Flying the Messerschmitt Bf-109E Pilot Report

A short pilot report on Flying the Messerschmitt Bf-109E. This report was written by RAF Boscombe Down personnel. Dated March 1944. Credit: Free check Lists.net

Download here or here or here

Martin B-26 Handbook of Operations and Flight Instructions

A copy of the Martin Company issued B-26 Handbook of Operations and Flight Instructions. Dated April 11, 1941.

Download here or here or here (25.6 Megs)

Gemini Design and Manufacturing Article

A Titanium Metals Corporation of America reprint of an article in the May 13, 1963 magazine Aviation Week and Space Technology on the Design and Manufacturing of the Gemini spacecraft.

Download here or here or here

Gemini Spacecraft Airscoop Article

McDonnell Airscoop newspaper article on the end of Gemini and a summation of the Gemini program.. Paper is dated December 1966.

Download here or here or here (4.5 Megs)

QF-100 Drone Patches and Walk Around Photos

A couple of QF-100 Drone program patches and a walk around of a drone aircraft.

The walk around photos are of the QF-100D (56-3046) Super Sabre at the English Field Museum at Amarillo, TX. Credit: Bill Spidle

Drone patches here

Download photos here or here (3.5 Megs)

Additional QF-100 post here

Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow Photos

A number of photos and drawings of the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow.

Download here or here (23.1 Megs)

Arrow Avro CF-105 MK.1 Pilot's Operating Instructions

A copy of the Avro company CF-105 MK.1  Arrow’s Pilot's Operating Instructions. Dated April 1958.

Download here or here or here  (5.3 Megs)

Douglas B-26B and C Flight Manual

A copy of TO 1B-26B-1 Flight Manual for the Douglas B-26B and C Invader aircraft. Dated 2 March 1964. Credit: Anymouse Collection

Download here or here (19.1 Megs)

Martin B-26B and C Marauder Flight Handbook

A copy of AN 01-35EB-1 Flight handbook for the Martin B-26B and C Marauder and British Marauder II aircraft. Dated 30 April 1945. Credit: Anymouse Collection

Download here or here (36 Megs)

Earlier manual here

Convair YF-2Y Sea Dart Walk Around

A nice group of photos of the Convair YF-2Y Sea Dart (135764) on display at the Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum, just outside NAS Willow Grove, PA. The museum is operated by the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association. Credit: Bill Maloney

Download here or here (10.9 Megs)

Additional Sea Dart photos here

Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association Photos

A number of photos from the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association Museum in Willow Grove, PA. Photos taken around February 2008. Credit: Bill Maloney

Download Zip file here or here (61.2 Megs)

Additional photos here and here

AGM-84 Harpoon Standard Aircraft Characteristics

McDonnell Douglas AGM-84A Harpoon Standard Aircraft Characteristics (SAC) sheets, dated August 1974.

Download here or here (7.1 Megs)

AGM-84 Harpoon Missile Patches #2

Some old and new McDonnell Douglas AGM-84 Harpoon missile patches.

See patches here or here

AGM-84D/B-52H NonNuclear Weapons Delivery Manual

A copy of the Nonnuclear Weapon Delivery Manual, T.O. 1B-52H-34-2-2, for the McDonnell Douglas AGM-84D/B-52H missile/aircraft, dated 1 April 1997.

Download here or here or here (1.3 Megs)

AGM-84 Harpoon Missile Photos

Thirty seven company and personal photos of the McDonnell Douglas AGM-84 Harpoon missile.

From the USAF Fact Sheet:

McDonnell AGM-84L "Harpoon" Missile
Engine:  One Teledyne /CAE J402-CA-400 turbojet; 680 lbs thrust
Wingspan:  3 ft 0 in
Length:  12 ft 7 in
Diameter:  1 ft 1 1/2 in
Weight:  1,145 lbs
Speed:  855 km/h
Range:  60+ nautical miles
Armament:  488 lbs high-explosive
Cost:  $474,609
The Harpoon is the only dedicated anti-shipping missile currently in service with US armed forces. It was developed beginning in 1968 and a production contract was awarded to McDonnell Douglas in 1971. The first test launch was in October 1972.
The Harpoon comes in air-launched, ship-launched, and submarine-launched varieties. The air-launched version is designated AGM-84. It is powered by a Teledyne/CAE J402 turbojet and has a maximum range of around 100 nautical miles. The AGM-85L on exhibit is equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) capability and is carried by some USAF B-52H aircraft.

