Douglas DC-4 Operating Manual

A copy of the Douglas DC-4 (C-54B-DC) Operating Manual from Resort Airlines, dated April 15, 1951. Credit: Irfan S. Hokan Collection

Click here to download manual in PDF form (12.3 Megs)

Douglas DC-8-63 Technical Training Handbook

A copy of the Canadian Pacific Air Lines (CP Air) Douglas DC-8-63 Technical Training Handbook, dated November 30, 1975. Credit: Irfan S. Hokan Collection

Click here to download handbook in PDF form (16 Megs)

Douglas DC-8 Flight Operating Manual and Checklist

  A Douglas DC-8 Flight Operating Manual from American International Airways, dated May10, 1999. Also, their DC-8 Check List. Credit: Irfan S. Hokan Collection

Click here to download the manual in PDF form (18.8 Megs)

Click here to view check list

DC-10 Aircraft Charateristics for Airport Planning Report

A Douglas Company generated report meant to be sent to airports in order for the airports to plan for the DC-10. Contains a lot of aircraft charteristics and dimensions. Credit: Irfan S. Hokan

Click here to download report in PDF form (6.2 Megs)

800 Posts Today!

Today is my 800th post! How time flies!

Thanks to all the people who have given kind words, encouraged me and helped with material to publish.

Ron

McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Introduction Report

A Douglas Company report for the introduction of the DC-10. Lots of detail info on the “Care and Feeding” of a DC-10 aircraft.

Click here to download report in PDF form (7.2 Megs)

F-15B Eagle IFFC/Firefly

McDonnell Douglas F-15B-20-MC-77-0166 c/n 0430/B057 used in the Integrated Flight Fire Control (IFFC)/Firefly III program.

Joe Baugher has this to say about this aircraft and program:

“In 1981, a late production F-15B (serial number 77-0166) was modified as the test vehicle for the Integrated Flight Fire Control (IFFC)/Firefly III program. The IFFC program was undertaken by McDonnell under a contract from the Air Force for the development of a system which would modify the Eagle's fire control and flight control systems to accept control inputs from both the pilot and the IFFC flight control system and to tailor flight control response to the various weapons delivery modes. The parallel Firefly III program was conducted by General Electric under an Air Force contract for further development of the fire control system for use against air-to-ground targets.

The coupling of IFFC with Firefly III allows for automatic positioning of the aircraft in order to attack targets that are detected by an electro-optical target designation pod. As part of the program, the F-15B carried a Martin Marietta ATLIS (Automatic Tracking Laser Illumination System) II designation pod in the port forward missile well, linked to the aircraft's fly-by-wire system via a computer. The designation pod enabled the aircraft to release air-to-ground weapons while maneuvering along a three-dimensional flight path, avoiding having to fly directly over the target and thus exposing itself to enemy ground fire.”

The IFFC/Firefly III system was never adopted for production F-15s. However, the work done on the system was helpful in development of the LANTIRN navigation and targeting system which was adopted for the F-15E Strike Eagle.

Click here to view photos

Good article on INTEGRATED FLIGHT AND FIRE CONTROL here

F-15 Conformal Fuel Tank (Fast Pack) Brochure

McAir company brochure on the F-15 Conformal Fuel Tank called Fast Packs. Good general info and weapons loading stations.

Click here to download brochure in PDF form (103 Megs)

Previous posts are here, here, here, here and here

Additional Eliminate Range Zero System (EROS) Information

  A photo of the actual panel used in the EROS project.

Tommy Thomason commented on my last post with info that all should read:

“Two McAir F-101s collided on 8 June 1960 during production flight test from St. Louis. Because of the nature of these flights, the pilots of the Voodoos were 1) operating in a block of assigned air space rather than at ATC assigned altitudes on airways and 2) focusing on instrument readings, manually recording data, and making changes to switches and knobs: i.e. head down in the cockpit to a greater extent than usual.
As a result of the accident, Mr. Mac immediately implemented a company-funded program to develop a collision-warning system. This resulted in EROS. Once it was developed and qualified, McAir aircraft conducting experimental and and production flight test out of St. Louis routinely carried an EROS pod that communicated with the pods on other airplanes to provide collision warning.”

Also, he found a PDF from 1971 in the Clay Whitehead collection that contains several Collision Avoidance System Letters and Memoranda concerning the EROS project. Note page 10, especially.

