From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #735 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: Skunk Works Digest Monday, 9 December 1996 Volume 05 : Number 735 In this issue: Re: Question of Name D-21 production list Re: (New) Skunk Works projects, from Ontario facility Re: laser absorber material Re: (New) Skunk Works projects, from Ontario facility Re: Hey hypersonics NUTS! Listen UP! re: Laser absorbing material Re: Hey hypersonics NUTS! Listen UP! Re: laser absorber material E-Systems More kits F-117 Simulator on Discovery Re: D-21 production list See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 14:03:29 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Question of Name Robert Wells asked (some time ago): >I've seen references to photos of "donuts(sic) on a rope" contrails and >was wondering if any were available on the 'net? There is a small gif of the original "Donuts-On-A-Rope" photo on the original photographer, Steve Douglass' Interceptors home page at: The page has also more info on Aurora/Senior Citizen, TR-3A, Tacit Blue, F-117As, A-17, XB-70-resembling aircraft, and other "black" projects. It also has a lot of information on Military Radio Monitoring. - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 14:07:47 -0500 (EST) Subject: D-21 production list Rick Anderson asked me about a listing of all the D-21 drone serials/locations. Here is a production list of the D-21 drones (with most details coming from Jay Miller's Skunk Works book). I would appreciate it, if someone can add some additional information, especially regarding the surviving airframes and their final dispositions -- I want numbers! :) Art. Type/Version Remarks ============================================================================= 501 D-21, D-21B built as D-21; modified to D-21B, accidentally dropped on 09/28/1967 from B-52H carrier aircraft, no mission flown; 502 D-21, D-21B built as D-21, modified to D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 503 D-21 built as D-21; carried on captive flights on M-21 with protective aerodynamic cone fairings; damaged in attempt to remove front cone in flight with pyrotechnics; very first D-21 launched from M-21 on 03/05/1966; flew 150 naut. miles; the Lockheed test crew of the M-21 were Lockheed test pilot Bill Park and Keith Beswik as LCO (Launch Control Operator); James Goodall's book 'SR-71 Blackbird' claims that this is the airframe displayed at the SMOF (Seattle Museum of Flight), Seattle, WA, mated to M-21 '134'/'60-6940', as unique MD-21 combination; 504 D-21 built as D-21; fourth and last D-21 launched from M-21 on 07/30/1966; collided immediateley with the launch aircraft; the M-21 crew was Bill Park (pilot) and Ray Torick (as LCO), who subsequently drowned; 505 D-21 built as D-21; third D-21 launched from M-21 on 06/16/1966; flew 1,550 naut. miles; the M-21 crew was Bill Park (pilot) and Keith Beswik (as LCO); 506 D-21 built as D-21; second D-21 launched from M-21 on 04/27/1966; flew 1,120 naut. miles; the M-21 crew was Bill Park (pilot) and Ray Torick (as LCO); 507 D-21B built as D-21B; 1st D-21B launched from a B-52H on 11/06/1967 and flew 134 naut. miles; 508 D-21B built as D-21B; 3rd D-21B launched from a B-52H on 01/19/1968 and flew 280 naut. miles; 509 D-21B built as D-21B; 2nd D-21B launched from a B-52H on 12/02/1967 and flew 1,430 naut. miles; 510 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 511 D-21B built as D-21B; 4th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 04/30/1968 and flew 150 naut. miles; 512 D-21B built as D-21B; 5th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 06/16/1968 and flew 2,850 naut. miles, and the hatch was recovered, even though no camera was carried; 513 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 514 D-21B built as D-21B; 6th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 07/01/1968 and flew 80 naut. miles; 515 D-21B built as D-21B; 9th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 11/09/1968 and flew 2,953 naut. miles; the camera hatch was recovered, with 'fair' photos; 516 D-21B built as D-21B; 7th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 08/28/1968 and flew 78 naut. miles; 517 D-21B built as D-21B; 8th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 11/09/1968 and flew ? naut. miles on the first operational D-21 mission, presumably over China; the camera hatch was lost, though; 518 D-21B built as D-21B; 10th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 02/11/1969 and flew 161 naut. miles; 519 D-21B built as D-21B; 11th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 05/10/1969 and flew 2,972 naut. miles; the camera hatch was recovered, with 'fair' photos; 520 D-21B built as D-21B; 12th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 07/10/1969 and flew 2,937 naut. miles; the camera hatch was recovered, with 'good' photos; 521 D-21B built as D-21B; 13th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 02/20/1970 and flew 2,969 naut. miles; the camera hatch was recovered, with 'good' photos; 522 