Keefe \ MU03ENG For you

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/military-pilot-shares-the-most-amazing-macho-competition-story-ever-this-is-gold

[keefe]

Back in my F 16 days at Misawa we would often TDY to Kadena for Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) with the F 15 drivers. On one of my first approaches into Kadena everyone was put in the Marshall Stack while Kadena cleared "Habu 26" for his go to point of Angels 52 (Whoever "Habu 26" was he was climbing straight to 52k'...)

I thought I misheard or misunderstood but when I looked down at the field I saw the SR 71, "Habu 26", taxiing out to the hammerhead. His take off roll was impossibly slow but in an instant he was off in a blue streak and a dot within seconds. It still ranks as the most remarkable thing I have seen in flight.

What is amazing is that sonuvabitch would be landing in the UK in a very short time.

I think every guy who strapped on an Eagle or Lawn Dart would have traded his wife to get a Habu seat. Those guys actually wore astronaut wings because their flight profile cut through space. Incredible.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Saw the Blue Angels today at the Pt. Mugu air show.  Hadn't seen them in about 10 years.

For the SR71, they have one on display downtown LA right outside of the Space Shuttle.  Very impressive.

[keefe]

Saw the Blue Angels today at the Pt. Mugu air show.  Hadn't seen them in about 10 years.

For the SR71, they have one on display downtown LA right outside of the Space Shuttle.  Very impressive.

What is crazy is that the Habu is '50's technology

[mu03eng]

My dad worked in the same program office as the Habu guys at Wright Patt so I got to meet a couple of those crew dogs when I was a kid.  I've met a ton of pilots of all services from around the globe....when I tell you that the Habu crews were cool as a cucumber and the personification of sierra hotel pilots, I'm not exaggerating.  Just the bad assest drivers on the planet.  The only pilot I was every in awe of more than the Habu guys I met was Chuck Yeager....but it's god damn Chuck Yeager

Side note, that Rhino driver deserved everything he got....even the Navy knows when they're being pricks.

The SR-71 is amazing technology and was first conceptualized in the late 1940s.  Thing leaks like a sieve on the ground and had to refuel shortly after takeoff, which is why when they were ready to go out the door they superseded all traffic in the pattern.  The A-12 was suppose to be the fighter version of the plane but they scraped it because they couldn't shoot anything that would fly faster than the plane itself.  Kind of surprised they let them publish the story with the speed part of the conversation, how fast and how high they can fly is still very classified.

When they retired the last one they flew it to Wright Patt to put in the museum there (great air museum that's open to the public, second only to Air and Space in DC), and they did a couple of low passes and high speed approaches before landing.  A thing of beauty.

[keefe]

My dad worked in the same program office as the Habu guys at Wright Patt so I got to meet a couple of those crew dogs when I was a kid.  I've met a ton of pilots of all services from around the globe....when I tell you that the Habu crews were cool as a cucumber and the personification of sierra hotel pilots, I'm not exaggerating.  Just the bad assest drivers on the planet.  The only pilot I was every in awe of more than the Habu guys I met was Chuck Yeager....but it's god damn Chuck Yeager

Side note, that Rhino driver deserved everything he got....even the Navy knows when they're being pricks.

The SR-71 is amazing technology and was first conceptualized in the late 1940s.  Thing leaks like a sieve on the ground and had to refuel shortly after takeoff, which is why when they were ready to go out the door they superseded all traffic in the pattern.  The A-12 was suppose to be the fighter version of the plane but they scraped it because they couldn't shoot anything that would fly faster than the plane itself.  Kind of surprised they let them publish the story with the speed part of the conversation, how fast and how high they can fly is still very classified.

When they retired the last one they flew it to Wright Patt to put in the museum there (great air museum that's open to the public, second only to Air and Space in DC), and they did a couple of low passes and high speed approaches before landing.  A thing of beauty.

The Kadena O Club is witness to some of the fiercest Crud games this side of Hades. It normally pits Eagle pukes against Lawn Dart Drivers but when Navy types show up it is Blue on Blue.

The intensity of trash talk and venom usually reaches a fever pitch which only intensifies in vulgarity and volume with the consumption of alcohol.

