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Post by Barnsey on Aug 12, 2006 16:08:00 GMT 12
Oz is now the XO of 78 wing at Williamtown. 78 Wing being responsible for training for Air Combat Group - 2OCU, 76 SQN, 79 SQN.
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Post by Barnsey on Jul 24, 2006 23:37:47 GMT 12
To get the continuous stream of flares using the HOTAS, you had to trick the system by selecting chaff against the zones that were actually loaded with the flares.
Each bucket (Left and Right) was divided into two zones holding 10 or 20 individual cartridges (giving a total of 30 countermeasures per bucket). So this gave the loading settings of L10, L20, R10 and R20, against which the armourers set what supposed to be in the zones - chaff, flare or jammer. This panel was located in the aft hell-hole. It also was where the chaff and flare programs were loaded.
The reason that you tricked the system was that the chaff program dial allowed a "continuous" setting, whereas flares did not.... (The program type required were selected on the cockpit CMDS panel). So for the vertical rolling departure, you would push the HOTAS countermeasures switchon the throttle forward to chaff, and the CMDS would dispense flares continuously!
You could also salvo all your flares by selecting the CMDS power switch all the way through to SALVO. This wasn't a player during a display as the switch was heads down, so would've been a prick to find during a 6g pull-up.
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Post by Barnsey on Oct 7, 2006 20:59:42 GMT 12
I agree!! Nothing like snotting along at 50 feet in close formation.
I got the first photo from his photo bucket account. He had posted a whole bunch of Afganistan photos on PPrune and I recognised the name, and I lucked in and found that one. I had downloaded the other pictures previously, but re-found them for the above posts.
I've modified some of the links to his Airliners.net photos to show his copyright. Doesn't the RNZAF own the copyright on photos taken of its assets (and burning its fuel!)?
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Post by Barnsey on Oct 7, 2006 20:53:26 GMT 12
www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0728275And this was how it ended!! No so thick that you can't see the wingman, however. We had launched on a weather forecast that didn't have any holding requirements, but as you can see in some of the shots there's a solid undercast forming. We did an IMC penetration to low level off the East Coast and did the low level shots down through Cook Straight and back up the west. North of Paraparamumu we got the call that Ohakea had gone Red (Weather below approach minimums - at OH this was lower than ILS Cat II - really bad!). Luckly we had some gas to hold in the overhead for 20 or so minutes, before flying pairs ILS approaches down to the minima.
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Post by Barnsey on Oct 7, 2006 19:05:26 GMT 12
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Post by Barnsey on Oct 7, 2006 18:04:31 GMT 12
Taken on 8 Sep 2000 by Neville Dawson. That's me flying 55 with Boomer in the back doing some filming for a TV show (Dream Jobs).
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Post by Barnsey on Sept 14, 2006 23:14:33 GMT 12
I see that there's now a "Supersonic Life" website, which lists a release date of Jan 07.... www.supersoniclife.com
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Post by Barnsey on Jul 19, 2006 23:57:02 GMT 12
There was a pitch change (nose down) as you accelerated through about M0.92 (?), but after that the only tactile cue that you were super was the HUD read M1.0+.... and you're pointing 70 degrees nose down with the throttle parked and the altitude unwinding too fast to read!
The flip side of the pitch change was that there was a possibility of overstressing on the pull out as the aircraft decelerated. To minimise the risk, you were limited to 4G.
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Post by Barnsey on Jul 19, 2006 23:24:18 GMT 12
I got Mach 1.17 on a nice cold day off the coast of Nowra...!
I remember the lads doing DACT against the Macchis in a clean jet, and purposely starting the fights off the coast, nice and high, just so they could be supersonic at the first merge and then mention it in the debrief! The turn rate and radius was obviously absolute crap and if the Macchi was on to it they would be able to lead turn and get heaps of angles and end the fight pretty quickly.
Ah, the best flying to be had - anywhere...
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Post by Barnsey on Oct 5, 2006 23:19:34 GMT 12
Don't know if the company is still operating though? Can't seem to find any recent information on them.
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Post by Barnsey on Oct 5, 2006 23:09:57 GMT 12
The Aerogroup F-16s may be some of the excess MLUs from the Netherlands. ID'd as MLU aircraft due to the "bird-cutter" IFF interrogator aerials in front of the windscreen.
And after a short Google search:
AeroGroup International Corporation Announces It Has Received Acceptance of Offer to Purchase F-16 Falcon Aircraft from the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2002
AeroGroup International Corporation (Pink Sheets:DRGR) announces that it has received an acceptance of offer from the Netherlands Government for the purchase of F-16 Falcon fighter aircraft that were in service with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). AeroGroup's purchase consists of the acquisition of (7) two-seat training version F-16 "B" models, spares and support equipment and the option to exercise the First Right of Refusal on an additional package of (12) single-seat F-16 "A" version models.
