Profile 180: Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican as flown by (name tba) of the U.S. Coast Guard

On a pure aesthetic value, I would not have picked the HH-3F to draw.   It's ugly.   But, celebrating physical beauty is not the point of my work.  Attractive or not, the aircraft depicted in this blog represent something (to me at least) far, far, far beyond 'the machine.'

I'm not terribly religious, certainly not holy.  But — as ridiculous as this might sound to some — there's something of the Divine in each of my experiences "interviewing old guys and drawing their airplanes."  A few years ago, one of my business mentors stated that I may have been rendered 'unemployable' on account of hanging out with so many remarkable people.  As I'm still convinced I'm largely a coward with an outsized ego, I'll always find work.  

Nevertheless...

I have been deeply affected by the stories, friendships, and examples that these drawings represent.

* break break *

This particular HH-3F "Pelican" is being drawn for an event that'll happen this Fall.  Media might even show up, so it's possible the finished piece could make the news.  We'll see about that — if it does, check my Facebook page sometime after October 1, 2025.

On a personal level, this Pelican is fascinating for a number of reasons:

1. It's military, but not martial.  (not everyone wants to see guns/missiles)

2. It's no longer in service. (the last Pelican in Coast Guard service was retired in 1994)

3. It's unique (it could land/takeoff from the water)

4. It's painted with orange (no "SEA Camo" here!)

5. It represents an amazing story that has captured my imagination a hundred times... *snap! snap! earth to John, earth to John!* (distractions also make one unemployable).

Anyway.

A little bit of background on the HH-3F Pelican is in order.  Have a look at the pictures below.

An S-61 (civilian version of the SH-3) helicopter from photographer Chen Peng, courtesy Wikipedia.
Notice the fuselage - it's shorter, stockier than the S-61R/HH-3 version

A "Jolly Green Giant" Sikorsky HH-3E (military version of the S-61R) courtesy U.S. Air Force. I had a USAF F-105 pilot tell me the HH-3E the most beautiful aircraft in the world because it pulled him out of North Vietnam and therefore helped him become a happy husband, father, and citizen.  Fair enough.

The naming & production convention behind the S-61/H-3 helicopter series is an alphabet soup to those unfamiliar with how industry and government develop things.  Civilian markets get one name, military gets another.   But suffice it to state, the Pelican was derived from a late 1950s U.S. Navy request for a helicopter that could perform anti-sub, search and rescue (SAR) and general-purpose roles.  The result was the very successful S-61/SH-3.  

The USAF noticed the success of the SH-3 and wanted one of their own.  Contrary to public opinion that the military industrial complex runs around willy-nilly spending money — especially during the McNamara years of 'efficient' government procurement — the USAF realized it'd be cheaper/faster to adapt the SH-3 to their needs than develop something brand-new.   Thus, the S-61R/CH-3E was developed.  Essentially, the C/HH-3E was an S-61 modified to have a loading ramp. 

Have a look again at the photos above — they're very different but very similar machines.  If you're really into geeking-out about the S-61 series of helicopters, try these links:  S-61 and S-61R.  Take your time though - the two helicopters are often confused in print AND web.  Regardless, the basic S-61 design generated fifteen variations expressed in a total production run of 794 helicopters. 

Ugly?  Sure.  Successful?  Undoubtedly.

Going just a bit deeper, a few more facts on the HH-3F Pelican version:

Length: 57' feet

Width: 16'

Top speed: 160mph

Hover altitude: ~6500ft; Service ceiling (horizontal flight) 10,500ft

Range: 750 miles

Crew: 5 - pilot, co-pilot, 2x aircrew, rescue swimmer

This HH-3F is at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.  You can notice the big black bump on the nose containing extra radar and, if you squint, you can see a funky-looking eyebrow on the bottom of the sponson — that contained an inflatable floatation bladder that would be used if the Pelican had to ditch at sea.  Photo: NAM

**************

Enough waxing philosophical.  Enough background on the helicopter itself.

Let's see what we can learn from this particular HH-3F, flown by one particular pilot, on one particular day.  As it's good to keep all of us employed, I'll save posting the Distinguished Flying Cross citation until after the presentation event as it might send you into a day-long daydream.  

But... a little bit of teasing won't hurt.

The picture above was swiped from a site called "Blue Water Mystique."  Apparently, this photo was taken during sea conditions that generated 30'-40' waves.   The graph below shows the "Beaufort Wind Scale"  that's used to categorize wind:storm affect on ocean conditions.

Have a look, pay attention to the Force column, eye-down to #11, classification: Violent Storm.

