Randsburg, continued..

The "sagebrush telegraph" enabled news to spread quickly, but most people utilized the mail for "intentional" communications.  Wanting to get to the camp as soon as possible, she mailed a letter to her husband, in which she told him to meet her in Mojave.  So that there would be no time for husband to object (essentially, she would be giving up her medical career in order to join him at the camp), she took a train out to the desert.

More to come.

Randsburg=Continued...

Mooers' and Singleton's confidence turned to disgust, though.  Upon his return to the camp on July 4, 1895, Burcham refused to sell his share in the claim- with the explanation that half of his one third belonged to his wife.  Still, Burcham thought that the deal was lucrative enough to write to his wife, in order to lay the ground work for the sale.

Upon receipt of her husband's correspondence, Dr. Rose Burcham came to the conclusion that the pressure- at least some of it, anyway- from "investors" could be mitigated by her presence in the camp.

More to follow.

More about Randsburg.....

In exchange for half-ownership of the mine, the option to buy the whole operation for $500,000 within six months, Stanton agreed to build a $10,000 mill in order to process the ore.

The reader should keep in mind that Mooers and Singleton were nearly broke- they even owed money on the food that they'd been eating!  Not surprisingly, the two men - assuring Stanton that the absent Burcham would sign his share over, as well-signed the agreement.

More to follow...

Randsburg-continued...

The SandNSky Jeep Cherokee is poised for the ascent of Rand Mountain.

Mooers and Singleton were advised to prospect at higher elevations.  The investor Stanton pointed out that it would take a lot more money to actually develop the claim into a profitable operation.  Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Randsburg, continued....

"Engineer" Brown studied some of the ore that was discovered by Mooers, Burcham, and Singleton.  He then recommended that they prospect at a higher elevation on the mountain.  With Burcham still in San Bernardino with his wife, it was left to Mooers and Singleton to take Brown's advice.  Which they did.

The two men became overjoyed when they found that the higher they went, the more gold they found.  Stanton- the investor- took this opportunity to point out that a lot of money would be needed in order to work such a large deposit.

More to follow...

Randsburg, continued...

Having learned of the discovery via the "sagebrush telegraph", two men from Bakersfield showed up at the camp, one day.  The men were O.B. Stanton, who was an "investor", and a Mr. Brown.  Brown claimed to be an engineer.

More to come.

Randsburg, continued...

In accordance with their agreement, Burcham signed half of his one-third share in the new venture over to Dr. Burcham. 

As enthusiastic as she was about The Rand, she warned her husband not to sell the claim to the first developer to come along.  She was aware of the fact that many prospectors had, in the past, sold out too quickly - winding up with next to nothing in comparison to the fortunes extracted from the claims by the developers.

Had Doctor Burcham been aware of what was happening at the site at that time, she would have been appalled.

To be continued.

Randsburg-continued...

Time was of the essence, because, despite the men's discretion, news of Burcham's, Mooers' and Singleton's discovery would be transmitted to scores of prospectors via the "sagebrush telegraph".

Money was needed, and it was needed fast.  It just so happened that Burcham's wife- Doctor Rose La Monte Burcham had already "grub-staked" (i.e. financed) Burcham for two years of prospecting, on the condition that half of his finds would be hers.  So, while Mooers and Singleton remained at the site, Burcham headed for San Bernardino in order to pick up supplies, and, presumably, to meet with his wife.

More to follow...

Desert life...beauty in its starkness..

Photo by Scott Schwartz

Life holds fast in the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness.

Randsburg, continued....

Because the gold found by the men was similar to the type that was found in South Africa's Rand mining district, they began to refer to "their" mountain as "The Rand". 

One would think that Burcham, Mooers, and Singleton would have had great cause to celebrate their find.  Well, finding evidence of a lode deposit was one thing.  Excavating the gold and supporting themselves while doing so, was another matter, entirely.

But, where would three broke prospectors get the money needed to develop their claim into a profitable operation?

Facing Mecca...

Mecca Canyon, that is.  This photo is from a trip that I took on December 10, 2012.

Mecca Canyon, CA.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Don't worry, my friends..

The story of Randsburg will be continued.

Randsburg-continued...

A community dump occupies the spot today, but Mooers and Singleton set up camp on the mountain.  Both men started looking for the gold specks that Mooers had seen on his previous trip the year before.

Singleton noticed a rock that looked different than the others, and he broke a chunk off it.  He then cried out; for the quantity of gold now visible came from the same kind of rock that Mooers had found gold in, during his last trip.

What was more, was that this gold turned out to be a lode deposit-which meant that expensive machinery would be needed in order to extract the gold and turn the claim into a profitable operation.

More to come...

Randsburg-continued...

Mooers and Singleton pitched the idea of exploring the hills south of the El Paso's to the only person in the area with a team and wagon- a man by the name of C.A. Burcham.  Ironically, Burcham was planning to return home to San Bernardino, as he, like many prospectors, was discouraged and demoralized by his lack of success.  But, somehow, Mooers and Singleton sold Burcham on the idea of becoming a partner in this endeavor- on the condition that Mooers and Singleton would provide the horse feed and three barrels of water for the expedition.

In order to divert attention away from their destination, the three men made it clear to anyone who would listen, that they were fed-up, and that they were going to quit prospecting after checking their claims in Goler Canyon one more time.

