ScanBits

A few images of the last Felix Tomcat that I shot in "the wild". F-14 163417 on the fuel farm at AMARG being prepped for storage back in 2006.

342FH-3B26914-Y1C-23-32-232-Left-Side The Lockheed Altair just captures that late 1920's early 1930's era of aircraft design. The rounded curves of the tail surfaces and the big NACA  engine cowling top off the look. If the landing gear was fixed it would have big rounded wheel spats to accent the design. 342FH-3B26913-Y1C-23-32-232-Left-Front-Langley-Field-19340131 342FH-3B26915-Y1C-23-32-232-Left-Front  The aircraft was powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp that had a production run of over 34,000 engines that powered many contemporary aircraft including the Chance Vought O2U and O3U Corsairs and the Boeing F4B fighters. 342FH-3B26916-Y1C-23-32-232-Left-Side 342FH-3B26917-Y1C-23-32-232-Left-Rear The Altair came about during that run of great looking and performing aircraft the Vega, Sirius,Altair and Orion from Lockheed.The Altair boasted having the first successful fully retractable landing gear.  342FH-3B26918-Y1C...

2437-XPTBH-2-9721-Right-Front-View-19370125  Hall Aluminum Aircraft Corporation answered the US Navy request for a new scout  and  torpedo bomber in 1934 with the XPTBH-2. The twin engined, twin float shoulder mounted wing monoplane that they delivered was a sleek and interesting design. 2341-XPTBH-2-9721-Powerplant-Inbd-LH-Nacelle-19361101 The aircraft was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines. It featured a tubular wing spar, aluminum floats and wing leading edges. 2370-XPTBH-2-9721-Bomb-Installation-19361201 A single Mark 13 torpedo could be carried by the XPTBH-2 or 2,000 lbs of bombs.  2412-XPTBH-2-9721-Deck-Gun-19361228 Defensive armament was a nose mounted gun turret with a .30 caliber machine gun and guns firing from top and bottom potions in the rear of the aircraft. No production order was forthcoming for the design despite good handling characteristics in the air and on the water. The single proto...

The final development of the Loening Amphibian series, the XO2L-1/2 was developed for carrier and battleship use. Only one aircraft of each type was built. The XO2L-1 had BuNo of 8525 and the XO2L-2 had the BuNo of 8606. Both aircraft tested and utilized by the US Navy, however no production contracts were forthcoming for either version. Here is a photo from NARA of the XO2L-1 sitting in the water with the landing gear retracted. Interestingly the designation on the rudder of 8525 in this February 24, 1932 photo is painted as XO-2L! 72AC-44E-1354-XO2L-1-8525-Left-Side-View During the testing program which involved deployments on several different ships, the XO2L-2 was captured in this photo aboard USS Saratoga. As can be seen in closer examination the fin and rudder have been lengthened and the addition of additional of fins on the top of the horizontal stabilizer is visible in this image. CV3-201221 XO2L-2 8606 On board USS Saratoga October 12,1932 CV3-201222 X...

2006 saw the last of the F-14D Tomcat fighters leave US Navy fleet service. VF-31 and VF-213 were the last two squadrons to deploy with the F-14. The VF-213 Black Lions painted F-14D 164602 AJ-213, in full colors for the retirement. I had the good fortune to see F-14D 164602 two days after arrival and prior to spraylat being applied for it's storage in AMARG in 2006.  With the exception of the AMARG inventory number ANIK0195, and the yellow 7 indicating an accountable inventory inspection has been completed, the aircraft's markings are untouched.  Some preliminary work to start covering openings has been completed.  Twin tailed Lion that evolved with the squadrons transition from the F-4J Phantom II to the F-14A Tomcat.  AMARG technicians added blocks to the top of each rudder to keep the surfaces from blowing back and forth in the wind potentially damaging hinges and actuators. Foil paper and tape have been used to cove...

Front View of QF-4N 153030 at NAS Pt. Mugu August 12, 2004 about two weeks before it's last flight. BillSpidle QF-4N 153030 entered the history books in an unusual way on August 25, 2004. "Droopy" flew from NAS Pt. Mugu to NAS North Island for the final US Navy Phantom flight.  Bloodhound 145 sitting quietly in the California sun. BillSpidle The story of the final flight started on April 20, 2002 when QF-4S 155749 crashed killing Cmdr Michael Norman and Capt Andrew Muhs during a NAS Pt. Mugu airshow. After the accident investigation it was decided to retire the remaining QF-4N/S aircraft from use, thus ending 45+ years of service. The remaining QF-4N/S aircraft were delivered to target ranges and a few went to museums. QF-4N 153030 Bloodhound 145 of VX-30. BillSpidle Shot of the J-79 afterburner on 153030. BillSpidle View showing the fins on the center line external fuel tank. BillSpidle Shot of the tail markings on Droopy. BillSpidle ...

A 2007 visit to Tucson, AZ afforded the opportunity to spend a few minutes outside the fence at Davis-Monthan AFB to shoot a few Hogs. Here are three images from that afternoon visit. A-10A 79-0168 358FS 355Wg BillSpidle 20070301 A-10A 80-0176 358FS 355Wg BillSpidle 20070301 A-10A 80-0176, 78-0652 355Wg BillSpidle 20070301