Poland's fighter competition and the original Greased Lightning
Another competition heats up - and a record setting Hustler.
“In the development of air power one has to look ahead and not backwards and figure out what is going to happen, not too much what has happened. “
- Billy Mitchell
On the Radar
In 2020, Poland ordered two squadrons worth of F-35 Lightings: 32 aircraft. The Polish Air Force is already operating 48 F-16s, so they have a history of operating American made fighters. What is interesting is that it looks like Warsaw isn’t done acquiring new airframes. According to National Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak, Poland is looking for at least two more squadrons of multirole aircraft.
Essentially there are two in production airframes today for Poland: the Eurofighter Typhoon or Boeing’s F-15EX aka Eagle II.
A major selling point for the Eagle II would be its built-in ability to integrate with Poland’s existing F-35s. The competition between the Eagle II and Typhoon may be the last fourth generation fighter procurement contest, stay tuned.
This week in aviation history
16 October 1963: something truly remarkable took place in the world of aviation – an event that would go down in history as "Operation Greased Lightning." Picture this: a trio of daring pilots, Major Sidney J. Kubesch, Major John Barrett, and Captain Gerard Williamson, embarked on an extraordinary journey. Their mission? To fly non-stop from the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, Japan, to the historic city of London, England.
Now, their choice of steed for this audacious endeavor was no ordinary aircraft; it was a Convair B-58A-20-CF Hustler, bearing the serial number 61-2059, and aptly christened "Greased Lightning." This sleek machine was proudly under the banner of the 305th Bombardment Wing, 19th Air Division, stationed at Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Indiana.
But here's where the real magic happened: to conquer this colossal distance, a total of five in-flight refuelings were necessary. Imagine this mighty Hustler, thundering through the skies at supersonic speeds, having to gracefully slow down to rendezvous with tanker aircraft.
As the trio pressed on, the B-58's average speed during this epic odyssey was a mind-boggling 692.71 miles per hour (1,114.81 kilometers per hour). The leg from Tokyo to Anchorage, Alaska, was a whirlwind, covering the distance in just 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 42 seconds, all while maintaining an average speed of 1,093.4 miles per hour (1,759.7 kilometers per hour). Then, from the pristine landscapes of Anchorage, they continued their journey, spending 5 hours, 24 minutes, and 54 seconds at 826.9 miles per hour (1,330.8 kilometers per hour) before touching down in the historic heart of London.
Operation Greased Lightning was more than just a flight; it was a testament to the power of human innovation and the indomitable spirit of aviation enthusiasts like yourself, Tog. These pilots pushed the boundaries of what was thought possible, and their story continues to inspire aviation enthusiasts and history buffs to this day.
In case you missed it
The designs and need that lead to the CIA’s most famous aircraft:
Photo Outlet
From this past weekend’s Wings Over Houston Airshow, the heritage flight featuring and P-51 Mustang and an F-35 Lightning:
I was fortunate enough to cover the airshow and am working on a slideshow video - stay tuned!
That’s all for this week, thanks for reading! If you know a fellow aviation enthusiast that would enjoy these weekly newsletters, then please forward this along. Now you know!
-Tog