classic-aircraft

[classic-aircraft]

The SR 71 Pilot flew the plane, but the guy in the backseat was the RSO reconnaissance systems officer. He took care of the mission.

The mission was to get the information. This entailed taking pictures and getting the radar take. Everything that they needed for reconnaissance: the sounds, the photos, radar, (later they had radar photographs that could cut through the clouds.)

The RSO handled the ECM (electrical countermeasures) and was also completely in charge of defense, monitoring and overriding if necessary any missiles that were coming their way and quickly figuring out how to protect themselves.

The pilot was the commander of the airplane. It was the pilots of duty to instruct the navigator in the backseat to eject. If he felt it was necessary. Only the best pilots and the best navigators in the world were selected to fly the SR 71.

Fortunately, this worked 100% of the time as no SR 71 was ever shot down Over 1000 missiles were launched at an SR 71 especially around the Vietnam War after a few tries the Soviets gave up launching missiles as they knew they couldn’t catch it.

The pilot and the RSO worked as a team. The RSO would run the checklist for the pilot. He had to memorize both his cockpit and the pilot's cockpit. They got to know each other so well, they could sense what the other person was thinking and feeling just by their breathing.

The cockpits were right behind each other in tandem however they could not see each other.

For instance, if a circuit breaker had tripped and this happened, I remember Dave Peters's SR-71 Pilot telling me about how he had to push a switch behind him to override an electrical current. Dave reached his arm behind him and listened to his RSO give him precise instructions on how to do that while flying the airplane without taking his eyes off the sky! They were successful. I sure miss Dave. May he rest in peace.

The photograph that I selected is not an actual photograph. It’s an artist's conception of the RSO Cockpit.

Linda Sheffield a daughter of an RSO.

@Habubrats71 via X

[classic-aircraft]

U.S.M.C. Compilation!

#helo #usmc #marineaviation #usmarines #marinecorps #sikorskyaircraft #ch53e #superstallion #helicopter #heavy-lift #cargohelicopter #helicopterpilot #military #aviation #usa #compilation #aviationmaintenance #marinecorpsaviation #militaryhelicopter

[classic-aircraft]

Sky Hawks, Phantoms, Sky Warriors, Corsairs, Sky Raiders.

USS Kitty Hawk Refueling USS McKean (right), and USS Harry E. Hubbard (left). September 1962. Can you recognize the different aircraft models on deck?

🎥 AIRCRAFT CARRIER VIDEO: https://youtu.be/7u1xm5Z7FqM

📷 HD IMAGE: https://dronescapes.video/KittyHawk

[classic-aircraft]

F-4 in experimental camo scheme

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[classic-aircraft]

[classic-aircraft]

Phantom F-4J.

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Phantom F-4B.

VMFA-451 "Warlords". 17th June '76.

[classic-aircraft]

Wildcats.

[classic-aircraft]

P-38 Lightning.

[classic-aircraft]

F-4U Corsair.

[classic-aircraft]

B-25 Mitchell.

[classic-aircraft]

Phantom F-4C. USAF.

[classic-aircraft]

Canadian CF-18 Hornet.

[classic-aircraft]

Grumman Wildcat

[classic-aircraft]

A-10 Warthog.

[classic-aircraft]

Liberator

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B-24