Click here to download memos in PDF form (104.3 Megs)

Previous posts here, here and here

A nice overview from Popular Science (Aug 1988) of all companies efforts in this field is here

Additional James S. McDonnell Photos

Another couple of “Old Man MAC” photos that I like. Younger days, this time.

Click here to view photos

Original post here

Piaggio-Douglas PD-808 Article #1

A nice article from Aviation Week & Space Technology. dated 26 September 1966 on the Piaggio-Douglas PD-808, An aircraft that has always interested me.

From Wikipedia: “The Piaggio PD.808 was designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company of Long Beach, California, as a business jet.

No orders were received by Douglas, and the complete project was bought by Piaggio Aero, which flew the first prototype in August 1965. Piaggio also failed to secure any worthwhile commercial interest, but a few examples were taken by the Italian Air Force.

Only 24 examples of this type, with low-set wings and aft-mounted turbojet engines, were produced, and 22 of these went to the Italian Air Force.”

Click here to view article and aircraft photos

Vought F7U-l Cutlass

A couple of early 1950’s calendar photos of the Vought F7U-l Cutlass. These two photos are not generally available.

Click here to view large photos

F2H-1 Station Diagrams

F2H-1 Station Diagrams including fuselage, wing, aileron, stabilizer and elevator stations. Also, buttock lines.

 Click here to view diagrams

F-4 Stores Characteristics Charts

McDonnell Aircraft F-4 Stores Characteristics Charts dated April 1967. A list of all the weapons carried by the F-4 Phantom II aircraft with dimensions including weight, length, diameter; etc. Drawing 53-018248.

Click here to view charts

Additional stores info here

General Dynamics F-111B Aardvark Flight Manual

A copy of the NATOPS Flight Manual #01-10FAB-1 for the General Dynamics F-111B aircraft, dated 15 May, 1968.

Click here to download manual in PDF form (75.77 Megs)

Alternate download link

McDonnell Phantom II - Three Service Fighter Pamphlet

Another company produced pamphlet extolling the virtues of the F-4. Similar to the pamphlet in this earlier post; but, with more info.

Click here to view pamphlet

McDonnell Eliminate Range Zero System (EROS) Brochure I

  The actual EROS brochure put out by McAir on the company developed Eliminate Range Zero System. A small brochure; but, full of information

Download here or PDF here (17 Megs)

Previous posts here and here.

Air National Guard RF-101G/H Photographic Reconnaissance Systems

A McDonnell Douglas Product Support publication, PS 472 dated 15 April 1968 as a manual on the Air National Guard RF-101G/H Photographic Reconnaissance Systems. It has data on the care and use of the KA-56 and KA-87 cameras. Many diagrams and charts.

Click here to download the manual in PDF form (41.0 Megs)

Alternate download site

Lockheed Aircraft Photo Set

A circa 1950 set of large color military and civil aircraft lithographs from Lockheed Aircraft (plus one drawing). Includes the XFV-1, F-94, P2V-1, P2V-2, WV-, L-749 Connie and L-1049 Super Connie. Credit: William Rudolph collection

Click here to view litho's

More Burnelli CBY-3 Loadmaster Info

AirAusquin left a note with more info on the Burnelli CBY-3 Loadmaster, this time in South American use.

He says: “As an aeronautical engineer myself, and Venezuelan civil aviation historian, I have been researching this model for quite a while, with the intention of writing an article in spanish about the type, and its short history at Ransa. History goes that during a test, the load (water drums) got loose and moved around the cargo area, barely allowing the pilots to land. Pilots refused to fly the plane again, but in my opinion, the fact that they landed "safely" speaks well of the capabilities of the plane. Here are other comments from one of my tutors, Alfredo Schael, director of the Venezuelan Transportation Museum in Caracas, about the CBY-3: http://www.laahs.com/content/65-Tracking-RANSA%C2%92s-CBY-3-Loadmaster”

Original posts here and here. More info here

F4H-1A Tactical Fighter Proposal

An early attempt by McDonnell Aircraft to sell the U.S.A.F. a downsized F4H-1A as a Tactical Fighter only. Report # 7182, dated 1January 1960.

Aircraft was proposed with J79-7B engines instead of J79-8, no tailhook and simplified bombing and navigation changes.

