Introdution Dates of Military Aircraft

AKBill

AKBill

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AKBill
So being an old fellow that spent some time in the Navy, I was wondering when the current fleet was introduced. All of the aircraft I have listed were in service when I joined the Navy in 1976. Most were still in service when I left the USNR in 1990.

A-4 Skyhawk 1956 (worked on) ; A-6 Intruder 1960
B-52 BUFF 1955: E-2 Hawke 1964;
C-5 Galaxy 1970 ; T-2 Buckeye 1953 (worked on );
F-5 Tiger 1972; V-22 Osprey 1989;
F-14 Tomcat 1974; F-4 Phantom 1953;
F-15 Eagle 1976 ; F-16 Falcon 1979;
C-130 Hercules 1957; P-3 Orion 1962 (worked on);
T-38 Talon 1961; SH-60 Sea Hawk 1983;
CH-47 Chinook 1961 (worked on engine); UH-1 Huey 1959; F18 Hornet 1983

What stories or memories do you have working or flying these aircraft. Add to the list if you like.

I guess one of the things that first comes to mine for me was working on the P-3 Orion. Middle of February, middle of the night, ADAK Alaska. Sleeping on bubble wrap in the shop, waiting for the last flight to return, and wheeling the tool box across a snow covered ramp to do the post fight inspection..:rolleyes:
 
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Of all these aircraft only a handful have been decommissioned. So don't worry about the age of your plane, just keep the maintenance up and be nice to the old girl...:)
 
I grew up under the final approach course of Moffett Field NAS and heard the sound of three squadron's worth of P-3s fly over my head for 24 years.

After leaving home to become an Army Aviator, I moved around the world a few times and heard that the NAS had been decommissioned and those P-3 Squadrons were scattered around the world...

in 1992, I was stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA and lived directly under the final approach course. One day, I heard a sound that resonated in my bones and looked up top see the faded tail flash of VP-51 on a P-3C that had flown over my head as a baby!

I learned they had been moved to NAS Jacksonville and were being upgraded. The other squadrons were moved to Hawaii or disbanded...
 
AKBill - your Navy time closely matches mine. I was E-2 Hawkeye all the way, Aircrew, Avionics Tech, post-maintenance check crew, QA inspector ... started in the E-2B, transitioned to the -C and then back to the -B in the reserves for my last 2 years. More aircraft to your list, that I recall or had controller time with ...

A-7 Corsair - 1967

RF-8 Crusader -1956; launched one of the last flights off the Nimitz in 1979 at anchor at Naples, Italy. (At least that's what I recall the scuttlebutt on board at the time - Wiki says the RF-8 continued active duty service through 1982. Maybe our launch was the end of carrier service?)

C-2 Greyhound - 1965; lots of friends in the COD squads

EA-6B Prowler - 1971

S-3 Viking - 1974

SH-3 Sea King - 1961; did a few Aircrew Familiarization swaps with these guys. Made me appreciate my seat in the Hawkeye, where we at least had air conditioning and the control switches were mine.

H-46 - 1961(?), H-53 - 1966 - got plucked up out of the water by these guys during our pre-deployment water survival training. Additionally, HM-16 flying RH-53Ds joined us on Nimitz in 1980 in the Indian Ocean, where they operated with distinction, and then turned their helos over to other crews who flew them as part of Operation Eagle Claw.
 
I’ve worked every aircraft on the list (minus MV-22) doing ATC. Memories of them in order:

A-4- used to watch the Blues in El Centro fly them in the AM before getting on the bus. Worked a bunch of Top Gun A-4s on approach in later years.

A-6- saw one level with the tower catwalk during an attack...so close could see the pilots face / oxygen mask. Only “abandon approach” I ever issued on a GCA was a flight of two.

B-52- worked “Bear 52 heavy” on departure leaving our biennial air show. Only one I ever worked.

E-2, no stories but flew in it’s cousin (C-2) out to the Stennis.

C-5- had to bust one out at 5 miles after I had already cleared them for a visual because tower launched (without my approval) a MD88 in their face.:eek:

T-2- watched one from the tower rip his tail hook out after taking the cable with “standing water on the runway.”

F-5- had 5 singles go missed in bad wx and all diverted to CHS...with no knowledge of what their alternate was. ;)

MV-22- friend flys them and doesn’t seem to like them. :(

F-14- when I was a kid, one (VF-84) accidentally landed at our local airport (CRG). Thought they were landing at NAS Mayport. :eek: Their radar (AWG-9) used to jam our PAR scopes.

