My how Stealth has changed in 20 years

DSC06729, originally uploaded by PlaneJared.

In 1978 Northrup engineer's started to work on 'Stealth' as an idea to allow aircraft to fly places that other people (i.e. the Russian's) didn't want our planes to go.

Usually those no fly zones were strictly enforced with AAA and SAM's - as shown by the Vietnam War. And Air Force planners wanted to limit the chances of the opposition to harm their pilots and their pretty planes.

This was their first attempt. Northrup's Tacit Blue aka the Whale. It is currently on display at the US Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH.

If you go to the Museum page for the Whale, and click on the More pictures, you can see a better look at the wings and tail surfaces. The canted tail surfaces have carried through to the F-117 and the F-22. The JSF (aka F-35) has canted surfaces - just not as dramatic.

And then there is the B-2 - that decided they didn't need a tail at all. But it shares the curves that the Whale tested.

When I first saw this plane - it was parked over in the main building - under the wing of the XB-70 Valkyrie. And at first glance - all I could think of - is a Star Trek Shuttlecraft.

Travel tips for the Occasional Traveler

A couple of travel hints for any newbies out there trying to get around the US by air these days;

1. Check the airline or airport web site to see how far in advance of your flight you should be at the airport. Taking an hour for breakfast at the airport restaurant and then trying to shove your kid's stroller through the long screening line, saying you are about to miss your flight - is NOT going to get you anywhere.
   
2. You cannot take your 2 liter bottle of soda/water/liquor through security. So start chugging now.
3. Don't complain about the lines to get through security - unless you are willing to go to work for TSA. Maybe there is a reason that only 5 of 10 screening lines are open.
   
4. If you packed the bag - you get to carry it (and lift it in and out of the overhead bins). If you can't - maybe you should travel lighter.
   
5. Buy a watch to tell time on the airplane.
   

[the last one is my fault. My favorite watch fell apart a year or so ago - and I got a cheap one as a stopgap. I am picky about watches - it took me more than 2 years of looking to find that last one. The cheap one died a couple of months ago - and I figured I didn't really need one - since I always have my cell - and it shows the time just fine. But when I was travelling yesterday - I realized why I need a watch. Because you don't have to turn off your watch while the plane is in flight!]

Book Review - Learning to Love the Bomb

Rookie Missile Commander, originally uploaded by rob-the-org.

Things must be rough all over at Strategic Command - if they are letting a character like this be in charge of a ICBM. But seriously - I just finished reading one of my best friend's latest book, "Learning to Love the Bomb - Canada's Nuclear Weapons during the Cold War." (Yes - it is on Amazon - that's where I got my copy when it came out last summer) I have always been an amateur military history buff - but Sean is the professional.

The picture above - was taken during a visit to the Titan Missile Museum in January 2006. That is him at the Missile Commander's console - with his hand posed to execute the launch order - "turn the key" (the fact that you don't see the Deputy Missile Commander in the chair on the left - means that no matter what Sean does, the missile won't be flying today. The fact that the missile has been decommissioned, de-fueled and has two large holes in the body is only a minor set-back).

Back to the book. Sean's specialty is the Cold War era. And as we get farther and farther in time from this era - there is still research being done every day, bringing new stories of that turbulent time to light.

Some of Sean's previous works in this era are;

• Securing Command of the Sea (NATO Naval Planning, 1948-1954)
• Canada and UN Peacekeeping (Cold War by Other Means, 1945-1970)
• War without Battles (Canada's NATO Brigade, 1945-1993)

But this book - his latest on the Cold War - revolves around Canada's access to and control over nuclear weapons. I won't kid you - this isn't an easy read. It is full of meeting notes, political in-fighting, larger than life ego's, all revolving around the why, how, and when that Canada had nukes. But Sean did a pretty good job of pulling it all together to explain this - through three separate Canadian governments (and these were some pretty different governments),
the formation of NORAD, through the evolution of NATO's European defense policies.

The early NATO defense concepts - incorporated the use of tactical nuclear weapon's into their plan because there was a realization that the smaller NATO conventional forces would just be a speed bump in the road to the overwhelming size of the Soviet armies. It wasn't until the late 70's/early 80's - where the NATO technology was starting to provide quality over quantity that there was a sizeable shift away from nuclear weapon's (and the fact that it isn't really defending a country if you ended up destroying it while the enemie's army is the advancing across it).