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 523 D-21B built as D-21B; 14th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 12/16/1970 and flew 2,448 naut. miles on the second operational D-21 mission, presumably over China; the camera hatch was again not recovered; 524 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 525 D-21B built as D-21B; 1 of four D-21Bs given to NASA for a possible future use in a research program, and delivered to NASA DFRC, Edwards AFB, CA, in June 1994; temporarily on display at the Blackbird Airpark, Palmdale, CA, from 1995; maybe now in storage at Barstow, CA; 526 D-21B built as D-21B; 15th D-21B launched from a B-52H on 03/04/1971 and flew 2,935 naut. miles on the third operational D-21 mission, presumably over China; the camera hatch was again not recovered; 527 D-21B built as D-21B; 16th and last D-21B launched from a B-52H on 03/20/1971 and flew 2,935 naut. miles on the fourth and last operational D-21 mission, presumably over China; the camera hatch was again not recovered; 528 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 529 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 530 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 531 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 532 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 533 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 534 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 535 D-21B built as D-21B; on display at the USAFM (in Annex), at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH, since 1993; 536 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; 537 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or already on display at the Blackbird Airpark, Palmdale, CA; 538 D-21B built as D-21B; stored at AMARC or on display in museum; Originally, 6 D-21 were built under the TAGBOARD program, of which 4 were launched from specially built M-21 'Motherships', all based only at Area 51, (Groom Lake / 'The Test Location'). The two launch aircraft were: * Lockheed M-21, Article 134, USAF FY-serial '60-6940' and * Lockheed M-21, Article 135, USAF FY-serial '60-6941'. A second lot of 15 D-21B and a third lot of 16 D-21B were built, and the 2 remaining D-21 were modified to D-21B standard. Of the resulting 33 D-21B, one was accidentally dropped, 12 were expended in test and training flights, and 4 were used for operational missions, all of which were ultimately not successful. The 16 D-21Bs were launched from specially modified SENIOR BOWL B-52H carrier aircraft, originally operated out of Area 51, and later by the 4200th SUPS (Support Squadron) of the 4200th TW (Test Wing), based at Beale AFB, CA, and possibly also deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam. The two modified aircraft were: * B-52H-150-BW, b/n 464401, USAF FY-Serial '60-0036', and * B-52H-170-BW, b/n 464448, USAF FY-Serial '61-0021'. The 17 surviving D-21B were originally stored at Norton AFB, CA, from 03/20/1971 (when the SENIOR BOWL program was cancelled) until mid 1976, when they were delivered to the AMARC (Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ. They were redesignated GTD-21B, another non-standard designation, possibly indicating a 'G' = 'Grounded' and 'T' = 'Training' or 'Target' status of the 'D' = 'Drones'. The 'D' stood originally for 'Daughter' in the MD-21 ('M' = 'Mother') combination, though. Of the 17 surviving airframes: * 6 (#5.., #5.., #5.., #5.., #5.., #5..) are currently still stored at AMARC; * 4 (#525, #5.., #5.., #5..) went to the NASA DFRC (Dryden Flight Research Center), Edwards AFB, CA, and (at least 3) are stored in a warehouse in Barstow, CA; while the USAFM (United States Air Force Museum) 'owns' the remaining D-21B, which are on (permanent) loan to various museums, including: * 1 (#535), displayed at the USAFM itself, in the Annex Hanger; * 1 (#537), displayed at (or at least destined for) the Blackbird Airpark, Palmdale, CA; * 1 (#503), displayed at SMOF (Seattle Museum of Flight), Seattle, WA, mated to M-21 '940', as unique MD-21 combination (number may be different); * 1 (#5..), displayed at Pima County Air & Space Museum, Tucson, AZ; * 1 (#5..), displayed at Dover AFB Historical Center, Dover, DE, but maybe destined for the NASM (National Air&Space Museum), Washington, DC; * 1 (#5..), displayed (or better stored) at the Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, GA; * 1 (#5..) probably on display in some other museum; - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 14:05:55 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: (New) Skunk Works projects, from Ontario facility IRAD and SOFIA are identified now, but what about Quiet Knight, ESU, and Trainer/Recorder? Any suggestions? Here is some condensed IRAD and SOFIA information: IRAD = Independent (Internal/In-house) Research And Development, small research programs initiated by a corporation, rather than a customer, even though some money might be reimbursed by a customer if a final product is developed and procured. SOFIA = Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy, a 