But when the Habu guys arrive in the Club it is like the EF Hutton commercial and Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea all in one. The place falls silent and mere mortal fighter pilots give the Habu Gods unimpeded access way to the bar.

The Habu guys have a very unique Sh1t Hot Flight Suit that defies description and cements their standing as the best of the best.

[keefe]

One of the biggest holes in my post Active Duty life is the absence of Crud...


http://www.examiner.com/article/crud-the-billiards-game-of-pilots-part-1

[mu03eng]

The Kadena O Club is witness to some of the fiercest Crud games this side of Hades. It normally pits Eagle pukes against Lawn Dart Drivers but when Navy types show up it is Blue on Blue.

The intensity of trash talk and venom usually reaches a fever pitch which only intensifies in vulgarity and volume with the consumption of alcohol.

But when the Habu guys arrive in the Club it is like the EF Hutton commercial and Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea all in one. The place falls silent and mere mortal fighter pilots give the Habu Gods unimpeded access way to the bar.

The Habu guys have a very unique Sh1t Hot Flight Suit that defies description and cements their standing as the best of the best.

I've always heard great stories about the Kadena O Club, never been and never played Crud(saw a game once but seemed pretty tame).  I don't think any bar owner in their right mind would let a Crud game break out in their establishment in the states.

[keefe]

I've always heard great stories about the Kadena O Club, never been and never played Crud(saw a game once but seemed pretty tame).  I don't think any bar owner in their right mind would let a Crud game break out in their establishment in the states.

Crud is a full contact combat sport. The Many v Many engagements at Kadena are the stuff of legend.

I think the way to settle all the bull sh1t with ISIS is to have them field a Crud All Star Team and go toe-to-toe with a purple squad of USAF, USN, and USMC fighter guys. Game, set, match.

[Spotcheck Billy]

but how slow can a Blackbird fly?

http://www.vfp62.com/SR-71_flyby.html

[mu03eng]

but how slow can a Blackbird fly?

http://www.vfp62.com/SR-71_flyby.html

Reminds me of the time I nearly bought it flying a Cessna 172 as a youth. (though a far less cool circumstance)

I was trying to show off shortly after soloing for some friends and family and came in for a low pass, but didn't check my sink rate as I started.  I'd come off the power too much, got behind the curve and as my sink rate increased I got down to something like 30 feet off the deck even as I went to max power(lucky it was a very flat part of Illinois).  Only thing that kept me from augering in was I was into the wind and instinctively kept the nose just slightly down to gain speed before gaining altitude and RTBing for an underwear change.  Pretty sure I got below 15 feet before I started back up.

All the people standing around were wowed at what a great pass it was, my dad just shook his head and gave me a significant lecture on the power curve and it's deep religious meaning.

[Benny B]

but how slow can a Blackbird fly?

http://www.vfp62.com/SR-71_flyby.html

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/e/jc8tu0ZPfEA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/e/jc8tu0ZPfEA</a>

[Benny B]

I've heard this story before from a former rec league hockey teammate of mine who's a veteran controller who worked approach at IND.  The other part of this story is from ATC's perspective... the controller in LA Center that day probably has a plaque with his picture and a transcription of the recording etched below it in 14k gold.  He'll probably be talked about in ATC circles well after he passes on.

Incidentally, my teammate had to have been one of the calmest hockey players I ever met, which is amazing when you consider what controllers have to go through on a day-to-day basis.  ATC is not a fun job... my teammate once quipped that every day in the tower gets you two days closer to the coffin.  I downloaded an overly-simplified ATC game app for my iPad, and I can't last more than 20 minutes before I have to turn the damn thing off.

[rocket surgeon]

Crud is a full contact combat sport. The Many v Many engagements at Kadena are the stuff of legend.

I think the way to settle all the bull sh1t with ISIS is to have them field a Crud All Star Team and go toe-to-toe with a purple squad of USAF, USN, and USMC fighter guys. Game, set, match.

certainly, but understand, the best they have right now is JV

in all seriousness, why did they scrap the sr71?  i'm assuming b/c we have better, but that badboy sounds like, well, a bad boy.  could they just keep tweaking it or something?   great stories!

