Military Aircraft

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
If you think the Chengdu J-20 is hot stuff, look up what we've got in store for them - we're cooking up a design that's hotter than hot, and it's rumored to set new records worldwide. Check out the "F-105 Thunderchief" - it's our true fighter for the 21st century.

Is that an attempt at being funny? If so, I don't get the humor.....but that's just me.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
If you think the Chengdu J-20 is hot stuff, look up what we've got in store for them - we're cooking up a design that's hotter than hot, and it's rumored to set new records worldwide. Check out the "F-105 Thunderchief" - it's our true fighter for the 21st century.


The "Thud"...oh boy.

But you might be on to something. The North Korean Air Force consists primarily of Chinese variants of the MiG-17 and the MiG-21

It's been said that you cannot see the F-22 until it's weapon bay doors are open....and then it's too late.

The J-5/MiG-17 operators probably won't even see that.

We might have to go back to F-86 Sabres and F-4 Phantoms to make it fair.

 

[hattaresguy]

http://gizmodo.com/5511236/the-thrill-of-flying-the-sr+71-blackbird


"'You might want to pull it back,' Walter suggested. It was then that I noticed I still had the throttles full forward. The plane was flying a mile every 1.6 seconds, well above our Mach 3.2 limit. It was the fastest we would ever fly. I pulled the throttles to idle just south of Sicily , but we still overran the refueling tanker awaiting us over Gibraltar."


The SR71 is truly an awe inspiring aircraft, I hope something even more amazing is in the wings.

I don't want to beleive our best engineering and technical achievements are behind us.

If only the Wright brothers could have seen such an awesome machine.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
http://gizmodo.com/5511236/the-thrill-of-flying-the-sr+71-blackbird


"'You might want to pull it back,' Walter suggested. It was then that I noticed I still had the throttles full forward. The plane was flying a mile every 1.6 seconds, well above our Mach 3.2 limit. It was the fastest we would ever fly. I pulled the throttles to idle just south of Sicily , but we still overran the refueling tanker awaiting us over Gibraltar."


The SR71 is truly an awe inspiring aircraft, I hope something even more amazing is in the wings.

I don't want to beleive our best engineering and technical achievements are behind us.

If only the Wright brothers could have seen such an awesome machine.


Yeah, considering how long ago it was designed and built.....

Truly an engineering masterpiece.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog

We might have to go back to F-86 Sabres and F-4 Phantoms to make it fair.

Aw heck naw, you had to bring the Phantom into play here? We'd be moving forward to those, at least compared to the overpriced, overweight, underpowered and generally underperforming F-18.

And we can be assured that the F-4, especially when piloted by our boys (a plane is only as good as its pilot and we have the best) - very, very badly outclasses anything the N. Koreans have got

 

[ueberooo]

Sorry, that was pretty impressive flying by Cunningham; but with equally matched and equally lucky pilots, an F-18, even an older model, will whoop an F-4.

 

[mechtech2]

The A-26 Douglas Invaders [ground attack/light bomber/fighter]were kept and rebuilt from WWII until past Vietnam.
Finally, the airframes couldn't take any more.
My Uncle flew one in WWII. Very fast and could out turn many fighters.

So it seems if it works, our military will hang on.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Not a fighter, but my favourite plane:

The SR-71 Blackbird was in service from 1964 through to 1998 with the USAF.

Quote:

Operational highlights for the entire Blackbird family (YF-12, A-12, and SR-71) as of about 1990 included:[62]
3,551 Mission Sorties Flown
17,300 Total Sorties Flown
11,008 Mission Flight Hours
53,490 Total Flight Hours
2,752 hours Mach 3 Time (Missions)
11,675 hours Mach 3 Time (Total)


AFAIK, 61-7980 is still in use by NASA to test aircraft designs. They strap a prototype to the SR-71 and take it for a ride at whatever speed they want to test it to.

Those things are amazing piece of equipment; they're built so the airframe/fuel tanks will wick fuel while on the ground so that when they're at altitude and speed, the airframe can expand from the heat and friction against the atmosphere, and then it won't leak fuel.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: ueberooo
Sorry, that was pretty impressive flying by Cunningham; but with equally matched and equally lucky pilots, an F-18, even an older model, will whoop an F-4.

Yeah and as much as I love both of those planes an F22 will shoot down both at the same time before either pilot knows they are being targeted.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy

Yeah and as much as I love both of those planes an F22 will shoot down both at the same time before either pilot knows they are being targeted.


They might know....for the one second or so that the weapon bay doors are open. But they had better get busy with countermeasures. It's probably too late but it's either that or put his head between his legs and kiss his behind goodbye.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Not a fighter, but my favourite plane:

The SR-71 Blackbird was in service from 1964 through to 1998 with the USAF.

