AND IT AIN'T CIA FBI


MAKS 2005 Highlights

If the Russians are still adept at designing these type of aircraft, especially the military types, we better sure keep our "Top Gun" schools active!!


The Russians are aiming to make the MAKS airshow the Russian equivalent of the Paris Air Show or the British Farnborough Air Show.
This means making it a showcase for the Russian aerospace industry, and a place where business deals are made, or at least signed.
This Tupolev-334 airliner is one of the aircraft on display for prospective customers, though I doubt if this is the way they'll normally be used! Aeroflot has already ordered the Tu-334, which is a 100 seat successor to the 76 seat Tu-134.






Another local aircraft is this prototype Yakovlev Yak-130 military jet trainer, which was put through its paces along with a MiG "advanced trainer", also a prototype. The Yak-130 was initially developed in a joint venture with the Italian company Aeromacchi.
As well as acting as a trainer for pilots graduating up to the Su-27 "Flanker", the Yak-130 can be outfitted as a light attack aircraft or a ground attack trainer and, as with many Russian designs, it can be used from unpaved airfields.






Each day's show was started by a trio of Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft, which have the unfortunate NATO code name of "Frogfoot", which raises the question when there are more than one of whether they're "Frogfoots" or "Frogfeet". The Su-25 is the Russian equivalent of the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Like the A-10, the Su-25 has titanium armour for the pilot and it has also been used in combat in Afghanistan, however the Su-25 is faster than the A-10 and, somewhat surprisingly, is said to be more maneuverable. Nicknamed "the comb" because of all of the stores racks which extend out the front of the wing, the Frogfoot has a 30mm cannon and can carry 4000kg (almost 9000lb) of ordnance.






Here's a Russian aircraft that I knew nothing at all about, from a manufacturer that even most aviation enthusiasts have never heard of. The Myasishchev M-55 Geophysica is a civilian version of the M-55 "Mystic" high altitude reconnaisance aircraft. The Geophysica has been doing stratospheric research in Europe, very similar work to NASA ER-2s derived from the U-2 spy plane.






I made the trip from California to this show because I wanted to see Russian aircraft types and it was great to see the Frogfoot and the Mystic, but disappointing that none of the classic Russian bombers or transport planes of the Cold War flew during the weekend. However it was good to see several fighters, even if all of them were derived from either the MiG-29 "Fulcrum" or the Su-27 "Flanker", including the one you see here, an Su-27SMK. The Flanker was a Russian response to the American F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter; the Su-27SMK is an export version with in-flight refuelling capability and 12 hard points for ground attack work, analogous to the F-15E Strike Eagle.






The Zhukovsky Air Field where the show is held is also home to the Gromov Flight Research Institute, which is the Russian equivalent of NASA. Here's one of their test aircraft, a Sukhoi Su-27P. Like the Su-27SMK in the previous photo, this particular aircraft has appeared at several airshows throughout Europe, including several trips to the UK.






Here's a more advanced version of the Flanker, an Su-30MK which is fitted with a pair of small "canard" wings just behind the cockpit, as well as 8 hard points which allow air-to-ground ordnance to be carried in addition to the air-to-air weapons of previous versions, adding ground attack to the Flanker's original pure air-to-air role. The Su-30MK has unbelievable maneuverability because of the "thrust vectoring" feature which allows it to direct the output of its two engines in slightly different directions. This enables it to perform bizarre low speed gyrations which have been dubbed the "cobra maneuver", the "bell" and the "somersault", in which the plane flips 360 degrees without losing any altitude. These maneuvers can be used to fool an enemy's pulse doppler radar, which relies on movement of the target, making the Flanker disappear from the radar screen, at least for a few seconds.






This MiG-29M2 "Fulcrum" also did a great demonstration. The MiG-29M2 has longer range than previous versions of the Fulcrum, thanks largely to the in-flight refuelling equipment which you can see on the left hand side of the nose just in front of the cockpit, and also has a "glass cockpit" with LCDs rather than the "steam gauge" dials of earlier versions. The new fly-by-wire system also makes it considerably more maneuverable.






