This site supported by 

Quiet Aircraft Association, Inc 501c3 Non-Profit

Contact

Kurt Olney, President at k.olney2@cox.net


Please see our historic videos:
1. “TAKING THE NIGHT AWAY FROM CHARLIE"

Paste "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9klYgXlVhE " in the address bar.

The film was made available as a courtesy of RADM (Ret) Gus Eggert and  the USN Patuxent R. Naval Aviation Museum Association.  The RADM  was familiar with the film and the QT-2PC Aircraft, because it was he that re-assembled  it in 1969 after  the Prize Crew OperEval in Vietnam . He also  re-designated  and first flew it as and X-26B. . The film was originally delivered to the  Naval Aviation Test Pilot School in 1970 by Dale Ross Stith. The RADM recovered the film (that  was feared lost for decades) and allowed Stith to digitize it only recently.
Thanks to the Navy.   

2. "1968 TET OFFENSIVE AT SOC TRANG, RVN"
 
An unknown USA 80th Trans Troop, attempting to send an audio message home, was iterrupted by the infamous attack. Immediately taking cover, he  (fortunately) left the recorder running . CSM (Ret) James L. Smith saved a copy of the audio 'til 2013, then allowed Dale Ross Stith to digitize it. Stith added related images to complete the video.
 
Note: Both videos and the original audio tape were donated to the Vietnam Archives at Texas Tech U.

OPERATION PRIZE CREW (1967- 1968)

Conversion of Quiet Thruster (QT-2) to PRIZECREW (QT-2PC) Configuration (1967).

The experimental QT-2 Aircraft were, although never intended for tactical use, modified (in 87 days) at the end of 1967 to the Prize Crew (QT-2PC) configuration in our covert portion of the Lockheed Transport Service Hanger at the San Jose Municipal Airport:

  1. Military comm/nav avionics and a bomb scoring X-Band Transponder installed, but no IFF/SIF Transponder.
  2. Observer viewing ports added.
  3. Poly reticulated foam added to the fuel tank to prevent explosion, if penentrated by a “round”.
  4. Painted dark grey.
  5. Scheldahl Acoustics Sensors removed.

Meanwhile an aircrew was selected from Tri-Military Service volunteers. Initial training was conducted using standard Schweizer 2-32 (USN X-26/A) gliders. The aircraft and aircrews were next assembled at Crows Landing Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) in the San Joaquin Valley for flight tests and training. The training was later continued at Moffett Field Naval Air Station (NAS), but only in darkness. Otherwise, the aircraft were hidden in the enormous Hanger 1 (originally the home of the Navy Lighter than Air Airships). At the end of that period, the aircraft were loaded aboard USAF MAC C-130 Aircraft for transport to South Vietnam (RVN).

The route included stops for fuel etc at Hawaii, Midway, Wake, and Mactan (PI) Islands.


Note: Click on image to enlarge and see more info.
Observer Viewing Ports
Ken Marks working at drafting board amid hardware
QT-2PC Pilot's Instrument Panel
Salute and launch at NALF Crows Landing, CA
Airborne (a little heavier than QT-2)
QT-2PC in LH Turn
QT-2PC #1 on NALF Crows Landing apron
QT-2PC Transportation to RVN from NAS Moffett Field
Loading QT-2PC on trailer aboard USAF MAC C-130 at NAS Moffett Field
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