2.5 meter, optical/infrared/sub-millimeter telescope mounted in a Boeing 747SP. The SOFIA project is in the early full-scale stage. The start of detailed system design is anticipated in the Fall of 1996. The German Space Agency (DARA) is a partner with NASA in the SOFIA project. DARA will provide the telescope and NASA will provide the rest of the facility including the 747 aircraft, aircraft modifications, on-board mission control system, ground facilities and support equipment, overall management, system integration and operations. The SOFIA project is currently moving forward with evaluation of proposals for prime contracts for the U.S. and German portions of the program. Final approval for program implementation has been received from the U.S. Congress and NASA management. The observatory will begin flight operations by the year 2001. In March 1992, Telescope NRA (NASA Research Announcement) studies were assigned to: * Lockheed Missiles & Space Company (LMSC) now Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space (LMMS), a subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corp. * Hughes STX, a unit of Hughes Aircraft Co, Arlington, VA owned by Hughes Electronics Corp., which is part of General Motors Corp. teamed with Kaman Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, University of Arizona, Tucson Airport Authority and Pima Community College, Tucson, AZ In April 1992, Aircraft NRA studies were assigned to: * Lockheed Aircraft Services, Ontario, CA then Lockheed Martin Aircraft Center (LMAC), now belonging to the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works (LMSW), Palmdale, CA, a subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corp., Bethesda, MD * E-Systems (Greenville, MD, division, I presume) now E-Systems Greenville Div., part of Raytheon E-Systems, a subsidiary of the Raytheon Co., Lexington, MA Contracts will be signed soon, I believe. For more info on SOFIA see the SOFIA home page at NASA Ames, at: - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 22:00:40 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: laser absorber material On Sat, 7 Dec 1996, Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl wrote: > of this virtually at the same time. They can even be used to create an image > of a target. You mean today's technology can create a kind of "hologram" for the targeting sensors???!!?! The dummies target are getting more sotisphicate everyday :) > flying their operational attack missions in the night, while future > stealth aircraft might use IVY or YEHUDI technologies or techniques to > counter IRST (InfraRed Search and Tracking) or other EO (Electro-Optical) > sensors. Can you tell us more about the IVY or YEHUDI technology please!! Thanks in advance. May the Force be with you Su Wei-Jen E-mails: wsu02@utopia.poly.edu wjs@webspan.net ------------------------------ From: Jonathan E Didier Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 12:21:30 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: (New) Skunk Works projects, from Ontario facility Excerpts from internet.skunk-works: 7-Dec-96 Re: (New) Skunk Works proje.. by Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl@ais.o > * E-Systems (Greenville, MD, division, I presume) > now E-Systems Greenville Div., part of Raytheon E-Systems, a subsidiary of > the Raytheon Co., Lexington, MA I don't mean to quibble, but E-Systems Greenville is in Greenville, TX, not Greenville, MD. Jon Didier jonathan+@andrew.cmu.edu (Fiance of someone at E-Systems Garland) ------------------------------ From: Brett Davidson Date: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 11:54:53 +1300 (NZDT) Subject: Re: Hey hypersonics NUTS! Listen UP! Actually, I can make a recommendation for another book that may be of interest. The title is a bit confusing - on the cover it says "Space Shuttle, The History of Developing the National Space Transportation System Through STS-75" but the title page misses "Space Shuttle." Author and publisher is Dennis R Jenkins of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida Anyway, it is a superb extensive guide to virtually every reuseable Earth to space manned and unmanned spacecraft project that made some use of aerodynamics at some stage. It starts with Eugen Sanger's skip-glider of the 1940s, goes through proposed and built hypersonic test vehicles - BOMI, the first Aerospaceplane of the early 1960s, chapters on the X-15, Dyna-Soar, the Soviet Spiral/Uragan and Buran, the lifting bodies, dozens of paper studies of crew transfer vehicles, taxis, Hermes, Sanger I and Sanger II etc etc etc... even Orion from 2001 (the only fictional reference). What most of it is about is the long and torturous design process of the Space Shuttle, from the original fully-reuseable 2STO concepts through to the end product. Jenkins has assembled an incredible amount of highly detailed information for the early studies, right down to structure and materials. Design and engineering of the orbiters is down to the nut and bolt level, and there is also a good chapter on Shuttle-C and