Older/exotic aircraft flying in/for the military

[LR25]

Not really relevent now I guess, but about 10 years ago I saw a C-130 A model on the ramp at Dobbins, 3 blade props still on it. Even back then I figured all those were in the desert or at the most fighting a fire somewhere.

 

[Huggyu2]

Those must be the ones I see beating up the pattern at DM on occasion.

Those are probably the jets that get converted to drones by a company in Mojave, CA. When they are finished, they ferry them to Tyndall or Holloman, and D-M is their preferred gas-and-go stop.

I think there is only 1 pilot that does it. He flew F-4's and F-117's, and this is a pretty sweet deal for a retirement job, he says.

 

[flyf15]

Aren't there some An-26s, Mi-8s, and other russian equipment out there being operated by the US military?

 

[JungleJett]

Those are probably the jets that get converted to drones by a company in Mojave, CA. When they are finished, they ferry them to Tyndall or Holloman, and D-M is their preferred gas-and-go stop.

I think there is only 1 pilot that does it. He flew F-4's and F-117's, and this is a pretty sweet deal for a retirement job, he says.

That would be a pretty good gig. I figured it was heading to the yard. I will never get used to seeing an airplane enter the pattern and know it is doing its last circuit. I saw a BUFF a few weeks back doing some passes...and then it was over.

 

[414Flyer]

Those are probably the jets that get converted to drones by a company in Mojave, CA. When they are finished, they ferry them to Tyndall or Holloman, and D-M is their preferred gas-and-go stop.

I think there is only 1 pilot that does it. He flew F-4's and F-117's, and this is a pretty sweet deal for a retirement job, he says.

A friend if mine there is actually still active duty and does functional test flights on F-4s as they bring them out of AMARC.

 

[mudkow60]

I saw an F-86 at Luke AFB when I was in High School ('92). It has civilian, contract markings.

Also a gaggle of IAI Kafir's at NAS Pensacola in 2005 that were under a government contract as Red Air.

There is a unit located at Hulbert Field in Fort Walton Beach, FL that flys Russian Mi-8's, a Hind, and the AN-26. Also saw a Turbo DC-3 that was all white with a big black ? on the tail. It was military contract run.

My 1c worth...

 

[414Flyer]

I think that is 1st SOW. That AN-26 also has a question mark on the tail.

Some other exotic ones are the Gulfstream 2 outfitted with various sensors, especially IR, and the NT-43 with nose/tail radars. That Gulfstream is sometimes in company of various foreign assets we have acquired, and the NT-43 does some interesting radar work too.

 

[Alert height]

There's a BAC 111 that flies out of BWI sometimes with a Sabreliner as a chase plane. They are owned by Northrup-Grumman and do some kind of airborne radar research and tests.

ATI still flies DC-8's. See them at EWR all the time.

 

[Floyd R. Turbo]

There are two pilot training classes at Sheppard flying the T-37. When they are done, that's it for T-37 flying in the USAF. Should be around March 2009, I'm guessing.

Damn shame.... say what you will, I loved flying that ugly little f*****.

 

[greenj7]

Not really relevent now I guess, but about 10 years ago I saw a C-130 A model on the ramp at Dobbins, 3 blade props still on it. Even back then I figured all those were in the desert or at the most fighting a fire somewhere.

That C-130 was part of a Lybian contract for 16 airplanes. the first 8 were delivered, but in '72 when the next batch was ready the US goverment blocked the delivery (the extremists had taken over the Libyan govenment). Lockheed couldn't sell, deliver, or scrap them so they were pushed to the side of the ramp where they still sit.