XFD-1 Phantom I (48236) Photos

Bill Spidle sent in these 60 photos of the the second XFD-1 (48236) that he had recently scanned at the National Archives. The XFD-1 became the FH-1 Phantom I when it was redesignated.

From Jet45: “On the 19/7/46 during sea trials the second XFD-1 (48236) made the first take off and landing by a US jet powered aircraft on a Navy carrier the USS Roosevelt CVC-42. The FH-1 entered service with VF-17A squadron on the 29/4/1947, with the aircraft remaining in service with the US Navy as a front line fighter until 1949 being also flown by VF-11 and VF-172 squadrons. The "Phantom" begain to be replaced from 1948 onwards by the F2H-1"Banshee".”

Credit: Bill Spidle (See other of Bill’s Photos and work here, here and here

Click here to download photos in one ZIP file (21 Megs)

More Aircraft Postcards

More post cards from the late 1950’s showing several different aircraft manufactures (Douglas, McDonnell, Northrop and Chance Vought). Credit: William Rudolph collection

Click here to download cards in one ZIP file (3.9 Megs)

Fifty Years of Naval Aviation (1911-1961)

A Bureau of Naval Personnel Information “All Hands” Bulletin from June 1961. Many articles on 50 years of Naval Aviation. This series was published monthly from August 1922 to October 2011. Sent out to all Navy personnel.  Index is here

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Polaris Missile and the Navy

  A Bureau of Naval Personnel Information “All Hands” Bulletin from January 1960. It has articles on the Navy Polaris missile. This series was published monthly from August 1922 to October 2011. Sent out to all Navy personnel.  Index is here

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Project Vanguard–The Navy in Space

A Bureau of Naval Personnel Information “All Hands” Bulletin from December 1957. It covers the Navy Project Vanguard. This series was published monthly from August 1922 to October 2011. Sent out to all Navy personnel.  Index is here

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Guided Missiles in the US Navy

A Bureau of Naval Personnel Information “All Hands” Bulletin from March 1957. It covers many early Naval missiles from the Regulus I to the Sparrow and new rockets. This series was published monthly from August 1922 to October 2011. Sent out to all Navy personnel.  Index is here

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Piaggio-Douglas PD-808 Article #3

A great article from the January 1966 issue of Flying Review International on the Piaggio-Douglas PD-808. Written by James Hay Stevens. Has 3-views, a cut-a-way diagram and construction photos. Credit: Michael McMurtrey

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Piaggio-Douglas PD-808 Article #1 is here

Piaggio-Douglas PD-808 Article #2 is here

Republic Aviation Post Cards

Several post cards from the 1950’s showing Republic Aviation aircraft. Credit: William Rudolph collection

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Piaggio-Douglas PD-808 Article #2

Another nice article from Flying magazine on the Piaggio-Douglas PD-808. Written by Ed Mack Miller and dated October 1968.

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Piaggio-Douglas PD-808 Article #1 is here

Rockwell Condor AGM-53A Missile

Except from NAVAIR 00-120A-1 for the Rockwell Condor AGM-53A missile. Contains general arrangement and wing drawings with hard spots. Dated 15 August 1971.

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General Dynamics Standard Arm AGM-78A Missile

Except from NAVAIR 00-120A-1 for the General Dynamics Standard Arm AGM-78A Missile. Contains general arrangement and missile container drawings with hard spots. Dated 15 July 1969.

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Texas Instruments Shrike AGM-45A Missile

Except from NAVAIR 00-120A-1 for the Texas Instruments Shrike AGM-45A Missile. Contains general arrangement and guidance, control module drawings with hard spots. Dated 15 July 1969.

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Air Force Armament Museum

A tour of the external exhibits of the Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Taken November 13, 2017. Credit: Carl Slaughter

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Vulcan B Mk.1A Pilots Notes

Avro Vulcan B Mk1A Pilots Notes, AP-4505C-PN, dated October 1961. Credit: Hydroz.net

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Sikorsky MH-53E Helicopter Flight Manual

A copy of the NATOPS Flight Manual 1A-H53ME-NFM-000 for the Sikorsky MH-53E Helicopter, dated 15 December 2000. Credit; hydroz.net

Click here o download manual (66.5 Megs)

Douglas SB2D-1 Loft Sheet

Loft sheet 275-10 showing a detailed 3-view drawing of the Douglas SB2D-1 with color and markings and aircraft dimensions. Drawing is 1/30th scale.

Click here to download Loft Sheet (6.7 Megs)

F-4 Phantom II Booklet

An early reference source for Vietnam F-4 Phantom II’s. Has color and marking info for many SEA F-4 aircraft. Published by the Richard I. Bong Chapter, International Plastic Modeler's Society, August, 1973. Written by David Hansen.

