Topic: Favourite Aircraft

[Tetti]

Is that the first seat in Business class, by the window (obviously) with that extra bit of legroom?  Or is that just US Airways 

4C is better – just as close to the bar and less people pushing past you.

Front seat ( in the nose ) on the left hand side, or has been of late.  I can fall asleep before take off even on the noon flight out and they  dont check if you are upright or not.  Little or no noise from the bar.  Bumpier than others though, I am led to believe.

[Kanonkop]

F-86 Sabre and F-104 Starfighter

[4pool]

My dad was in the USAF. Stationed at Burtonwood, otherwise known as the M62...

I have a book; Royal Air Force Burtonwood, Fifty Years In Photographs.
Some tidbits from the book:
18 miles of surfaced roadway. 4.65 miles of railway track. 13 hangars. 1,504 nissen huts. 22 warehouses corvering an area of 3,535,990 sq ft.. 16.85 miles of fencing. 1471 acres.
3,940,740 sq ft. of aircraft parking apron. Living site accomodations for 18,063 personnel.

From 1948-1958...6,500 Americans married English girls. My Dad was one...
Also..3,000  British cars purchased... ....not my Dad though he drove a Buick..lol..Mum said it barely fit on the country roads. Of course there weren't as many cars back then. Never asked him how he got a Buick in/into England.



But when we were stationed in Kansas the base was a SAC base where B52's were stationed. We also saw a number of B58 Hustlers land from time to time.

However my personal favorite is the P51D Mustang, B52 second. Much like the Spitfire you'll never forget the sound of the engines.

Have been to Duxford and have toured the hangers with the various aircraft there. About the only commercial plane I haven't been on is the Concorde. Which is at Duxford ( 3rd prototype built) Duxford has the B52 ( only museum in Europe with one) and the P51 along with the F15, Blackbird spy plane..etc.

Favorite commercial aircraft is the Boeing 747-400. It's better than the 777. Have been on the Airbus A340 etc.. Was on a Russian commercial aircraft but can't rememeber which one. Spartan would come to mind..

[Ken-Obi]

I think the Blackbird is ugly too. Not a fan of that. Does it actually see much service anyway?

The SR-71 was very much an experimental and research craft, it wasn't ever truly used for military purposes. I last saw on the telly that one of them is with NASA for their research purposes.

[SKITTLE]

The 'Growler'. I'll have to find a few piccies for the unintiated amongst you.

[BIGdavalad]

However my personal favorite is the P51D Mustang, B52 second. Much like the Spitfire you'll never forget the sound of the engines.

They had the same engine mate - RR Merlin (although the Mustang Merlin was licence built by Packard)

[quincyg]

The 'Growler'. I'll have to find a few piccies for the unintiated amongst you.

this it?

[4pool]

They had the same engine mate - RR Merlin (although the Mustang Merlin was licence built by Packard)

My dearly departed Aunt, the Blue of the family, worked for Rolls Royce building aircraft engines during WWII.

[Kanonkop]

The SR-71 was very much an experimental and research craft, it wasn't ever truly used for military purposes. I last saw on the telly that one of them is with NASA for their research purposes.

Far from it.  It was widely and very actively used for espionage missions.  They had a detachment based at Mildenhall when it was operational. 

it's retired from active duty now though.

[Xabi]

Joint Strike Fighter

[Ken-Obi]

it's retired from active duty now though.

1998. Read about the thing in Reader's Digest. I guess my memory is failing me...

[ttnbd]

My dearly departed Aunt, the Blue of the family, worked for Rolls Royce building aircraft engines during WWII.

My great grandad did too.  Infact my dad still has an original design of a rolls royce engine somewhere.

[El mooro]

This one:



Which I flew all around Australia a few years back.

[Xabi]

This was posted elsewhere the other day I think. Still a great picture.

[quincyg]

This was posted elsewhere the other day I think. Still a great picture.

I first posted that in 'funny photo thread', as no 'interesting photo' thread. I still think it's an extraordinary picture. found it by chance looking for summat else.

[Xabi]

Well done on finding it. Is it definately real?

[quincyg]

Well done on finding it. Is it definately real?

as far as I know. I saw a similar thing on a documentary  a few years back

[ttnbd]

Well done on finding it. Is it definately real?

Deffo for real, tonight I have seen two clips, one of an F-18 and another of a F-14 (which then goes on to explode ) breaking the sound barrier and showing similar pictures.  All someone needs is a very fast camera, or a damn good still image, to get that sort of photo.  And since that is likely to have been taken by the military chances are they have that equipment.