other variants. Every flown mission up to STS-75 is detailed, as are the histories of each orbiter. At the end there is a brief section on proposed successors, and a couple of pages on the HL-20 and a captioned picture of NASP. Well, he had to stop somewhere. In 2005 he might do a book on NASP through VentureStar? Price was NZ$ 56-00. Expect 2/3 that US$ ? Half that in pounds? Very reasonable anyway, it could sell for double that. - --Brett ------------------------------ From: betnal@ns.net Date: Mon, 09 Dec 96 02:46:19 GMT Subject: re: Laser absorbing material One of the great quandaries designers often find themselves in is that what may be an asset at one time, can be a liability at others. For example, laser absorbing material. This would be an asset in preventing detection by a weapon system using laser technology for detection. On the other hand, a weapon that uses the laser itself as a weapon (say, a third generation ABL), would just love to encounter a target coated with laser absorbing material. In this case, the laser is a mechanism for delivering energy on target. The less reflected and the more energy the target absorbs, the greater damage the weapon can do. In this case the material would actually be assisting in the destruction of the target it's supposed to protect! the material may be useful in dissipating the energy over a larger surface area of the aircraft, but threat would then make it more detectable. Sheesh! Ol' Zapper Art ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 21:55:57 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Hey hypersonics NUTS! Listen UP! Brett Davidson recommended the book: "Space Shuttle, The History of Developing the National Space Transportation System Through STS-75". I have an earlier edition of that book, titled: "Space Shuttle, The History of Developing the National Space Transportation" subtitled: "The Beginning Through STS-50", by Dennis R. Jenkins, published by Motorbooks International, 1992/1993. The ISBNs are 0-9633974-0-0 (Softcover) and 0-9633974-1-9 (Hardcover), the price was $24.95, and I recommend it also! The newer edition, "Through STS-75", costs $29.95 and is available (for example) from Zenith Books 1-800-826-6600, item number '123534AE'. - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 22:03:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: laser absorber material Su Wei-Jen wrote: >You mean today's technology can create a kind of "hologram" for >the targeting sensors???!!?! The dummies target are getting more >sotisphicate everyday :) Actually, I never mentioned 'hologramm' or '3D', I just said 'image'. Image-producing radars, in use for several years, are deployed mainly for reconnaissance and surveillance on aircraft like the U-2, SR-71, E-8, OV/RV-1, and many other others, as well as UAVs and of course satellites. Very modern (or at least future) radar systems can, with the help of new electronics and lots of software, create a sort of 'finger print' or 'low-resolution image' of a target, and determine the aircraft type, its configuration, like possible external loads and weapons, and even its spatial orientation, based on the radar return. >Can you tell us more about the IVY or YEHUDI technology please!! The YEHUDI project was a W.W.II project to make anti-submarine aircraft less visible to submarines, by adding lights, which made the aircraft blend in with the brighter background. This is what I meant with 'YEHUDI technique'. The IVY project was a much more recent project to make aircraft 'invisible', by using active camouflage -- basically a 'smart-skin' covering of LCD-type material, which is not only radar absorbing/dissipating, but can also change its color, when small electric currents are applied. With the correct software and sensor input, this can be used to make an aircraft, or anything else, for that matter, blend in with any kind of background, just like a chameleon. This is what I meant with 'IVY technology'. - -- Andreas PS: The Pulse Doppler Radar acronym is of course PDR (not DPR). - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 21:54:07 -0500 (EST) Subject: E-Systems Thanks to everyone who corrected the location of the E-Systems, Greenville Division, sorry for that error. E-Systems seems to be a very interesting, diversified and pretty skunky company, not unlike EG&G. Can someone provide me with a more accurate company breakdown and history than the following, which I have pieced together? * E-Systems, Inc., Dallas, TX, - originally Ling-Temco Electronics Inc. (?) - merged with Chance Vought Corp. on 08/31/1961 to LTV (Ling-Temco-Vought Inc.), which was later renamed LTV Corp. - renamed LTV Electrosystems (?) - acquired last year by the Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA, which renamed it Raytheon E-Systems. The company itself is part of the Commercial and Defense Electronics Division of Raytheon, together with RES (Raytheon Electronic Systems), which is based at Bedford, MA. Subsidaries and operating units include: * CTAS (Chrysler Technologies Airborne Systems) and * ESI (Electrospace