The General Airplane Thread

  • Thread starter Crash
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Refueling planes just as or bigger than you looks weird..




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Galaxy looks so hungry. xD
 
I missed a wonderful opportunity to grab a picture of a B-1B overhead on Friday. I was driving at the time and did not have my phone handy to attempt to grab a picture. By the time I thought about it, I decided it was not a great idea to attempt to grab my phone out of my pocket and take a picture while at the wheel.
 
I got out of class at the PERFECT time today! My college is located a few miles away from Earle Naval Weapons Station and beneath a major flight path, so naturally, you'll see twinjets, single engine and private jets, state police helicopters, and the occasional UH-60 Blackhawk. Today, I heard what sounded like a helicopter, which turned into a jet engine sound. I looked up to see what it was.

A single V-22 Osprey with its engines tilted fully forward! I think I saw one a long time ago as a kid, but it was probably a regular twin prop powered plane of equal size. If this was my first time actually witnessing one of these, I'm so excited!

EDIT: Completely unrelated, but I saw this photo on The Aviationist. What a sight!

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Dang, that's almost half of them!!!! (Wikipedia article says that 59 production F-117s were built.)
 
Nyah Nyah Na Nyah Nyah.......

From the 2002 and 2003 Gulf Coast Salute air shows at Tyndall AFB, Florida. It start in the 2002, and then 2003 is when it dissolves to the one taxiing out.



I can't tell because of my phone's screen, but do these F-117s have the radar reflectors attached?
 
If you're talking about something attached to make the aircraft intentionally visible to ATC, I have no idea. I don't see anything that I would identify with that.

EDIT: Dove deep into Google, and found what I think you're talking about. The little knobby things on the side, right behind the US star insignia on each side. Yes, those are there, easy to see at 1:26 as the airplane taxis out.
 
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If you're talking about something attached to make the aircraft intentionally visible to ATC, I have no idea. I don't see anything that I would identify with that.

Yes, they're small objects mounted to the surface of the plane (Generally, only one or two are needed). It's helpful to ATC and other aircraft in the area.
 
So I went to the local airshow, the Defenders of Liberty at Barksdale AFB this past weekend and watched airplanes do weird things. By weird, I mean things that seemingly defy physics. Since I lack a camera capable of glorious high zoom, I didn't take pics or video of the demo, but they had Rob Holland do his absurd madness in a MX Aircraft MXS. I did find a video of a similar demo from last year on youtube though...



Other than awesomeness, they had the B-29 Superfortress "Fifi" do some flying, along with the T-Birds , A P-51D Mustang, and the local guy Kevin Coleman in his Extra 330SC, among other demos. The Shockwave jet trucks was there, which raced both Rob and Kevin in their aerobatic planes, while the P-51D came at them head on. Looked pretty amazing :drool:

I will have to post some of the pics and video I took sometime soon though. Didn't take a lot of pics, since I saw most all of the static displays in the past years.
 
That was an amazing amount of control. I still find it hard to believe that he could pull out of those flat spins and stalls.
 
Sudden thought about the F-117 Nighthawk's name. It's obviously not a fighter, but the Air Force gave it the "F" designation to be more attractive to fighter pilots. If the Air Force didn't need to attract pilots, would it receive a "B" for bombers, or an "A" for attackers? If an aircraft doesn't have an internally or externally mounted cannon, but can still drop guided munitions, is it still an attacker?
 
Dan
Sudden thought about the F-117 Nighthawk's name. It's obviously not a fighter, but the Air Force gave it the "F" designation to be more attractive to fighter pilots. If the Air Force didn't need to attract pilots, would it receive a "B" for bombers, or an "A" for attackers? If an aircraft doesn't have an internally or externally mounted cannon, but can still drop guided munitions, is it still an attacker?
Probably B-117. Attacker can't really be an attacker if it has no cannon/no real ability to shoot missiles/rockets and do close air support. It's a featherweight bomber. :P
 
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