Now.  Imagine this - you've just put in 4 intense hours flying SAR missions over stormy seas and you get ANOTHER call to action... this time, nearly twenty people are caught in conditions of 40' + waves, 60knot winds and your job is to hold hover in the torrential sea-spray, and haul the hapless up (one at a time) and take them home.

If you're like me, thinking about the moment makes any office/work/executive 'work' currently going on seem utterly insignificant.

But I betcha it'll inspire me to give more of my best to whatever office/work/executive thing I've got going on and appreciate the CAVU** skies and calm winds right outside my window.

More to come (back to work).

The pencil-sketch I did when given the GO! on this project.  

** CAVU = Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited

Profile 157: North American F-86F Sabre, 35th FBS, 8th FBG as flown by James "Jim" McDivitt

There are more than a few stories in this blog that need to be finished but how/why THIS ONE hasn’t been is known only to…

…me.  And for a while yet, it’ll stay that way.

Nevertheless, “The Obstinate Owl II” is above, and finished, fulfilling the promise made in October 27, 2021 when I last posted progress the artwork.   I had my plans, my next-steps all sorted out...

Suddenly (as it always seems to happen when dealing with projects that demand so much time,) a year later, her pilot, Gemini 4 and Apollo 9 astronaut, James “Jim” McDivitt ‘Flew West’ at 93 years of age.  This was an extraordinary bummer because I really grew to appreciate the man, so much so that I continued to work around a schedule that ended up being a complete phantom of optimism.

As it sits now, I have not decided what to do with my 95%-complete interview(s).  Suffice it to state, they’re remarkable assets to American and Space Race history.  

However, I’ll share this little glimpse; the first few times I got to talk with him, they were purely conversational and didn’t last much more than 20, 30 minutes.   Yet, in those brief conversations, it was apparent “McDivitt” was burnt-out on telling rocket stories.  Same with being on The Brady Bunch.  Same with the hubbub made about the apparent “UFO photos” he took during the Gemini 4 mission.  As interesting as the prior were/are, my focus was on the man’s Korean War service and THIS was the main reason he afforded me extraordinary access to his memories.

Jim McDivitt (middle in grey sport coat) with the cast of The Brady Bunch and two aliens
from the planet Keplutus.  Photographer unknown.

*Break break*

As much as I loath celebrity culture, I have a measure of sympathy to the singer, artist, politician, actor, entrepreneur, astronaut, warrior… who signed up for a measure of one thing and ended up with a heaping helping of another.  Some can handle it, some can’t… but bottom line, there’s an extraordinary price to pay when one’s being is perceived to be public property.

Being an astronaut, especially ‘back then’ in the 1950s and 60s, was a flashbulb-fueled launch into the celebrity universe.  Maybe at one time, McDivitt appreciated the notoriety, maybe not, but by the time I got to meet him, it was pretty apparent, the camera, the spotlight, the moon…were all things he’d rather look away from.  

Life is like that though - based on what I’ve learned interviewing ‘old guys,’ the days, months, years of life tends to refine the dross from the precious.  

How Jim expressed this to me sounded something like this:

Me:  So what are you most proud of?

(He instantly glanced at two paintings that were on opposite walls in his dining room)

Jim:  My Korean War days.

Me:  Not NASA?!

Jim McDivitt had a fun sense of humor - here, he goofs around with a model of the Titan II rocket used to launch his Gemini 4 mission, which resulted in mankind's first spacewalk!  Photo: NASA

Jim: (snorts) No… no.  My Korean War flying.  Those times.  (He pointed at the extraordinary artwork depicting him flying his 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron F-86 and F-80.)

Me:  Why's that?

Jim:  (NASA) was a corporation.  It was a job.  But then, there... (he looked again at his F-86 and for a split second or two, faded from the room into some long lost memory) That's when I believe I was doing the most good.  Flying jets in the squadron.

Me:  Was it the camaraderie?  You had that at NASA didn't you?

Jim:  (Shakes his head).  No, no... not like then.  (In my Korean service) we were a group, a team.

For a while afterwards, he went into greater detail about the nuances of leadership, business, publicity, warfare, politics... and it became obvious that, Jim McDivitt — obviously brilliant, super-competent, highly skilled — was just an aviator, happy to play a small part in something bigger.  NASA, with its inherent (and mostly necessary) need for choreographed publicity and public acclaim, may have fed his family and fulfilled his professional obligations, it didn't feed his soul.  Even if the organization took him farther than 99.99999% of people have ever been.  Even if a day at the office meant taking pictures like the one below.

