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World War 1

The Tank Museum Acquires Development and Design Documents for Mark I Tank

The Tank Museum in Bovington, United Kingdom has acquired documents relating to the development and design of the World War I-era Mark I tank. Along with these pages, the hundreds of sheets of paper also consist of illustrations and correspondence once belonging to famed British developer Sir William Tritton.

Telegram sent to Fosters of Lincoln
Telegram sent to Fosters of Lincoln regarding the registering of the word “tank.” (Photo Credit: The Tank Museum)
The Mark I documents were acquired by The Tank Museum via the same auction house that sold the “lost” blueprint of the tank to the institution in 2022. According to a press release, a team will now sift through each to “record and catalogue them so that the importance of the trove can be fully understood.”
Many of the documents are believed to relate to William Tritton, who co-invented the tank with Maj. Walter Wilson.Portrait of Sir William TrittonSir William Tritton. (Photo Credit: The Tank Museum)
The first ever tank to see combat, the British Mark I debuted on the battlefield during the Battle of the Somme. It was equipped with two six-pounder guns and three Hotchkiss .303 machine guns, and its unique rhomboidal design afforded it the ability to cross over trenches. It was also intended to crush barbed wire and travel over difficult terrain – in particular, No Man’s Land.
The conflict saw 150 of the heavy tanks leave the production line, 75 male and 75 female. It was followed by a number of variants, which improved upon the original design. For example, some of the later versions were equipped with Lewis guns, as opposed to the Hotchkiss.
The Tank Museum is home to the last surviving Mark I, which was presented to Lord Salisbury in 1919. Upon coming under the purview of the institution, it underwent restoration, receiving the tail and hydraulics of a Mark II. Its guns were also cosmetically restored with wood.Sir William Tritton's business card atop another documentSir William Tritton’s business card. (Photo Credit: The Tank Museum)
While the majority of the documents still need to be sifted through, several pieces of note have already been uncovered. These include Tritton’s business card, illustrations providing insight into the intention of the Mark I’s rear wheels and a telegram sent by Fosters of Lincoln to the trademark office to “register the word tank.”
Several letters written by Tritton to the British War Office have also been discovered, in which he discusses his desire to patent his design and receive the “reward” he and Wilson had been promised “for their success after the war.”
His exasperation appears to increase with each letter, with one ending with, “Is not the labourer worth of his hire?… Major Wilson and I should receive the due reward of our professional work.”Letter from the Ministry of Munitions to Sir William TrittonLetter from the British Ministry of Munitions to Sir William Tritton. (Photo Credit: The Tank Museum)
The Tank Museum will share additional information once the documents have been properly looked over and cataloged.
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World War 1

World War I-Era Shipwrecks Surface During Texas Drought

The Neches River has been plagued by an enduring drought this summer, which has seen water levels drop. This has resulted in a number of items surfacing in the Texas waterway, including a plethora of World War I-era shipwrecks. In fact, five were recently found with connections to the US Shipping Board’s Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC).

USS Banago anchored in the water
USS Banago, a wooden cargo ship built by the US Shipping Board’s Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) during World War I, 1918. (Photo Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Bill Milner was jetskiing in an area along the Neches River on August 16, 2023 when he came across several pieces of wood jutting out from the river. Not sure what he’d stumbled upon, but believing it could be important, he took photos and video footage. This was sent to the Ice House Museum in Silsbee, which contacted the Texas Historical Commission.
It was the latter that confirmed that Milner had stumbled upon not just one, but five different World War I-era shipwrecks in the east Texas river. According to the museum, the vessels “appeared to have a hefty double hull, with an outside wall connected to an inside wall with cast iron spikes, that are from 2 to 3 feet long and about 1 to 2 inches thick.”

The ships are believed to have belonged to the US Shipping Board’s Emergency Fleet Corporation, established in 1917, not long after the United States declared war on Germany. With the aim of combating the German U-boat threat in the Atlantic, the EFC was tasked with “acquiring, maintaining and operating merchant ships to ferry American soldiers and supplies to France.”

Using older shipyards, the EFC constructed 282-foot 19th-century wooden ships that were powered by steam-driven engines. The reason for this was two-fold: the US government didn’t want to overwhelm modern shipyards, and the country was facing a metal shortage, due to the war.