More to follow...

Randsburg, Continued...

Photo by Scott Schwartz

During John Mooers' day, most peopled believed Rand Mountain (before it was called Rand Mountain) to be a barren, worthless, "demineralized" wasteland.  Randsburg can be seen in the foreground.  The other town in the distance is Johannesburg.

More to come....

I'm available....

......to speak about the El Paso Mountains in person, to interested organizations in Southern California.

I can be reached at sandnsky8@gmail.com

The Story of Randsburg....

Mooers took great pains to explain his geological theories to the newspaper.  The exact nature of his theories appear to be lost to the mists of history.

At any rate, Mooers and Singleton had found themselves unable to pursue their theories about these hills, because they had no way of hauling water and equipment up the mountain side.

To be continued...

Flying Dump Truck- The Douglas Skyraider...

By

Scott Schwartz

     A single engine airplane that could carry a higher payload than the B-17, the Douglas Skyraider was yet another 1940’s vintage airplane that found new life during the war in Viet Nam.

     Known by more nick names than a mob enforcer and produced in thirteen variants, the Douglas AD-4 Skyraider was designed by the famous Ed Heinemann in response to the Navy’s requirement for a Curtiss Helldiver replacement.  The requirements were simple:

The new airplane had to be able to carry a lot of ordinance (including torpedoes), perform well while carrying its payload, be able to fly far and fast, require a single pilot, and of course, be able to operate from aircraft carriers.

     The result was the XBT2D-1 (known initially as the Dauntless II), which made its first flight on March 18, 1945.  Powered by a Wright R-3350 eighteen cylinder radial engine, the first Skyraiders were delivered to the Navy in 1946 and were re-designated AD-1’s. 

     Although it became operational too late to see combat during World War Two, the AD-1 – ultimately renamed “Skyraider” –  was produced in an anti-submarine version equipped with a large radome under the fuselage, which working in conjunction with the basic attack versions patrolled the oceans in what were known as “hunter-killer” missions.

     But it was during the Korean War that the Skyraider proved its mettle as an attack airplane.  Carrying weapons loads weighing more than 10,000 pounds, as well as four 20 mm cannons, the Skyraider was a devastating close air support plane and even managed to shoot down at least one enemy aircraft.  Alright, it was a Soviet-built biplane, but the Skyraider wasn’t designed as a fighter anyway.  Besides, jets couldn’t fly slow enough to hit such a target. 

     The keys to the Skyraider’s success were its multiple under-wing weapons hard points, and its ability to loiter over the combat zone for long periods.  Jet aircraft just did not have range or the load carrying capability, and these were deficiencies that would plague jets through the early 1970’s. 

     Perhaps the Skyraider’s most famous role was that of escort to the HH-53 Jolly Green Giant helicopters that were sent out to rescue downed aircrew during the Viet Nam War.  Now being used by the USAF as A-1’s, Sandy’s (the Skyraider’s radio call sign during these operations) would pin down enemy troops so that the helicopters could affect their rescues.  Otherwise, Skyraiders were used as general ground attack aircraft and two North Vietnamese MiG 17’s were actually shot down by two Navy Skyraiders during two separate engagements in 1966. 

     Production of the Skyraider ended in 1957, and 3,180 of them were built.  By 1972, age and lack of spare parts started to catch up with the airplane, and the balance of the A-1’s remaining in Viet Nam were transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force. 

     Some of the monikers attached to the Skyraider included Destroyer, Able Dog, Hobo, Flying Dump Truck and Spad – the latter being a type of World War I biplane.  Go figure. 

     The Skyraider was produced in too many versions to describe here, but variants included, in addition to those already mentioned, a stretched cockpit version which could carry eight passengers, and a turboprop aircraft known as the A2D Skyshark. The Skyshark was powered by a huge Allison T-40 turbo shaft engine, which consisted of two smaller engines geared to counter-rotating propellers through a complex gearbox assembly.  The whole arrangement was troublesome, and during the flight of one of these strange airplanes, the gearbox assembly failed.  Both propellers tore themselves off the airplane, leaving its jet engines screaming uselessly all the way to the emergency landing site.  The A2D was not one of the more successful Skyraider derivatives.

     Nearly 20 Skyraiders are still airworthy, and the roar of the R-3350’s two stage supercharger is loud enough that it sounds like an auxiliary jet engine. 

     The airplanes size, sound, and appearance make it a truly impressive sight, both on the ground and in the air.

Douglas Skyraider specifications, AD-6 version:

Power: Wright R-3350 18 cylinder engine producing 2700 horsepower.

Armament: Four 20 mm cannon mounted in the wings. 7 bomb racks mounted under each wing outer panel, 1 on each wing inner panel, and 1 rack under the fuselage center line.

Maximum Speed:  365mph. 

Cruising Speed: 190 mph.

Maximum Loaded Weight: 25,000 pounds.

Empty Weight: 10,550 pounds.

Wingspan:   50 ft. 9 inches.

A preserved Skyraider unfolds its wings at Nellis AFB, Nevada at a 2007 air show.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

The Story of Randsburg...

During his 1894 trip to what would eventually become known as Rand Moutain, Mooers had noticed indications that there was gold to be found there.  So, why was a former newspaper man like Mooers able to spot gold, when so many others had written the area off as being "unmineralized"?

