Thanos Massias Profile picture
Defense, aviation, etc. Mostly 20th century onwards. Browse https://t.co/ccfEDPAHO7 to get an idea of what I usually post.
Oct 4, 2024 7 tweets 4 min read
"Attitude control simulator for X-15 studies at Langley, 1958"

📷📖 👁‍🗨 @getarchive jenikirbyhistory.getarchive.net/media/x-15-stu…Image How did X-15 control attitude when flying at high altitudes where aerodynamic control was no longer effective?

With a three-axes, Reaction Control System, using thrusters (attitude rockets) with hydrogen-peroxide monopropellant.

📷 👁‍🗨 @NASAhistory nasa.gov/reference/x-15/Image
Oct 1, 2024 8 tweets 3 min read
The unusual clamshell entrances to the Avro CF-105 Arrow cockpit.

📷 gr.pinterest.com/pin/4479674941…
Image Each crew member had its own clamshell and climbed in through the top.

"Avro Arrow First Flight - March 25, 1958 - RESTORED FOOTAGE"
🎞️📖
Apr 3, 2024 10 tweets 5 min read
A closeup of a B-52H photo, showing the two blisters that house the sensors of the AN/ASQ-151 Electro-Optical Viewing System (EVS).

📷 👁‍🗨 @DVIDSHub dvidshub.net/image/8036382/…
Image The original photo.

The AN/ASQ-151 Electro-Optical Viewing System (EVS) includes a Hughes AN/AAQ-6 FLIR (Forward-Looking InfraRed) sensor, and a Westinghouse AN/AVQ-22 LLLTV (Low-Light-Level TeleVision) sensor. Image
Jun 1, 2023 23 tweets 12 min read
"“Black Crow” sensor on Thor, an AC-130A. This sensor detected and tracked vehicles by the electrical impulses of their spark plugs. Thor was shot down by antiaircraft fire in December 1972, […] (U.S. Air Force photo)"
📷📖nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Photo… 👁‍🗨 @AFmuseum Image This was the AN/ASD-5 "Black Crow" Direction Finder (Truck Ignition Sensor)

It was designed to detect the electronic "noise" generated by the ignition system of a spark-ignition gasoline engine.

📷commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lock… Image
May 31, 2023 10 tweets 5 min read
Under Project Pave Gat one B-57G Tropic Moon III was turned into a gunship. The main change was replacing its revolving bomb bay door with a pallet equipped with an Emerson TAT-161 (or TAT-157) turret armed with a M61 Vulcan 20mm Guttling gun.

📷reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/c… Image The AN/AQX-5 weapon delivery system of this B-57G Tropic Moon III was modified by Westinghouse to aim the gun.

🔗sadefensejournal.com/emerson-electr…

📷books.google.gr/books?id=3w5ju… 👁‍🗨 @googlebooks Image
May 31, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
Emerson Aero X17A Roll-Traverse Nose Turret tested on F9F-3 Panther, BuNo 122562.

Initial contract to Emerson in 1949, ground tested in 1950, flight tested starting 1951, terminated in 1954.

📷flickr.com/photos/2008701… Image The X17A turret had four .50-inch heavy machine guns and could rotate along the centerline a full 360 degrees clockwise/conterclockwise at speeds of up to 100 degrees per second.

🔗google.gr/books/edition/…
📷flickr.com/photos/2008701… Image
May 31, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
Sometimes the nose radome of a Panther would be separated from the aircraft during arrested landing.

"VF-91 F9F-2 lands aboard the USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) in 1953."

📖📷mikesresearch.com/2020/06/28/gru… 👁‍🗨 Mike's Research Image Same incident.

"Lt(JG) Hugh N. Batten lands his damaged Grumman F9F-2 Panther after it was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire. Photo dated 12 July 1953. This plane's nose covering has been entirely torn away.…"

📷📖history.navy.mil/our-collection… 👁‍🗨 @USNHistory
🔗commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dama… Image
May 30, 2023 4 tweets 2 min read
Lockheed WV-2 airborne early warning radar with "flying saucer" radome.

📷google.gr/books/edition/… 👁‍🗨 @googlebooks Image 📷google.gr/books/edition/… 👁‍🗨 @googlebooks Image
May 23, 2023 7 tweets 4 min read
The F-104 was the first production aircraft to be quipped with a BLCS (Boundary Layer Control System) of blown flaps to improve effectiveness of its stubby, highly-loaded wings during approach and landing.

👁‍🗨 Burkhard Domke ( ) b-domke.de/AviationImages…
b-domke.de
Image High-pressure air is bled from the engine, fed into a plenum tube running along the wing, and blown through slits ahead of the upper surface of the flaps to energize airflow over them and generate additional lift at low speeds.

📷 ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/…
Image
Apr 13, 2023 12 tweets 8 min read
The next photos show the Concorde 001 prototype as it was slowly moved towards a specially crafted barricade. Toulouse. 1968.

All information comes from histaero.blogspot.com/2014/10/le-fil…

📷moderndesign.org/2012/04/tribut… Image "During the development of Concorde, one of Aerospatiale's fears was that given the aircraft's high approach speeds, if ever its brakes failed, it would end up in the background at the end of the runway : »

📷moderndesign.org/2012/04/tribut… Image
Apr 12, 2023 4 tweets 2 min read
Anyone recognize the airplane?