“The amazing story of these shipwrecks began in WWI, when German submarines were making more than a little headway sinking US merchant ships in the Atlantic,” the Ice House Museum wrote in a statement. “There was a grave concern that the loss of these merchant ships would seriously impede their ability to get materials for the war, as well as food and other commodities needed by the American people.”

Following the First World War, the government struggled to sell the outdated wooden ships. While some were turned into barges, others sold for just a fraction of what it cost to build them. The majority, however, were scuttled in rivers, where officials decided to “let salvagers get what they could from the iron in timber.”

Row of wooden merchant ships off the coast of Seattle, WashingtonIncomplete ships built by the US Shipping Board’s Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) in Seattle, Washington, 1919. (Photo Credit: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
It’s believed the shipwrecks Milner came across in the Neches were the result of a fire in 1924. In an interview with Business Insider, Susan Kilcrease of the Ice House Museum explained that six of these wooden vessels had departed from the Port of Beaumont, in Beaumont, Texas, and not long into their journey caught fire and sank to the bottom of the river.
As for the future of these World War I-era shipwrecks, Amy Borgens of the Texas Historical Commission told the Texas Standard, “With vessels of this type, of this size, where there are so many of them, really the best approach for preservation is what we call a situ preservation: just leaving them in place and not disturbing them.”
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World War 1

The Tank Museum Republishing Trevor Pidgeon’s ‘The Tanks at Flers’

The Tank Museum has announced it’s collaborating with historian Stephen Pope to republish Trevor Pidgeon’s The Tanks at Flers: An Account of the First Use of Tanks In War at The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Somme, 15 September 1916. Having been out of print for several years, the news comes on the anniversary of the historic battle.

Troops standing in front of a Mark I tank
Photo Credit: Robert Hunt Library / Windmill Books / UIG / Getty Images
According to The Tank Museum, The Tanks at Flers, first published in 1995, looks into the early days of tank development and how crews were chosen to operate the armored vehicles on the battlefield. The information provided in its pages comes from firsthand accounts, operational orders, field maps, photographs, diaries, correspondence and plans from the First World War.
This new edition features additional information from Stephen Pope, and includes rescanned A2 maps and a forward from David Fletcher. Speaking in a press release, Simon Prager, head of commercial operations at The Tank Museum, said:
“The Tanks at Flers has been updated with new research from historian Stephen Pope and is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the First World War and the development of the tank. We are proud to have put this fantastic work back into print.
“In this republished edition, each book comes inside a presentation box with the maps that were in Volume 2 of the original publication so readers can follow the footsteps of the tanks over the battlefield.”Troops walking through a trenchPhoto Credit: Robert Hunt Library / Windmill Books / UIG / Getty Images
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette began on September 15, 1916 and was the first time tanks appeared on the battlefield. Occurring during the middle of the Somme Campaign, the engagement saw the French Sixth Army, the British Fourth Army and a reserve force take on the German 1st Army.
The British entered the battle with Mark I tanks, which were used to cut through barbed wire and forge a path for infantrymen to approach the Gerrman enemy. They were also tasked with destroying machine gun emplacements.
While reports state that only a third successfully made it across No Man’s Land (the rest either suffered mechanical failures, were hit with shellfire or became stuck), their effect on the enemy led to calls for more units.
When the fighting concluded on September 22, thousands of battlefield casualties had been suffered. That being said, the British and French emerged from the battle with a tactical victory, securing Flers, Courcelette and Martinpuich.British troops standing with a Mark I tankPhoto Credit: Underwood Archives / Getty Images
Pre-orders for The Tanks at Flers are currently available via The Tank Museum’s online store. Those who order the book before October 13, 2023 will have their names included in the acknowledgments section.
Categories
Football

Ronaldo’s girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez reʋealed what she usually does after the kids go to Ƅed

Portυgυese star Cristiaпo Roпaldo’s girlfrieпd Georgiпa Rodrigυez broυght a sυrprise wheп she reʋealed what she does at пight after the kids go to Ƅed.