Five years later, during an interview that he gave to the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper (a publication that he'd worked for, as a boy), he explained that, despite the commonly-held belief (at the time) that "tenderfeet" always seemed to stumble on to gold, he and his partner (John Singleton) had spent numerous sleepless nights pondering the origins of gold and where it came from.  In other words, planning and study, not just blind luck or a hunch, are what inspired Mooers to prospect in these hills.

More to follow.

The Story of Randsburg....

One of those nearby "barren" hills had been the subject of a short prospecting trip made by F.M. Mooers in 1894.

The Story of Randsburg....

1895.  During that year, the nearby El Paso Mountains were teeming with miners, while the hills to the south and to the west were virtually untouched.  Those hills were believed by most to be barren or "unmineralized".

To be continued....

The Story of Randsburg...

Today, four-wheel-drive trails snake through California's Rand Mountains.  The sounds of off-road vehicles has replaced the exhortations of miners, struggling to eke a living out of these rugged hills.

During 1895, however, it was a different story.

To be continued....

Zero Killer....

Zero Killer! 

The Grumman F6F Hellcat

By

Scott Schwartz

     Although famous for being the plane that turned the tide against the Mitsubishi Zero, the F6F Hellcat was not designed specifically for that purpose.  This may come as a surprise to many, but the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (as it was known at the time) was working on a replacement for the F4F Wildcat long before the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Most of the development work revolved around producing more powerful versions of the basic F4F fighter. While not a bad airplane, the Wildcat was hampered by relatively low speed, and short range.  The idea was to capitalize on the Wildcat’s ruggedness and firepower, but give it more range and higher speed.  Experiments centered primarily on the installation of the powerful Wright R-2600 fourteen cylinder engine.  Readers will recall that the Grumman-built Wildcats flew with 1200hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines which put out 1200 hp. The R-2600 produced roughly 1700 hp. 

     Experiments with the Wright engine led to the development of the “Model 50”.  The Model 50 was an R-2600 powered Wildcat, which was so altered, that it looked like a different airplane. In fact, it looked sort of like a scaled – down Hellcat. But of course, it wasn’t.  The bigger engine improved performance dramatically, but the Model 50 was still basically a Wildcat. As such, it retained many of the Wildcat’s limitations – such as limited fuel capacity.  Still, the R-2600 engine showed promise, so it should come as no surprise that Grumman opted to design a whole new airplane around this engine.  The result was the XF6F-1, which first flew in June of 1942. 

     Ironically, by the time the XF6F-1 was ready for flight, the Navy’s requirements had changed in response to combat experience against the Mitsubishi Zero. The Zero, while not equipped with armor plating, nor self-sealing fuel tanks, was highly maneuverable, and had a far greater combat radius than the Wildcat.  Plus, the Zero was 20 mph faster.   

     Although the XF6F-1 flew well, it didn’t fly or climb fast enough to ensure air superiority over the Zero.  More power was needed. 

     One solution took the form of the XF6F-2, which sported an exhaust-driven turbo-charger.  This turned out not to be the answer, as the performance improvement was negligible. 

     By coincidence, the huge Pratt & Whitney R-2800 eighteen cylinder engine, which was slated for the F4U Corsair and P-47 Thunderbolt became available, due to delays in the production of these airplanes.  

     Grumman installed an R-2800 in the XF6F-1, which now became the XF6F-3.  All it took was one 15 minute flight (which took place on July 30, 1942) to demonstrate that the new engine was the answer. 

     With a top speed of 380 mph, six .50 caliber machine guns, and a combat radius of over 800nm, the Navy finally had a carrier-based fighter that could turn the tables on the Japanese. 

     “Carrier-based” is an important distinction; while the Corsair was faster and served well from land bases, technical difficulties kept it from being used on aircraft carriers until 1944. 

     Deliveries of the production F6F-3 began in 1943.  The Hellcat’s first combat occurred in September of that year, when a group from the light carrier Independence shot down a Japanese sea plane. 

     In truth, the Hellcat was not as maneuverable as the Zero. American pilots flying the Hellcat engaged in twisting-turning dogfights at their peril.  The Hellcat, like most American fighters of the period was a heavily armored flying gun platform, that could fly at extremely (for the time) high altitudes.  Accordingly, a favored combat tactic was to make diving attacks from 20,000 feet against Japanese formations, with guns blazing.  Pursuing Japanese fighters – including improved versions of the Zero, simply could not dive fast enough to keep up with the Hellcats. 

     From 1943 on, F6F’s flew 66, 530 combat missions, and achieved a “kill ratio” of 19:1.  In other words, Hellcats destroyed 5,163 enemy planes (of all types, not just fighters, and of course, some of these enemy planes were destroyed on the ground during strafing attacks on airfields), while losing only 270 of their own.  Nevertheless, nearly every WW 2 U.S. Navy fighter ace became one at the controls of a Hellcat.  The Japanese did eventually deploy newer fighters that could challenge the Hellcat.  However, these were too few to make much of an impact, and most were flown by inexperienced pilots.  By 1944, most of Japan’s experienced pilots had been killed.    