Download here or here (7.8 Megs)

McDonnell Aircraft for Sale

 Two McDonnell Aircraft jets have recently come up for sale.

F4H-1 s/n 150310 and the Model 220 utility aircraft. For only $3,950,000, you can have the “World's Only Privately Owned F-4 Phantom Capable of Flight” and for a bargin $225,000, the Model 220.

See info here and here

Misc Phantom Flyer Pages

A few miscellaneous feature aircraft pages from the Phantom Flyer issues of Sept thru Dec 1982.

See pages here

FH-1 Phantom Detail Photos

Some detail photos I took of the FH-1 that was on the McDonnell ramp in 1989. It was BuNo 111768. This aircraft is now at the Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona.

See detail photos here

Additional FH-1 photos and info here

AGM-84 Harpoon Brochure

A McDonnel Douglas Astronautics company brochure for the AGM-84 Harpoon Missile. Dated March 1977.

Download here or here or here (0.75 Megs)

Bell XP/P-59 Photos

Lots (83) of Bell XP/P-59 Aircomet photos and drawings.

Download here or here (170 Megs)

Additional photos here or here or here

Northrop B-2 Factory Lithographs

Several Northrop factory lithographs for the B-2 bomber aircraft.

See lithos here

Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete” Article

Another feature aircraft of the month from the McDonnell Modelers Club Phantom Flyer magazine. This time, a short article on the Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete” aircraft from WWII.

See article here

Douglas Aircraft Markings and 3-View Drawings

Markings and 3-View drawings of the Douglas F3D, F4D, A2D and AD-1/-6 aircraft. From late 1990’s Modelist-Konstruktor magazines.

Download here or here (5.9 Megs)

McDonnell Aircraft Markings and 3-View Drawings

Markings and 3-View drawings of the McDonnell FH-1, XF-85, F-2H and F-3H aircraft. From late 1990’s Modelist-Konstruktor magazines.

Download here or here (5.2 Megs)

F-4E “Seek Eagle” Program Aircraft

A company photo of the last flight for the F-4E “Seek Eagle” program on 20 Nov 1970. This photo shows the F-4E (Cum No. 1761) at Edwards Air Force Base with the program personnel and pilot. Note that this aircraft was also part of the Composite Rudder Testing project.

From the Eglin AFB fact sheet: “The “SEEK EAGLE” Program, is the United States Air Force certification process for determining safe/acceptable carriage and release (employment and jettison) limits, loading and unloading procedures, safe escape parameters, and ballistic accuracy, when applicable, for all stores in specified loading configurations on USAF and foreign military sales aircraft.”

See photo here

Castle AFB Museum Photos

A tour of Castle Air Force Museum in Atwater, CA. in the summer of 2018.

Credit: Mark Nankivil.

Download here or here (74.3 Megs)

Feature Aircraft of the Month

A Phantom Flyer Feature Aircraft of the Month on the aircraft of the 3246th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Florida in June of 1982. A short article by Norm Taylor.

Download here or here or here (12.1 Megs)

Northrop A-9A Photos–Part 3

More photos and info on the Northrop A-9A prototype aircraft.

Download here or here (17.2 Megs)

Northrop A-9A Photos–Part 1 is here

Northrop A-9A Photos–Part 2 is here

Additional A-9A blog posts here, here, here and here

F-4K Phantom II External Access Doors

A partial copy of SEDR 164 showing the F-4K Phantom II External Access Doors. Dated 20 February 1966.

Download here or here or here (0.5 Megs)

F-4 Phantom II External Access Doors

A copy of TDDR-50 for the location of the F-4 Phantom II External Access Doors. Aircraft covered are the F-4B/C/D/J and RF-4B/C.

Dated 1965/66.

Download here or here or here (40 Megs)

XF-85 Print Articles - Part 5

  A McDonnell XF-85 article from the January 1995 Polish Aeroplan magazine.

Lots of good drawings and photos, including the B-29 markings!

Download here or here or here

B-29/XF-85 Article

  A Boeing B-29/McDonnell XF-85 article from the November 2000 Russian Modelist-Konstruktor magazine. Lots of good markings and Insignia info and drawings!

Download here or here or here (5.7 Megs)

Scaled Composites ARES “Mud Fighter”

Scaled Composites ARES Model 151-3 “Mud Fighter” info, company fact sheets and photos.