Coмpared to other WAG girls, Cristiaпo Roпaldo’s girlfrieпd Georgiпa Rodrigυez, the striker cυrreпtly playiпg for Al Nassr ClυƄ iп the Saυdi AraƄiaп Natioпal Chaмpioпship, is qυite Ƅυsy takiпg care of her fiʋe 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥reп. The loпg-legged мodel of Spaпish aпd Argeпtiпiaп desceпt has two 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥reп, Alaпa Martiпa (5 years old) aпd Bella (13 мoпths old), with Roпaldo. Meaпwhile, the Portυgυese striker has his owп 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 Cristiaпo Jr. (12 years old) aпd twiпs Eʋa aпd Mateo (5 years old), Ƅoth ask for sυrrogate мothers.

Beiпg a мother of fiʋe 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥reп is пot easy for Georgiпa, as she is Ƅυsy day aпd пight with all sorts of υппaмed tasks. Moreoʋer, Roпaldo is also ʋery Ƅυsy with traiпiпg as well as a coпstaпt schedυle of мatches with his teaммates at Al Nassr ClυƄ. So Ƅυsy, Ƅυt the forмer MU star’s girlfrieпd still мakes the мost of her free tiмe to take care of herself iп a way пo oпe caп expect.

Most receпtly, Georgiпa shared a мoмeпt froм her daily пighttiмe roυtiпe. Iп the video clip shared oп Iпstagraм, Georgiпa appears to Ƅe ridiпg a Ƅicycle attached to the gyм while the sυrroυпdiпg lights are off. Aloпg with that, this WAG wrote the captioп: “The kids are sleepiпg iп the Ƅed aпd their мothers are eпjoyiпg it” aпd the gyм tiмe is at 23:27.

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World War 1

The Magic Engineering Behind Why Early Fighters Didn’t Shoot Their Own Propellers

Let’s dive into something that’s been bugging many for decades: how did old fighter aircraft shoot at the enemy without blasting their own propellers into oblivion? Picture this: the early 20th century, the First World War. The airplane was the new kid on the block – and a game-changer. However, engineers were scratching their heads when it came to its use in combat, wondering, “How do we fire through the propeller without shredding it?”

Enter the interrupter gear, also known as the synchronization gear. No, it’s not a fancy piece found at a steampunk convention – it’s pure, refined ingenuity. Anthony Fokker, a Dutch engineer, was the man behind this unique device. He saw the problem and thought, “Nope, not on my watch.”

What’s so special about it, you ask? The interrupter gear was like an early tech version of playing The Floor Is Lava, but with bullets and propeller blades. The gear made sure an aircraft’s machine gun only fired when the propeller was out of the way, meaning pilots could go full trigger-happy without the risk of turning their propellers into Swiss cheese.

What’s the trick to the interrupter gear?