Jim was the commander of Gemini 4 and also its savior.
Jim took this picture of #2 Ed White doing the unfathomable.  Notice the hatch at right - that it opened to let Ed out is Jim's genius with mechanical things.  That it CLOSED is also Jim's genius with mechanical things.  And to think the man really just wanted to fly jets... Photo Jim McDivitt, NASA

Instead, the military and the experiences within its cloistered fraternity were the memories he wanted in his dining room and ultimately (I believe) were the ones he took into Eternity.

Please, have another look at "The Obstinate Owl II."  Jim was pleased with the title; today, the original hangs in a place of honor at Tucson's beautiful Hacienda Del Sol resort, the site where he and fellow military aviators gathered (still do, in fact) every Friday for lunch.

"We remember where we came from," indeed.

Jim in front of another 35th FBS F-model Sabre, "The Dirty Old Man."
Photo: Jim McDivitt

 

Profile 175: FINISHED - "242" as flown by Col John Wambough (ret), 34th TFS

 

Finished!

And, what a finish at that!

break break

There are two reasons people get-into my art:

1.  The veteran signed it.

2.  It makes them feel a certain way.*

Last week, I was able to participate in a "Welcome Home" event in Fort Walton Beach, FL.  It wasn't a mere banquet-moment.  For nearly a full month, the community participated in making this event something go beyond a sold-out arena featuring famous faces talking about 'the war'....

Commissioned to draw the aircraft of five Northwest Florida veterans, my artwork ended up being displayed at selected businesses where ANYone from the community could sign as a tangible expression of thank-you-for-your-service.

I'm not trivializing the TYFYS rejoinder, btw.  But frankly, people often have no idea what to say to veterans, especially the sort that has experienced combat.  And in the case of the Vietnam Conflict generation, we Americans are completely stymied as to what to do next... Thanks to the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, the community's civilian folk were given a way to level-up their profound appreciation by going beyond the spoken word and putting it to paper!

Please, have a look — the number of signatures on these five prints represent at least 1,000+ grateful souls...

How cool is this?!?

And even cooler, that #264 is represented by a living, breathing representative of the Vietnam Conflict.  It's true the majority of military personnel don't get anywhere close to the harm of mortal combat.  However, John did and in a sobering fashion - he flew this particular F-105D in combat at least once in combat, and of course, survived.  

Examine the stats (delivered by John Wambough himself):

• 1967 was the peak year for pilot losses during the Vietnam Conflict; F-105 pilots averaged getting shot down every 33 missions (when 100 missions was the required go-home number).

• 180 F-105 pilots were killed in action during the Vietnam War

• 107 pilots became prisoners of war (POWs)

• 145 F-105 pilots were shot down and rescued

As diverse as we all are - Col Wambough, the individuals of the community, myself - we are all joined in the common bond of simply being lucky/blessed/honored to be here, today.

*About that 'certain way.'   I'm never sure what people are actually thinking when they look at my artwork, but I am certain that the quality of the art is comparatively low on the list.

The top-two most compelling aspects of my art are the title and, by a much larger margin of interest, 'the signature.'  It does something to the imagination when the beholder connects the autograph with the reality that 'they were there' and by virtue of the signature, 'here now.'

"Welcome Home" indeed.  

And I hope we never 'finish' welcoming the Vietnam Veteran's story.

Profile 175: "242" as flown by Lt John Wambough, 34th TFS

I learn a lot about life drawing airplanes.

NERD ALERT:  This post is really just musing on the futility of trying to get artwork 'perfect.'   A better history lesson will follow, prolly on my Substack...

* break break *

Most of the time, what I learn is poured into the mental-box reserved for abstractions, points-to-ponder... 

Hang with me.

Look at my art below - it's a McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II that was flown by Lt Colonel D.C. Vest in 1972 while assigned to the 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), nicknamed, "The Rocketeers." 

At the time, the 336th was based out of Ubon, Thailand, flying combat missions into North and South Vietnam.

It's old art - I did this in 2016!!

Anyway, notice some elements...

Tail Code:  The two large letters on the tail.  These became prevalent markings on most USAF aircraft around 1967.  The Navy/Marines had been doing this since after WWII.   Why the disparity?  Ask a Marine aviator (you might find the response amusing).  Nevertheless, Tail Codes are an important detail.

Serial Code:  These are mostly an abbreviation of the serial number assigned to the aircraft at the factory.  This number tells a story of when the particular lot/batch of aircraft were ordered/upgraded.  Serial Numbers very-very-very rarely change on aircraft, civilian or military. 

