Daily Archives: September 23, 2012
Rabbit Hash . . .
Picking up where we left off yesterday, this next aircraft is the Convair B-36.
The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made and had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built. It was also the only combat aircraft propelled by both piston and jet engines.
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The B-36 was slow and could not refuel in midair, but could stay aloft as long as 40 hours. It was so big it even had 6 bunks and a crew dining area.
Moreover, its phenomenal cruising altitude for a piston-driven aircraft, 50,000 ft. put it out of range of all piston fighters, early jet interceptors, and ground fire.
The photo below shows the relative size of the WWII B-29 and the B-36.
It was operational from 1949 to 1959 when it was finally replaced by the B-52, which debuted in 1955.
This is the A-7D Corsair II ground attack plane. I used to work on these when I was a DOD contractor.
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And this is the A-37D Dragonfly. Built by Cessna (yes, Cessna) it was originally the T-37 light trainer, but was outfitted as a combat aircraft during the Vietnam War. Another aircraft I worked on.
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This is the Canberra B-57B light bomber. I worked on these at Otis AFB on Cape Cod during the early 70’s, although I was working on the RB-57 reconnaissance versions and the EB-57 electronic countermeasures version.
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The Canberra was actually a British design built under license by the US. Designed at the end of WWII it was originally slated to have piston- driven prop engines which accounts for the mid-wing nacelles. But it was switched over to jets before it went operational.
It’s also the only plane I ever worked on that had Buick (yes, Buick!) jet engines. Until I saw these, I never even knew Buick made jet engines.
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This is the B-58A Hustler, the first US jet bomber to cruise at supersonic speeds, in this case, over 1300 mph.
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The B-2 Stealth Bomber.
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This is the fabled U-2 spy plane,
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which was replaced by the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.
The SR-71 still holds the records for both altitude (over 85,000 ft.) and speed (almost 2200 mph) for an air-breathing engine (i.e. not a rocket). It is however, rumored that the Blackbird was easily capable of exceeding these public records when needed.
I got to work on one these one time when I was at Otis AFB.
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The museum also had a great collection of missiles and rockets, from the Jupiter to the Minuteman, and more.
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If you like planes, this is a museum for you. Check it out.
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Now catching up on today.
Mister spent the morning laying out in front of the rig catching some rays. This is one lazy cat.
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About 2pm we all headed out on our last day of touristy things, in this case, about 30 miles south down into Kentucky, to visit Rabbit Hash, KY.
Hey, I didn’t make up the name.
As Nick said today, you have to be going to Rabbit Hash, because you’re not going to stumble on it by accident.
The whole place consists of two stores, the Rabbit Hash General Store,
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the Rabbit Hash Mercantile, and
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The Scalded Hog, the local BBQ joint.
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It’s apparently a popular destination for weekend bikers, since there was about 50 bikes parked around town.
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While we were there, Nick and I saw this sign and he said it described us.
I said I’m Old, you’re Odd. Who’s Otherwise?
He wouldn’t answer.
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They did have a lot of flowers in planters and baskets around town. Very nice.
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Rabbit Hash is a neat little town. Kind of reminds me of Chicken, Alaska. You can find out more by clicking above.
Finally heading home, we passed a number of barns with quilt patterns painted on them.
And we had the bonus of two deer at the first one.
Getting back to the park area, we decide to have dinner again at Sherman House Restaurant & Inn, the great German restaurant we ate at last week.
Tomorrow morning we’re heading out for a two day trip to the Thousand Trails park in Hersey, PA. We’ll overnite about half way at a Cabella’s in Wheeling, WV.
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Thought for the Day:
Orchides Forum Trahite. Cordes Et Mentes Veniant.