Vickers machine gun fitted with an interrupter gear, all placed on a wooden structure
Vickers machine gun with an interrupter gear, as fitted to an aircraft. (Photo Credit: British Official Photographer / Imperial War Museums / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Here’s the deal: the interrupter gear is all about timing. It’s linked up to both the propeller and the machine gun, creating a sort of mechanical rhythm between the two. The basic idea is to make sure the gun only fires when it’s safe to do so – basically when it’s not going to obliterate the propeller. The propeller is spinning and each time a blade is safely out of the way, the interrupter gear lets the machine gun pop off a round. The second a blade is back in the danger zone, the gear blocks it from firing.
It’s like having a buddy watching your back while you’re shooting hoops, making sure you never throw the ball when someone is in the way. Your friend simply puts a hand on your shoulder to stop you from throwing whenever someone’s there, keeping the game safe and fun!
This synchronized dance of machinery is what allowed early pilots to fire through their propellers without turning them into accidental kindling.
Not-so-top-secret
Portrait of Anthony Fokker
Anthony Fokker. (Photo Credit: Fritz Heuschkel Sr. / Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs Division / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Now, you’d think this was a top-secret kind of deal, but Anthony Fokker wasn’t as secretive as you might imagine. Word got out about the interrupter gear and other engineers started creating their versions.
One notable variant was the Constantinesco (“CC” gear), named after its creator, George Constantinescu, a Romanian engineer working for the Allies. He thought, “Why not use hydraulic tech to keep our propellers safe?” So he created yet another brilliant propeller-saving mechanism.
These gears, regardless of the type, acted like a mechanical guardian angel, ensuring bullets and propeller blades never met in a catastrophic collision. It’s simple when you think about it, but boy, oh boy, it must have been a mind-boggler to create back then, under the pressures of wartime.
Interrupter gears were still in use during World War II
Messerschmitt Bf 109E in flight
Messerschmitt Bf 109E with a traditional pair of synchronized machine guns. (Photo Credit: Unknown Author / Imperial War Museums / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
By the time World War II rolled around, aircraft had developed a fair bit. Air forces started manning monoplanes with enclosed cockpits, and retractable landing gears became more standard. Interestingly, however, some fighter aircraft still used propellers that could be in the line of fire, meaning interrupter gears were still relevant.
Even though technology had advanced, with some aircraft adopting wing-mounted guns that didn’t need to worry about propeller interference, there were still plenty where the guns were mounted in the fuselage, firing through the propeller arc. For those, the interrupter gear was crucial to avoid an aerial catastrophe.
The basic principle remained the same: ensure bullets and propeller blades didn’t try to occupy the same space at the same time, and as engines and weapons evolved, so, too, did the gears. They became more reliable, capable of handling faster firing weapons and more robust, efficient engines.
Interrupter gears stuck around, doing their thing to keep pilots safe and enemy aircraft firmly in the crosshairs, from the early days of dogfights in the First World War right through the high-stakes aerial battles of WWII.
Categories
Aircraft

The Northrop Tacit Blue Was Nicknamed the ‘Alien School Bus’ For Its Unusual Design

Several unusual aircraft have been developed over the years (just look at the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin), but few were as unique in appearance as the Northrop Tacit Blue. The technology demonstrator was designed to show that low-observable stealth aircraft could conduct surveillance operations deep behind (or over) enemy lines, without being detected by radar.

As with other surveillance aircraft developed by the US Air Force, the Tacit Blue was kept under wraps during the early 1980s – in fact, it wasn’t declassified until 1996, when it was put on display at the National Museum of the US Air Force.

It all started in the mid-1970s, when the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) launched the Battlefield Surveillance Aircraft-Experiment (BSAX) program. Northrop subsequently received a grant in 1976 to develop an aircraft that “could operate radar sensors while maintaining its own low radar cross-section.”

To accomplish BSAX’s goals, a new radar sensor technology was developed. Within six years, a working model of Northrop’s new aircraft, dubbed the “Tacit Blue,” was ready to take to the skies. The first successful test flight took place on February 5, 1982, at Area 51.Northrop Tacit Blue parked on a runwayNorthrop Tacit Blue. (Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force / National Museum of the United States Air Force / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)

Given its small size, the Tacit Blue only had room for one crewman, the pilot. Its exterior was bright white, the complete opposite of what many might expect from a stealth aircraft, and it was a light 30,000 pounds. This allowed its Garrett ATF3-6 high-bypass turbofan engines to propel the demonstrator to a height of between 25,000-30,000 feet, at 287 MPH.

Unlike other stealth aircraft, which featured little-to-no curved surfaces, the Tacit Blue was covered in curved pieces. The most notable aspect of its outward appearance was its V-tail and lack of a cone-shaped nose, which led to the demonstrator being nicknamed the “Whale” and the “Alien School Bus.”

While this unique design reduced its heat signature, it did make the aircraft aerodynamically unstable. To counter this, Northrop had to install a digital fly-by-wire system, which helped the pilot keep control.

The Tacit Blue accomplished what it set out to do; it showed that similar aircraft could loiter behind enemy lines without being discovered by radar. Over the course of the aircraft’s short life, it flew just 135 times, but the information gathered helped in the development of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit.

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Aircraft

The Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress ‘Memphis Belle’ Flew 25 Combat Missions Over Europe

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress holds the distinction of being the third-most produced bomber of all time, with 12,731 built from 1936-45. The aircraft first saw use with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Europe and the American forces in the Pacific Theater, and later went on to become one of the go-to bombers in the Allied arsenal. Among the most famous was Memphis Belle, a B-17F that flew 25 combat missions over enemy targets in France and Germany.

