 
lockheed c-141b starlifter
Serial Number: 67-0013
Markings: 305th and 415th Air Wings, McGuire AFB, New Jersey, 2000
In May 1960 the U.S. Air Force asked aircraft manufacturers to submit designs for a jet transport to replace the ageing and outdated fleet of propeller driven transports then in use. Boeing, Convair, Douglas, and Lockheed submitted proposals with the Lockheed design being selected in May 1961 as the winner. The first C-141 made its maiden flight on December 17, 1963, the 60th Anniversary of the Wright Brother’s first flight. Starlifters saw extensive service in Vietnam first flying there in 1965 only a few months after entering full service. A few C-141s were built with stronger airframes to allow them to carry the Minuteman missile. After a short time in service it was found that the C-141 ran out of room in the cargo bay before it reached its maximum carrying weight and it was decided to lengthen the aircraft by 23 feet and add aerial refueling capability. One by one the Starlifters returned to Lockheed to be cut open and have two extra fuselage sections inserted, one in front of the wing and one behind it. The newly lengthened aircraft were called C-141B. The Starlifter has continued to serve in the U.S. Air Force up to the early 2000s; however, they were retired from military service in 2006.
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Uploaded on Jan 6, 2009
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general dynamics f-111e aardvark
Serial Number: 68-0033
Markings: 20th Tactical Fighter Wing, 77th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Upper Heyford, United Kingdom, 1992
Design of the F-111 began in the late 1950s in answer to an Air Force requirement for a supersonic low-level tactical bomber. The F-111 is the first swing-wing aircraft to enter production for the U.S. Air Force. The moveable wings allow the aircraft to perform well at both slow and high speeds making it safer and more efficient. A controversial attempt by the Department of Defense to require the design to also serve as an interceptor for the Navy failed when the aircraft proved to be unsuitable for carrier operations, but led to the development of the F-14 Tomcat. The first F-111A flew in December 1964 with the first production aircraft reaching service in 1967. The F-111E is a slightly modified and upgraded version of the original A model and was intended as an interim design while the substantially upgraded F-111D was developed. The Aardvark served in the U.S. Air Force until the mid-1990s when the last of them were retired. The aircraft remains in service with the Australian Air Force as of early 2009.
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Uploaded on Jan 6, 2009
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fairchild a-10a thunderbolt II
Serial Number: 75-0298
Markings: 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, 358th Tactical Fighter Squadron "Lobos", Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, 1992
Called the Warthog by its pilots and ground crews the A-10 is not the prettiest aircraft ever built, but it is extremely good at its job -- killing tanks. Designed around a massive 30mm rotary cannon capable of firing up to 4,200 rounds per minute and with large amounts of titanium armor around the cockpit and engines the A-10 is almost a flying tank itself. The A-10 proved its capabilities in the 1990-91 Gulf War by destroying several thousand Iraqi tanks, and other vehicles.
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Uploaded on Jan 5, 2009
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lockheed s-3b viking
Serial Number: 160604
Markings: Sea Control Squadron 21 (VS-21) "Fighting Redtails", Naval Air Field Atsugi, Japan, 2004
The Viking was designed in the late 1960s to replace the aging S-2 Tracker as the Navy’s carrier based, fixed wing anti-submarine aircraft. Incorporating the latest electronic and acoustic submarine hunting technology in an airframe powered by two highly efficient turbofan engines the S-3A greatly increased the Navy’s ability to locate and track Soviet nuclear submarines. The first Viking flew in January 1972 and so impressed the Navy that the first production contract was issued only three months later. Anti-submarine squadron 21 was the first to use the Viking operationally in 1974. The aircraft proved to be extremely safe, reliable, and versatile. In 1981, Lockheed began upgrading the existing Vikings to incorporate newer electronic systems and the ability to fire the Harpoon anti-ship missile. Eventually all anti-submarine equipment was removed and the Viking focused anti-surface warfare, strike missions, and aerial refueling duties.
Service History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft, Burbank, California and delivered to the Navy in 1978 as the 184th of 187 Vikings built. The detailed service history of this aircraft is not currently available, however a few details are known. The aircraft was assigned to Sea Control Squadron 31 (VS-31) aboard the USS Eisenhower during Operation Desert Shield. Later it was transferred to Sea Control Squadron 21 (VS-21) at Naval Air Field Atsugi, Japan and deployed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. The striking paint scheme on this aircraft was designed in 2004 for the disestablishment of VS-21. The aircraft was placed in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in 2005. In 2006 the National Museum of Naval Aviation placed it on loan to the Pima Air and Space Museum.
The nose art on Lockheed S-3B Viking 160604 was painted by Laurie Dover. She is an artist who paints WWII nose art and insignia on leather flight jackets. They were commissioned by VS-21 to create a specific design to be painted on one of their airplanes, the S-3B Viking, in honor of the squadron’s decommissioning. The artwork is painted in a style reminiscent to nose artwork done during WWII. The nose art was painted on both sides of the airplane, and it was done at the Atsugi, Japan US Navy Base. A couple of weeks later, the airplane with its nose art paintings was showcased at the decommission ceremony and festivities. 3½ inch woven patches of the nose art design were created and sold.
Laurie Dover said, "Creating this design and painting it at the Navy Base was an amazing experience."
Pictures showing the painting process can be seen at:
Torpedo Bomber Squadron VS-21 Decommissioning
A photographic journal 1945-2005
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Uploaded on Jan 4, 2009
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general motors tbm-3e avenger
Serial Number: 69472
Registration: N9593C
Markings: VT-1 (Navy Torpedo Squadron 1) USS Essex CV-9, 1944
The Avenger was designed and built initially by the Grumman company and designated TBF. However, since Grumman's facilities were straining to produce enough of their fighters for the Navy it was decided to ask General Motors to open another production line for the design. The General Motors version was designated the TBM, but was otherwise identical. The Avenger first entered combat during the Battle of Midway, and despite a poor performance in that engagement went on to be the primary torpedo bomber of the war. Later versions of the aircraft designated TBM-3 had a more powerful engine and the "E" variant was equipped with a special anti-submarine radar. Avengers continued to serve in the U.S. Navy well into the 1950s.
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Uploaded on Jan 3, 2009
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