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Two of the most weird looking aircraft ever devised were actually immensely valuable in the development of the Hawker Harrier Jump Jet and in the training of astronauts! This is the story of two flying bedsteads!
The NASA Lunar Landing Research Vehicle.
The original flying bedstead, more properly known as the Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Disney, User:Geni and NASA.
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Lt David Steeves was living the dream. He was a USAF fighter pilot and instructor flying the T33A shooting star when his jet failed him as he flew over the Sierra’s mountain range. He ejected and then survived a traumatic fight for survival amongst the rugged terrain… he ought to have been hailed a hero. Enter the newspaper man Clay Blair and David Steeves life abruptly turned into a nightmare!
DAYTON, Ohio — Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Mt Whitney of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The Sierra Nevadas.
David Steeves on the day of his rescue.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the US Gov, USAF, Cullen328, Jeffrey Pang and Alejandro Pena.
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The weird and wacky names that aircraft have don’t usually include those of insects, particularly parasitic ones but there is no accounting for taste! From Gnats to Fleas, June Bugs to Crickets, aviation has them all and in this tale we find out about many of them.
The dainty but impressive Folland Gnat which was only slightly larger than the single seat version, the Midge.
The BE2, one of which was unsuccessfully launched from beneath a blimp.
The parasitic Sparrowhawk fighter suspended under the Airship USS Macron.
Another parasite, an F-84 is launched from underneath a modified B-36 Peacemaker.
Two parasites at once… the unlikely combination of a pair of F-84s being towed by the wingtips of a B-29.
The tiny Starr Bumblebee II which was, at the time, the world’s smallest piloted aircraft.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Nick-D, H M Benner, the Royal Navy, Afcrna and the USAF.
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Military pilots aren’t the only ones in danger whilst cruising the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Passenger jets can be equally vulnerable with tragic results. These are the stories of two aircraft that sadly flew on to their destruction, with nobody controlling, carrying their unfortunate passengers to their death.
Payne Stewart.
The accident Learjet.
The Learjet’s flight path.
A Helios B737.
The flight path of Helios Flight 522.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Alan Lebeda, Supergolfdude, NTSB and AAIASB.
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Military fighter aircraft that fly themselves around without their pilot on board is unusual, to say the least. Sadly this is often a situation that has tragic consequences. This tale is of three such events; happily one has safe outcome for the pilot… the others were not so lucky.
An early Harrier prototype, the P1127.
The Sea Harrier.
A 75 Sqn F/A-18 in the foreground during a Red Flag exercise in the US.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Alan Wilson, Billy Bunting MOD, USMC and USAF.
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So feared were these pilots, flying almost silently over the German positions at night to attack any movement or light, that the Nazis called them Night Witches. With just the wind whistling through the wires of their old Po-2 biplanes, again and again the brave young women of the Soviet Air Force flew with such skill that many were made Heroes of the Soviet Union.
Senior Lieutenant Irina Sebrova who flew 1,008 missions.
The wood-and-canvas Polikarpov Po-2 biplane.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Douzeff. Other images from public domain.