The MiG-29M2 is more advanced than its predecessors, but this MiG-29OVT is even more sophisticated, and the company insists that the improvements are great enough to merit a new designation, the MiG-35. This version of the Fulcrum was demonstrated in public for the first time just before the show and has a new thrust vectoring system, which you can clearly see in operation in this photo. Unlike earlier versions of thrust vectoring on aircraft like the Su-27 and the American F-22 Raptor which can only pivot up or down, the MiG-35 can vector up, down, left and right. The MiG-35 can also move the nozzles further than earlier versions, up to 18 degrees, to allow even greater feats of maneuverability like the "double somersault" and "boomerang".






The various helicopters on show were one of the highlights for me. It would have been great to have seen an Mi-24 "Hind', the large helicopter gunship which became so familiar in Afghanistan, but we had to make do with this Mil Mi-8 "Hip", one of the most successful helicopters which has ever been produced anywhere. It dropped a parachute display team from altitude and picked them up afterwards. This photo was shot from the crowd side on Friday afternoon, from where you could see a tantalizing collection of MiG 25 Foxbats and other aircraft on the other side of the runway.






My favourite Russian helicopters are those designed by the Kamov design bureau, which specializes in helicopters with contra-rotating rotors, which don't require the tail rotor needed to counteract the torque created by a single main rotor. The tail rotor requires a significant amount of power, anywhere from 10% to 25% of the total,
so a contra-rotating design is inherently more efficient, potentially allowing great lifting capacity and speed, and the lack of a tail rotor is also a significant benefit from the point of view of safety of people operating around the craft.
Two different configurations of the Kamov Ka-226 Sergei light multi-purpose helicopter were shown, this one hauling some drums and another one with a rear cabin occupying the space behind the cockpit. The Ka-226 is an update of the Ka-26 "flying chassis" first delivered in 1965. The detachable cabin can be used for medical evacuation or transport of personnel, or other equipment can be fitted for agricultural or other commercial work.





The main business of Kamov during the Cold War was the design and manufacture of military helicopters, particularly naval models like this Ka-31, which has the NATO reporting name "Helix". This one is shown with a large rotating "Oko" radar panel underneath the fuselage, which allows the helicopter to act as a radar picket to warn the fleet of incoming aircraft. Explosive bolts can be used to jettison the antenna in the event of a forced landing. Kamov has succeeded in selling the "Helix" to Vietnam, India and other countries.






Here's a real beast, another Kamov design called the Ka-50, which NATO knows as the "Hokum" and which the company itself calls the "werewolf" or "Black Shark", the latter name as a reference to its night-fighting ability. There was indeed a Ka-50 in a black color scheme flying at the show, but it did only a single pass each day, while this one in camouflage did an extended display. The Hokum is a single seat ground attack helicopter with several survivability features - armour plating to protect the pilot from armour-piercing bullets and 23mm projectiles, rotors which can withstand impact from ground fired automatic weapons, chaff and flare dispensers, and a rocket-powered pilot ejection system.






For only the second time, the US Air Force sent a contingent to the show, this time consisting of two F-16 Fighting Falcons, two F-15 Eagles, a KC-10 tanker, a KC-135 tanker and this B-1B Lancer bomber. The Lancer gave a pretty ordinary display, but it was certainly an interesting sight to see it flying over the Russian countryside.






There was other foreign participation at the show, including what might be the last ever demonstration by an Italian Air Force G222 cargo plane, which is due to be retired from service soon. This is always a remarkable show, certainly not one you'd imagine a cargo plane is capable of, and in Russia it at least ended without incident, unlike the G222 accident at RIAT 2002 in the UK. The highlight for me was the first ever performance in Russia by a French Armee de l'Air Mirage 2000 fighter, which was the first delta-winged Mirage I'd ever seen flying.






The foreign participation included jet display teams from France and Italy. Surprisingly for a nation with such an active military aerospace industry, the Patrouille de France flies trainers rather than fighters. The Italian Frecce Tricolori (three-coloured arrow) also flies trainers and does some similar maneuvers to the French, such as a synchronised takeoff. They use far more smoke - too much at times, but they do very good close formation flying.