[BIGdavalad]

Well done on finding it. Is it definately real?

I did have a video of it happening somewhere, if I can find it I'll upload it.

[ttnbd]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/27875/breaking_the_sound_barrier/

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/32209/f_14_explosion/

The above two are the clips showing the sound barrier being broken.  The one below is just one of a model F-14.  Looks fairly fast for a model.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/28574/f_14_toy/

[quincyg]

that second one was scary. was that the plane that blew up? did the pilot survive?

[ttnbd]

I think they escaped as the guy filming can be heard shouting that he saw two parachutes.

There is also a clip on that site of a Mig 29 crashing (basically a russian version of the F-14).

[quincyg]

I think they escaped as the guy filming can be heard shouting that he saw two parachutes.

There is also a clip on that site of a Mig 29 crashing (basically a russian version of the F-14).

I could hear shouting, but couldn't make out what they were saying.
Is the Mig 29 one at an airshow, pilots bail out at the very last?

[ttnbd]

I could hear shouting, but couldn't make out what they were saying.
Is the Mig 29 one at an airshow, pilots bail out at the very last?

aye

[Kanonkop]

Don't think either actually broke the sound barrier though.  Combat planes tend not to try that at low altitude.

Also, the first one appeared to be at an airshow where you are definitely NOT allowed to break the sound barrier.

[ttnbd]

They are both videos shot on carriers. And just because they tend not to do it doesn't mean it does not happen.

[Xabi]

But there was no boom.

[Xabi]

OK, I've just watched both clips of the real planes again with the speakers on full-blast. On the first one someone in the background says "He didn't break it, but he was flirting with it." The second one the someone definitely shouts "Two parachutes!" You can see them to the left of the ship too.

[BIGdavalad]

Would I also be correct in that the new helicopter for the American president is the Sea King or the Merlin or the Lynx, can't remember.

I stand corrected on this, apparently the Yanks have ordered the Merlin as the new helicopter for GWB.

[Gus 1855]

These are awesome, the best military aircradt in the skies today...





The old F3 is hugely underrated, one of the fastest aircraft in the skies too, could open a can of whoopass on anything BVR! Been in the NAV seat of one too, up at Leuchars!




As for a classic, imagine one of these barrel-rolling straight after take off!

[Kanonkop]

The Vulcan was always amazing at airshows.

I hope the restoration project to bring one back to flying condition is progressing.  Anyone know how it is doing?

Think its an absolute disgrace that public funding isn't made available to preserve the military heritage of the country.  Or even some lottery funds instead of the loony projects they pump some of their money into. 

[Gus 1855]

The Vulcan was always amazing at airshows.

I hope the restoration project to bring one back to flying condition is progressing.  Anyone know how it is doing?

Think its an absolute disgrace that public funding isn't made available to preserve the military heritage of the country.  Or even some lottery funds instead of the loony projects they pump some of their money into. 

It is one hell of a machine, at the RIAT three months ago the people who are planning the restoration were saying they almost have enough cash.

It will be awesome to see one flying again!

[Xabi]

Although the blackbird is a close second

Look at the little man in the background with the full on super hero suite on.

[JohnSullie]

All time fav has to be the Mustang for me 

[Xabi]

I stand corrected on this, apparently the Yanks have ordered the Merlin as the new helicopter for GWB.

Thought they had done something like that.

[Joff]

Another vote for this classic:

As beautiful as that is, it's not quite a MkII Spitty. That gets my vote.
The one above is a later model, more props and a longer nose. Thats probably a Mk IV or V.

[Xabi]

These are awesome, the best military aircradt in the skies today...





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Don't know about the very best, but they're very nice indeed. As you'd expect for the price tag. They're probably the best thing we've got right now.

[quincyg]

saw a couple of these whilst in Lincolnshire , wish I'd taken me bloody camera with me now. 

[Gus 1855]

Don't know about the very best, but they're very nice indeed. As you'd expect for the price tag. They're probably the best thing we've got right now.

Seriously, they are.....

The F15/16. F/A 18, Grippen, Rafaele doesn't touch them!

[BillobShaisley]

The incomparable Tiger Moth, the only plane which will recover from a tail spin on its own.  And first stage trainer for all WW2 pilots.  Aerobatic abilities only recently bettered.