AIRWALT AVIATION RESEARCH

U.S. Military Aviation Study and Research

This Website has been set up to provide a way for me to search out, document and exchange information about U.S. Military Aviation. This includes contacting others on Internet that are aviation enthusiasts - both regarding the military aircraft as well as building scale models and collecting display and diecast models.

My interests range from studying and documenting the history of military aviation, paricularly all the different types and versions/variants of military aircraft, visiting airplane museums (close by McClellan & Travis) and airshows at the nearby air bases (Beale and Travis Air Force Bases), Reno air races, photographing airplanes, collecting scale models and some display/die cast models. I also enjoy watching the skies for interesting military aircraft - usually black T-38s & U-2s from Beale Air Force Base near where I live, C-5A/Bs from Travis, a B-17G and B-24D that visits nearby airfields now and then, and the biggest thrills recently being buzzed by an F-14 over the Ridge in Tahoe and seeing 2 (yes 2) B-2A Stealth Bombers flying high overhead!.

When I was younger, I spent many enjoyable hours building scale models (over 30), and designing and building rubber-band powered flying models and gliders. Later I did some flying in many different private planes, joined Civil Air Patrol, then the California Air National Guard 149th Fighter Squadron (non-flying role) in Hayward while in college.

After graduating from college in 1951, I was drafted into the U.S. Army and served at U.S. COMZ Headquarters in France, enjoying visiting many parts of Europe. After discharge, I joined American President Lines in San Francisco, then married and had 3 wonderful children. I later joined the IBM Corporation and held various positions in Manufacturing Informations Systems, then moved east to Group, Corporate and Marketing Hqs., returning to San Francisco CA to help develop and market IBM's new Office Systems, retiring in 1987. I then went into an Office Sytems Support partnership with 3 other retired IBMers for another 2 years, then really retired. After losing my first wife to cancer, I remarried and now enjoy spending more time with both our wonderful families, and moving to a nice retirement community

I now am able to spend more time revisiting my interests in aviation, and have been spending time studying new U.S. military aircraft and the model kits, display and diecast models (significantly improved since I last built some!). I have documented the results of my research work so far, and now want to be able to exchange information with others that have interests similar to mine. I subscribe to most all the aviation magazines and mail order bulletins in order to keep up with the latest aircraft and scale model information.

Through the Internet, and have "discovered" the incredible new world of information and knowledge that has been made available. I have found many great websites related to aviation (most of those Links are included below), and would like to exchange information via Email.

I haved completed my research of U.S. Military "support" aircraft which I call "Special Mission Aircraft" in the USAF and US Navy/Marine Corps. I have now gathered information on all these aircraft variants (specifications, missions, performance, weaponry, etc.) as well as what model kits and display/diecast models were available for each. The categories, types of aircraft I have included are as follows:

For the USAF: Airborne Electronic Surv., Command, Control & Intelligence a/c: E-3/4/8/9, and EC-47/121/130/135 & EC-18; Defense Suppression a/c: R/EB-47/57/66, EF-111A, EF-4C/F-4G, F-16D & EA-6B; Drone Launcher/Director a/c: DC-130A; Strategic Recon., Signal Intell. Gathering a/c: RC-121 & RC-135; Recon./Surevillance a/c: U-2 & SR-71;Recon.,Surveil. & Tactical Aquisition (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles): GNAT-750, Prowler, RQ-1A Preditor, RQ-3A Dark Star, RQ-4A Global Hawk, F-16 UCAV; Gunships: AC-47 & AC-119; Special Operations Force a/c: AC-130, MC-130, C-141B, C-5A/B & C-17A.

I have also completed information on USN/USMC Special Mission aircraft. This includes the following aircraft: Electronic Surv. & Counter-Measure Aircraft; EC-121M/WV-2,EC-130E/G/Q, EC-24A; Elect.Counter Meas. Attack/Fighter A/c: EA-1E, EA-3A/B, EA-4F, EA-7L, EF-10B; Elect. Warfare Attack A/c: EA-6A/B/E; Electronic Intelligence & Surv./Recon. Patrol/Search A/c: EP-2E, EP-3A/B/C/J, E-6A; Early Warning, Command & Control A/c: E-1B, E-2A/B/C, E-6A.

In addition, I have documented and try to keep upated the USAF and Air Combat Command organizations and current inventory, and the Naval and Marine Corps Aviation history, organizations, missions, and current inventory.

I have also completed the production of "Variant History and Specifications" publications for both the USAF and USN/USMC which are "extracts" from the two publications that included model kit information. I have added/expanded on information regardng specifications, performance, weapons and mission, particularly for the more current aircraft, and identified some additional variants. These publications are intended to provide a more "Historical" source of information on EVERY (I hope) variant/version of USAF (Fighters - through the latest F-35A JSF: 122 aircraft, 600 variants; Bombers: 68 a/c, 284 var.; Attack Aircraft: 38 a/c, 125 var.; Special Mission A/C: 38 a/c, 125 var.) and USN/USMC (Fighters - through the latest F-35B & C JSF: 95 a/c, 388 var.; Scout Bombers/Bombers: 20 a/c, 70 var.; Torpedo Bombers: 15 a/c, 64 var.; Patrol Bombers/Patrol Aircraft: 27 a/c, 151 var.; Attack Aircraft: 22 a/c, 134 var.; Search Aircraft: 2 a/c, 21 var.; Special Mission Aircraft: 16 a/c, 34 var.) military aircraft (fixed wing).