[mu03eng]

certainly, but understand, the best they have right now is JV

in all seriousness, why did they scrap the sr71?  i'm assuming b/c we have better, but that badboy sounds like, well, a bad boy.  could they just keep tweaking it or something?   great stories!

Same reason the are trying to scrap the A-10....they spent money on newer systems thinking they would do the job better and they likely can't.  Basically they said the Habus are expensive and we have all these satellites they can do the job......problem is that re positioning satellites is very expensive and risky, so their flight paths are relatively predictable.  The SR-71 is not. Classic bean counter blunder in my opinion.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I've heard this story before from a former rec league hockey teammate of mine who's a veteran controller who worked approach at IND.  The other part of this story is from ATC's perspective... the controller in LA Center that day probably has a plaque with his picture and a transcription of the recording etched below it in 14k gold.  He'll probably be talked about in ATC circles well after he passes on.

Incidentally, my teammate had to have been one of the calmest hockey players I ever met, which is amazing when you consider what controllers have to go through on a day-to-day basis.  ATC is not a fun job... my teammate once quipped that every day in the tower gets you two days closer to the coffin.  I downloaded an overly-simplified ATC game app for my iPad, and I can't last more than 20 minutes before I have to turn the damn thing off.

My niece is ATC on the carrier Stennis. Sharp girl, very poised. 

[mu03eng]

My niece is ATC on the carrier Stennis. Sharp girl, very poised.

Has to be smart if she is joining the finest fighting force on the planet.  ATC on a boat is a helluva job, trying to keep over 80 airframes organized on 6 acres of deck and in the airspace around the strike group is no small task.

Still amazes me that they manage the organization on the deck and in the hanger spaces with cardboard cutouts and pins.

[Benny B]

Still amazes me that they manage the organization on the deck and in the hanger spaces with cardboard cutouts and pins.

Great... now our enemies know how to take down our carriers.

[mu03eng]

Great... now our enemies know how to take down our carriers.

Which one of these two are you Benny?

[keefe]

Same reason the are trying to scrap the A-10....they spent money on newer systems thinking they would do the job better and they likely can't.  Basically they said the Habus are expensive and we have all these satellites they can do the job......problem is that re positioning satellites is very expensive and risky, so their flight paths are relatively predictable.  The SR-71 is not. Classic bean counter blunder in my opinion.

I love Mother Air Force but she forgets her ugliest but most loyal children. The Habu is a superior recce platform for a number of reasons but the most compelling being speed/response and targeting/collection agility. And just as the Warthog is the finest CAS weapon system God ever gave to mankind the Habu provides the most tailored and precise ISR available to the warfighter.

Basically, the AF went all in for Global Hawk and the SR 71 was an embarrassingly competent and reliable legacy system that hindered development of the UAV OOB. Why spend billions when you can get better intel at 10% of the investment?

Congress actually appropriated OPTAR money for the Habu fleet but the AF refused to spend it! (I won't even get into William Jefferson Clinton's role in killing the Habu...)

[keefe]

Has to be smart if she is joining the finest fighting force on the planet.  ATC on a boat is a helluva job, trying to keep over 80 airframes organized on 6 acres of deck and in the airspace around the strike group is no small task.

Still amazes me that they manage the organization on the deck and in the hanger spaces with cardboard cutouts and pins.

I think you misunderstood the Bail Bondsman...his niece joined the Navy, not the Air Force...

[mu03eng]

I think you misunderstood the Bail Bondsman...his niece joined the Navy, not the Air Force...

Oh the joy of never ending pissing contests 

[Benny B]

Which one of these two are you Benny?

The one with the camera, obviously.  Just watching a never ending pissing match, of course.

[rocket surgeon]

just watched a documentary on history channel on the warthog-awsome awsome awsome!  leave it to the gubmint to fix something that ain't broken   follow the money-sad

[ChicosBailBonds]

Has to be smart if she is joining the finest fighting force on the planet.  ATC on a boat is a helluva job, trying to keep over 80 airframes organized on 6 acres of deck and in the airspace around the strike group is no small task.

Still amazes me that they manage the organization on the deck and in the hanger spaces with cardboard cutouts and pins.

Her dad ( my bro-in-law ) was ATC in the Air Force 30 years ago.  Must be in the blood.