Click here to download proposal in PDF form (44.3 Megs)

Alternate download site

Use  NOT to download!!!

F-15 Eagle Chin Pod Update Addition

I got some additional info from Keith "Sven" Svendsen on the F-15 Chin Pod testing I posted here. 

Sven says: “The photo in the article actually shows one of the FSD F-15A airframes, 71-0289 I think. The chin pod was also tested on 71-0291, see above: as Chief of Test with the F-15 Program Office. In cleaning out my office I found the referenced photo. At first glance, I thought it was an early 1990s test picture since. In the later days of Desert Storm and for a while afterwards, we were looking at a "Single-Seat SEAD" capability for the MSIP jets - to include direction finding gear a la the chin pod and integrating the AGM-88 on stations 2 and 8. The MSIPs were looking for a mission after air dominance was established.”

Thanks, Sven, for the additional info!

F-4 Changes Between Models (Updated)

Tommy Thomason brought to my attention that these sheets are rather simplistic and I agree. So, in the spirit of providing as much info as possible, here are Tommy’s observations:

“Those illustrated summaries are a little weak. The F-4A configuration history during development was more complicated, e.g. big noses on airplanes prior to 19 like 10, 12, and 14. The raised canopy was introduced at 19.

The F-4B raised canopy was actually introduced during F-4A production as noted on the first sheet and above.

The F-4J sheet is USMC only, which implies that the maneuver slats were USMC only. If I remember correctly, the maneuver flaps were only a feature on the F-4S, the first lot of which were delivered to the Marines without the maneuver slats.

For some reason, the inflight refueling probe is shown on some sheets but not others.

You might want to link this particular post to this one for completeness and hopefully accuracy: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2012/12/you-cant-tell-phantoms-without-score.html”

Tommy has studied the Phantom II extensively and is, in my opinion, an expert in early NAVY F-4’s. His website is a must visit for anyone interested in the F-4 Phantom II aircraft. It is at: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com

Original post here

F-15 S/MTD McDonnell Douglas Presentation

The presentation report prepared by McDonnell Douglas for briefing the government on the S/MTD (STOL/ Maneuver Technology Demonstator) program. Credit: Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum

Click here to download the presentation in PDF form (46.2 Megs)

More F-15 S/MTD Photos

Jack Abercrombie sent along a few more F-15 S/MTD (STOL/ Maneuver Technology Demonstator program photos, including another view of the wind tunnel test. Jack was the Technical Integrator for the program.

Click here to view photos

Original post here

F-15 S/MTD Photos and Articles

A number of photos and articles on the F-15 S/MTD (STOL/ Maneuver Technology Demonstator aircraft. Also, wind tunnel photos from the Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum.

Click here to view photos and articles

Additional info here

F-15 S/MTD Flight Testing Article

An article on the beginning of the F-15 S/MTD Flight Testing program from the May 22, 1989 edition of the MDC Team Talk. Sets out the goals and time frame of the program.

Click here to view article

NF-15B S/MTD Photo Feature

A nice article by Bill Norton on the F-15 Short Takeoff and Landing/Maneuver Technology Demonstrator (S/MTD) aircraft from the Air Force Flight Test Center. Great description of mods. Credit IPMS article from February 1990

Per wikipedia: The NF-15B S/MTD was a modified F-15 Eagle. Developed as a technology demonstrator, the F-15 STOL/MTD carried out research for studying the effects of thrust vectoring and enhanced maneuverability. The aircraft used for the project was pre-production TF-15A (F-15B) No. 1 (USAF S/N 71-0290), the first two-seat F-15 Eagle built by McDonnell Douglas.

Click here to view article

Team Talk S/MTD article

Do You Want More NASA (Cont’d)

Down boys!

This will always be a “Things with Wings” blog; so, don’t worry about that!

It does seem that the interest is there; so, I will sprinkle some NASA stuff in occasionally along with the other material! Thanks for the input comments and many emails.

Ron

Speaking of Space Documents and Manuals…

A wesite linked to my blog and it is a great source of Russian aircraft manuals and Missile manuals! So, I thought that I would pass it on.

Go to: here and here to see and download the manuals

(Part of the kosmonauta.net and chomikuj.pl/VSI websites)

Do You Want More NASA Press Releases?