Remarks by Bernhard Klein: "Designed by Rutan Aircraft Factory, this is the Scaled Composites Model 151-3 ARES (Agile Responsive Effective Support) designed as a "Mud Fighter" ground support aircraft in response to the US Army's request for a Low Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft (LCBAA). It is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1 turbojet engine. The original design was a pusher turboprop and evolved into the current design when Scaled Composites decided to build N151SC as a demonstrator. The ARES first flew on February 19, 1990 and is still available for use as a research testbed."

Download company fact sheets here  or here (02.5 Megs)

Download photos here or here (12.1 Megs)

Grumman F11F-1 Flight Handbook

A copy of Navy Flight Handbook NAVWEPS 01-85FGG-501, for the Grumman F11F-1 aircraft, dated 1 December 1960.

Download here or here or here

Lockheed U-2C/F Flight Manual

A copy of the USAF Flight Manual AF(C)-1-1 for the Lockheed U-2C/F aircraft. This manual is dated 15 October 1968.

Download here or here (44.6 Megs)

Bell P-59 Aircomet Article

  A great article from the March 1980 issue of Air International on the Bell P-59 Aircomet.  Has 3-views, a cut-a-way diagram and lots of photos.

Download here or here or here (1.3 Megs)

Navy Evaluation of Bell YP-59A (Correction)

Tommy Thomason brought me to task about using the supposed designation of "YF2L-1" for the Navy YP-59A’s. I have modified the prior post to reflect this widely perceived inaccuracy as explained by Tommy.

Tommy’s explanation here

See prior post here

Naval Aviation 1911-1986–A Pictorial Study

A pictorial history of US naval aviation from 1911 to 1986. Lots of facts and photos.

Download here or here (21.7 Megs)

Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide

The essential guide to the world's aircraft Over 500 photographs of Civilian and military aircraft with Technical data Recognition silhouettes. Dated November 1995

Download here or here (145 Megs)

Standing Operating Procedures for B-29/B-50 Gunners

A copy of SAC Manual 50-7 on the Standing Operating Procedures for B-29/B-50 Gunners. Dated September 1951.

Download here or here or here (15.8 Megs)

Navy Evaluation of Bell YP-59A

A very poor copy of the Navy TRD No PTR-1106 report on YP-59A Airplanes – Report on Jet Wake Characteristics.

Two YP-59A Airacomets (42-108778 and 42-100779) were delivered to the U.S. Navy where they were evaluated, but were quickly found completely unsuitable for carrier operations. Credit: Craig Kaston via Tommy Thomason

More info here and here about the supposed designation of "YF2L-1".

Download here or here or here (3.9 Megs)

Centennial of Naval Aviation Heritage Paint Project

  

Frpm the Florida Times Union: “Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) is honoring the Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) celebration in 2011 by participating in the Heritage Paint Project to create living history on Navy aircraft.
Painters at the military maintenance depot are reflecting naval aviation’s 100 years of flight by meticulously applying vintage paint schemes from several eras of naval aviation to selected aircraft not scheduled for deployment.
CoNA not only celebrates the contributions and sacrifices of Navy aviators, past and present, but those of Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviators as well.” Credit: SBGrad and US Navy

Heritage Paint Project PDF here or here (2.5 Megs)

Heritage Paint Project Aircraft Photos here or here (9.3 Megs)

Northrop F-89H Scorpion Flight Manual

  A copy of the USAF Flight Manual TO 1F-89H-1 for the Northrop F-89H Scorpion aircraft. This manual is dated 13 February 1959.

Download here or here  (58.9 Megs)

Capital City Airshow 2016 Photos

Lots of great photos of this air show in Sacramento, CA. in the October of 2016! Credit: Vladimir Yakubov

Download here or here (116.1 Megs)

Northrop F-89D Scorpion Flight Manual

A copy of the USAF Flight Manual TO 1F-89D-1 for the Northrop F-89B/C Scorpion aircraft. This manual is dated 20 June 1957.

Download here or here  (70 Megs)

Northrop F-89B/C Scorpion Flight Manual

A copy of the USAF Flight Manual TO 1F-89B-1 for the Northrop F-89B/C Scorpion aircraft. This manual is dated 12 September 1958.

Download here or here  (53.5 Megs)

Yakovlev Yak-1/-3/-9 Article

 A nice camoflauge and marking article on the Yakovlev Yak-1/-3/-9 aircraft. Published in the April 1971 IPMS Magazine. Credit: IPMS

Download here or here or here (0.5 Megs)

Douglas Skyraider Article #2

  A photo article on the Douglas AD-2 and –3 Skyraiders with an AM-1 Mauler photo thrown-in.