Memphis Belle, under the command of Robert K. Morgan of the 324th Bombardment Squadron, 91st Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force was named for the captain’s girlfriend, who lived in Memphis, Tennessee. Artist George Petty provided the bomber’s famous pin-up, which had appeared in the April 1941 issue of Esquire magazine.

The B-17 conducted its first combat sortie over Brest, France on November 7, 1942, which was followed by an additional two raids over St. Nazaire.

American airmen standing with the Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress 'Memphis Belle'Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress Memphis Belle, 1943. (Photo Credit: HUM Images / Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

Upon Memphis Belle‘s return to the United States in 1943, the aircraft and Morgan embarked on a 31-city tour to promote the sale of war bonds. The bomber was then sent to MacDill Field, Florida, where it served as a training aircraft until the end of the Second World War.

Following the conflict, the B-17 was purchased by the city of Memphis and put on display at the National Guard armory. It also appeared in two films: The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944) and Memphis Belle (1990). The latter features Matthew Modine and Harry Connick Jr.

Memphis Belle was donated back to the US Air Force in the early 1970s, with the service allowing it to remain in Memphis, so long as the aircraft underwent regular maintenance. As the decades went on, the bomber was disassembled and moved to the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

After undergoing restoration efforts, Memphis Belle was unveiled at the museum in May 2018.

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Aircraft

How An F/A-18 Hornet Pilot and His Wingman Returned to Base After a Mid-Air Collision

On April 22, 1996, two US Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets got into a mid-air collision during an exercise off the coast of Virginia. Both suffered physical damage, with one aircraft losing its nose section and canopy and the other losing a section of its port-side wing and parts of both vertical stabilizers.

Despite this, the two experienced pilots were able to fly their fighters back to Naval Air Station Oceana and land safely.