     Two main Hellcat variants were used in combat; the F6F-3, and the F6F-5.   The “5” model had an improved cowling for better engine cooling, all metal control surfaces, additional armor plating, and a windshield with less “framework” for better visibility. Many of these were converted into fighter bombers by the Navy.   Radar equipped night fighter versions of both variants were built and flown by Marine and Navy squadrons. 

     Two more experimental versions were built, but never put into production.  One was the XF6F-4, which was used to test the installation of an R-2800 engine with an integral two-speed supercharger, and cannon armament.  This airplane was actually a modified XF6F-3 air frame.  After these tests were completed, the airplane was converted into a “regular” F6F-3 and delivered to the Navy. 

     The last experimental Hellcat was the XF6F-6, which used more powerful version of the R-2800 engine, and had a four bladed prop.  The Navy actually planned to produce the -6, but the war ended before production could begin. 

    

     Once the war ended, F6F’s were used by naval reserve squadrons and for training purposes through the late 1940’s.   The French even used a few Hellcats during their Indochina war, and the Uruguayan Navy used them as front line fighters until the early 1960’s. 

     Although the Hellcat had been largely phased out of U.S. Navy service by 1950, a few lingered on as target drones and miscellaneous test aircraft.  This may seem like a sad ending for a great airplane.  But, over twelve thousand were produced, and a small number of Hellcats are flying to this day. 

     The world has changed since the days when the Grumman “Iron Works” was cranking out Hellcats.  The very buildings where Hellcats were once built are now occupied by an insurance company. Many of the men who flew these planes in combat have gone West. 

     Fortunately, we can still be treated to the sight and sound of carefully preserved Hellcats at air shows.  Perhaps, the rumble of the Hellcat’s massive R-2800 engine will serve to remind us of a time when men and women toiled to build the weapons that helped defeat a ruthless enemy.  One that was Hell – bent on enslaving much of the world. 

Statistics, Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat:

Length: 33 ft, 7 in.

Wing Span:  42 ft., 10 in.

Empty Wt:  9238 lbs.

Max. T/O Wt:  15,415 lbs.

Engine:  1 Pratt & Whitney R-2800 supercharged 18 cylinder radial, producing 2,000 hp.

Propeller: 3-blade Hamilton-Standard constant speed.

Max. Speed:  380 mph.

Service Ceiling:  37,300 ft.

Armament:  Six .50 cal. machine guns, plus up to 4,000 lbs of externally mounted weapons (bombs, torpedoes).  Many F6F-5’s were fitted with rocket rails under their wings, as well.

Its wings glistening in the California sun, an F6F-5 Hellcat belonging to the Commemorative Air Force banks for the crowd at the 2008 Planes of Fame airshow at Chino Airport.

Photo By Scott Schwartz

Photo By Scott Schwartz

 Readers can see the "family" resemblance between the FM-2 Wildcat shown in the photo to the left, and the Hellcat.  

The FM-2 is one of the versions of the Wildcat that was built by General Motors, so that Grumman could focus on building Hellcats.  There was still a place for the Wildcat, even late in the war, because, being smaller and lighter than the Hellcat, it was better suited to operations from the smaller escort carriers.  FM-2's were powered by the venerable Wright R-1820 Cyclone nine-cylinder engine, whereas the F4F (the version that was built by Grumman) flew with the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 two-row fourteen-cylinder engine.  

Grumman F3F- photo by Scott Schwartz.  Once again, the resemblance to the other Grumman fighters of the era is obvious.  In fact, the original Wildcat prototype was, in fact, a biplane which looked very similar to the F3F.

More photographs from the Mojave National Preserve..

Photo by Scott Schwartz, taken November 9, 2012.

Rainbow Basin.  Photo By Scott Schwartz, taken November 9, 2012.

Rainbow Basin.  Photo By Scott Schwartz, taken November 9, 2012.

Rainbow Basin.  Photo by Scott Schwartz, taken November 9, 2012.

Rainbow Basin, photo by Scott Schwartz.  Taken November 9, 2012.  

Randsburg, California...

Mining Ruins- Randsburg, CA.

Photo by Scott Schwartz

I'll publish more information about the town of Randsburg in upcoming posts.

Whistling Death...

A Corsair banks steeply at the Planes of Fame Airshow, a few years ago.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Known by the Japanese as the Whistling Death, the Vought Corsair's distinctive inverted gull-wings were necessary so that the large propeller would clear the ground.  The Corsair first flew in 1940.  Since the aircraft was designed to be an interceptor, the prototype was equipped with small bomb-bays in each wing.  The idea was to drop small bombs on to attacking enemy aircraft.  Production models were simply flying gun, bomb, and rocket platforms- the bombs and rockets being mounted externally.

The example shown in the photograph is either an F4U-1 (built by Vought), or an FG-1(built by Goodyear).  Corsairs saw service through the end of the Korean War, and the aircraft was the last piston-engine fighter to be produced in the United States.  The final Corsair (an F4U-7) rolled off the assembly line in 1953.

More about Freeman's Station...

Robber's Roost"
Photo by Scott Schwartz

The Raymonds had a rather unwelcome visitor in February of 1874.  Former San Quentin inmate and all-around bad guy Tiburcio Vasquez and his gang arrived at Freeman's Station at 11 AM on February 25.  The outlaws spent a lovely day robbing the stage-stops patrons- even shooting one recalcitrant fellow in the leg for his failure to comply with the gangs' demands-before departing at 6 PM (with several of Freeman's horses).

