Author Topic: New Forum & News Updates  (Read 2035495 times)

Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6630 on: December 30, 2019, 11:19:08 PM »
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Interesting reference, Robert, "going over the cliff..."

I watch NFL highlights every Sunday night and in doing so I'm subjected to 15-second Lexus commercials every few minutes. The one video in constant replay is a young fellow in a wing suit jumping off a cliff that appears to be several thousand feet straight down. "No way would I ever do that," I said to myself last night. "There are a lot more meaningful challenges to engage in life," such as in the pursuit of truth, even if it is 60 years old.

I remember Dag Hammarskjold's death in 1961, and especially how the Kremlin was blamed for it. Now I realize that the perps were a little closer to home.

BTW Robert, I smiled reading how you pierced together your own set of explanations, ie: "it's probably this and probably that, etc."

The knowledge that Hammarskjold's plane was most likely shot down by a Belgian mercenary in the employ of Katangan mining interests has been around for some time. For me, the value of the Hulu docu, Cold Case Hammarskjold, is witnessing the dogged pursuit of the truth - and revealing the scale of the conspiracy against Hammarskjold - by a couple of Scandinavian journalists. Their work is quite remarkable.

Bruce, and I smiled when reading your explanation "was most likely", etc..  Would you refresh my memory as to what type of weapon was used to shoot down Hammarskhold's aircraft, which was a DC-6 if I remember correctly?  I saw a video on cable sometime earlier this year and I don't remember anything remarkable being said about that aircraft being shot down.
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6631 on: December 31, 2019, 06:43:06 AM »
The prevailing view is that Hammarskjold's plane was shot down by cannon fire from a Belgian Fouda jet fighter.

The Scandinavian docu journalists seem to have confirmed that finding, along with naming the pilot, who was code-named "Congo Red." The organization that orchestrated the shoot-down was called the South African Institute for Maritime Research, led by a Dr. Maxwell who was at the crash site just outside the Ndola airport. I forget the name of the pilot, but the SAIMR also placed a bomb onboard Hammarskjold's plane, which failed to detonate. The shoot-down was the back-up option.

SAIMR was sanctioned by the apartheid regime of South Africa, but worked mostly elsewhere on the African continent. They were a large freelance operation and worked extensively to destabilize emerging indigenous democracies.

That kind of work ties into the dynamics revealed by John Perkins in his NY Times bestseller: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. That's a book I highly recommend.

Remember, this is the kind of work our buddy Sgt Ted Braden was doing in the Congo - fighting against the indigenous Congolese forces. Also, it is a story that I have a personal take on - my first serious girlfriend had to escape the revolution in the Congo during the middle of the night and she and her family found refuge in British Rhodesia.

Further, Netflix, (or Hulu), also is showing a wonderful docu-drama, Siege at Jodotville, that details related events in the Congo just prior to Hammarskjold's death. The movie portrays the gallant resistance of a company of Irish infantry - who were part of the UN "peace-keeping" force - from a massive attack by Katangan mercenaries. It shows the enormous military might of the Katangan forces and the strange-but-well-intentioned effort by Hammarskjold to end Katanga's secession from the Congolese government and break the stranglehold of the western mining interests on their puppet regime, headed by Moshe Tsombe.

Hammarskjold's efforts were unprecedented in my view, and I know of no other comparable political and military move by any other UN leader.

After Hammarskjold's death, the UN backed out of Katanga, and the area has been subject to civil wars and rampant violence ever since. The turmoil has spread to nearby countries and another documentary on Netflix about the warfare in the Virunga Mountains of eastern Congo and western Uganda is fascinating.

In a related matter, the docus on Joseph Kony and The Lord's Resistance Army in this area are gruesome. Kony made the use of child soldiers wide-spread, and they continue to roam central Africa, defying several efforts to combat their terrorism. Militias in nearby countries have adopted Kony's tactics, which have resulted in the Lost Boys of the Sudan, and the on-going troubles in Darfur and South Sudan.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 07:07:51 AM by Bruce A. Smith »
 

Offline fcastle866

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6632 on: December 31, 2019, 09:06:03 AM »
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The prevailing view is that Hammarskjold's plane was shot down by cannon fire from a Belgian Fouda jet fighter.

