrain issues can cause detonation, cracked intake seat, missing valve, ect and running over atmospheric manifold pressures will pressurize the intake system with alot of fuel/air mixture that will ignite when that cylinder with the screwed up or missing intake valve sparks. Often that damaged engine will run better or at least run at a manifold setting below atmospheric (30" or so) and allow you to get it down.
The wind will turn the prop depending on airspeed and the angle or pitch of the blades. I remember the engine builder being amazed at the 1st of his engines to let go on the Pond Racer. He had never seen more than 1 rod be thrown and that engine threw 5 out of 6 I believe. He didn't think about the prop still being driven by the wind.
A siezed motor would be a wild ride but the important thing is to maintain airspeed regardless of the emergency.
Hope this helps.
Rich

[SCEPTER]

Re: Mayday

Hope this helps.
Rich

Yes it does,Thanks

[440_Magnum]

Re: Mayday

I do believe a J-57 to be one of the more efficient ways of conveting jet fuel into noise.

Indeed, nothing else screams like a J57. And there's even engineering proof of how good it was at making a racket:

"Soon after the delivery of the early KC-135As, it became apparent that the impingement of turbojet sound waves was causing sonic fatigure in the 7178 aluminum skin of the rear fuselage. This was overcome by bonding 25 circumferential stiffeners in the form of thin aluminium strips to the fuselage area between the rear end of the wing root fillet and the front of the dorsal fin." From Boeing Aircraft since 1916 by Peter M. Bowers.

[440_Magnum]

Re: Mayday

Yes sireeeee.....especially when you grow up and your neighborhood AFB flies.....wait for it...........


KC-135's.

Man, THAT just pegs the excitement meter.

Or at least the ear-plug meter (see previous post)

Ah, who else misses the days when 707s and KC-135s would lock brakes and (s...l...o...w...l...y) spool up on the runway hammerhead, leaving a huge black plume that would linger long after the airplane had taken off?