📷alamy.com/stock-photo-ge… Image Supposedly, it is a depiction of a German airplane captured in 1916 and having the unusual feature of the gunner/observer being able to depress the machine gun and fire it *through* the fuselage (tunnel is visible in drawing).

📷postermuseum.com/collections/wa… 👁‍🗨 @PosterMuseumCom Image
Apr 12, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
US Navy Sikorski HO3S-1 Helicopter onboard icebreaker USS Edisto (AG-89) in November 1947, during Operation Windmill (1947-1948).

❗️ The first 4/5ths of the film are irrelevant and probably NSFW—consider yourselves warned!

🎞️catalog.archives.gov/id/76656 👁‍🗨 @USNatArchives Icebreaker USS Edisto (AG-89) during Operation Windmill. This was the US Navy's Second Antarctica Developments Project (follow-up to Operation Highjump) and its goals were to train personnel, test equipment, and explore Antarctica.

📷picryl.com/media/icebreak… 👁‍🗨 @getarchive Image
Apr 12, 2023 5 tweets 4 min read
Curtiss B-2 bomber. Gunner's position at the rear of right engine nacelle

📷vanderbiltcupraces.com/blog/article/m… 👁‍🗨 @vanderbiltcup Image "General William E. Gilmore, head of the Air Corp’s Material Division at Wright Field, demonstrates the latest wonder to take to the sky: two-way communications. He’s perched in the nose of a B-2 Condor of the 96th Bomb Squadron. Photo dated 4-11-30."
📷📖thejivebombers.com/2018/03/16/223… Image
Apr 12, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
This is the cute Boeing YL-15 Scout.

In fact it is the only example of a rare (2 XL-15s & 10 YL-15s built) airplane in flying condition.

It is owned by Keith Brunquist. Do watch the linked video just for hearing his love for it in his voice.

🎞️ An article for the same airplane.

🔗📷smithsonianmag.com/air-space-maga… 👁‍🗨 @SmithsonianMag Image
Apr 11, 2023 5 tweets 3 min read
Landing Vehicle, Hydrofoil LVHX2
Circa 1963

🎞️facebook.com/USARMYTranspor… 👁‍🗨 U.S. Army Transportation Museum transportation.army.mil/Museum/index.h… 📷foils.org/wp-content/upl… 👁‍🗨 The International Hydrofoil Society foils.org Image
Apr 10, 2023 7 tweets 4 min read
"At a mock crash scene the fire medics enter a jet fuel inferno through a corridor cut by lightwater spray from their Huey. The chopper touches down as they emerge from the flames with a dummy casualty." 1971

📷📖archive.org/details/soldie… 👁‍🗨 @internetarchive Image Context (from same source) ImageImage
Feb 23, 2023 17 tweets 9 min read
An aircraft firing rockets rearwards! Why? Teaser: The first US rocket firing from an aircraft was of such rear-fired rockets. Read on.

About previous photo:

"B-18 Bolo firing anti-submarine retro-rockets, NOTS Inyokern, 01 Aug 1942. Official U.S. Navy photo."
🔗chinalakealumni.org/1942/1942mo.htm

📷historynet.com/the-bolo/
Feb 23, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
Antoinette Trainer rudimentary flight simulator: a half-barrel mounted on a universal joint, w. flight controls, pulleys, & "stub-wings" to allow the pilot to maintain balance while instructors applied external forces

📷loc.gov/rr/scitech/trs… from @librarycongress collections Antoinette, in cooperation with the French Army, established a flight school at Camp Châlons in early 1909. The school included the Antoinette Trainer (or Antoinette Barrel).
🔗av8rblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/wil…

Same contraption, from behind. Circa 1909
📷sites.google.com/site/aviationi…
Feb 23, 2023 5 tweets 3 min read
- Paulhan-Tatin Aéro-Torpille No.1
- Blériot 24 / Blériot XXIV 'Limousine'

📷gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt… from @GallicaBnF collections Paulhan-Tatin Aéro-Torpille No.1 French experimental aircraft during the 3émé Exposition Internationales de Locomotion Aérienne, Grand Palais, Paris (16 Decembre 1911 au 2 Janvier 1912)

📷resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ur…
Feb 21, 2023 4 tweets 3 min read
"Using a cutting torch, the Army’s 1896th Engineer Aviation Battalion dismantles Japanese atomic research equipment at Nishina Laboratory in Tokyo, December 4, 1945"

📷📖embarkweb1.campus.pomona.edu/objects-1/info… from Benton Museum of Art at @pomonacollege collections Image Ditto

📷books.google.gr/books?id=zW8Ty… Image
Feb 21, 2023 10 tweets 9 min read
"Preparation for a test firing of the Corporal tactical nuclear missile at the South Uist missile range." (May 1961)

📷1: iwm.org.uk/collections/it…
📷2: iwm.org.uk/collections/it…
📷3: iwm.org.uk/collections/it…
📷4: iwm.org.uk/collections/it…
from @I_W_M collections ImageImageImageImage "Corporal Missile on launcher, 1960 (c)"

📷📖collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc… from @NAM_London collections Image