Vasquez and his men are believed to have spent several days camped at the oddly-shaped rock formation now known as "Robber's Roost", while he cased Freeman's Station, which was only a few miles away.

Ultimately, things did not end well for Tiburcio Vasquez, for he was captured by a posse in May of 1874.  In  March of the following year, after nearly a year of notoriety while imprisoned (he sold photographs of himself  in order to raise money for his legal defense), Vasquez was executed by hanging.

Ghost of an old stage stop...Freeman's Station.

The SandNSky Cherokee parked near the site of Freeman's Station.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Former stage coach driver Freeman Raymond settled at this spot in 1873; today, traffic roars past on the nearby 14 freeway.  But, in Raymond's day, the spot was near the intersection of two stage routes, and he built a way station that provided food, water, and supplies to dusty travelers and their horses.

Today, only a rusted pipe remains where Freeman Raymond and his wife once
operated their stage stop.  The place burned down in 1915.
Photo by Scott Schwarrtz

                                                                           

Timeless El Paso Mountains...

Ancient Americans once roamed here.

Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Cerro Gordo Ruins...

Cerro Gordo ghost town.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Low Clouds In The El Paso's...

Only with four wheel drive, could I have come across this scene.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Wildcat clone......

FM-2 Wildcat at the Planes of Fame Chino air show, 2008.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Can anyone tell me what differentiates the FM-2 from the F4F Wildcat?

El Paso Mountains- Miner's dug-out. Bonanza Gulch.

Shades of forgotten lives exist here.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Focke-Wulf - Inspired Lightweight: The Grumman F8F Bearcat

By

Scott Schwartz

Intending to build a replacement for the F6F Hellcat, the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation planned to create a small, light fighter that would be highly maneuverable and fast.  In other words, the new airplane had to be more nimble than the Mitsubishi Zero.  Specifically, an interceptor was needed in order to combat the Kamikaze attacks on U.S. ships.  Although not as fast as late-model U.S. aircraft, such as the Hellcat and Corsair, a Zero flown by an experienced pilot (of which there were few, by 1944) could still turn the tables on an American fighter in a twisting-turning dog fight. 

Not surprisingly, Grumman engineers attempted to build a smaller airplane around the same engine that powered the Hellcat; the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 eighteen cylinder radial.

Ironically, 1943 saw Grumman test pilots flying a captured FW-190 in England.  The report written by one of them, Bob Hall, was sent directly to Leroy Grumman himself.  Mr. Grumman, who personally wrote the specifications for the new light weight fighter, incorporated some of the German design elements into what became known as “Design 58”. 

Unfortunately, it proved impossible to make Design 58 as light as the FW-190, because the Grumman airplane had be tough enough to handle repeated carrier landings.  So, Grumman designers came up with a uniquely 1940’s solution to this problem.  The airplane’s wing tips would simply detach if 7.5 g’s were exceeded during any maneuver.  Sans wingtips, the airplane was still flyable and could still land on an aircraft carrier!  While this idea was successful under test conditions, using hand made prototype aircraft which were not subjected to the daily stresses of carrier landings, operational aircraft occasionally suffered complete wing failure during simulated attack runs and combat maneuvers.  Engineers then tried using explosive charges to blow the wing tips off during high “g” maneuvers.  However, the explosives could detonate accidentally, and actually did so on one occasion, killing a worker.  Eventually, wings were beefed up structurally, and a 4.5 g limit was placed on the aircraft. 

With the first prototypes flying in August, 1944, the F8F arrived in squadron service too late for World War Two.

However, it saw extensive service as a post-war “interim” fighter.  This was during a time when jet fighters barely out performed piston types.  It was even used by the Blue Angels from 1946 until 1950 – when the Korean War caused the team to be temporarily disbanded. 

In 1946, a “time to climb” record was set by an F8F, which, after a take-off run of only 115 feet, reached 10,000 feet in 94 seconds!

By the mid-1950’s, the F8F was largely retired from U.S.  first-line service. Although it never saw combat with U.S. forces, the French used the Bearcat during their war in Indochina.

The Royal Thai Air Force kept its Bearcats in service until 1960. 

A number of Bearcats found their way into civilian hands, and were flown as air racers.  One of these, “Rare Bear”, set the world speed record for piston – engine aircraft, after hitting 528.33 mph in 1989.  Of course, Rare Bear is highly modified, and is powered by a Wright R-3350 engine that generates over 4,000 horsepower! 

Still, the Bearcat - in its stock form – is considered by many to be one of the best-handling fighters ever built. 

Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat specifications:

Length:  28 feet, 3 inches.

Wingspan:  35 feet, 10 inches.

Empty Weight:  7070 lbs.

Maximum take off weight: 12,947 lbs.

Engine:  One Pratt & Whitney R-2800, eighteen cylinder radial, 2100 horsepower.

Top Speed:  421 mph.

Range: 1105 miles.

Service Ceiling:  38,700 feet.

Armament:  (4) .50 cal. machine guns, under-wing rockets, up to 1,000 lbs of bombs.

An F8F Bearcat, parked at March Air Reserve Base, Moreno Valley, CA.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

Red Rock Canyon State Park- California.