F-4-now that I think of it, I can’t remember if I did work any in ATC. Some of the last ANG F-4s (Bama) were at our base for an exercise though. Saw Steve Richie fly one at Nellis in 97. That was the place to be.

F-15- seen one on radar doing 1,000 + kts at FL490. Seen another doing 600 kts at 2,500 ft for the overhead and local controller blowing his top over it. :D

F-16- worked a flight as a student final controller and they told me “we need a qualified controller.” :( Pulled the tapes on one for flying excessively low on a VR route...couldn’t see him.

C-130-went up in Fat Albert JATO back in 96. Done a few tanker rides as well. One almost flipped me over in a Black Hawk while ground taxiing behind them.:mad:

P-3- worked them (Navy Lima Lima) for hours in the radar pattern...ugh. Went flying in the back of one once and if it weren’t for the CO on board, they would’ve let me take the controls. ;)I believe the last active squadron ends ops this year.

T-38- had one have a near miss with a weather ballon while doing a PAR...should’ve let my student call the traffic.

SH-60- took a pic of one of the early Sea Hawks back in 84. Crew wouldn’t let me take any cockpit pics for some reason. 3,700 hrs in its older brother (UH-60).

CH-47- they’re incredibly ugly and I hate flying behind them (wake / dust) Only time I was ever close to getting tagged, was sitting on an LZ behind one with rounds kicking up around us! Flew on one once for R&R and of course they were 3 hrs late.

UH-1- obviously a classic. Did my BI in the old school trainers at Rucker. Only time I’ve been up in one was when I broke my aircraft and “Flatiron” came to pick us up...with doors open. :)

F-18- well one of my favs since I was stationed in both the USMC east coast and west coast Hornet bases. Probably my highlights with them was working the Blues back in 96 for the overhead, pop up break, carrier break...whatever. :DPilots checked in with personal call signs which I thought was cool. Saw one of our station Hornets go supersonic during an airfield attack. Went maybe 200 ft above our barracks with a cone of vapor...those days (regs) are long gone. Had a MD test pilot with some South American General in the back bust his assigned altitude while doing an unrestricted climb. Never seen anything climb out that fast. Had an Aussie F-18 exchange pilot call me a “wanker” over the air once because I couldn’t keep him climbing (ARTCC restriction).

All great aircraft with most still in service. To me the newer aircraft, lack the character or “soul” of the older stuff. They’re better, just not the same.
 
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<--- That's me flying in the Hughes Flight Center ad, circa 1980.

UH-1H: I flew all of my basic contact, instruments and combat tactics in the UH-1. Much later, flew it for the Rotary Wing Instrument Examiner Course. Got to fly it once in the DMZ in Korea. I was always amazed it had no fuel flow gauge...
 
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What’s most surprising from the list is the time from first flight to first introduced. Generally 4 years for the older designs. Not gonna happen today with greedy DOD contractors.
 
Velocity173 said:
A-4- used to watch the Blues in El Centro fly them in the AM before getting on the bus. Worked a bunch of Top Gun A-4s on approach in later years
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Us to eat lunch and watch them practice NAS Pensacola AIMD

Velocity173 said:
T-2- watched one from the tower rip his tail hook out after taking the cable with “standing water on the runway.”
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:eek:

Velocity173 said:
P-3- worked them (Navy Lima Lima) for hours in the radar pattern...ugh. Went flying in the back of one once and if it weren’t for the CO on board, they would’ve let me take the controls. ;)I believe the last active squadron ends ops this year.
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Coming back from a long weekend I got a ride back on a P-3, the PIC asked me if I wanted to take the right seat for a bit. I declined, had way to much fun that weekend, slept the entire flight.. :rolleyes:
 
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FlySince9 said:
When I was In the USAF Moffet was a SAC base. Same place?
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Moffett was a Naval Air Station and was home base for three Maritime Patrol Squadrons and the NASA Ames Research Center. NASA is still there. The sound of the world's largest single cell wind tunnel used to echo across the bay at night...
 
Velocity173 said:
What’s most surprising from the list is the time from first flight to first introduced. Generally 4 years for the older designs. Not gonna happen today with greedy DOD contractors.
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Not going to happen with an f'ed up and politicized federal acquisition system the contractors have to propose and build to.
 
According to wikipedia, the F-5A/B started production in 1962 and ended in 1972. (Which is what I thought I remembered.)
 
jsstevens said:
According to wikipedia, the F-5A/B started production in 1962 and ended in 1972. (Which is what I thought I remembered.)
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I think the OP is referring to the F-5E.
 
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