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Space Shuttle Chronology–Vol 1-3

The chronological history of every Space Shuttle flight from 1981 – 2006. Takeoffs, landings and mission highlights.

Click here to download all three volumes in one ZIP file (3.1 Megs)

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Vol 1 here

Vol 2 here   

Vol 3 here

Toward a History of the Space Shuttle–Part 1

NASA publications Toward a History of the Space Shuttle : An Annotated Bibliography Part 1. Part of the Monographs in Aerospace History series, number 49.

These volumes includes key articles, books, hearings, and U.S. government publications published on the Shuttle between 1992 and the end of the Shuttle program in 2011. Part 1 dated 2011.

Click here to download part 1(1.0 Megs)

Alternate download: Part 1 here  

F-15 Eagle –Prelude to Flight (A Tall Tail Tale)

Another narrative from Jack Abercrombie on the early days of the F-15 Eagle project, The proposal, design, wind tunnel data and the final “Tall Tail” outcome. This narrative is part of Jack Abercrombie’s memoirs. Jack was an Aerodynamics Project Engineer from 1971 to 1978. Credit: Jack Abercrombie

Click here to download narrative (1.4 Megs)

Douglas GAM-87 Skybolt Photos

Several photos of the Douglas GAM-87 Skybolt.

From FAS.ORG: The Douglas GAM-87 Skybolt was an air-launched ballistic missile that would have been carried on the B-52H. Armed with a W59 nuclear warhead in a Mk. 7 re-entry vehicle, development was initiated in the late 1950s. The decision to proceed with the Skybolt was made in February 1960, with initial deployment projected for 1964. In June of 1960, the British government ordered 100 Skybolts to be carried by the Avro Vulcan. However, in December of 1962, President Kennedy cancelled the Skybolt missile for political and economical reasons.

In June 1963, the GAM-87A was redesignated as AGM-48A.

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History of the GAM-87 Skybolt Missile

 History of the GAM-87 Skybolt Air to Surface Ballistic Missile from the Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) Historical Publication Series, No. 67-50-I. Written by Charles G. Worman and dated March 1967. This was a Douglas missile.

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Celebrating 30 Years of the Space Shuttle Program

From the NASA Aeronautics Book Series, Celebrating 30 Years of the Space Shuttle Program. Dated 2011. Written by Adam Chin. Lots of GOOD Shuttle info and photos! Credit: NASA

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Alternate link here

Phantom RAF Airframe Qualification Course Notes

RAF F-4K Phantom II airframe course 1960’s notes. Not a good copy; but, I cleaned it up as much as possible. A unique offering! Credit: Dick Barton

Click here to download notes (109 Megs)

Probing the Sky

From the NASA Aeronautics Book Series, Probing the Sky (Selected NACA Research Airplanes and Their Contributions to Flight). Dated 2014. Written by Curtis Peebles. Aircraft covered include the Bell X-1, Douglas 558-1 Skystreak, Douglas 558-2 Skyrocket, Douglas X-3 Stilleto, Northrop X-4 Bantam, Bell X-5 and the Convair XF-92A. Lots of GOOD info and photos! Credit: NASA

Click here to download ebook (18.4 Megs)

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Convair F-102A Delta Dagger Flight Manual

A copy of the T.O. 1F-102A-1 Flight Manual for the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger aircraft, dated 15 September 1960. Credit: Hydroz.net

Click here to download manual (46 Megs)

I  am trying out a new PDF service for download. Tell me what you think!

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Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter on McAir Ramp

Another “Golden Oldie”, this time two photos of a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter aircraft on the McAir ramp in the early 1950’s.

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Boeing XF8B-1 Photos–Part I

Seventy four photos of the XF8B-1.

From WorldWarPhotos: XF8B-1 (Model 400) was a single-engine aircraft developed by Boeing during World War II to provide the United States Navy a long-range shipboard multi-purpose aircraft. The XF8B-1 was the heaviest carrier based aircraft built up to to the end of WW2. The "XF8B-1", powered with the P&W Wasp Major 28-cylinder engine, like the Goodyear F2G-2. This machine undertook its maiden flight on 27 Novcmber 1944.

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Click here to download photos in one ZIP file  (33.8 Megs)

Lockheed F-104D Starfighter Flight Manual

A copy of the T.O. 1F-104D-1 Flight Manual for the Lockheed F-104D Starfighter aircraft, dated 1 January 1960.

Click here to download manual (13 Megs)

TAV-8B Executive Summary

MDC report B0771, dated circa 1987. This is the  TAV-8B Harrier’s executive summary report, containing all you want to know about the TAV-8B program and technology with many nice photos, illustrations and charts!

Click here to download summary (60 Megs)

AV-8B Executive Summary here