Regarding diecast models, I have also looked at catalogs and shops that have diecast warplanes, and have found one line that has what I consider very good quality, finish, detail, accuracy and reasonable cost offered by "Armour Collection". Armour (now bought by Franklin Mint) has a nice selection of USAF and USN/USMC Fighters and Attack models in 1/100 and 1/48 scale. More established diecast manufacturers like Matchbox are joining in on this market, so the variety and quality available will continue to grow. If you have any other recommended manufacturers, please E-Mail me.

If this sounds interesting to you, please contact me via E-Mail at waltertraub@aol.com.

I want to really thank Yahoo GeoCities for providing this Free facility to create and maintain this website.

Listed below are Links to many other excellent and related Web Sites.

Walt Traub, Roseville, California

Links to other sites on the Web (New sites have a Green Ball):

Aircraft Manufacturers:
Boeing Company - Military Aircraft information
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. - Home Page
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. - Combat Aircraft
Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems - F/A-22 Raptor
LMAC - F-22 Next-Generation Air Dominance Fighter
FAS Information on Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
Northrop Grumman Co.

U.S. Air Force Links:
Air Combat Command Home Page
Air Combat Command (ACC) Organization
ACC Resources Fact Sheet
Air Force Special Operations Command Org.
Air Force Link - USAF Sites
Air Force Link II Library - Organ., Aircraft, Space & Weapons
AF - Special Operations Forces Aviation (Fixed-Wing)
Edwards Air Force Base - Test Center
Travis Air Force Base, CA
USAF Joint Strike Fighter - images & info.(takes a while)
High Altitude/Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (RQ-3A/4A)
Welcome to USAF.Com
USAF.Com - Current List of USAF Planes

U.S. Navy & Marine Corps Links:
Naval Air Systems Team
U.S. Navy Fact File - includes aircraft
Nava l Aviation Hist. Br.- Current Naval Aviation Inv.
Navy Flight Test Site
Naval Air Warfare Center - Weapons division
USN Patrol Aircraft
USMC Aircraft - Photos
FAS - Marine Aircraft
HQMC -Marine Aviation - Platforms Supported
USN/USMC F/A-18 Hornet Hyperlink - Official Site

Airplane Images/Photos Links:
Air Combat Command Aircraft Images
Air Force Link - Photo Galleries
Photovault's Aerospace & Aviation Links
Aviation Week's Show News - Pictures
Ultimate Skunk Works - Ryan Kirk's Site
Boeing Company - Military Aircraft Photo Gallery
Lockheed Martin's Photo Gallery
Military Plane Library - Photos
Tomcat Alley - Grumman F-14 site
Lockheed Martin SR-71 Links
The Lockheed Martin F-117A Photo Gallery

Airplane Model Kits/Display/Die Cast Models Links:
Internet Plastic Model Airplanes
The Aviation Models Store - display model pictures & info.
Marco Polo Import - Model Kits (Hasegawa)
Scale Modeling Links
USN/USMC Aircraft (1903-1946) - display models
Revell-Monogram Models
Tamiya - model kits
Testor Corporation
Italeri Models (now part of Testors)
Hobbycraft Models - select Hobby Shop
International Hobby Supply/Sentai Updates
Treasured Toys (Armour Diecast Models)
Asheville Die Cast - Armour Die Cast Model listing

Modeler's Organizations:
International Plastic Modeler's Society homepage

Aviation Magazines/Publications:
Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine
Air Force Association Magazine
Aviation Now Online
FineScale Modelers Magazine
Air and Sea Models - E-Magazine

Aviation Museums:
Aviation Museum Locator - Aviation Enthusiast Corner
Edwards Air Force Base Museum
Beale Air Force Base, CA
McClellan Aviation Museum, Sacramento, CA
National Air & Space Museum
National Warplane Museum
Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, CA
Travis Air Force Museum, Fairfield, CA
Castle Air Museum, CA
United States Air Force Museum - Information
USAF Museum - Modern Flight Gallery
The Museum of Flight - Boeing Field, Seattle, WA
U.S. Marine Corps Air Museum
USN-National Museum of Naval Aviation - Aircraft Collection
San Diego Aerospace Museum

I will add to these Links as I find more that relate to the same areas of interest in U.S. Military Aircraft.

Some of the above are stores and have products to sell, but I do not endorse their products, nor am I compensated from purchases made as a result of reaching them through my Links above.

Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions regarding U.S. Military Aircraft and/or Model Kits and Display/Diecast Models, and any additional aviation-related Links you would like to recommend.

Last update: 7/15/03.

� 2001 waltertraub@aol.com< br>

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