The Scandinavian docu journalists seem to have confirmed that finding, along with naming the pilot, who was code-named "Congo Red." The organization that orchestrated the shoot-down was called the South African Institute for Maritime Research, led by a Dr. Maxwell who was at the crash site just outside the Ndola airport. I forget the name of the pilot, but the SAIMR also placed a bomb onboard Hammarskjold's plane, which failed to detonate. The shoot-down was the back-up option.

SAIMR was sanctioned by the apartheid regime of South Africa, but worked mostly elsewhere on the African continent. They were a large freelance operation and worked extensively to destabilize emerging indigenous democracies.

That kind of work ties into the dynamics revealed by John Perkins in his NY Times bestseller: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. That's a book I highly recommend.

Remember, this is the kind of work our buddy Sgt Ted Braden was doing in the Congo - fighting against the indigenous Congolese forces. Also, it is a story that I have a personal take on - my first serious girlfriend had to escape the revolution in the Congo during the middle of the night and she and her family found refuge in British Rhodesia.

Further, Netflix, (or Hulu), also is showing a wonderful docu-drama, Siege at Jodotville, that details related events in the Congo just prior to Hammarskjold's death. The movie portrays the gallant resistance of a company of Irish infantry - who were part of the UN "peace-keeping" force - from a massive attack by Katangan mercenaries. It shows the enormous military might of the Katangan forces and the strange-but-well-intentioned effort by Hammarskjold to end Katanga's secession from the Congolese government and break the stranglehold of the western mining interests on their puppet regime, headed by Moshe Tsombe.

Hammarskjold's efforts were unprecedented in my view, and I know of no other comparable political and military move by any other UN leader.

After Hammarskjold's death, the UN backed out of Katanga, and the area has been subject to civil wars and rampant violence ever since. The turmoil has spread to nearby countries and another documentary on Netflix about the warfare in the Virunga Mountains of eastern Congo and western Uganda is fascinating.

In a related matter, the docus on Joseph Kony and The Lord's Resistance Army in this area are gruesome. Kony made the use of child soldiers wide-spread, and they continue to roam central Africa, defying several efforts to combat their terrorism. Militias in nearby countries have adopted Kony's tactics, which have resulted in the Lost Boys of the Sudan, and the on-going troubles in Darfur and South Sudan.

Bruce: I'll check this out.  Confessions of an Economic Hit Man was a great book.  I know there are questions as to whether it is true or not or even half true.
 

Offline fcastle866

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6633 on: December 31, 2019, 09:09:10 AM »
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I got special access to an old mothballed Boeing 727 today in Tucson. The jet, N7004U was the first 727 delivered to a customer--United. It was the fifth 727 off the assembly line.The jet hadn't been opened for several years. The interior was still intact. It was like stepping back in time.

I studied the airstairs which was very enlightening. I looked at fiberglass sheeting that I think is the same as the airstair skirting that was missing from N467US when it landed in Reno. The sheeting is very thin but is quite rigid, yet flexible. I can easily see how the skirting almost shattered when it broke off from the jet.

Also, I studied the airstair release panel and am of the opinion that DBC had not studied their operation in advance because it was very self-evident and easy. There is no way he would have needed help operating the airstairs if he studied their operation, or the area, in advance.

I also noted that the bulkhead door leading to the airstairs was very light and easy to open. Moreover, once you walk through the bulkhead door you immediately start descending the airstairs themselves. In other words, there was very little space back there. This greatly limits the area where the placard was affixed to the interior wall.

I studied the interior and exterior placards too.

I took several pics and will load them onto my site in the next day or two and provide a link for viewing.

Pretty cool.  Looking forward to the pictures.  I should know this, but I can't seem to visualize it..were there two doors or just one in the back? In other words, if one walked onto a 727 from the front and wanted to get out the back, would they open one back door to a compartment, and then a bulkhead door to the stairs, or was it just one door? Or vice versa, if they came up the stairs, would they have to only open one door?  I think the last I thought about it I was informed that Cooper would only have had to open one door, and then he was on the stairs, and that door may actually have been open during flight.
 

Offline EU

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6634 on: December 31, 2019, 04:03:48 PM »
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Pretty cool.  Looking forward to the pictures.  I should know this, but I can't seem to visualize it..were there two doors or just one in the back? In other words, if one walked onto a 727 from the front and wanted to get out the back, would they open one back door to a compartment, and then a bulkhead door to the stairs, or was it just one door? Or vice versa, if they came up the stairs, would they have to only open one door?  I think the last I thought about it I was informed that Cooper would only have had to open one door, and then he was on the stairs, and that door may actually have been open during flight.