One thing that you have to remember about the timeframe - late 50's to the 60's - was that just like the Battleship leading up to World War 1 - the Bomb was the weapon that everyone HAD to have. If you didn't have the Bomb, then your country wasn't part of the top tier of nations. In some ways - this policy has continued today with countries like Iran and Libya (Iran doesn't want to admit that this is the case - but I don't think that anyone buys the other excuses coming from their firebrand of a President - and Libya has given up theirs in exchange for 'normal' relations with the rest of the world).

I have to admit - that there are times that I am the 'ugly American' because I am not as knowledgeable about the world around me. I can name every single US President since World War 2 - but couldn't name any Canadian Prime Minister's except for Trudeau or Mulroney. So all of the material in this book - was brand new to me. That's one of the things that I value in Sean's friendship - he brings an outside perspective and opinion to our discussions and debates.

[Now you be asking why I haven't posted this review on the book's page on Amazon... well - I figure it wouldn't necessarily be given the proper credit. Because you see the picture above - was the one that Sean used for his 'About the Author' on the inside of the dust jacket. I was the photographer who took it. And am credited with taking it. So now - I am an 'internationally published photographer.' I think I was ROFLMAO for a least 10-15 minutes when I first opened the book up. My wife keeps telling me I need to put this picture on my CV/resume - just as an ice-breaker for interviews]

DIY Identification

Flickr - create an ID, originally uploaded by rob-the-org.

This psuedo ID was created via a web/php page that someone had put together to show support for Yahoo's Flickr photo sharing service.

I just cropped one of my pictures (in this case - from my Warbird ride last March), and selected the template I wanted and the text I wanted added, clicked 'Generate' and this is what I got.

What I find is so funny/ironic/nostagic about this - is that trying to create ID's was one of the first things I remember doing on my buddy's new Mac way back when. It was an old 'Fat' Mac - with a whopping 512kb of RAM (if I remember correctly). The IDs weren't going to fool anyone who actually looked at them - and we soon moved on to making custom game pieces for wargames - but there were only so many things you can do with MacPaint in those days.

Zooming in and changing one pixel at a time - to get the letters small - but still readable.

A much simpler time ;)

Trivia - what is this plane's primary function?

Boeing Co N378BC, originally uploaded by Drewski2112.

Give up?

Let's start w/ the obvious. Yes - it is a Boeing 737. Yes - it is painted for the RAAF (Australian Air Force).

But - what is the purpose of the extra 'fin' running down the center of the fuselage?

That is a Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) - because this is a AEW&C aircraft - or more simply - AWACS. With the new Electronically scanned array - think Aegis in the Navy - you no longer need the flying radome on top of the USAF E-3's or USN E-2C's.

Basically - this is a 737-700 (equivalent to the BBJ) - w/ extra equipment for a modern airforce. Australia has ordered 6, Turkey is buying 6 and South Korea is looking at this as well.

As my brother correctly pointed out - the 737 AWACS falls under the 'Wedgetail' project name.

(More info on the 737 AEW&C project)

If you want to see more pictures from the Seattle area airports - including Boeing Field and Renton Muni (where the 737 is assembled) - then take a look at Drewski2112's pictures over on Flickr.

Housecleaning - links from days gone by (part 1)

Ok - these have just been collecting in a second browser window for weeks now - and I haven't had a chance to do anything w/ them.

So - here they are - while I am waiting for the clock to strike 2 across the country (so I can make sure all of the machines I am responsible for - have changed back to Standard time);

- Lego's - nothing your mother would approve of

- Pictures from outer space

- Pictures of the damage to Endeavor's tiles (from August's flight)

- France spy's satellites that don't exist

- The dark side - of a different moon

Trivia - What is this?

DSC00976, originally uploaded by rob-the-org.

Ok - I have been going through and updating and posting some of my pictures, and have been looking for just the right one to do this w/ - and think this is probably the best one.

So - your challenge - is to ID this artifact currently on display at the National Air & Space Museum - Udvar Hazy Center in Dulles, Virgina.

(I could have asked where it was located - but the group it was in and all of the tags on the picture should have given all that away).

Q - what is it?

A - The mothership from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

Q - what was its role?

A - It was the mothership - where the old abuctee's came out - and Richard Dreyfuss went in.

Q - who was responsible for it?

A - Director = Steven Spielberg

Q - what is it made out of?

A - Plastic models - mostly Oil Refineries

Q - what year was it created?

A - 1977