The *'s show details that may/may not be consistent within a squadron or unit.  In this case, the 336th wanted to have these markings on their aircraft.  Realize that they could be added/modified/removed in a couple of hours.  In the case of 221 (the F-4 shown above) the yellow tail-top and divisional/command shields were generally applied to 336th F-4s but not mandated.

The ? marks details that are generally mandated but often changed such as stencils added to call out certain features of the aircraft; most of the time, these stencils are reminders to maintenance crew to do/think a certain thing.  "HAND HOLD" "JET A FUEL ONLY" are examples.  These may/not be done at the factory and may/not be maintained during regular maintenance. 

But 99.999% of the time, USAF aircraft have the American "Star and Bar" insignia in a definite place and a definite size.

For people like me who have opportunity to draw a particular airplane at a particular moment in time, we learn to balance the resources of TIME - ENERGY - MONEY (TEM) to create what we hope to be an accurate representation of what the particular aircraft 'looked like.'

But, what happens when new information comes up that changes the art?

I used to weep.   But, I grew up.  Now, I just swear once or twice and go back to 'life.' Practically, one the deal is done, the pilot has signed, the work is displayed, there's nothing to do other than shrug and give a loose apology.

However.

Recently, I (almost) fulfilled the commission to draw "264," a Republic F-105F Thunderchief that John Wambough flew on a particularly important day in October, 1968.

I assumed the Tail Code would follow a certain convention that had replicated itself in the past.  And I even pestered the man about photos.  Did he have any?  "Not that I can recall, but I'll check..."

TEM demanded I move forward so I rendered what I assumed to be 'the way it was done.'   Circumstances being what they are for me, I was able to visit John at his home and show him what I THOUGHT was the final artwork.

John me:  Well... here's 264!  What do you think?

John W:  Wow. Great!  I like it!  Thank you!

(Wife points to kitchen counter piled with photos, plaques, documents...

Wife:  You need to see this photo album...

And low, behold, a treasure trove of photos of 264.   To my dismay... there, in living black and white, was a perfect tail-shot of John's "Thud" (nickname for the F-105) revealing that I'd totally gotten the markings WRONG.

Col Wambough and I going through his pile of 'history.'  I love this part of my work!

Wrong lettering, positioning, convention... 

John me:  Oh sh*t.  I have to redo your tail.

John W:  Why??

I then waxed poetic, pointing to lettering spacing, style, stenciling; John squinted, then stated, "Yes.  You're right.  You noticed the detail."

Three airports, seven hours travel-time, and 36 hours later, I obsessively updated the artwork to reflect the style/change revealed by the photo (and not the assumptions made over years of work and reinforcement of detail).

There's a lesson here:  assumptions are not facts, one can only do so much, every once in a while and Gawd throws you a bone.

Oh.  And always endeavor to go to 'the source.'  

Profile 173: "YO-YO" as flown by Lt George McGovern, 455th BG, 741st BS

 

Finished!

The above is fifteen years in the making — I complained about the foolishness of the first version I completed in 2009 on my Substack.  Suffice it to state, earlier this year was commissioned for a public display and immediately saw it as a sign from Gawd to right the wrongs I committed back then.

For here, however, I'll focus on the artwork as much has changed since the one below:

George likely flew 6+ different B-24s in combat.  Though I was able to scan his combat diary, it wasn't as detailed on specific airplanes as it was as a narrative of his life as a combat pilot.  A page from 25-26 December, 1944 is below — it's terrific to 'hear' the man's thoughts through the ancient pages but it doesn't tell me much about markings!

Regardless, I decided to re-do YO-YO on account of the reason chosen in 2009; YO-YO is fairly well documented photographically.  A kind B-24 wonk provided me a few details about B-24s known to have been flown by George:

42-50419 "Big Gas Bird" (first combat mission)

44-48754

42-51279 (first mission as Pilot in Command)

42-78166 "Rosalie Mae"

42-51917

and of course, 44-11199 "YO-YO"

Still, the photos of YO-YO available, give only general detail.

The photos above are pretty-much what I had to go on (thanks to B24bestweb.com and the  AmericanAirMuseum.com).  

The choice to draw the port side was purely due to the display of 95 mission markers. It's interesting to note that YO-YO survived the war, only for George to see a newsreel of it waiting to be turned into toasters.  I'm hoping the color picture above is from that very film!

All in all, I'm happier with the "new" YO-YO but still wishing for a Time Machine. 

 

NOTICE TO READERS & FOLLOWERS

Support for my "interviewing old guys and drawing their airplanes" has grown to the point where I'll be maintaining TWO regularly updated channels.