I should be able to get the pictures and link posted within the next couple of hours.

There is only one door. Specifically, the pressurized bulkhead door, that leads to the unpressurized airstairs compartment.

If you walk to the back from the fuselage you must first swing open (inward into the fuselage) the bulkhead door. The bulkhead door swinging open reveals a small--approximately 8 to 10-inch deep--step. In other words, the bulkhead door actually sits on top of this small step when closed.

Once, you're standing on this small step, you have four regular--permanent--steps that descend and are not part of the airstairs apparatus. Then the next ten steps leading you down are actually part of the airstairs apparatus. So, from the inside, when the airstairs are not deployed, you pass through the bulkhead door, have four steps that you can descend, then are staring directly at a "wall" of airstairs in the up position.

I found it interesting that the airstairs control box was immediately on the starboard wall just beyond the bulkhead door threshold. Moreover, there was only one compartment to release the airstairs. There did not appear to be a separate emergency release box as shown in some other 727s. That said, there was room for it via a small cavity.

On this 727 the airstairs lowering function simply involved pushing the handle forward. It was very simple and easy to follow. Frankly, there's know way to F this up. That is why I'm convinced that while Cooper was familiar with the airstairs feature, he apparently didn't personally see them being deployed, or even look at the airstairs compartment, because he would have found it unnecessary to inquire about the airstairs usage.

Also, the surrounding walls and ceiling of the airstairs compartment was made of a very thin--approximately 1/8th of an inch thick--fiberglass paneling. I'm quite certain that the airstairs skirts were made of this same fiberglass paneling.
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Offline EU

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6635 on: December 31, 2019, 05:58:29 PM »
As promised. The following link will bring you to several pictures and comments related to my tour of an original Boeing 727 mothballed in Tucson, Arizona.

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Some men see things as they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?

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Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6636 on: December 31, 2019, 06:58:00 PM »
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As promised. The following link will bring you to several pictures and comments related to my tour of an original Boeing 727 mothballed in Tucson, Arizona.

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Eric, good job.  Where is this aircraft located in Tucson?  Is it at the Pima Air & Space Museum adjacent to the Davis-Monthan AFB, at the Tucson International Airport, or elsewhere?

A few comments and/or questions.  Note that the aft flight attendant jump seat is actually mounted on the rear door.  Was the aft head on the starboard or port side and was the meal preparation area in the rear of the cabin?

The NWA stair controls must have been more complicated than this.  I can't imagine anything simpler than the United controls.

I may have flown as a passenger on N7004U during its service life.  I'll bet that it had about 75,000 hours on it when it was retired.
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6637 on: December 31, 2019, 07:14:03 PM »
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I got special access to an old mothballed Boeing 727 today in Tucson. The jet, N7004U was the first 727 delivered to a customer--United. It was the fifth 727 off the assembly line.The jet hadn't been opened for several years. The interior was still intact. It was like stepping back in time.

I studied the airstairs which was very enlightening. I looked at fiberglass sheeting that I think is the same as the airstair skirting that was missing from N467US when it landed in Reno. The sheeting is very thin but is quite rigid, yet flexible. I can easily see how the skirting almost shattered when it broke off from the jet.

Also, I studied the airstair release panel and am of the opinion that DBC had not studied their operation in advance because it was very self-evident and easy. There is no way he would have needed help operating the airstairs if he studied their operation, or the area, in advance.

I also noted that the bulkhead door leading to the airstairs was very light and easy to open. Moreover, once you walk through the bulkhead door you immediately start descending the airstairs themselves. In other words, there was very little space back there. This greatly limits the area where the placard was affixed to the interior wall.

I studied the interior and exterior placards too.

I took several pics and will load them onto my site in the next day or two and provide a link for viewing.

Good work, Eric. I eagerly await your photos.

Was this plane down at Davis-Monthan? That's quite a fascinating boneyard. Even for a tourist outside the fence.
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6638 on: December 31, 2019, 07:27:18 PM »
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As promised. The following link will bring you to several pictures and comments related to my tour of an original Boeing 727 mothballed in Tucson, Arizona.

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Great pix. Thanks so much.
 

Offline EU

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6639 on: December 31, 2019, 07:43:58 PM »
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Eric, good job.  Where is this aircraft located in Tucson?  Is it at the Pima Air & Space Museum adjacent to the Davis-Monthan AFB, at the Tucson International Airport, or elsewhere?

