Air Tankers in Santa Barbara (1987)

I got involved with doing some background reading on ice formation in rivers so that I can be in a better position to make informed ice observations for my local NWS office. Interesting that in spite of temperatures over freezing for over 48 hours, there is still some ice on my river. I am learning that there are different types of ice, which is what I have been reading about.

But I digress, I thought that this would be a good time to share this video with you that I found shot by Brian Lockett in 1987 at Santa Barbara. You will see the following historic tankers:  Douglas C-54 Skymasters, Lockheed P2V Neptunes (I think one is from Aero Union), Consolidated P4Y-2 Privateer, and a Fairchild C-123 Provider.

direct link to video

Memories of the NJ Shore

I was not intending to write an article on life after Super Storm in NJ, and the ongoing recovery. But I went to the online edition of the Star Ledger on NJ.com this morning and found a video -- a mini-documentary called Splinters and Sand: Rebuilding our memories. Rebuilding the New Jersey Shore by Brian Donahue -- that I want to share with you. Among other things, Brian shares how SS Sandy impacted some of his favorite places on the Jersey Shore. After you watch the video, read on and I'll share how SS Sandy impacted one of my favorite places on the Jersey Shore.

The embed code that I had originally posted for Splinters and Sand is no longer available, but you may you use the direct link to Splinters and Sand, a Special Star Ledger Report by Brian Donohue  on NJ dot com to watch the video (updated on July 18, 2013).

Brain talks about his memories in this video. One of my favorite places is the area around Tuckerton NJ and the the Mystic Islands just north of Atlantic City, NJ. Tuckerton was hit badly by SS Sandy Tuckerton and the adjacent Mystic Islands are quiet communities without the notoriety of areas such as the Seaside Heights (whose destroyed piers many of you have seen on the national media). I saw an article recently from NJ dot com on Tuckerton's damage from SS Sandy, go here to see the article. 

I drove through Tuckerton, and the Mystic Islands earlier this month. It seemed disrespectful to take pictures. I saw boarded up houses with varying degrees of damage, and a few severely damaged marinas. I knew from spending some time at the Mystic Islands during summers in years past how important the boating industry is to the Tuckerton and Mystic Island area. Many damaged boats had no doubt been removed, but the damage to the piers and docks was clear. I saw a news report a day or so after I went to the Mystic Islands (sorry I can no longer find the article), discussing the financial hardships faced by many marina owners. 

New Jersey's maritime industry has been hit hard, see this article from the Sunday Star Ledger (1/27/13), and here's an article about the problems from  USA Today about problems facing NJ's fishing industry post SS Sandy.

Here is a short video from the Press of Atlantic City about the plight of marina owners in southern Ocean County NJ post SS Sandy (Tuckerton and the Mystic Islands are in southern Ocean County NJ). I hope they can get the help they need so that they come back.

direct link to video

On a lighter note -- cat up a pole

I got wind of this story of a Colorado fire department rescuing a cat who had been perched atop a utility pole for three days from Mike Archer's Firebombers Publications Blog for Jan. 24, 3013. The story of this feline was aired by Fox31, KDVR, in Denver, the report with some photos and the video may be found here.

Reflections on Firecats

We have never met, that doesn't really matter. I have one of your patches on a denim jacket I wear in the warmer weather and I have gotten many compliments on your patch. I also have a Conair Firecat medallion that I carry on my key chain. Both were gifts from a friend who used to be one of your pilots. So in some way, you are always with me.

I have known a couple of pilots who have flown you while you were in service with Conair in British Columbia. So, I know you through them. You and your cousins have flown fires around Canada, in Europe and in the United States (CAL FIRE).

You loved flying fires. Some of you and your kin bought the farm, but those of you who survived continued to fly fires, doing what you do best. 

Those of you who flew for Conair are now retired from firefighting service with Conair. Your service will not be forgotten. Not by those who flew you,  served as your ground crew and  your bird dog pilots; not by all those in and around the communities where you flew fires, and not by me.

May you always fly in favorable tail winds.

DeHavilland Grumman CP-121 Tracker

I finish up what turned out to be a series of four articles on Conair's Firecats and their military history with this short piece about their military use in Canada and some pictures. Grumman first began building the Trackers in 1950 under a contract with the United States Navy. The Canadian version of Grumman's Tracker was built by DeHavilland first entering service in the Canadian Armed Forces in the mid 1950s for use in anti-submarine warfare. Known as the De Havilland Grumman CP-121 Tracker, these aircraft were in service in the Canadian Armed Forces through 1989.

A short history of the CP-121 Tracker may be found on this page from Canadian Wings. The Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum has a CP-121 Tracker, with a webpage devoted to their CP-121 Tracker and more history of the aircraft's use by the Canadian Military. 

Finally, I found some photographs of the CP-121 Tracker. I have yet to find any historic videos showing the CP-121 Tracker, if and when I do, I'll do a follow-up post. Here are the links to some photographs:

• Royal Canadian Air Force, pictures and a little more history
• Two pictures from Jetphotos dot net
• A photo on Airliners dot net

Prior articles in this series

• Monday, Jan 14, 2013 -- Conair Firecats in action
• Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013 -- Conair Firecat T564 to Museum
• Friday, Jan 18, 2013 -- Grumman Tracker

Grumman Tracker

Writing about the Conair's Firecats recently got me thinking about their military use. If I'm not mistaken, prior to their service as Firecats for Conair, these airplanes, known as DeHavilland Grumman S-2 Trackers, flew with the Canadian Military doing anti-submarine work. I believe that Grumman had an arrangement with DeHavilland to make the S-2 Tracker for the Canadian military.