However the Russians were the highlight of the jet display team demonstrations, fielding no fewer than three separate teams! Each day's show ended up with a performance by "Russ" flying the very attractive Czech designed and built L39 Albatros jet trainer, which for many years was the standard Soviet bloc military trainer.






Russ were good, but there's nothing better than a display team flying modern military fighter jets! The "Swifts" fly MiG-29 Fulcrums in 6-ship deltas, 4-ship diamonds and various other arrangements. The formations might not have been as tight as the US Navy Blue Angels, but the novelty of seeing them fly and the raw noise and power from their very smokey engines more than made up for it. The Russian crowd were very vocal and enthusiastic, as they had been for other displays both local and foreign, and it all worked together for a memorable show.






The "Russian Knights" also performed in their Su-27 Flankers, flying riveting 5 ship, 4 ship and solo maneuvers. Again, they weren't as tight as some other teams, but it was an excellent show nevertheless.






The Russians have another trick up their sleeve, however - the Swifts and the Russian Knights performing together! They did several passes in this 9 ship formation before breaking apart for the teams to display separately. It's interesting to see from this display just how much larger the Sukhois are than the MiGs, and interesting also to see the wingtip vortices which came off the MiGs during dives and tight turns, always a nice touch during a display, even if it is less desirable when in battle.




FINIS









Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.23/740 - Release Date: 3/30/2007 1:15 PM
 

Who's Racist?

Something to think about!


There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Native Americans, etc. And then there are just Americans.

You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me "Whiteboy," "Cracker," "Onion head," "Honkey," "Whitey," "Caveman" and that's OK.

But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towelhead, Sand-nigger, camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink you call me a racist.

You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you, so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?

You have the United Negro College Fund.
You have Martin Luther King Day.
You have Black History Month.
You have Cesar Chavez Day.
You have Yom Hashoah
You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi
You have the NAACP.
You have BET.

If we had WET(White Entertainment Television) we'd be Racists.
If we had a White Pride Day you would call us racists.
If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.
If we had any organization for only whites to "advance" our lives, we'd be racists.

We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce.
Wonder who pays for that?

If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships, you know we'd be racists. There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US, yet if there were "White colleges" that would be a racist college.

In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.

You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.

You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black, brown or other race gang member or beats up a black, brown or other race drug-dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.

I am proud. But, you call me a racist.

Why is it that only whites can be racists?

There is nothing improper about this email.
 

THIS WILL OPEN YOUR EYES!

 By Paul Harvey

 Conveniently Forgotten Facts. Back in 1969 a group of Black   Panthers decided that a fellow black panther named Alex Rackley needed to die. Rackley was suspected of disloyalty. Rackley was first tied to a chair. Once safely immobilized, his friends tortured him for hours by, among other things, pouring boiling water on him. When they got tired of torturing Rackley, Black Panther member, Warren Kimbo took Rackley outside and put a bullet in his head. Rackley's body was later found floating in a river about 25 miles north of New Haven, Connecticut.

Perhaps at this point you're curious as to what happened to these Black Panthers? In 1977, that's only eight years later, only one of the killers was still in jail. The shooter, Warren Kimbro, managed to get a scholarship to Harvard and became good friends with none other than Al Gore. He later became an assistant dean at an Eastern Connecticut State College. Isn't that something? As a '60s radical you can pump a bullet into someone's head and a few years later, in the same state, you can become an assistant college dean! Only in America!

Erica Huggins was the woman who served the Panthers by boiling the water for Mr. Rackley's torture. Some years later Ms. Huggins was elected to a California School Board. How in the world do you think these killers got off so easy? Maybe it was in some part due to the efforts of two people who came to the defence of the Panthers. These two people actually went so far as to shut down Yale University with demonstrations in defence of the accused Black Panthers during their trial.

One of these people was none other than Bill Lan Lee. Mr. Lee, or Mr. Lan Lee, as the case may be, isn't a college dean. He isn't a member of a California School Board. He is now head of the United States Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, appointed by none other than Bill Clinton. O. K., so who was the other Panther defender? Is this other notable Panther defender now a schoolboard member? Is this other Panther apologist now an assistant college dean?