Quote:

Operational highlights for the entire Blackbird family (YF-12, A-12, and SR-71) as of about 1990 included:[62]
3,551 Mission Sorties Flown
17,300 Total Sorties Flown
11,008 Mission Flight Hours
53,490 Total Flight Hours
2,752 hours Mach 3 Time (Missions)
11,675 hours Mach 3 Time (Total)


AFAIK, 61-7980 is still in use by NASA to test aircraft designs. They strap a prototype to the SR-71 and take it for a ride at whatever speed they want to test it to.

Those things are amazing piece of equipment; they're built so the airframe/fuel tanks will wick fuel while on the ground so that when they're at altitude and speed, the airframe can expand from the heat and friction against the atmosphere, and then it won't leak fuel.


I don't know if its impressive or depressing to know that we don't have anything in service that can carry an airman at the speed of this aircraft, developed in the early 1960's.

Unlike the muscle and pony cars of the 60's who's performance has been surpassed by leaps and bounds with today's modern offerings, the same cannot be said of the SR-71.

By 1960's standards, this aircraft was insanely fast. The only records it broke were its own! And it kept beating its own records for decades.....

And now, in 2012, the SR-71 is STILL regarded as insanely fast. STILL the benchmark. Even after all this time.

I guess sometimes you can just "get it right" on enough levels to make something untouchable. That seems to be the case for this magnificent bird.

The quote above from hattaresguy sums it up nicely:

Quote:
"'You might want to pull it back,' Walter suggested. It was then that I noticed I still had the throttles full forward. The plane was flying a mile every 1.6 seconds, well above our Mach 3.2 limit. It was the fastest we would ever fly. I pulled the throttles to idle just south of Sicily , but we still overran the refueling tanker awaiting us over Gibraltar."


2,250Mph is insanely fast, no matter what the benchmark.
85,069ft is insanely high, no matter what the benchmark.

And this aircraft IS the benchmark.

At least in my opinion.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: Spazdog

We might have to go back to F-86 Sabres and F-4 Phantoms to make it fair.

Aw heck naw, you had to bring the Phantom into play here? We'd be moving forward to those, at least compared to the overpriced, overweight, underpowered and generally underperforming F-18.

And we can be assured that the F-4, especially when piloted by our boys (a plane is only as good as its pilot and we have the best) - very, very badly outclasses anything the N. Koreans have got

After getting out of the Navy in 67 I went to work for McDonnel Douglas in St. Louis on the J-79 which powered the F4.(Navy, and Air Force engines) Lots of power.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I don't know if its impressive or depressing to know that we don't have anything in service that can carry an airman at the speed of this aircraft, developed in the early 1960's.

. . .

And this aircraft IS the benchmark.

At least in my opinion.


I heard you at the air show back in 82
Standing in awe intent on tuning in on you
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through
Oh-a-oh

They took the credit for the image on the screen
Digitized by machines on new technology
And now I understand the problems you can see
Oh-a-oh

You were the first one
Oh-a-oh

You were the last one

Satellites killed the reconnaissance star
Satellites killed the reconnaissance star

I was a big fan of military aircraft as a kid. I used to get up early to watch "Air Power" and I'd borrow VHS videos of air shows from the library. I had quite a few big, thick books full of details and great photos of all the important aircraft. The SR-71 was the coolest of them all.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: Spazdog

We might have to go back to F-86 Sabres and F-4 Phantoms to make it fair.

Aw heck naw, you had to bring the Phantom into play here? We'd be moving forward to those, at least compared to the overpriced, overweight, underpowered and generally underperforming F-18.

And we can be assured that the F-4, especially when piloted by our boys (a plane is only as good as its pilot and we have the best) - very, very badly outclasses anything the N. Koreans have got

The MiG-21 wasn't that terrible. It's the most produced jet fighter.

The MiG-21 was a shock for F-4 Phantom pilots in Vietnam. It was very fast, agile, had a 30mm cannon, suprisingly reliable (compared to the "fly 100 hours if you can then completely overhaul or discard MiG-19), could take off and land on a rough field and did I mention it was fast? It had to be because you can't see anything behind you. If not for the superior training of the USAF and USN aviators, we would have lost a LOT more Phantoms to the Fishbeds. Fortunately, like you said, we have the best.

 

[hattaresguy]

Also remember the SR71 was designed and engineered in the days before computers. It was just a bunch of smart guys in a room, with pencils, paper and slide rulers.

They built the SR71 and sent us to the moon with less computing power than a base Iphone.

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: tig1

After getting out of the Navy in 67 I went to work for McDonnel Douglas in St. Louis on the J-79 which powered the F4.(Navy, and Air Force engines) Lots of power.


The J-79 was a great engine. What's amazing is the most current F-16 engine from GE puts out as much thrust as both of the J-79s. Each of the F-22's engines put out more than double the J-79. Imagine the F-4 with 4 engines and that's the amount of thrust an F-22 has!

 

[civic09]

Thanks for the replies guys, and yeah I think I would hands down have to say my favorite airplane is the SR-71

adam