1.  This channel on Blogger.  This will be more useful for drawing + more detailed historical information. 

Right now, I'm drawing a new B-24, an A-4 and have a year-old MiG-21 to share... stand by.

2.  The 'other channel' on Substack.  This will be more useful for sharing the stories and impacts that result from meeting the extraordinary people who fuel my artwork.

Thank you for the success you've all afforded and looking forward to making History even MORE "nutritious."

A great human has left the earth - Clarence "Bud" Anderson

 

The world is a noisy place for superlatives - "awesome," "amazing," "OMG."

The world is also prescribed with formulas - "best life now," "ten things top leaders do," "High performance organizations."

Sometimes they're accurate.  Most of the time they're just click bait.  

But on very rare occasions, they have a name, story and a phone number...

Yesterday, 17 May 2024, Col Clarence "Bud" Anderson Flew West, leaving behind a real legacy of the kind of life most ascribe to fantasy..

Nearly 24 years ago, in a conversation about leadership in the workplace, Bud challenged me to "interview old guys."  Putting a finer point on it, to ask people who'd seen the depth and breadth of life and  consider their words.

I took his challenge and the result has been the influence of many thousands, around the world, in art, in writing, in film...

 ..with the message that Bud embraced - leadership is a choice and character is a daily practice. 

The man gave so many, so many, people living proof that not only to men of greatness exist, they're strong, kind, patient, and most importantly, alive.  

I'm sure there are others out there but today, there's one less.

A little recording I made of Bud talking at a hometown event is below - it's a tonic for the times.

Thank you, God for men like Bud.  And thank God for figuring out a way to have Bud's phone number, so many years ago.

[MP3 recording below]

In Bud Anderson's own words... (10 minutes long)

Bud and I at a Commemorative Air Force event.  I was speaking, he showed up.
"You're still doing this stuff? (i.e. interviewing old guys and drawing their airplanes."
"Yep."
"Well... that's fine.  Just fine.  Thank you."

No, Bud... THANK. YOU.

Profile 173: Consolidated B-24J as flown by George McGovern, 455th BG, 741st BS

Interviews with George are in a few of my journals/stack-of-yellow-legal-pads.
And my obligatory pencil sketch to get my brain engaged...

Tragic work has begun on my next commission, a B-24J as flown by former U.S. Senator George McGovern during his service as a WWII bomber pilot.

Tragic?  Yes.  This is a redo of a piece I originally did in 2009.  For reasons due to the profound internal conflict between my chronic impatience and impossible sense of perfection, I bashed-out the art below to meet a deadline for George to sign the prints (and use at a particular fundraiser).

It's awful.  When I presented them to George, he seemed happy enough but I really wanted the artwork to be better-rendered... and trusted that the first edition would sell out, necessitating a second printing... which it did... but I never got around to redoing the artwork.

Three years later, George 'Flew West.'  

Though everyone knows that celebrity autographs are more about the actual celebrity than the thing that bears the signature, it's still 'my art;' and that McGovern was such a decent statesman makes me sick to think that I couldn't bring my best to his.

Ugh.  Don't even look at it.  But would you believe ONE print went for $3,500 at auction?
Shows the power of personality over art...

Nevertheless, eleven years later, "The Universe" has intervened and provided another moment to absolve my artistic sins, providing a moment for George's warbird to be displayed (very) publicly, albeit without his signature. 

So, have a look below.

Starting over.  So many details to do better, too.

(cough cough).  Ok, onward.

There's a legend attached to McGovern's flying a B-24 named "The Dakota Queen." The name, of course, referring to his South Dakota home state and new bride Eleanor 'waiting back home' in the community of Mitchell. It's true... but only in the regard that EVERY B-24 he and his crew flew was deemed, "The Dakota Queen."  How do I know?  He told me.

I love artistic license but there's no way I am going to make up nose art without photographic evidence — when this piece goes on display, my "Artist's Statement" will have a description to this effect.

However, George flew a number of 741st BS B-24s!   In 2009, "Yo-Yo" was chosen because I could document at least two missions where the man experienced combat in the airplane.  Additionally, Yo-Yo survived the war, ending up a sword-beaten-into-a-plowshare (so to speak) and a worthy analog for the man's career move from warrior to champion of peace. 

I'm not so sure that I'll stick with Yo-Yo...maybe, maybe not.  About the only thing 'good' about the 2009 artwork is my drawing of the Bugs Bunny-esque nose art.   

Scholarly opinions are welcome.