No, neither! The other Panther defender was, like Lee, a radical law student at Yale University at the time. She is now known as "The smartest woman in the world." She is none other than the Democratic senator from the State of New York----our former First Lady, the incredible Hillary Rodham Clinton. And now, as Paul Harvey said; "You know the rest of the story". Pass this on! This deserves the widest possible press. Also remember it, when, she runs for President.

Hurlburt Field, Fla. - Air Force Special Operations Command’s first operational CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft is scheduled for delivery to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M, March 20 at 12:30 p.m.

Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander, will personally deliver this aircraft from the test wing at Edwards AFB, Calif., to Kirtland.

This aircraft will be the first of four CV-22's scheduled for basing at the 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland this year. The 58th SOW provides advanced training to Air Force special operations pilots and aircrews.

The CV-22 was not only designed to replace existing aircraft, but to provide special operations warriors a new capability to perform the missions of both airplane and helicopter. No other military aircraft in the world possesses these capabilities.

Procurement plans call for a total of 50 Ospreys to be delivered to AFSOC by 2017. The first combat squadron is ! scheduled to be operational at Hurlburt by 2009.

Note to editors and producers: Those reporters interested in covering the arrival ceremony of the CV-22 to Kirtland AFB should contact Master Sgt. Austin Carter, 58th SOW Public Affairs office, at 505-853-5858.
 

Muslims in America

Coexistence of Judeo-Christian and Muslim Societies
from the Internet (Details) |


-Bigoted or not........just read and think and draw your own
conclusions.

Can Muslims be Good Americans?

Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a
loyal citizen? Consider this:

Theologically, no. Because his allegiance is to
Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

Scripturally, no. Because his allegiance is
to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran (Koran).

Geographically, no. Because his allegiance
is to Mecca, to which he turns
in prayer five times a day.

Socially, no. Because his allegiance to
Islam forbids him to make friends
with Christians or Jews.

Politically, no. Because he must submit to
the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and
destruction of America, the great Satan.

Domestically, no, because he is instructed
to marry four women and beat
and scourge his wife when she disobeys him
(Quran 4:34).

Religiously, no. Because no other religion
is accepted by his Allah
except Islam (Quran, 2:256)

Intellectually, no, because he cannot accept
the American Constitution
since it is based on Biblical principles and
he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically, no, because Islam,
Muhammad, and the Quran do not allow
freedom of religion and expression.

Democracy and Islam cannot co - exist.
Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually, no, because when we declare
"one nation under God," the
Christian's God is loving and kind, while
Allah is NEVER referred to as
our heavenly father, nor is he ever called
love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.

Therefore after much study and deliberation....perhaps we should be
very
suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be
both
good Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish...it's still the

truth. If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above,

perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand

this, the better it will be for our country.


Pass it on. The war is bigger than we know.

RVN-USMC_RECON

Mobile Helicopter Killers Found and Destroyed in Iraq March 19, 2007

American troops in Iraq figured out how Iraqi terrorists had managed to ambush American helicopters with heavy machine-guns and get away with it. The Iraqis had used trucks with the machine-gun mounted in the back, and a tarp over metal supports (a common feature of military trucks) to conceal the weapon. The tarp was rigged so it could be quickly pulled aside, as well as the metal supports for the tarp. This enabled the heavy machine-gun to immediately open fire. There were four of these trucks, and they roamed around areas that American helicopters were operating above.

One of these trucks was spotted, with its machine-gun revealed, by a UAV, after informants indicated that this was probably the weapon responsible. U.S. intelligence then analyzed video and other data they had, and put more UAVs over areas believed frequented by the trucks. On the ground, intelligence operatives began beating the bushes for information on these mobile flak traps. Soon the four trucks were identified and, one by one, destroyed with smart bombs. Vehicles like this are particularly popular in Africa, where they are called "technicals" (and the heavy machine-guns are used mainly against ground targets.)