Last
year was the centennial of John M. Browning’s timeless, matchless M1911 pistol,
which has only gained in stature over the last ten decades. But other tools in the military cabinet have passed the half-century
mark, and some not only remain in service but, like the 1911, remain in production.
Browning M2 .50 HB. (1938 to today.) Besides the 1911, another long-long lived Browning design is the ageless M2 .50 caliber. Designed as a water-cooled gun during WW I, “Ma Deuce” in its current air-cooled form was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1938 and has served in perhaps 90 nations covering dozens of wars and conflicts. Powerful and potent, at 74 years and counting, the M2 is a strong contender for another centennial weapon.
Armalite AR-15/Colt M16. (1962 to today.) “The black rifle” entered military service as the Air Force’s AR-15 in 1962. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of semi-centennial the controversial weapon receives this year. To put that record in perspective, the M1 Garand lasted 21 years (1936-57) while the classic ‘03 Springfield remained in limited inventory until about 1957.
However counterintuitive it may seem, half-century airplanes are far more common than firearms. Here's the roster of that exclusive club:
Bell UH-1 Huey. (First flight 1954, operational 1961.) The
Bell Model 204 evolved into the long-lived UH-1 (utility helicotper), and the Army’s last Hueys retired only
last year—a full 50-year career.
Meanwhile, UH-1s remain flying with as many as 40 other nations. Thus, the Huey belongs to an elite club of
military aircraft dating from the Eisenhower administration (1953-1961). Here’s a quick look at others from the era of
hula-hoops and Mickey Mouse ears:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. (First flight 1952, operational 1955.) The
Cold War icon, the eight-jet intercontinental bomber remains in front-line
squadrons fifty-seven years after
original introduction. According to its
Air Force Fact Sheet, the BUFF (Big Ugly Flying…Fellow) may still be flying in
2045. No, that’s not a typo for 2025. And yes, that would mean a service career of
NINETY years; 80+ years for individual aircraft. In stunning comparison, the Forrestal class
aircraft carriers—also from the Ike era--were active for “only” 43 years.
Lockheed C-130 Hercules. (First flight 1954, operational 1957.) The Hercules has aptly been called “the DC-3
of the postwar era.” With well over
2,000 delivered, the enormously capable, “stretchable” Herc is flown by some 60
countries. Dillonites will appreciate
its ballistic options in the AC-130 Spectre and Spooky gunships, packing enormous
firepower. The Spectre loadout includes
40mm and 105mm cannon while the Spooky adds 25mm gatlings. From Vietnam to Iraq, Hercs just plain
deliver.
Lockheed U-2. (First flight 1955, operational 1957.) The world’s most famous reconnaissance
aircraft made global headlines when Francis Gary Powers’ CIA bird was downed
over Russia in 1960. Nearly half of the
86 airframes were lost in accidents or shot down over Russia and Communist
China. However, the high-flying spyplane
remains a valuable asset, and the Air Force plans to keep it until 2015, a
service life of 58 years.
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. (First flight 1956, operational 1957.) If you have a fleet of jet bombers, you need
a fleet of jet tankers. That’s why
Boeing adapted its 707 airliner for in-flight refueling and made one of the
most remarkable conversions in aviation history. From first flight to operations took less
than a year. Boeing built 800
Stratotankers to support 744 B-52s, and both will remain in service for years
to come.
Northrop T-38 Talon. (First flight 1959, operational 1961.) Nearly 1,200 were built through 1972 as the
world’s first supersonic trainer, and it’s still the lead-in trainer for USAF
fighter pilots. Talons were used by four
other nations: Nationalist China, Germany, Portugal, and Turkey. The derivative fighter, the F-5 Tiger, may
still be used by 20 or more of 30-some air forces that have purchased it.
Lockheed P-3 Orion. (First flight 1959, operational 1962.) Based on Lockheed's still-incomplete Electra airliner, the Orion offered off the shelf availability with promising performance. Though a maritime patrol aircraft, its endurance and multiple sensor systems make it useful ashore, including in Afghanistan. More than 15 foreign users have joined the dozens of U.S. Navy Orion operators.
Boeing Vertol CH-47 Chinook. (First flight 1961, operational 1962.) Almost 1,200 Chinooks have been flown by 16
nations, and just one helo kept the Brits in business in the Falklands in 1982. Today the big chopper remains in low-rate
production, meeting the need for heavy lift, especially in Afghanistan where the
floor can be 8,000 feet and uphill in all directions. Apparently a successor is not even on the
drafting board. As Chinook pilots say,
“The only replacement for a Chinook is another Chinook.”
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. (First flight
1960, operational 1964.) A carrier-based
early warning and control aircraft, the Hawkeye appears to have an open-ended
lease on life. Its distinctive feature
is the rotating radar dome that provides a huge view of sea and sky, capable of
detecting and sorting friendly, unknown, and hostile targets to hundreds of
miles. Perhaps most remarkably, the Hawkeye’s foreign users include both Israel
and Egypt.
Cessna T-37 “Tweet”. (First flight 1954, operational
1957.) Almost 1,300 Tweety Birds were
produced in a 20-year production run, serving as jet trainers in 18 countries.
Its 52-year USAF career ended in 2009 while the ground-attack variant AT-37
Dragonfly featured a 7.62 minigun in the nose.
Reportedly armed Tweets continue hosing drug runners in Columbia and
Peru.
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk (first flight 1954,
operational 1956.) The Navy’s first jet
light attack aircraft was intended as an interim design but remained in
front-line Marine service until 1979.
It’s still flying support sorties in the U.S. and Israel, and in operational
squadrons with Argentina and Brazil.
F-4 Phantom (first flight 1957, operational
1960.) A hugely successful and versatile
aircraft, the mighty Phantom debuted with the Navy and was retired by the Air
Force in 1996. But it’s still flown by
Japan, South Korea, Turkey…and Iran. Those
nations will remain Phantom Pflyers for awhile, as it’s now 52 years in service
and counting.
Other
50-year aircraft include and the English Electric Canberra (in service
1951-2006); the huge swept-wing turboprop Tupelov 95 “Bear” (1956 to today);
and the prolific MiG-21 (in service 1959 to today).
Joe
Taxpayer has received more than his money’s worth from the foregoing
products. Heaven knows, that’s a rare
situation amid the perpetual fraud, waste, and abuse that characterizes so many
government programs.
It’s
also a reminder that frequently The Latest is not The Greatest.