A few comments and/or questions.  Note that the aft flight attendant jump seat is actually mounted on the rear door.  Was the aft head on the starboard or port side and was the meal preparation area in the rear of the cabin?

The NWA stair controls must have been more complicated than this.  I can't imagine anything simpler than the United controls.

I may have flown as a passenger on N7004U during its service life.  I'll bet that it had about 75,000 hours on it when it was retired.

The jet is at the Pima Air & Space Museum.

I'm not sure what you mean by "aft head." The meal prep area was a few rows beyond the divider between First Class and Coach. It was on the starboard side.

I was thinking myself that I may have actually flown on this jet back in the day. My understanding is that the plan is to refurbish the jet...finances permitting.

Of note, the seat cushions in both sections were significantly thicker than what is utilized today.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2019, 07:48:08 PM by EU »
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Offline Robert99

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6640 on: December 31, 2019, 10:38:35 PM »
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Eric, good job.  Where is this aircraft located in Tucson?  Is it at the Pima Air & Space Museum adjacent to the Davis-Monthan AFB, at the Tucson International Airport, or elsewhere?

A few comments and/or questions.  Note that the aft flight attendant jump seat is actually mounted on the rear door.  Was the aft head on the starboard or port side and was the meal preparation area in the rear of the cabin?

The NWA stair controls must have been more complicated than this.  I can't imagine anything simpler than the United controls.

I may have flown as a passenger on N7004U during its service life.  I'll bet that it had about 75,000 hours on it when it was retired.

The jet is at the Pima Air & Space Museum.

I'm not sure what you mean by "aft head." The meal prep area was a few rows beyond the divider between First Class and Coach. It was on the starboard side.

I was thinking myself that I may have actually flown on this jet back in the day. My understanding is that the plan is to refurbish the jet...finances permitting.

Of note, the seat cushions in both sections were significantly thicker than what is utilized today.

By "aft head" I am referring to the rest room where Cooper reportedly spent some time.  First, did the United aircraft even have a rest room at the rear of the cabin?  If so, it would probably be on the starboard side of the fuselage since it appears that the telephone is on the port side.  There would probably be another rest room, also on the starboard side in this case, immediately behind the cockpit.

And you are saying that the meal prep area was near the middle of the cabin?

The locations of the rest rooms and the meal prep area is something that the ordering airline would specify in their order to Boeing.  They could be located just about anywhere in the cabin that the customer wanted.
 

Offline Bruce A. Smith

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6641 on: January 01, 2020, 01:05:49 AM »
Yup, those seats look pretty cozy. Fire that sucker up, I say. Give guided tours of Cooper Country and nighttime jumps!
 

Offline EU

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6642 on: January 01, 2020, 02:28:56 AM »
Happy New Year All!

There are two restrooms in the back of the jet...starboard and port. Also, there is a forward restroom just behind the cockpit on the starboard side. Yes, the galley area is essentially mid-cabin, also starboard.
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Offline Bruce A. Smith

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6643 on: January 01, 2020, 05:25:58 AM »
I saw the mid-cabin galley in the schematics for the 100 series, and thought there must have been a re-model for the NWO. Everything I've heard about flight 305 is that the galley was aft.

No?
 

Offline EU

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Re: New Forum & News Updates
« Reply #6644 on: January 01, 2020, 01:06:08 PM »
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I saw the mid-cabin galley in the schematics for the 100 series, and thought there must have been a re-model for the NWO. Everything I've heard about flight 305 is that the galley was aft.

No?

Personally I do not know the answer to this question.

That said, N7004U had 21 rows as opposed to the 18 on N467US. Also, the WSHM cutaway of the 727 does not depict a mid-cabin galley. However, I do not know if this is accurate.

It seems unlikely that there was an aft galley because my understanding is that DBC reached behind him to hand Flo the original note as she was seated in the bulkhead door pull-down seat. Therefore, he had to be close to Flo as he would be in the N7004U case. Also, remember that Bill Mitchell was sitting in the same row directly across from DBC, therefore, an aft galley on the port side also appears to be unlikely.

All of this stated, my guess would be either a starboard galley directly behind the cockpit--similar to what we see today in the newer 737s. Or, a mid-cabin galley as situated in N7004U.
Some men see things as they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?

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