Lead up to the collision between the F/A-18 Hornets

Crewmen walking past a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and a Grumman F-14D Tomcat on the flight deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and Grumman F-14D Tomcat aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), 2003. (Photo Credit: Photographer’s Mate Airman Aaron Burden / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
The collision between the F/A-18 Hornets occurred during a training exercise being conducted about 50 miles southeast of Naval Air Station Oceana, over the Atlantic Ocean. It was part of the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program (SFARP), which saw F/A-18s from Fighter Squadron Composite 12 (VFC-12) play the role of aggressors, simulating Russian Mikoyan MiG-29s on a mission to attack Grumman F-14 Tomcats from Fighter Squadron 41 (VF-41).
VFC-12 were accompanied by Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowlers, which masked the F-14s.
The exercise ultimately saw three F/A-18s up against two F-14s. The simulation had already run through twice, and the three aggressors got into formation for the third sortie of the day. As the F/A-18s approached, the F-14s simulated firing missiles toward the oncoming “MiG 29s,” successfully taking out two aircraft, piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Greg Stubbs and Greg Anderson.
Mid-air collision
Three McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets in flight
Three McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets from the USS George Washington (CVN 73), 2002. (Photo Credit: Captain Dana Potts / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
In the three aircraft formation, Anderson was on the left, with Stubbs in the middle and Lt. Cmdr. Cal Worthington on the right. As the F/A-18 Hornets made their way toward the F-14 Tomcats, two completed aileron rolls, showing they’d been “killed.”
It was during these rolls that the two F/A-18s collided. Stubbs later recounted in Rick Llinares and Chuck Lloyd’s Adversary: America’s Aggressor Fighter Squadrons, “I felt a sharp shudder in the airplane, and next thing I felt was the plane rolling left with the nose pointing down about eight degrees.”
The nose of Anderson’s F/A-18 ripped part of Stubbs’ left wing off, along with half of his vertical stabilizer. As a result of the mid-air collision, Anderson lost his aircraft’s nose, canopy and drop tank. One of his engines was also damaged. After some initial confusion on the radio, it was confirmed there’d been a collision and that both pilots were physically all right and had reasonable control of their aircraft.
Stubbs recalled looking down to the Atlantic below and thinking that, if he had to ditch, he’d rather do so closer to shore, as the water would likely still be cold. Able to control their aircraft, the pair turned toward the coast. The closest runway was at the Coast Guard station in Elizabeth City, but, despite being 40 miles closer than NAS Oceana, they decided that returning to base would be the best option.
Stubbs discovered the slowest speed he could fly was 200 knots. This raised two concerns. First, the arresting equipment that would help the aircraft stop had a speed limit of 175 knots. If he landed at a speed faster than that, it could result in the F/A-18’s tail hook being ripped off. On top of this, the speed rating for the aircraft’s tires was 182 knots, and the faster speeds could have resulted in the tires blowing upon landing.
Approach and landing
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet landing aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet landing aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), 2008. (Photo Credit: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Stubbs didn’t really have a choice. As he approached NAS Oceana’s runway following the collision, two other F/A-18 Hornets that were returning from a different mission radioed if he wanted them to join him and keep an eye on things. He initially said no, but called Lt. Cmdr. Bertrand back.
The latter’s wingman, Lt. Cmdr. Bowman, recalled, “We were flying as a two ship and when LCDR Stubbs told LCDR Bertrand that he wanted help, the next thing I saw from my cockpit was the tailpipe of LCDR Bertrand’s F/A-18 with two burners going, moving at the speed of heat.”
Stubbs said having Bertrand join him confirmed just how much the pilots of their squadron cared for each other. He successfully lowered his landing gear and made his approach. At 200 knots, Stubbs touched down at the end of the runway and rolled until reaching the arrestor gear and coming to a stop. Upon stopping, the damage was clear, with fuel and hydraulic fluid leaking out of the left wing.
Anderson followed, landing his F/A-18 with wires flapping out of the nose, displaying the damage to his aircraft. The two naval aviators shook hands once they were out of their aircraft, both relieved and in disbelief at what they’d just accomplished.
Reaction to the F/A-18 Hornets’ mid-air collision
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet parked on the tarmac
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet with Fighter Squadron Composite 12 (VFC-12) at Naval Air Station Oceana, 1994. (Photo Credit: PH2 Bruce Trombecky / US Navy / National Archives / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
A story that begins with two aircraft colliding mid-air usually doesn’t typically end well. That being said, the April 22, 1996 mid-air collision between the F/A-18 Hornets saw the exact opposite be true. The pilots, both Persian Gulf veterans and members of the Naval Reserve, showed their training and skill in successfully returning their damaged aircraft to NAS Oceana.
Daryl Stephenson, a spokesman for McDonnell Douglas, later said the incident showcased the F/A-18’s “survivability.” However, he did admit the result was “pretty amazing.” Stubbs echoed this, saying, “It was a significant testament to the construction of the F/A-18 – that we were able to fly both aircraft after the damage they sustained.”
After an investigation, both Stubbs and Anderson were returned to flight status within two months’ time. The two F/A-18s were beyond repair and didn’t return to service.
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Aircraft

US Navy Pilots Were Afraid to Fly the Vought F7U Cutlass

The Vought F7U Cutlass was a carrier-based aircraft that served with the US Navy between 1951-59. Developed with the use of German research taken by the Americans at the end of the Second World War, it featured a non-traditional design. That being said, the jet suffered a number of issues during its tenure, which saw the loss of a quarter of those developed and the deaths of four test and 21 naval pilots.

