Yep! Another one!!

USS Saratoga, CV-60, is to be scrapped in Brownsville, Texas, not far from former USS Forrestal. Given my low placement among the US Navy's hierarchy, I don't know anything more than what I saw in this article, but one wonders why the USN is getting rid of its big ships recently.  Are they making room for the expected downsizing?  or perhaps they have finally come to a decision concerning the scrapping of ships they do not plan to use.  There may be other things at play.  I hope that someone saves important parts of her for a museum or display.

Mustang

 Upapa Epops

R-2800

R-2800 on a Grumman F-6F at the Flying Heritage Collection, in Everett, Washington.

Flying Heritage Collection, 2014

 The Flying Heritage Collection of Everett, Washington, has an immaculate collection of aircraft from World War II.  Amongst that collection, and on view for the better part of this year, are THREE Mitsubishi A6M Zeroes.  There is an A6M3 and A6M5 in excellent condition, while the third Zero is in nearly the condition that it was recovered in.  The display gives the viewer a better understanding of what the recovery of these old birds means.  The A6M3 does not have a Sakai 12 engine, but rather a modified American engine of a similar size.  This was done for the sake of reliability.  The majority of the collection ACTUALLY are airworthy.  

 The collection includes several American fighters, but also a B-25 bomber.  This one is in lovingly restored condition.

 The collection also includes some armor.  Here we see a few examples.

 The Luftwaffe is well represented by an Me-109, Me-163, FW-190 D and an FW190A, not to mention a Fiesler Storch and a V-1 Buzz Bomb.

 The one addition to the collection that is not of WWII fame is the MiG-29!  This is the trainer version and is one of the few privately owned MiG-29s in the world.  This is tantamount to owning an F-15!

 Below is the Ki-43 Oscar.

 And here are a few photos of the P-47D.

 The cowls are off some of the aircraft due to FAA inspections and maintenance, but also gives a great view of the R-2800.

 This photo of the P-51D is my favorite of the visit.

 The Soviet Union is also well represented.  This is a PO-2, similar to what the famous "Night Witches" flew.

 You can make out the Il-16 in the background, but this is the Il-2 Shturmovik, Soviet Russia's awesome ground attack aircraft.

 In keeping with the Soviet norm, it is built like a tank.

 And FINALLY!  This is the V-2!  The ballistic missile was impossible to thwart, because once it began its downward plunge to the target nothing could stop it!

Obviously there is much more that you are not seeing, but that is an excellent reason for you to visit!  Admission was $14 for adults, under 5 for free.  You can look at spending an hour to two hours here, but don't rush away, because the Boeing Museum of Flight Restoration Center is not far away, as is the Historic Flight Museum.  You can also tour the Boeing plant.  To say aviation has a home here is something of an understatement!

Keep Track of the Forrestal!

A reader sent me a link to a site he hosts!  It is totally worth a visit!  The photos alone are tremendous!  Here: http://navy.memorieshop.com/Forrestal/LAST-VOYAGE/index.html

USS Forrestal's Final Voyage

CVA-59/ CV/ AVT-59 USS Forrestal, laid down in 1952 and commissioned in 1955, was the first supercarrier, and carried the torch for freedom until 1993, when she was decommissioned.  She is 1039 feet long and four acres of American real-estate.  In 1963 she was host to a C-130 Hercules.   There was hope that USS Forrestal Museum Inc. could raise enough money, public interest, and premises to give her a permanent home as a museum ship.  The USS Forrestal Museum Inc., however, switched their efforts from USS Forrestal to USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63, for various reasons.  The result was that, in October 2013, the US Navy awarded a contract to All Star Metals of Brownsville, Texas, that infamous place on the gulf coast that eats old, brave navy ships, to recycle and dismantle her.  The Navy paid All Stars Metals one cent.  ONE CENT!!

The up-shot is, in the dawn hours of February 4th, the Ex-USS Forrestal was to begin her final journey to sea.  If you live near Philadelphia, along the East Coast, the Gulf Coast, or near Brownsville, Texas, and you see a proud ship under tow, please, take a minute, watch her in her glory.  Take a picture.  Share the moment with a child or loved one.  Say a prayer.  Remember the men who served aboard her.  Remember her service.  For she is a proud ship.

And, if you DO get a photo, send it my way to be posted.  Please!


      

End of Two Eras is Nigh?

I have been a big fan of the heavy hitting capability of the A-10 Warthog for a very long time.  I am also quite fond of the tradition, heritage, and capability of the U-2/TR-1 series of black jets.  They may not be with us much longer, though, according to Chief of U.S. Air Force Air Command Command Gen. Michael Hostage in an interview with Air Force Times.  

Because big business seems to be running things in Washington DC we can look forward to buying more drones like Global Hawk, but that leaves little money for the continuation of U-2/TR-1 service.  That then puts out of commission an entirely viable, of older technology.  Why are we letting big business wine and dine our politicians?  Is it good to have technology for technology sake?  I don't know the answers, but I wonder.

The A-10 may die because of the fact that it does not have a place on battlefield of the future.  Given the fact that we may be facing insurgents and un-organized hostile forces, this actually seems reasonable.  Still, the A-10 carries that badge of honor of being an ugly but capable weapons system.  

You can find out more here and here.