Anyway, I expect a significant number of people will be following this post and so will be diligent about updating artwork and sharing some of the cool artifacts I collected in the four years I interviewed the man.  One of which is his combat diary.

So, I'm sitting at my family room table, scanning this thing thinking, "OMG.  I have George McGovern's diary in my house" with the requisite visions of spilling coffee on it, losing it, tearing it... I couldn't get it scanned and returned fast enough. 

I chose the first diary entry... I won't post them all; perhaps three or four more.  Nevertheless, appropriate as the new journey to honor an American warrior and statesman begins.

I just wish he were here to see it.

Profile 171: Bell P-39Q as flown by BG Clarence "Bud" Anderson, 357th FG

 

Finished — the Bell P-39Q as flown by BG Clarence "Bud" Anderson.

And, a 2024 salute for all!

But before that...

*break break*

The superlatives and legend that surround this man will have to come at a later date; I've been wondering how to express gratitude for Bud's example for YEARS and I'm not much closer to getting the words right than I was nearly twenty five years ago.

But suffice it to state, Bud represents - for many, many - the palpable, personification of the word "Great."

Have another look at the "Airacobra" above.

Bud never took it into combat (it'd likely have been shot out from under him in the high-pressure, high altitude skies of WWII Europe).  Instead, Bud flew it stateside, learning the skills and acumen required to Represent against Hitler's vision.

Evidently, Bud passed his training.  If you're a History Geek, you know.  If not, this will suffice:  when the proof of the putting arrived, he became a 'triple ace' with 16.25 victories.  He also established himself as able to lead others in mortal peril.  Later, he became a test pilot, author, speaker, General... 

Bud and his P-39Q.  And his 1939 Ford.

Courtesy: ToFlyAndFight.com

(Buy the book).

But back to 2024.

For me, I've learned incalculably powerful lessons in leadership, excellence, humility and potential through my introduction to Bud.  

Frankly, it's changed my life in challenging, wonderful ways!  But not without some sacrifice — a few years ago, a noted business leader remarked, "You know, your (interviewing old combat vets) has rendered you unemployable.  You've seen a higher standard than most.  Can you live up to that?"

My reply, "We'll see."

On that note - a salute for 2024!

(raises coffee cup)

"To the impending greatness of 2024 - of example, of inspiration and of enough power that one day, WE get to do the same for the generations to come!"

And achieve something Great for ourselves in the process, too.

Bud, c. December, 2022 receiving his BG star.

Photo: USAF

NOTE:  Very soon, prints will be made, Bud will sign them and the Distinguished Flying Cross Society will have them available to (presumably) frame and hang on a wall. 

UPDATE - Profile 171: Bell P-39Q as flown by a great American

 

CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO ME!

Thanks to our full-house of guests for letting me "go into my hole" to work on the P-39Q.  (See previous blog post for more context).

I'll be brief.

For one, the numbering on the nose is remarkably crude; one would think that the lines would have been stenciled precisely but they're really not.  So, I've been channeling my inner "1943 USAAF line crewman" and painting with appropriate imprecision. 

You can see for yourself from an actual photo of the Airacobra in question

As was the tail (serial) numbers.  They had a bit more uniformity, but that's as to be expected; the serial numbering went on as part of a manufacturing process, the nose numbers were done as assigned to units.

Notice too in the photo above how the red band looks 'black' - that's a quirk of black and white film; the band was actually red (but reproduces darkly in b/w processing).   Of course, this bit of photographic alchemy can change pending type of photo paper, lighting, processing...

Back to work before I get hauled up for Holiday Poker. 

Profile 171: Bell P-39Q as flown by a great American.

 

Ever wonder what it means for someone/thing to be "great"?

Around where I live, "great" has some cultural implications — "great" is great unless it's too great, then it needs to be knocked down a notch; this is the upper-midwest way of keeping people from getting too big for their britches.  Keeping ego's in check is good.  But as a regular practice, this aspect of "Minnesota Nice" can also be castrating.

Maybe 'great' means something from the past — acts and behaviors of legend; this kind of greatness has emotional truthiness to it, but as all history is comprised of people, as the wife of one highly decorated warrior warned me, "Be careful of your heroes.  They're all people and they all have people problems. Sometimes you don't want to know."

(Another topic for another day).

Maybe 'great' is a hope for someone better to come along — someone who represents the filling of present deficits and the ability to elevate the rest.  Gentle reminder (in the spirit of this Christmas Eve) — "the last perfect person was nailed to a cross."

As a history geek, I've become very careful of any use of the word, "great."  

Have a look above — it's the beginning of a Bell P-39Q "Airacobra." 

For the uninformed, the Airacobra is an airplane of mixed reputation.  Very few aviation buffs will call the P-39 a 'great' combat aircraft.  True enough, the airplane had a narrow envelope of success — down low (under 10,000ft), with lots of physical energy (i.e. speed), the P-39 could bring its terrific firepower (4 x .50 cal + 1 x 37mm) to bear and be utterly devastating to an unfortunately placed ground or aerial foe.  Outside of that precisely prescribed envelope, the P-39 was bested by more maneuverable, more powerful and more dynamically optioned enemies.

Nope.  The P-39 was not great.

But that didn't stop a WWII pilot from using it to learn his craft, excel in work, triumph in leadership, prove his character over time... and thus inspire many, many thousands to be better. 

That's pretty great, don't you think?

Stay tuned.*

Oh... and I'm going to ask him one more question, too.

OH!  And if you're piqued by the lack of information on why the P-39 wasn't so 'great,' please.  Click Here and read WWII Veteran, USAAF Master Sgt and fantastic writer, Merle Olmstead's review.

P-39s in training, in flight.  Photo: Stubby Gambill, courtesy "To Fly and Fight."

*(from one reader). "Geez, John You have so many stay-tuned stories, when are you going to finish them?!" In time.  And it'll be great, too)

UPDATE: Profile 170: Bell AH-1G "Cobra" as flown by Michael O'Neil, F Troop 1/9 Cav

 

Coming along!

I figure this will be the last post until Michael O’Neil’s AH-1G Cobra is finished (and his Distinguished Flying Cross mission told).  Until then, a few things to note.

1. Michael asked me to depict his F-Troop 1/9 Cav Cobra with "Flechettes and the 20mm gun."  Comparatively few Cobras came into the war with the 20mm, but you can immediately tell the ones that were by the characteristic bulge at the root of the helicopter's skids.  This bulge housed the cannon’s 900 rounds of ammo.

The cannon was called the "M195" and very similar to the M61 "Vulcan" that made their way into fighter aircraft at the time.  In case you aren’t aware, the Vulcan-series of guns were/are characterized by multiple barrels that were spun by electric motors to the effect of terrific rates of fire.  Today’s Vulcans can spew lead at an astounding 6,000 rounds per minute.

A Gatling Gun.  Hand cranked, machine-gun terror circa 1862.

Somehow, someway, we've managed since then...

©Wikipedia

By the Vietnam War, the technology for rotational guns had been around for over a hundred years.  In 1862, Richard Jordan Gatling created his arm-heaved “Gatling Gun.”  It was one of the first projectile weapons that could truly be called a Machine Gun.

Nevertheless, all that rotational torque and explosive recoil extracts a terrific toll from an airframe, especially a lithe, slow helicopter.  Thus, the M195 had shorter barrels (about a foot shorter) and had the rate of fire slowed as the gun’s power just too much at the faster rates of fire typically used in fixed-wing aircraft. 

Michael:  When the (20mm) would go off, it had a different sound.  It was a low, deep 'bzzzzt' and it'd shake (the Cobra) so much, (the guy in front) would hold onto the canopy to keep it from flying open!

Me:  Was there much of a drop? (In other words, was the 20mm a flat-shooting gun)

Michael:  Oh yeah!  I swear, I could put rounds in a window two clicks away.  

Me:  How was the recoil?

Michael:  Oh boy... you'd have to make sure you had a short burst! From 120kts, a three second burst would slow us to 70kts.  Then you'd stop and (the Cobra) would pick up speed again.

Me:  Muzzle blast?

Michael:  You know, I don't remember much other than a bright white streak, maybe three feet beyond the barrels.

A comparison of a 20mm round and a 1.5" flechette.

My hands are tiny.

Me:  Why did you want me to put Flechettes? (2.75" rockets so equipped with the small, nail-shaped devices)

Michael:  It's just what we used.  They were another powerful weapon, but better for getting targets under the triple-canopy (jungle foliage).  

Me:  So one was for precise targets, the other for general area targets.

Michael:  Yes.  Like an elephant.

Me:  What?!

Michael:  Yeah... I know (sighs).  It's bad to kill an elephant.  But the bad guys were riding the elephants.  This was war.  It was the job I was there for.  I'd write it down as a five-ton truck. 

Me: Because... that's what it was! (the North Vietnamese used elephants as both equipment haulers and construction equipment).

Michael:  Yes.  That's war.  The bad guys used elephants to move large trees to make bunkers in the jungle along tree lines. They made good fortifications in war. I shot 3 bad guys that were using elephants to build fortifications.

Me:  I’ve never experienced war.  But I can only imagine that once it’s under way, it’s all or nothing.

A graphic.  It might be useful.  It might not.

But I have to do graphics to get my head around things...

Michael:  Exactly.  I trained for two and a half years before I went into combat.  Two and a half years.  When I went (to Vietnam), I was ready.  We all were ready.   I didn't like the idea of killing elephants but if they're used in the fight...

Me:  ...they're a target.

Michael:  Yes. 

Enough on this for now.  More later.

Anyway.

2.  The markings will likely be less than accurate as F Troop 1/9 Cav Cobras were an amalgam of brand new helicopters fresh 'in-country' and others from other squadrons.  

Now, the reader needs to know Michael accumulated nearly 1300 combat hours and could have chosen any number of more 'well-known' Cobras for me to draw.  He chose a 1/9 Cobra because the 1/9 was considered, in his words, "the tip of the spear."   1/9 was the only unit authorized to wear the Cavalry Hat.

That's the "Cav Hat."  That's also Michael O'Neil. 

I showed this to a couple buddies of mine with Army cred and they whistled,

"That's bad ass."  I take their word for it.

Photo courtesy Michael O'Neil

That being stated, the Cobra I'm drawing will not carry some of the more exiting livery that other Cobras have worn.  F Troop was organized for slightly less than six months, had a dozen or so pilots and details of helicopters attached to the unit are just not available as I’d like.  To this point, most of F-Troop's Cobras were from D 229 (the Smiling Tigers) escort gun company.  They formed the F Troop 1/9 (Provisional) from December 1970 to June of 1971.

Of course, if you have any holler... but do so quickly!

Regardless, LET IT BE KNOWN!  Once time-travel is invented, we all can go back and find out what I got right and wrong.  

3.  The next post will be Michael's Cobra, finished and ready to represent the moment of Michael's DFC mission, awarded for action in Cambodia, 1 May 1970.

Michael, with his arm on the Cobra's (somewhat) unique, 20mm cannon.

Courtesy Michael O'Neil

Sigh.

Of the many interviews I've had over the years, Michael is among my favorites.  For one, his personality is bright, sparkling; a man whose private life is every bit as interesting as his wartime service (you'll learn about that later).

He’s one of those men that, in a crowded room, people gravitate towards — firm handshakes, catching up on events and extending good cheer.   At an event a few years ago, I discovered that we shared the same passion for interesting automobiles.  He confided that, long ago, he wrecked an example of one of my dream wheels (a Maserati Mistral)… I was gut-punched!

Me: A MISTRAL!??! 

Michael:  Yeah, it was too bad.  But… it’s just’ah cah.  (Micheal has an east-coast accent).

Me:  But DUDE!  It’s… a MISTRAL!

Michael:  (Laughs). Yeah!  And it’s just… A CAH!

And yeah, I agree.  I'd rather meet people than a 'cah' any day... but *break break * ain't it gorgeous!? (picture below).

I digress.

The Mistral.  I'll start the fight; this is from when Maserati was cool.

After the Shamal, WTH HAPPENED?!!

©Gooding

If I remember right, Michael gave me one of those paternal pats on the back and I changed the subject.   A few minutes later, I took the picture below.

Micheal O'Neil at a military event; note the wings.  IMO, of all the branches, ARMY wings look the coolest.  Legit.  

For those new to this blog, a caveat is in order — indeed, I’m a history geek who has deep affection for aviation and the stories that support it.  I’m also a student of life, learning what makes people advance from birth, school, work, death… and how the next generation can pick up the story without moving backward.

So, it’s Michael's 'transparency' that I find most compelling.  He tells it like it is, like it was, warts and all and uncomplicated by a need to argue or sugar-coat something that really happened.  My generation has grown up experiencing the idea that 'reality' is as much about feelings as it is about facts.  To this end, there's a lot of truth in that alchemy; we all perceive things differently and those differences must be appreciated to get a greater understanding of anything.

Nevertheless, I get the impression most of us younger folk are more willing to accept the idea that an opinion, though real, is therefore… well… objectively irrefutable.  Which of course, it is not.  I might feel that the Vietnam War was a million years ago but it really wasn’t.  And anything to be learned from the moment is likely relevant.

Again - (if there's a drum I pound, it's this one): if you know someone or get the chance to meet someone who has participated in a critical moment  — peace, war, prosperity, poverty, whatever — take the risk and engage.  Some day, all we will have is the recorded word and record of those that have gone before.  

HISTORY IS NUTRITIOUS.