AeroGroup CEO, Mark Daniels states, "The details of the final contract are being worked through with the attorneys on both sides and all looks great. We have been working on this project for quite some time, going through the process of getting clearance and approval with the U.S. State Department, U.S. Air Force and the Netherlands Government. We "AeroGroup" will be the first civilian company to own and operate the F-16. In my opinion, it is an historical event and a huge successful step in AeroGroup's future. Our customer, the U.S. Military agencies that we support, want a fourth generation type aircraft with current up-to-date technology that can provide advanced presentations of threats to meet their training requirements and this is the ultimate aircraft to perform the mission. This expands AeroGroup's capabilities in its first and primary business case of supporting the United States Military in Electronic Warfare (EW) training. However, with the operation of two-seat F-16 aircraft, AeroGroup will also focus on a completely untapped and desperately needed service in providing required flight training in the F-16 to U.S. approved NATO countries. The opportunities in this area of training are incredible, as the F-16 is operated by 22 countries currently and is expected to expand."
About the F-16 Falcon Aircraft
Originally designed and built by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin), the F-16A, a single-seat model, first flew in December 1976. The first operational F-16A was delivered in January 1979 to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The F-16B, a two-seat model, has tandem cockpits that are about the same size as the one in the A model. Its bubble canopy extends to cover the second cockpit. To make room for the second cockpit, the forward fuselage fuel tank and avionics growth space were reduced. During training, the forward cockpit is used by a student pilot with an instructor pilot in the rear cockpit. The F-16 is capable of speeds of Mach 2 and an operational altitude of over 50,000 ft. More than 4,000 F-16s have been produced, in over 110 different versions. Highly versatile and exceptionally maneuverable, the F-16 is the world's most popular, most sought-after multirole fighter. Nations are attracted to the proven affordability, performance, and supportability of this aircraft.
When first introduced, the F-16 was a revolutionary fighter and has continuously evolved to meet global needs. Twenty-two nations have chosen the world's first fourth-generation fighter; 14 of those nations have made subsequent purchases of new aircraft; and six have acquired U.S. Air Force inventory aircraft through purchase or lease. Deliveries have been made from five production lines.
The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement creating a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. These countries jointly produced with the United States an initial 348 F-16s for their air forces. Final airframe assembly lines were located in Belgium and the Netherlands. The consortium's F-16s are assembled from components manufactured in all five countries. Belgium also provides final assembly of the F100 engine used in the European F-16s. Recently, Portugal joined the consortium. The long-term benefits of this program will be technology transfer among the nations producing the F-16, and a common-use aircraft for NATO nations. This program increases the supply and availability of repair parts in Europe and improves the F-16's combat readiness.
USAF F-16 multi-mission fighters were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm, where more sorties were flown than with any other aircraft. These fighters were used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missiles sites and a variety of other targets.
About AeroGroup International Corporation
AeroGroup International Corporation is a Florida-based tactical aviation company created in 2001 to capitalize on the shortfalls in aviation support assets within the U.S. Military. AeroGroup has a staff of aviation professionals and an available inventory of tactical aircraft capable of subsonic and supersonic flight. The Company is well positioned to fly combat fighter support missions each year that go unmet by military training personnel.
Crikey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Barnsey on Sept 8, 2006 13:36:16 GMT 12
Good work Don!!! All the best for raising the public's awareness of the whole ACF disbandment fiasco.
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Post by Barnsey on Mar 3, 2008 2:38:24 GMT 12
Is Weedons still used for storage by the RNZAF Museum? There isn't much information thrown up by Mr Google on what goes on there these days. Some of the aircraft (Canberra from the RAF) that had previously been reported as stored at Weedons appear to now be housed in the Wigram hangars Google earth seems to show that a large storage building (hangar?) remains, but not a lot else. The remains of the married patch roads can be seen, and still are indicated as viable on some mapping programs. It appears that a local helicopter company, Wyndon Aviation, seems to operate from somewhere around there. www.caa.govt.nz/Publications/CAA_News/CAA_News_2005_Issue-3_May-June.pdf Looking at the photo at the bottom of page 5 seems to show them housed in a large building, possibly the Weedons "hangar"? I found a little bit from the mid-90s about the USN's HF transmitters that were located there, but now appear to be gone. Google earth shows a circular area on the north eastern side that previously was an antenna base. There appears there is another comms facility on the south-western corner, but haven't found out anything about it. www.its.bldrdoc.gov/pub/ntia-rpt/94-304/94-304_chap1&2.pdfIt's been a big Sunday night in.....!!
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Post by Barnsey on Mar 28, 2008 17:22:43 GMT 12
I was going to say that I would think the damage to the gun was from the nose pitching down upon landing, but..... there's no damage to the sensor pod which hangs down even lower.
So, maybe a premature detonation of a round in the barrel leading to a hydraulic failure?
Goodbye to the bottom of the vertical stabs!!
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Post by Barnsey on Dec 12, 2006 11:53:44 GMT 12
"It appeared that Bloggs had got the wrong idea about logging cross-country hours"
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