Download here or here or here (0.8 Megs)

McDonnell Douglas AV-16A Artwork

  A few drawings and artwork for the proposed AV-16A aircraft.

Download here or here (270.2 Megs)

Additional posts here and here

Spacecraft Photos

Sixteen photos of spacecraft from Space.com’s 2001 calendar. Great photos! Credit: Space.com

Download here or here (74.4 Megs)

MDC/Russian MA-31 Supersonic Target (Update 1)

Another article on the little known MDC project of converting a Russian X-31 missile to the Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target (SSST).

See previous posts for an explanation. Credit: Boeing News

Download article here

Thoughts on Fighters

Vetern aircraft designer, Edward H. Heinemann’s article Thoughts on Fighters. Ed talks of the Douglas aircraft that he designed and about the future of aircraft design. Published in the October 1982 issue of “Air International” magazine. Credit: Air International

Download here or here or here (1.9 Megs)

U.S. Army Air Corps Painting and Camouflage Orders - 1941

A copy of T.O. 07-1-1 for the 1941 U.S. Army Air Corps Painting and Camouflage Orders. Dated April 8 1941. Credit: William T. Larkins

Download here or here or here

Northrop YF-17 Walk Arounds

Several Walk Around Photo collections. Credit: For both Walk Arounds, Cees Hendriks.

Walk around # 1 is YF-17 s/n 72-1570 and is on display at the Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama, USA.

Walk around # 2 is YF-17 s/n 72-1569 and it is on display at the Western Museum of Flight at Torrance, CA.

Download Walk around # 1 here or here (3.6 Megs)

Download Walk around # 2 here or here (31.1 Megs)

YF-17/Aden 2-D Nozzle System Study

A copy of NASA Contractor Report # NASA-CR-144882, dated July 1979.

The purpose oi this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating the G. E. ADEN 2-D vectoring nozzle design on the YF-1'? fighter in order to provide a manned flight demonstrator of 2-D nozzle technology.
The YF-17 YJ101. engines and aft structure would be modified to integrate ADEN
nozzles with a thrust vectoring flap deflection range of 10° up to 20° down. Also canards would be added below the canopy.

Credit: NASA

Download here or here or here (7.5 Megs)

YJ-101/YF-17 Engine Prototype Development Summary

A copy of the YJ-101/YF-17 Aircraft Engine Prototype Development Summary. Written by the Aircraft Engine Group of General Electric. Technical report AFAPL-TR-77-18 and dated January 1977.

Download here or here or here (4.7 Megs)

Northrop YF-17 Pilots Manual

A copy of the Northrop Company YF-17 Pilots Manual and Check List. NOR-74-101 is dated April 1974.

Download here or here or here (15.3 Megs)

Northrop YF-17 Photos

A selection of 130 Northrop YF-17 photos of the two prototypes.

Download here or here (130.9 Megs)

Northrop YF-17 Prototype Paint and Markings Article

A small article on the Paint and Markings of the YF-17 Prototypes in 1976. From the IPMS Toledo Chapter newsletter.

Download here or here or here (9.8 Megs)

Fighter Pilot Gunnery

A copy of the Army Air Forces manual on Fighter Pilot Gunnery, TO No. 00-25-35, dated December 10 1943

Download here or here or here (7.9 Megs)

Air Force/Navy General Manual for Structural Repair

A copy of the Air Force/Navy General Manual for Structural Repair (Engineeering Handbook Series for Aircraft Repair). Air Force TO 1-1A-1 and Navy Navair 01-1A-1, dated 15 January 2016.

Download here or here or here (2.3 Megs)

Gemini St. Louis Post Dispatch Article

A short article on the Gemini capsule as published in the St. Louis Post Dispatch newspaper on September 30 1962.

Download here or here or here (38.7 Megs)

National Museum of Nuclear Science and History Photos

Formally known as the National Atomic Museum.

This is the nation’s only congressionally chartered museum in its field. An intriguing place to learn the story of the Atomic Age. Exhibits spanning the early research of nuclear development through today’s peaceful uses of nuclear technology.

Mark Nankivil took a trip to Albuquerque, NM last July 20 2017 and sent these 215 photos. Lotd of aircraft and missiles! Credit: Mark Nankivil

Download here or here (159 Megs)

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II Photos

A group of 106 photos of the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft. Credit: As noted

Download here or here (72.5 Megs)

Additional info here

Lockheed P-38L-1 Army Erection and Maintenance Instructions

A copy of the Army Erection and Maintenance Instructions for the Lockheed P-38L-1 aircraft. Dated 1945.