Development of the Vought F7U Cutlass

Four Vought F7U-3 Cutlasses in flight
Vought F7U-3 Cutlasses with Fighter Squadron 81 (VF-81), 1954. (Photo Credit: US Navy / US Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Following the end of the war in Europe, the US Navy opened a competition for a new carrier-based fighter that could reach up to 600 MPH at 40,000 feet. The F7U Cutlass was Vought’s entry. It was the final aircraft designed by Rex Beisel, who’d worked on various others, including the F4U Corsair.
Contributions by Woldemar Voigt also impacted the design. Voigt had worked for the German company Messerschmitt AG and was part of such aircraft designs as the P.1110 and P.1112. While neither went beyond the drawing board, they showed significant evolutions in aircraft design.
The F7U presented a radical evolution. This, however, didn’t guarantee it was good. Naval aviators were quick to come up with several telling nicknames, including the “Praying Mantis,” the “Gutless Cutlass” and the “Ensign Eliminator.”
The F7U first took to the air in September 1948, and problems were soon discovered. All three prototypes crashed, and of the first 14 production aircraft, two wound up in the ground. The early F7U-1s were ultimately not approved for service with the Navy, nor was the F7U-2, which was never built.
With the necessary improvements made, the Navy accepted the F7U-3. It was more stable and maneuverable than the others, although Wally Schirra, a test pilot and astronaut, described the aircraft as “an accident looking for a place to happen, a widow maker.”
The F7U-3 was the final and operational variant, with 288 operating with 13 squadrons. Further development was ultimately abandoned after Vought developed the F-8 Crusader.
Vought F7U Cutlass specs
Two Vought F7U-3M Cutlasses on the flight deck of the USS Forrestal (CVA-59)
Vought F7U-3M Cutlasses with Attack Squadron 86 (VA-86) aboard the USS Forrestal (CVA-59), 1956. (Photo Credit: Capt. I.F. Brown / US Navy / US Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
The F7U Cutlass was a single-seat fighter that had a striking design. The cockpit was located in the nose, which was situated far ahead of its large, almost rectangular, swept wings. At the wing root were the intakes for the two jet engines, and, at the rear, the main fuselage had no vertical stabilizer. Instead, two were located a third of the way out from the fuselage, on the wings.
Two Westinghouse after-burning turbojet engines powered the Cutlass. At first, it was powered by the J34 turbojet, which wasn’t liked by pilots. Later models used the J46-WE-8B, which produced 4,600 pounds of static thrust with afterburner. This provided the F7U with a top speed of 680 MPH at 10,000 feet.
The F7U was armed with four 20 mm M3 cannons located in the nose underneath the cockpit, two on either side of the fuselage, and each was loaded with 180 rounds. The aircraft also had four hardpoints, each with the ability to hold up to 5,500 pounds of ordnance.
Accidents and incidents
Vought F7U Cutlass crashing into the flight deck of the USS Hancock (CV-19)
Vought F7U Cutlass crash aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19), 1955. (Photo Credit: Charles H. Faulker, BM1 / US Navy / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
The F7U-3 Cutlass entered service with Fighter Squadron 81 (VF-81) in April 1954. Almost immediately, it was plagued with issues. On December 11, 1954, Lt. J.W. Hood was killed when his aircraft experienced a malfunction with the wing locking mechanism. The airframe fell apart and one of the engines blew up, leading his F7U-3 to crashing into the sea.
On May 30, 1955, Lt. Cmdr. Payton O. Harwell’s engine caught fire during takeoff, which resulted in his ejecting from the aircraft. On July 14 and November 4, 1955, the USS Hancock (CV-19) saw two pilot deaths when their F7Us crashed during landing.
The first was a ramp strike, which resulted in the death of Lt. Cmdr. Jay T. Alkire. The second saw a horrid string of events. Lt. George Millard crashed into the cable barrier when landing. The nose gear was driven up into the cockpit, setting off the ejection seat, releasing the canopy and shooting Millard 200 feet into the air. The aviator flew forward, hitting the vertical stabilizer of a Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
Individual accidents such as these often led to the grounding or beaching of entire squadrons. For instance, after Millard was killed, Hancock‘s captain had all F7Us removed from the carrier and sent to Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan. As well, between November 1955 and August 1956, the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) had hers removed to Naval Air Station Port Lyautey, Morocco.
With 78 accidents and the loss of over a quarter of all produced aircraft, the F7U had the highest accident rate of all US Navy swept-wing aircraft. Due to this, Vice Adm. Harold M. Martin, air commander of the US Pacific Fleet, ordered it be replaced by the Grumman F9F Cougar.
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Aircraft

Goodyear Once Developed An Inflatable Aircraft Known As The ‘Inflatoplane’

During the 1950s, Goodyear became more involved with the US military, trying its hand at creating an aircraft that was compact enough to be delivered to downed pilots, but still capable of flying. To achieve this, the company created the Inflatoplane. The program existed for several decades, and while the aircraft did get off the ground, the concept itself never really took off and was canceled before the inflatable aerial vehicle could enter service.

