The secret program to hide a secret program, as told by an F-14 RIO.

a reply to: waynos

Waynos, the Air Force version of the Phantom II was designated YF-110A before the MDS terminology standardization of 1962, when it became the F-4C. The Have Doughnut MiG-21 was called the YF-110B because that designation had never been allocated, nor would it ever be allocated to a U.S. production aircraft. Similarly the two MiG-17s tested in 1969 were designated YF-113A (HAve Drill) and YF-114C (Have Ferry). Although they were identical airframes, they received different designations so the pilots could tell them apart in their flight logs. At the time, the AF Form 5 (Pilot's Individual Flight Record) had no provision for including tail numbers. That changed a few years later, which is why there were multiple YF-110Bs during Have Glib, Have Idea, and Constant Peg.

These "Extended Century Series" designations were allocated in no particular order or sequence. The numeral is less important than the suffix for sorting them out. Although the YF-113A and YF-113C (Have Privilege) were MiG-17 variants, the YF-113B and YF-113E were MiG-23 variants. Same numeral, different suffix letters. In the 1990s, someone apparently forgot or was unaware of the fact that YF-113C had already been used and assigned it to another airplane that was being tested at the time. As far as I know, this was the only time the same designation was used for two different aircraft types. So far, at least three designations in this series have been applied to non-foreign types: YF-117A (Lockheed Senior Trend), YF-117D (Northrop Tacit Blue), YF-118G (Boeing Bird of Prey).

It's still an open question as to whether the YF-113G of the early 1990s was a new type of airplane developed in the U.S. (the pilot's bio says he commanded the squadron that took the YF-113G from design to first flight) or a foreign type (the only pilots known to have flown it were Red Hats). The YF-113G was described only as a "classified prototype," but the Red Hats call their MiGs "classified prototypes." The Red Hats evaluate foreign aircraft, but there is some evidence suggesting that they also test advanced U.S. demonstrators and UAVs.

a reply to: yuppa

I'll bet there a few "special" pilots that fly some "special" hardware out of the SW deserts that get that "special feeling" today.

a reply to: Shadowhawk

Excellent clarification, thank you. Ihad no idea that F-117 had been used for different types either.

a reply to: boomer135

I almost had an heart attack when i saw the pictures of the MiG-31.

I mean, we all know the US have Su-27s and MiG-29s flying around, and there was that trip to Hakodate of a MiG-25...but, a MiG-31? How is that...? What sorcery is this...?


Then i took a deep breath and...MiG-31BM, RF-92387, 51 red. Still in Russia as of July 2014, AFAIK.

Bonus point: the drogue is from an Il-78, ain't it?

No MiG-31 deserter that i didn't know of, all is right with my mental sanity


Still, what a wonderful and mean looking machine that plane is, thanks for posting those close-ups!

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: mikegrouchy

That was supposed to be Brian Shul and his RSO. IIRC it was in either Sled Driver or The Untouchables.

How could you not snicker randomly all damn day after that one?

a reply to: Bedlam

I did, the first twenty or thirty times I read it. I almost have it memorized now.

a reply to: Shadowhawk

Great summary, I never knew that Tacit Blue was designated YF-117D. Have there ever been any signs of B or C?

originally posted by: Sammamishman
a reply to: yuppa

I'll bet there a few "special" pilots that fly some "special" hardware out of the SW deserts that get that "special feeling" today.

yes yes. they truly know that feeling well i am quite sure. Man i would love to feel that feeling that they feel on a weekly or daily basis.

a reply to: gfad

The YF-11X designations are assigned in no particular order or sequence. Just because there is an "A" and a "D" doesn't necessarily mean that "B" and "C" were ever assigned. The numerals are issued not in chronological sequence either.

originally posted by: Sammamishman
a reply to: boomer135

Say boomer, did you take those shots?

no, they are part of a huge file that im uploading to photobucket so i can post it all on here. its a collection of pics from a bunch of different boom operators.

Or maybe he was just on """vacation""" in East Ukraine recently, doing some "consulting".

Are we really sure we know who "Boomer", I mean Alex, was all along?

www.airplane-pictures.net...
edit on 4-1-2015 by mbkennel because: (no reason given)

lol no thats not me. there's a few people on here who know who i am. Ive met up with zaphod several times already...

originally posted by: CiTrus90
a reply to: boomer135

I almost had an heart attack when i saw the pictures of the MiG-31.

I mean, we all know the US have Su-27s and MiG-29s flying around, and there was that trip to Hakodate of a MiG-25...but, a MiG-31? How is that...? What sorcery is this...?


Then i took a deep breath and...MiG-31BM, RF-92387, 51 red. Still in Russia as of July 2014, AFAIK.

Bonus point: the drogue is from an Il-78, ain't it?

No MiG-31 deserter that i didn't know of, all is right with my mental sanity

Still, what a wonderful and mean looking machine that plane is, thanks for posting those close-ups!

yeah it looks like it from the drouge. But ill say this...you would be surprised to know what we have out there in the desert from other countries. I dont know how we get them, but we get some pretty bad ass jets...

by the way, out of everything ive seen in the air force, foriegn aircraft are the one thing that i cant comment on specifics about. I cant tell you how many non disclosures ive signed because of that...

a reply to: boomer135

out of everything ive seen in the air force, foriegn aircraft are the one thing that i cant comment on specifics about. I cant tell you how many non disclosures ive signed because of that...

Oh, don't worry i won't ask you about them.

But if you don't mind i'll just ask you about all those other SAP platforms you have refuelled and that we know nothing about, eh? How about it? Eh? *wink* *wink*

No?

Oh, i knew it couldn't be that easy. It was still worth trying, though...

A good book on Migs is "Migs Over Nevada" by TD Barnes. Early testing of Migs at Area 51 before the 4477th TES/ Constant Peg program. Have Drill, Have Ferry and Have Doughnut.
TD worked on the programs.

a reply to: boomer135

Haha I find it funny they think your names Alex lol

I remember when an "Un Named" individual sent me through pics of a few Russian jets, did a reverse image search and found the name of the guy that took them lol

a reply to: CiTrus90

Follow the succession..

originally posted by: B2StealthBomber
a reply to: boomer135

Haha I find it funny they think your names Alex

lol

I remember when an "Un Named" individual sent me through pics of a few Russian jets, did a reverse image search and found the name of the guy that took them lol

lol

originally posted by: CiTrus90
a reply to: boomer135

out of everything ive seen in the air force, foriegn aircraft are the one thing that i cant comment on specifics about. I cant tell you how many non disclosures ive signed because of that...

Oh, don't worry i won't ask you about them.

But if you don't mind i'll just ask you about all those other SAP platforms you have refuelled and that we know nothing about, eh? How about it? Eh?

*wink* *wink*

No?

Oh, i knew it couldn't be that easy. It was still worth trying, though...

Thank you all for the above thread, really enjoyed the sled drivers memories, only a few people faster than that...

a reply to: B2StealthBomber

The only platforms that would really surprise me seeing in US hands would be the MiG-31 and Tu-22M.

Any legacy fighters of the Su-27 and MiG-29 family wouldn't really surprise me. They're powerful aircrafts, that goes without a doubt, but in an actual warfare scenario i would be much more apprehensive about the first two types i mentioned.

a reply to: CiTrus90

What would surprise me would be some foreign stealth showing up in the NV skies.
The J-31 is supposed to be an export product, so there is potential of snagging one of them eventually and possible getting some close inspection time on a T-50 if India get them and wants to do another Red Flag.