I wanted to try to find some videos that I could embed for you showing a DeHavilland Grumman S-2 Tracker in her military configuration in active military service. I was not successful.

I did however, find a couple of videos of their cousins, the  Grumman S-2 Tracker while in service for the U.S. Navy. I believe that some of the Grumman S-2 Trackers were later rebuilt for use by CAL FIRE as tankers, see this CAL FIRE aviation program webpage for more information. 

direct link to video

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direct link to slideshow video

Conair Firecat T-564 to Canadian Museum of Flight

direct link to video

I'd like to thank a good friend who sent me a link to this video of the final flight of Firecat T-564 from Abbostford Tanker Base at Kamloops BC to the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC. The video is a little over 17 minutes. 

As I understand it, the first of Conair's Firecats saw service as a tanker flying fires in 1978. Conair retired the last two Firecats in August 2012. Shortly thereafter, T-564 flew to her new nome at the Canadian Museum of Flight,

I know that T-564 will be loved by many at her new home. Perhaps one day I'll visit British Columbia and get to meet her in person. 

Kamloops Daily News bids farewell to Firecats

Langley Times on the arrival of T-564 with video 

In celebration of their 100th anniversary, Gord Bell (spent 35 years with the BC Forest Service, 25 years in aviation programs) wrote a 3 part History of Aviation in the BC Forest Service, Links to this three part series may be found here. You can read more about Mr. Bell in the appendix of any the three documents. Part 2 of the History of Aviation in the BC Forest Service covers Air Tanker Operations and may be found here, you can read about Conair's Firecats on pp. 16 to 19 of that document.

Conair Firecats in action

Conair in Abbotsford British Columbia (BC), Canada retired their last two Firecats in August 2012, I'll be writing about that in my post on January 16. In the meantime, I wanted to you to see the Firecats in action.

Takeoff 

direct link to video

Firecats in action

direct link to video

Firecat Tankdoor cockpit controls

direct link to video

Firecats reloading (retardant) at Kamloops Airtanker Base (Abbotsford BC)

direct link to video

Wildfires in Australia still burning

The wildfires in Australia continue to burn.

direct link to video

Report on wildfires in SE Australia from Australian Broadcast Co (1/12/13) (with video and links)

More videos and a photo gallery

BBC (1/8/13) on wildfires in New South Wales AU (Air Crane footage)

BBC (1/8/13) on Australian wildfires and high temps (helo with bucket)

CNN photo gallery including picture of some of 10,000 sheep that have died

Wildfires continue in Australia, serious threat remains

Over the last couple of days I have frequently found my thoughts turning to the numerous wildfires currently burning all over eastern Australia. At the time I wrote this article there was a video report on ABC News in Australia that while the wildfire situation has eased up a bit in New South Wales, uncontained fires continue and the wildfire threat is far from over, unfortunately the video is expired.

In a report on ABC Australia that I believe was issued yesterday (Australia time), authorities say that somewhat cooler weather returned with a return to hot weather expected to return later this week; firefighters as well as affected residents talk about their experiences. 

I don't know specifics about tankers and helicopters used to fight these wildfires in Australia, but I have seen images of helicopters and perhaps a SEAT or two in the reports I cited above and possibly elsewhere in my recent wonderings about the internet. Bill Gabbert of Fire Aviation wrote an article on the Australian wildfire season about a month ago with a listing of aerial wildland fire support assets used in Australia. Mike Archer of the Fire Publications Blog included a nice article from the Southland Times about a Bell 214 Helicopter pilot working the wildfires in Tasmania in his posting for January 7, 2013. that you might want to check out.

In the meantime Mike Archer continues of the Fire Publications Blog continues to cover the ongoing wildland fire situation in Australia on January 8 and January 9. Bill Gabbert has written about the Australian wildfire season on January 8 and January 9 (check out the videos.

Last but by no means least at the time I wrote this article the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) has a nice webpage with links to stories, videos, and other information about the current wildfire situation in Australia. 

Revised on October 12, 2015 to remove a dead link.

Wildfires in Tasmania (Australia)

Video that I originally embedded here is no longer available and the link is removed (8/2/15)

Yesterday as I was driving I heard a report on the radio about wildfires burning in Tasmania (Australia) so I decided to try to find some more information for you. As you may know, it is summer down under and wildfire season. At the time I write this, this is what I know about the wildfires in Tasmania:

• Wildfires started on Thursday, Jan. 3. 
• At least 20,000 hectares (49,422 acres) have burned and this figure may be understated. 
• At least 100 homes and other buildings have been destroyed. 
• Approximately one hundred people are missing.
• Wildfires burning in other States in Australia.

For more information:
Wildfire Today on Tasmania wildfires
Tales of survival and photo gallery from ABC Australia. I don't know any details about air support for the Tasmania wildfires, but I did see one photo of a helo with a bucket working one of the Tasmania wildfires in the photos from ABC Australia.
Wildfires in Tasmania from the Guardian
CBC on wildfires in Tasmania
More on Fires in Tasmania and fire danger elsewhere in Australia from the Guardian
Photo gallery from BBC

Wildland Firefighters: Deployment via Heli-rappelling

Specially trained wildland firefighters are deployed to wildfires in remote and difficult to access areas via rappelling from a hovering helicopter.

Demonstration

direct link to video

Edited on May 16, 2016: removed link to youtube video that is no longer available

wildland firefighters: smokejumpers in action

Smokejumpers in action working a wildfire in Alaska during the 2012 season



direct link to video