Download here or here (65.9 Megs)

Jane's World Aircraft Recognition Handbook

A copy of the Jane's World Aircraft Recognition Handbook, dated 1982. A standard in the field!

Download here or here (49.8 Megs)

Phantom FGR Mk. 2 Aircrew Manual–Book 1

A copy of the UK AP.101B-0902-15A Aircrew Manual for the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II FG Mk 2 aircraft, dated March 1990.
Download here or here or here (23.8 Megs)

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Walk Around #2

Another set of 97 photos of the XF-85 at the National Museum of the USAF, Dayton, OH. Credit: Vladimir Yakubov and John Heck

Download here or here

McDonnell XF-85 Goblin Walk Around #1

A set of 76 photos of the XF-85 at the Strategic Air and Space Museum, Ashland, NE. Credit: Vladimir Yakubov and John Heck

Download here or here (54.3 Megs)

Jane's All the World's Aircraft-1987 & 1988

A copy of the iconic aircraft "bible" for 1987 and 1988.

Download here or here

Bomber and Transport Aircraft Posters

A set of 52 great bomber and transport aircraft posters from the artist/publisher D-Agostini.

Download here or here (172.1 Megs)

Fighter Aircraft Posters

A set of 98 great aircraft posters from the artist/publisher D-Agostini.

Download here or  here (144.7 Megs)

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk Pilot Training Manual

A copy of Pilot’s Training Manual for the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk aircraft, dated 1943. Credit: Scribd.com

Download here or here or here (51.9 Megs)

Republic P-47N Thunderbolt Pilot Training Manual

A copy of Pilot’s Training Manual #AAF 51-127-4, for the McDonnell F2H-2/2N/2P aircraft, dated 1945. Credit: Scribd.com

Download here or here or here (42.2 Megs)

Aviation Art by Nicolas Trudgian

Examples of Nicolas Trudgian’s aviation art (262 paintings). WWII and modern.

Download here or here  (290 Megs)

The Aviation Art of Roy Grinnel

A portfolio of 122 aviation paintings by Roy Grinnel.

Download here or here (61.5 Megs)

Douglas X-3 Stiletto Photos

Some nice photos of the Douglas X-3 Stiletto.
Download here or here (11.2 Megs)

Douglas X-3 Stiletto Walk Around

Douglas X-3 Stiletto Walk Around Photos. (64 photos.) Some nice detail shots of a Douglas X-3 Stiletto at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.. Credit: Randy Ray, John Heck

Download here (43.1 Megs)

Additional X-3 walk around by Howard Mason here

Castle Air Museum Photos

Mark Nankivil, president of the Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum, sent 88 photos taken by himself at the Castle Air Museum. Castle Air Museum is a military aviation museum located in Atwater, California. Dated May 8, 2017.

Download here (74.3 Megs)

Castle Air Museum video tour here

President George H.W. Bush Tribute

Jean from the Box Art Den posted a nice recap of President George H.W. Bush’s military service.

“ (The US) is mourning the death, at 94, of the 41st President of the US.
George H.W. Bush finally gave in to the ravages of time, and passed away on Friday.
He was quite a man, and one of his many accomplishments occurred during WWII.

George Bush was a pilot in the US Navy, and flew Grumman TBF Avengers in combat.
He had the misfortune of having one shot out from under him and spent some time floating in the Pacific in a small life raft.
The rest of his crew were killed in the exchange, and he was rescued by a US submarine.
This week we pay homage to him. I collected a handful of images of the Avenger, and found a few of George during the war.”

Download Bush and general Avenger photos here or here (3.5 Megs)

Northrop YF-18 Prototype Photos–Reloaded

Fixed the ZIP file to include all of the photos!

See here for correct ZIP file.

Royal Canadian Air Force Review Today

A copy of the RCAF review magazine for 2018.

Download here or here or here (21.6 Megs)

Lockheed P-38H/J/L-1&L-5/L-5B Flight Manual

A copy of the Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions (Flight Manual) for the Lockheed P-38H/J/L-1&L-5/L-5B aircraft. Undated.

Download here or here or here

An Illustrated Guide to Prepping and Loading an Atomic Bomb

A nice, short article written by Ryan Crierie on the prep and loading of the first Atomic bombs onto B-29 bombers. Published in the April 2014 issue of the IPMS Forida chapter’s Pelikan Newsletter. Credit: Pelikan Club

Download here or here (3 Megs)

Large scale photos and article here