Goodyear tried to blend lighter-than-air materials for aircraft

Goodyear GA-447 Inflatoplane in flight
Goodyear GA-447 Inflatoplane. (Photo Credit: 1,000 Aircraft Photos / DAN SCHUMAKER COLLECTION / US Army / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
In 1956, the Goodyear Company combined its lighter-than-air aircraft technology with winged aircraft to create the inflatable “Inflatoplane.” The idea was first coined by Taylor McDaniel in 1931. When Goodyear took it on, the company intended it to be used in rescue operations, and it took only 12 weeks to develop the first model.
The innovative exterior of the aircraft, called Airmat, was made from two rubber-type materials connected by nylon mesh. When exposed to air, this absorbed and repelled water as it became stiff, providing the aircraft with the necessary rigidity to fly. Forced air being circulated through the Inflatoplane by its motor helped to maintain this shape.
The structural shape provided the Inflatoplane with some resilience to punctures, as it was able to take up to six .30-caliber bullets and remain in-flight. The fuselage, landing gear and pilot seat was reinforced to ensure stability, as well.
Packed in a 44-cubic-foot box, it could be compactly transported in a truck or aircraft and dropped behind enemy lines to provide downed pilots with a way to reach friendly territory. Once it was dropped, the Inflatoplane was removed wheelbarrow style and could inflate to full size in about five minutes, using less air pressure than what’s required for a car tire.
Two versions of the Inflatoplane were designed
Goodyear GA-447 Inflatoplane coming in for a landing
Goodyear GA-447 Inflatoplane. (Photo Credit: Unknown Author / National Archives / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Goodyear came up with two versions of the Inflatoplane. The first was the GA-468, a single-seater aircraft that could inflate fully in a matter of five minutes. Equipped with a 40 horsepower Nelson engine, the pilot had to hand-start it and needed 250 feet of open space for takeoff. The aircraft also needed 575 feet before it could clear a 50-foot obstacle.
Once completely inflated, the GA-468 had a wingspan of 22 feet and was just under 20 feet long. It had a maximum takeoff load of 240 pounds, held 20 gallons of fuel and could fly 390 miles, with an endurance of 6.5 hours. The aircraft reached a maximum speed of 72 MPH and hit a service ceiling of 10,000 feet.
The second variant was the GA-466, a two-seater that took slightly longer to inflate, at six minutes. It was two inches shorter than the first Inflatoplane, but had an extra six feet of wingspan. The GA-466 could only carry 18 gallons of fuel, and its 60 horsepower McCulloch 4318 engine provided a maximum speed of 70 MPH. It required 745 feet to clear a 50-foot obstacle, and could handle a maximum weight of 740 pounds.
Crashes put the program into question
Goodyear GA-468 Inflatoplane on display
Goodyear GA-468 Inflatoplane at the Smithsonian Institution. (Photo Credit: Bzuk / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
From the beginning, the value of the Inflatoplane program was never definitively positive. The idea of supplying a downed pilot with a new aircraft seemed to always have its problems. They’d have to try and escape enemy territory in the place they’d been shot down and the Inflatoplane they were expected to fly out on was slower and weaker than the one they’d crashed.
There were two crashes in the Inflatoplane that ultimately put the entire program into question. Goodyear test pilot Richard Ulm survived an incident in April 1959, when his crashed into the Patuxent River during a test flight. The wing had collapsed, hitting the propeller, but Ulm was able to bail out and parachute to safety.
A second crash proved fatal when US Army Lt. Malcolm “Pug” Wallace was training in an Inflatoplane. At just 26 years old, he’d flown the aircraft above 700 feet, when a control cable under the wing came loose and became wedged in the pulley bracket. The wings lost air, resulting in them flapping as the aircraft fell, and one of the aluminum tips flung back and hit Wallace in the head.
As an observer described, “Wallace didn’t have enough time to open his parachute. He plunged to his death in a marshy area near the lake.”
Only 12 Inflatoplanes were ever manufactured. Despite the crashes, the program continued until 1973. Goodyear donated two for preservation, one to the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia and the other to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC.