USAF E4B [NAOC] Aircraft, please identify the feature?

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outrun

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Okay on the top of this 747 aft of the cockpit is a bulge. Care to speculate what that structure is? Initially I figured a laser but that makes no practical sense. Radome or of some sort is what I reason to be most propable. A satellite antenaee would not make sense as this seems to be a "line of sight" type sensor? On other notes Rumsfeld has it to be retired from 2009-2012 replaced by a 757 airframe.

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The ultimate tree fort. . . The one thing that's always bugged me about the small assortment of aircraft like this is where all those tankers are going to come from while doomsday is in progress? Without tanking, a platform like this might be good for 18-20 hours of "hanging on the blades" at max endurance (tacair guy's estimate...). In a real doomsday scenario, my money is on the gas running out long before the lubricants corrupt.
 
quote:
Originally posted by outrun:
[QB] Okay on the top of this 747 aft of the cockpit is a bulge. Care to speculate what that structure is? Initially I figured a laser but that makes no practical sense. Radome or of some sort is what I reason to be most propable. A satellite antenaee would not make sense as this seems to be a "line of sight" type sensor?
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Most likely not any type of radio frequency device because there would be no need for it to not be white.

I suspect some type of IR communications device. That doesn't answer your line of sight device puzzlement.
 
I will post pics soon. Spent the weekend at Andrews AFB, MD for the Joint Services Open House
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First time for me to see a JSTARS, Rivet Joint, AC-130 Spectre Gunship, F/A-18 Superhornet, F-22 Raptor and 767 Advanced Tanker? [i think] up close. Also, a chance for farewell to my beloved Grumman F-14 to retire soon. The Marines also brought along a V-22 Osprey, the Army an MLRS,M1A1 MBT, Stryker and a M109 Paladin. Of course most aircraft interiors were covered up and closed due to the confidential nature of the goodies on board. On a side note I was quite impressed with the USAF diversity in staff. Good representation of women and other groups such as Asians etc.
 
Yeah, probably some special purpose beauty like this one. . .
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EKPolk, what is that puppy?
Some sort of simulator?
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Nope, it's a real, live 757, albeit one that's going to have some self image problems.
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Actually, it belonged to Boeing and they did some "space science" stuff with it. I'm still sniffing around to see if I can learn more about exactly what they were doing with this "odd mod" 757.

When I first saw it, I figured an engineer had been taking LSD while watching old "Flying Nun" re-runs. . .
 
quote:
Originally posted by TheLoneRanger:
Yeah, probably some special purpose beauty like this one. . .
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EKPolk, what is that puppy?
Some sort of simulator?
dunno.gif

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How 'bout this flying birth defect:
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Don't even bother asking -- I have no idea what it is -- other than being pictured on my favorite "strange planes" website. I especially like that little pig nose on it. I can't even imagine what mission this thing was built to fly. . .
 
quote:
Originally posted by outrun:
On other notes Rumsfeld has it to be retired from 2009-2012 replaced by a 757 airframe.
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Hmmm...we worked real hard modifying that 747. Oh well, nothing last forever.
 
quote:
Originally posted by LT4 Vette:
How do you feel about the V-22 Osprey ??
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When I was involved, we killed the program three times. Never underestimate your Congressmen's tenacity for pork in their district.
 
quote:
Originally posted by LT4 Vette:
Ekpolk,

Since you are a Marine,

How do you feel about the V-22 Osprey ??
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Both optimistic and gravely concerned, at the same time, if that makes sense. It's a great concept, no question about that. I just hope we don't end up learning all the fundamental tilt-rotor lessons on the backs of our young aircrew and Marines. I've stood at the site of the crash of the V-22 that went down while flying the pattern at New River NC. A chafed hyd line and a software glitch combined to result in the crews control inputs being "out of phase" with the aircraft, which led to increasing oscillation until they hit the deck. The poor guys pancaked into the woods with the last system recorded vertical speed at ~9,500 feet per minute, down (of course). They never stood a chance.

Time will tell whether the V-22 lives up to its awesome potential.
 
quote:
Originally posted by ekpolk:
It's a great concept, no question about that. I just hope we don't end up learning all the fundamental tilt-rotor lessons on the backs of our young aircrew and Marines.
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That's why we kept killing the program. Systems engineering analysis predicted high failure rate. Our analysis proved to be right on the money, unfortunately.
 
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