Red Rock Canyon State Park.

Photo by Scott Schwartz

Antonov AN-2

The big Antonov at the 2012 Cable Air Faire (that's how they spell it).
Photo by Scott Schwartz,

Same airplane, same air show.
Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Republic A-10

Republic A-10 flies low, during the 2007 air show at Nellis AFB.
Photo by Scott Schwartz

My photographs...

Prints made from my photos (except for certain images) are for sale-I will sign them, too!  Send me an e-message if you're interested- sandnsky8@gmail.com

New York Mountains..Images from my

Old water tank, a remnant of the OX Cattle Ranch, which began operations in 1929.
Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Carruthers Canyon- New York Mountains.
Photo By Scott Schwartz

The SandNSky Jeep Cherokee- Carruthers Canyon.

The SandNSky Jeep heading into the heart of the New York Mountains.

This is the Mojave Desert?  Photo By Scott Schwartz.

Ancient visitors from Easter Island left their mark on the Mojave Desert.
Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Photo By Scott Schwartz.

Can anyone identify this plant?  Photo by Scott Schwartz

Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Impassable Pass- The Old Spanish Trail...

The SandNSky Jeep at the bottom of a section of The Old Spanish Trail.  Note the wagon ruts that are still faintly visible.  Photo by Scott Schwartz
For more information, see the author's article at www.desertusa.com

If you like some of my photographs....

A few of my landscape photographs are for sale on E-Bay- check it out!!

My beloved El Paso Mountains...

Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Boeing KC-97

Double Bubble

By

SandNSky

     Although the Boeing B-29 Superfortress had been phased out of USAF service by 1956, one of its descendants served well into the late 20^th century.      

      It was an attempt to incorporate the B-29’s speed and range into a large transport that led to the construction of the XC-97 Stratofreighter (Boeing Model 367).  First flown in 1944, the XC-97 utilized the wings, empennage, and Wright R-3350 engines of the B-29.  The lower fuselage was structurally similar to that of the B-29.  However, a cargo deck was added which was wider than the lower fuselage.  This gave the airplane its “double-bubble” look, when viewed head-on.   Three XC-97’s and ten YC-97’s were built.

     The airplane clearly had potential.  In 1945, one of the XC-97’s set a speed record for transports, when it flew from Seattle to Washington D.C.  During the flight, the aircraft hit 383mph while carrying 20,000 pounds of cargo.  The XC-97 also served as the prototype of the Model 377 Stratocruiser airliner. 

     While this flight testing was going on, Boeing was developing its B-50 Superfortress, which was powered by four huge Pratt & Whitney R-4360 28 cylinder engines.  Each of these engines produced more than three thousand horsepower.  The B-50, itself a B-29 derivative, had stronger wings and a slightly taller vertical stabilizer.  It stood to reason that the new C-97 transport would benefit from these improvements.  Accordingly, the first production C-97, the C-97A, used the B-50’s wings, tail, and engines, as did all subsequent C-97 variants. 

Deliveries of the C-97A began in 1949, and by 1951, the C-97C was in service with the USAF.  The C-97, with its 41,000 pound payload, rear loading ramp, and internal cargo hoist was used during the Korean War to carry supplies and to evacuate wounded soldiers.  A few served as airborne command posts for the Strategic Air Command. 

The C-97 served admirably as a transport aircraft.  However, the USAF was in dire need of aerial refueling tankers for its fleet of thirsty jet bombers and fighters.  Of the 888 C-97’s that were produced between 1951 and 1956, 814 of them were converted to KC-97 tankers.  Fitted with the “flying boom” refueling equipment designed by Boeing, the KC-97 greatly extended the operating range of strategic aircraft, such as the B-47.  With the advent of the KC-97, the art of air to air refueling was nearly perfected. 

Despite finding its niche as a tanker, the KC-97 retained much of its cargo-carrying capacity.  The upper and lower decks were pressurized, and the refueling boom could be removed by ground personnel, thus allowing use of the airplane’s rear loading doors. 

     The KC-97 had an “official” top speed of 375mph.  But when laden with nearly 10,000 pounds of jet fuel, the airplane’s cruising speed was barely higher than the stall speed of its jet “customers”.  Thus, a technique known as “tobogganing” was used.  “Tobogganing” meant that the KC-97 and the airplane receiving fuel descended while the refueling operation was taking place.  This enabled the KC-97 to fly fast enough for the jet aircraft being refueled.  In the early 1960’s, some KC-97’s were fitted with two General Electric J-47 jet engines.  One jet engine was mounted under each wing.  These modified KC-97’s were designated KC-97L’s, and the addition of the jet engines eliminated the need to “toboggan”. 

     The last KC-97 emerged from Boeing’s Renton plant on July 18, 1956.  Ironically, this was also the day that the first jet powered tanker, the KC-135 left the plant.  This did not mark the end of the KC-97’s career, though. Gradually replaced by the KC-135, the Air Force used the KC-97 until 1973.  After that, the airplane continued to serve in Air Force Reserve and National Guard units until 1977. 

     Besides its extremely long career with the U.S. Air Force, the KC-97 is notable in several other respects.  For one thing, it was the last piston engine airplane produced by Boeing.  The KC-97 was also the last active military aircraft in the U.S. inventory that had any direct connection to the B-29 Superfortress.  In addition, the final retirement of the KC-97 marked the end of the U.S. Air Force’s use of large piston engine aircraft, and the end of that service’s use of aircraft equipped with turbo-superchargers.