Cliff Steenhoff has sent me over 3000 NASA press releases, which include most all of the Space Shuttle launches, Apollo, Altas and Delta launches and many, many others.

As this number of items is so large, I need to ask if any one is really interested in them before I put in that much work.

If you would like to see them posted here, make a comment in the Comment Section below. It is up to you if you want it to happen!!

Ron

Apollo NASA Mission Reports–Apollo 1 thru 17

Here are 233 Apollo mission reports. From the Apollo 1 accident to the last mission, Apollo 17. A great collection of reports, summaries, press kits; etc. It’s all here! Credit: Cliff Steenhoff

NOTE: THIS IS A HUGH FILE!! OVER 1.2 GIGS!

Click here to download manuals in compressed RAR form (1.2 Gigs)

Note: This file is a compressed WinRAR file. Use WinRAR, WinZip or the free 7-zip to un-compress all the files. See a 7-Zip tutorial here

F-4 Changes Between Models

Simple diagrams of the changes between the F-4A’s thru the F-4J’s

Click here to view changes

Missouri Air National Guard F-100C

Color and Markings of a Missouri Air National Guard F-100C of the  131st Tactical Fighter Wing at Lambert airport in St. Louis, Mo. With a short history of the aircraft flown by this guard unit. Nice drawing by the Rev Del Miller.

Click here to view drawing

Click here to see previous post on MO ANG F-100’s

Apollo Operations Handbook - Lunar Module

Grumman company written Apollo Operations Handbooks for the Lunar Module. LMA790-3-LM Vol 1, dated 1 April 1971 and LMA790-3-LM Vol 2, dated 15 January 1971. Volume I is for Subsystems Data and Volume II is for Operational Procedures. Credit: Cliff Steenhoff

Click here to download Vol I in PDF form (38.6Megs)

Click here to download Vol II in PDF form (26.7)

Apollo Operations Handbooks for Block II Spacecraft

This is Vol. I of the Apollo Operations Handbooks, SM2A-03-Block II, dated October 15, 1969, with Sections 1-4 for CMS Block II Spacecraft with configuration, guidance and a lot of other data. Credit: Cliff Steenhoff

Click here to download manuals in compressed RAR form (163 Megs)

Note: This file is a compressed WinRAR file. Use WinRAR, WinZip or the free 7-zip to un-compress all the files. See a 7-Zip tutorial here

Thirty Years of Phantoms Patches

A couple more F-4 Phantom II patches. This time for the 30th anniversery of the first flight.

Click here to view patches

Click here for other 30th info

F-15 Design Approach Presentation

Undated presentation on the F-15 Eagle design approach requirements, dates and exact info. Lots of great F-15 information and charts.

Click here to download in PDF form (2.9 Megs)

Blackburn B.46 Firebrand

A number of photos from the William Rudolph collection. He seemed to like the Blackburn Firebrand as he has several factory photos. I added a couple that I had. Credit: William Rudolph collection

Click here to view photos

Much info and photos at Airwar.ru

Paint Schemes and Exterior Markings for US Navy and Marine Corp Aircraft

  A copy of the DOD manual, MIL-STD-2161A (AS) for the Paint Schemes and Exterior Markings for US Navy and Marine Corp Aircraft. This manual is dated May 1, 1993. Lots of nice info, paint colors and diagrams.

Click here to download manual in PDF form (18.6Megs)

AV-16A/Pegasus 15

A copy of the MDC A2908 report, dated May 30, 1974 on the AV-8A follow-on as a “Cost Effective V/Stol Evolution” using a new forward fuselage and wings and mated with the Pegusas 15 engine.

From AirVectors: “In 1973, British Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas conducted a set of conceptual studies for a bigger and better Harrier, the result of which was the "AV-16A" or "AV-8X", based on the bigger and more powerful Pegasus 15 engine, with plenum-chamber burning. The informal "AV-16A" designation reflected the goal of an aircraft with twice the range and twice the warload of the existing AV-8A. There was also some interest in supersonic performance.”

Credit: The Greater St. Louis Air and Space Museum

Click here to download tyhe report in PDF form (3.75)

Alternate download site for PDF

Av-8B Harrier II Plus Lithograph

A copy of the 1991 Av-8B Harrier II Plus lithograph. It lays out the Harrier II Plus proposal and has a lot of facts and figures. It is a small two page affair; but, has a lot of info.

Click here to view lithograph