NASA WB-57 in Afghanistan... | FerrariChat

NASA WB-57 in Afghanistan...

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Ryan S., Sep 25, 2010.

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  1. Ryan S.

    Ryan S. Two Time F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

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    Ryan S., Sep 25, 2010
    #1
  2. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

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    The RAF still has/had a few PR Canberra's around as of a year or so ago too..........
     
    Kds, Sep 25, 2010
    #2
  3. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ Lifetime Rossa

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    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    MarkPDX, Sep 25, 2010
    #3
  4. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

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    That's a WB-57F sans outboard jet pods..........the highest flier of all the B-57 variants.
     
    Kds, Sep 26, 2010
    #4
  5. Ryan S.

    Ryan S. Two Time F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

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    Anyone know why one of the engines is painted black?
     
    Ryan S., Sep 26, 2010
    #5
  6. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ Owner

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    Optical tracking and positioning? That's how they identify the Shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters during launch (left from right).
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2010
    Wade, Sep 26, 2010
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  7. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    To identify top to bottom, left to right.

    The opposite would be the image of a canopy painted on the bottom of a fuselage to confuse the enemy.....................................
     
    Spasso, Sep 26, 2010
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  8. bleucamaro

    bleucamaro Rookie

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    not much of a poster here, more of a lurker, but it looks like both engines are painted the same, the inboard side of each nacelle would be black, along with the canopy surround to fight glare.
     
    bleucamaro, Oct 2, 2010
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  9. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    Take a look at the second to last picture.
    They both have black but the A/P's LH nacelle has more coverage
     
    Spasso, Oct 4, 2010
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  10. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

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    FWIW pics of the RB-57F's that I have in my book collection from the mid 60's show the nacelles painted exactly the same.

    Don't know why though.
     
    Kds, Oct 4, 2010
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  11. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

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    That's a neat airplane and one high flyer.. Listed service ceiling is 68,500 ft for the F version. That not quite as good as a U2, but this carries a lot more stuff. I had a friend who was the GIB managing the ELINT parts on one flying out of Japan during the cold war. He said it was a neat ride.
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2010
    solofast, Oct 4, 2010
    #11
  12. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ Lifetime Rossa

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    Probably to cut glare at high altitude... If I remember correctly the NASA TR-1s (U-2) had very similar paint schemes.
     
    MarkPDX, Oct 4, 2010
    #12
  13. dmaxx3500

    dmaxx3500 Formula 3

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    thats one big hanger in the background of the first pic
     
    dmaxx3500, Oct 9, 2010
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  14. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ Lifetime Rossa

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    It's been a couple years since I was at Kandahar so I pulled it up on Google Earth and the base seems purposefully obscured with some details edited out.

    Not sure what the big hanger was for as it was a skeleton every time I was there
     
    MarkPDX, Oct 10, 2010
    #14

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