    Several KC-97’s survive to this day.  One of them is flyable.  This airplane is named The Angel Of Deliverance and is flown by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation.  A few others are on display at various museums around the country.  

     

    

This is the KC-97's flight deck.  Photo by Scott Schwartz.

Boom operator's position- KC-97.  Photo by Scott Schwartz.

    

    

Douglas Skyraider-The Flying Dump Truck.

By SandNSky

Two privately-owned Skyraiders fly in formation at the Nellis AFB air show in 2007. 

     A single engine airplane that could carry a higher payload than the B-17, the Douglas Skyraider was yet another 1940’s vintage airplane that found new life during the war in Viet Nam.

     Known by more nick names than a mob enforcer and produced in thirteen variants, the Douglas AD-4 Skyraider was designed by the famous Ed Heinemann in response to the Navy’s requirement for a Curtiss Helldiver replacement.  The requirements were simple:

The new airplane had to be able to carry a lot of ordinance (including torpedoes), perform well while carrying its payload, be able to fly far and fast, require a single pilot, and of course, be able to operate from aircraft carriers.

     The result was the XBT2D-1 (known initially as the Dauntless II), which made its first flight on March 18, 1945.  Powered by a Wright R-3350 eighteen cylinder radial engine, the first Skyraiders were delivered to the Navy in 1946 and were re-designated AD-1’s. 

     Although it became operational too late to see combat during World War Two, the AD-1 – ultimately renamed “Skyraider” –  was produced in an anti-submarine version equipped with a large radome under the fuselage, which working in conjunction with the basic attack versions patrolled the oceans in what were known as “hunter-killer” missions.

     But it was during the Korean War that the Skyraider proved its mettle as an attack airplane.  Carrying weapons loads weighing more than 10,000 pounds, as well as four 20 mm cannons, the Skyraider was a devastating close air support plane and even managed to shoot down at least one enemy aircraft.  Alright, it was a Soviet-built biplane, but the Skyraider wasn’t designed as a fighter anyway.  Besides, jets couldn’t fly slow enough to hit such a target. 

     The keys to the Skyraider’s success were its multiple under-wing weapons hard points, and its ability to loiter over the combat zone for long periods.  Jet aircraft just did not have range or the load carrying capability, and these were deficiencies that would plague jets through the early 1970’s. 

     Perhaps the Skyraider’s most famous role was that of escort to the HH-53 Jolly Green Giant helicopters that were sent out to rescue downed aircrew during the Viet Nam War.  Now being used by the USAF as A-1’s, Sandy’s (the Skyraider’s radio call sign during these operations) would pin down enemy troops so that the helicopters could affect their rescues.  Otherwise, Skyraiders were used as general ground attack aircraft and two North Vietnamese MiG 17’s were actually shot down by two Navy Skyraiders during two separate engagements in 1966. 

     Production of the Skyraider ended in 1957, and 3,180 of them were built.  By 1972, age and lack of spare parts started to catch up with the airplane, and the balance of the A-1’s remaining in Viet Nam were transferred to the South Vietnamese Air Force. 

     Some of the monikers attached to the Skyraider included Destroyer, Able Dog, Hobo, Flying Dump Truck and Spad – the latter being a type of World War I biplane.  Go figure. 

     The Skyraider was produced in too many versions to describe here, but variants included, in addition to those already mentioned, a stretched cockpit version which could carry eight passengers, and a turboprop aircraft known as the A2D Skyshark. The Skyshark was powered by a huge Allison T-40 turbo shaft engine, which consisted of two smaller engines geared to counter-rotating propellers through a complex gearbox assembly.  The whole arrangement was troublesome, and during the flight of one of these strange airplanes, the gearbox assembly failed.  Both propellers tore themselves off the airplane, leaving its jet engines screaming uselessly all the way to the emergency landing site.  The A2D was not one of the more successful Skyraider derivatives.

     Nearly 20 Skyraiders are still airworthy, and the roar of the R-3350’s two stage supercharger is loud enough that it sounds like an auxiliary jet engine. 

     The airplanes size, sound, and appearance make it a truly impressive sight, both on the ground and in the air.

Douglas Skyraider specifications AD-6 version:

Power: Wright R-3350 18 cylinder engine producing 2700 horsepower.

Armament: Four 20 mm cannon mounted in the wings. 7 bomb racks mounted under each wing outer panel, 1 on each wing inner panel, and 1 rack under the fuselage center line.

Maximum Speed:  365mph. 

Cruising Speed: 190 mph.

Maximum Loaded Weight: 25,000 pounds.

Empty Weight: 10,550 pounds.

Wingspan:   50 ft. 9 inches.

In Search of Fire- Part Four...

Now that we'd found what we'd been looking for, I found it difficult to contain myself.  The trail was sandy, and even with my Jeep in four wheel drive, I had to keep us moving.  After snaking around patches of creosote, the trail brought us right next to the rocky overhang that we'd so desperately sought.

Rock-hound Ron surveys the opal deposit.  The temperature was nearly 100 degrees at this point.  I carry six gallons of drinkable water at all times when traveling in the desert.