Systems, Inc.), both acquired this year by Ratheon from the Chrysler Corp., and organized as part of Raytheon E-Systems; * EMASS Inc., Denver, CO, a wholly owned subsidary which produces hardware, software, and media management and storage products; * E-Systems is also a partner with Lockheed Martin in Space Imaging, Inc., Thornton, CO, which offers high resolution remote sensing images; * ESGD (E-Systems Goleta Division), Goleta, CA, originally Electronic Warfare operations of the Raytheon Co., which has contracts for: + AN/SLQ-32(V) shipboard jamming system for USN; + AN/ALE-50(V) towed decoys and AN/ALQ-184 pods for USAF; * Montek Division, Salt Lake City, UT, which produces components (?); * Garland Division, Garland, TX (?) and of course the 'original' main divisions: * E-Systems, Greenville Division, Majors Field, Greenville, TX: - originally part of Ling-Temco Electronics Inc. - products: + conversion of 6 JC-130A to AC-130A (GUNSHIP II program); + conversion of 9 C-130A to AC-130A (PAVE PRONTO progrm); + conversion of 2 C-123K to NC-123K (BLACK SPOT program); + conversion of 15 OV-10A as Night FAC aircraft (PAVE NAIL program); + conversion of various (up to 400 or even more) C-135s and KC-135s (various programs -- maybe DrBob can list them?); + XQM-93, Model L450F (COMPASS DWELL program), UAV and piloted version, based on Schweizer SGS 2-32 glider; + modification of Gulfstream IV for NOAA; + upgrade of up to 99 P-3C for USN and 18 P-3C for RAAF; + conversion of Raytheon Aircraft Hawker 88XP as reconnaissance aircraft for South Korea; + competed for ABL (AirBorne Laser) contract with partners Rockwell and Hughes (but lost to Boeing/Lockheed Martin/TRW); + currently competes for SOFIA () contract to modify a Boeing 747SP; * E-Systems, Melpar Division, Falls Church, VA: - products: + varios electronic systems for: - C3 (Command Control and Communications), - COMSEC (Communications Security), - ECM (Electronic Counter Measures), - ECWRS (Electronic Combat Weapons and Reconnaissance Systems), - ELINT (Electronic Intelligence), - EW (Electronic Warfare), - Information Systems (computer), - RCIS (Remotely Controlled Intelligence Systems), etc. + mini RPVs, including models: E-45, E-55, E-75, E-90, E-100X, E-130, E-150, E-175, E-200, E-260, and E-310; + ground stations and EW systems for Tier 2+ (TRA GlobalHawk); + Remote Control Surveillance Systems and ground stations for South Korea's Hawker XP800 reconnaissance aircraft + HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) components; + ELINT/SIGINT gear for U-2R (SENIOR RUBY program); + Grob D-500 Egrett with ELINT/SIGINT gear (SENIOR GUARDIAN program), as well as a UAV based on that design, the projected EVER (Endurance Vehicle for Extended Reconnaissance) drone. They may even try to sell a derived version to Britain for their ASTOR (Airborne STand-Off Radar) requirement; Raytheon E-Systems also diversified to include more civilian and commercial products and contracts to their portfolio, lately. - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kerry Ferrand Date: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 17:21:48 +1300 (NZDT) Subject: More kits I was out buying bread at one of the local corner stores (well actually a mini-supermarket..) today and found they had a range of models kits on the shelves, just in time for Xmas. The printing on the box is done entirely in Korean text except the name, scale and short description. Among them I found a tiny 1/288 scale SR-71A..box top illustration shows a rear/side view of the aircraft taking off from a black surface with red computer gaphic-ish grid lines on it. Also of interest was the "FA-19 Stealer" (corruption of Stealth?) which is a 1/144th scale representation of our old pal the Testors stealth fighter. Box top has a top view of the mythical aircraft in flight. I think these may be Academy-Minicraft kits reboxed....the paintings on some of the other box tops ("Su-25 USSR fighter" etc) looked similar. K ------------------------------ From: John Clark Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 23:17:26 -0500 Subject: F-117 Simulator on Discovery Friday, December 20th. Discovery Channel 9:30 pm EST Beyond 2000 Ep 238: F-117 Flight Simulator; Hubble Update A room full of cockpits connected to a powerful simulator creates the experiences of fighter pilots. ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Mon, 9 Dec 1996 03:40:38 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: D-21 production list As much as I hate it to follow up to my own posts, here are some corrections to my D-21 article: The third production lot comprised 17 (not 16) airframes, resulting in 34 D-21B (15 + 17 + 2 modified D-21A), not 33, of which 1 was dropped, 16 were launched, (4 operationally), and the other 17 were stored. - -- Andreas PS: I am just not able to calculate those simple numbers -- probably because I'm a programmer! :) - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #735 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". 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