I felt as though we'd followed the modern equivalent of a treasure map-and that we'd succeeded.  However, my elation was short-lived.

Within a few minutes of examining the rocks with his practiced eye, Ron determined that the opal here was not pure, and that it had none of the reddish colors that are normally associated with opal.  That might explain why there were no fresh tire tracks in the area, except for ours.

Days on which I don't find exactly what I'm looking for in the desert are still enjoyable to me.  The heat, the preternatural quiet, and the fact that I can say that I now know what lies on this spot that is off the "beaten path".

Not the best opal he's ever seen.

In Search of Fire - Part Three..

Back in my Cherokee, Ron and I consulted the Google Maps satellite photograph again.  After much discussion, we picked out the dirt road that seemed most likely to take us to the Opal deposit, and I started the engine.

The road we we wanted was roughly twelve miles South of Barstow.  Engaging my four-wheel drive, I drove us along approximately  five miles of alternately sandy and rocky trail- which was mostly level.  Incredibly, the scenery did start to resemble that shown in the satellite images (fortunately, I still had cellular telephone coverage out there), and the rock formations began to look, well....familiar.  "That's it!" exclaimed Ron, as he pointed to our left.

I snapped my head around, and to my amazement, the rock formation looked exactly like the one in the photograph!

To be continued...

In Search of Fire- Part Two...

So, let's see.  With no GPS coordinates, we'd have to rely on whatever information I could glean from my "smart" phone and my DeLorme Atlas.  This shouldn't have posed much of a problem.  After all, there was a time during which I managed to find things without a GPS receiver.

Using the Google Maps function on my phone seemed to be the logical first step.  And so it was, that I was able to find the turn-off on the "Maps" satellite view.  The problem was that we still somehow missed it, and we wound up in down-town Barstow.  It appeared to be a case of the dirt roads that we passed, not looking quite like the depiction in Google Maps.

Conveniently, our mistake took is right past the Mojave National Preserve information office, which is located on Route 247 on the outskirts of Barstow.  Upon seeing this, Ron and I decided that actually asking directions might yield results.

The young woman in the park ranger uniform was very sweet, but not especially knowledgeable about trails that are not traveled by the tourist crowd.  She referred us to the Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") field office, which, to our surprise,was right next door.

Never having set foot inside a BLM office before, I was expecting it to resemble the Mojave National Preserve information office.  You know, helpful staff members, who could suggest the "right" maps to purchase for our trip, an exhibit or two on desert flora and fauna. etc.

Instead, we found ourselves inside an office, plain and simple.  There, we were "greeted" by the receptionist, who eyed us with curiosity that bordered on open hostility.  She asked us how she could help us, but the sub-text really was "what do you two want?"

At this point, I didn't think that we'd get any help here, and my suspicions were confirmed when the woman curtly referred us to the large map that was hanging on the wall in the waiting area.

Unable to located the trail turn-off on the BLM's hanging map, we thanked the receptionist - who seemed to warm up at this- and walked out to my Jeep.

To be continued.....

In Search of Fire- A Short Trip In Search of Opal..

At eight o'clock in the morning on August 1, 2012, the sun was already beginning to bake Southern California's "Inland Empire".  I'd just arrived at my friend Ron's house.  During the ten-minute drive to his house, I marveled at how little I know about the geology of the desert I love so much.  Ron, on the other hand, is a "rock-hound".  He'd found what appeared to be a promising opal deposit, after reading a description of it that was posted by someone on Google Maps.  Ron had jotted the GPS coordinates down in a little notebook that he keeps for just such purposes, and our plan was simple.  I would enter the coordinates into my portable GPS unit, and once we were in the general vicinity of the trail, we would let Mr. Garmin lead the way.

Well, it was after we had been tooling North bound on Highway 247 in my Cherokee, that we discovered that we'd left the little notebook containing the GPS coordinates back at Ron's house.

We DID remember to bring the photograph of the opal deposit, that Ron had printed out.  My suggestion that Ron hold the photograph up to the Jeep's window until we came across a rock formation was met with a  laugh.  Even now, I don't think that Ron knows that I was half-serious.

More to follow...

Riding the Boom- Part V....

In no time at all, we rotated and lifted off.  Since this was a practice mission, I'm guessing that we weren't carrying enough fuel to actually re-fuel other aircraft.   This may partially explain the seemingly short take-off.

At any rate, the boom operator/loadmaster told me that our flight track would take us to 25,000 feet (above sea- level).  We would fly a pattern roughly two hundred miles off the California coast.

Indeed, once we were on station, it was time for us (meaning we passengers) to take turns lying on the mattresses which are placed on either side of the boom operator.  For his part, the boom operator lies on his stomach, and a padded cradle supports his head.  He flies (literally) the boom into position, via joysticks which move vanes (winglets, really) on the end of the boom itself.

Unfortunately, by the time my turn came, the two aircraft were already connected. My disappointment was short-lived, as only forty feet from the viewing window, the huge C-17 transport loomed.  So close was it, that I could see the faces of its pilots, as well as those of the passengers on its flight-deck.

When the two aircraft finally separated, it was with a noticeable bump.  Then, the C-17 seemed to drift slowly out of sight.

I shot this video with my Android phone- which I'm still learning how to use!