What's the most amazing flying machine you've seen in person?

[Ted_Stryker]

Indeed.... oh... and I have a picture from that same series of the pilot and the engine area.

Here you go!


This is one young lady you don't want to get on the bad side of!

[Sleek-Jet]

Ok... now... here is something that is also ultra-cool...

Anyone for a super-secret "Blackstar" ?

Too bad it's destined for the museums at some point in the next 10 years or so.  I guess the CIA, NSA, NRO, and DIA will have to get those SR-71's out of mothballs again!

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/030606p1.xml

Hmmmmm... I remember watching a program on the Disovery channel a couple years ago about "black" aerospace programs.  They went over the U2, SR71, and the F117/B2 programs, and at the very end they showed pictures of the "Diamonds on a rope" contrails.  One author said he talked to Ben Rich in the early 90's about those photos and all Rich would say is "You don't have  a need to know about those".  Speculation has been some sort of hypersonic aircraft... or a space plane of some sort.  

Also (and because a good consipracy threory is just to good to pass up), it was speculated that the intelligence agencies had something already in place when the Blackbirds were retired.  It was always noted that they gave them up to easy.  

[Ted_Stryker]

Ok... now... here is something that is also ultra-cool...

Anyone for a super-secret "Blackstar" ?

Too bad it's destined for the museums at some point in the next 10 years or so.  I guess the CIA, NSA, NRO, and DIA will have to get those SR-71's out of mothballs again!

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/030606p1.xml

Hmmmmm... I remember watching a program on the Disovery channel a couple years ago about "black" aerospace programs.  They went over the U2, SR71, and the F117/B2 programs, and at the very end they showed pictures of the "Diamonds on a rope" contrails.  One author said he talked to Ben Rich in the early 90's about those photos and all Rich would say is "You don't have  a need to know about those".  Speculation has been some sort of hypersonic aircraft... or a space plane of some sort.  

Also (and because a good consipracy threory is just to good to pass up), it was speculated that the intelligence agencies had something already in place when the Blackbirds were retired.  It was always noted that they gave them up to easy.  

You are correct in your conspiracy theory, actually.  Apparently this is the project that was possibly even operational, and allowed them to retire the SR-71's.  Naturally, since it was a classified program, and never acknowledged publicly, admitting that it's now cancelled is a problem.  How can you cancel something you never said you had in the first place, right?    Well... apparently this is the source of those contrails... or at least one of the "deep black" projects anyway.

No telling what else we have up there now.  I would imagine that they wouldn't have pulled the plug on this thing unless they had yet another replacement.  I seriously doubt they'll be pulling the SR-71's out of mothballs to any extent.   Modified U-2's have been flying lately, along with Scan-Eagles and other UAV's and UCAV's, which may well supplement most of those needs.  There would still be a need for a longer range immediate and unpredictably launched vehicle to assess global threats on the far reaches of the planet where we may not have troops or other resources deployed.

[FlyingBlind]

Everytime i read about a secret space project concerning americans...it is ALWAYS :
a) SUPER CLASSIFIED (....)
b) SUPER HIGH-TECH (Me likes it ^^)

I may have just expressed myself very very wrong...but....yeah....i really messed up in this post 

[fireflyr]

The article I read on tanking the A-10 (been awhile, can't remember the details--yeah,yeah, I know--CRS), talked about a centrally tanked airplane, I don't believe the wing hard points would work because of the possibility of a gate malfunction or the need for split loads.  I mean if they had 1,000 gal per side and one tank emptied and the other didn't, you'd have 6 tons hanging out there on one wing !!

Have a friend (that's amazing in itself) that used to fly Warthogs, he's got a couple of deactivated shells/bullets (whatever) and I'm here to tell ya, those suckers are big and with the rate of they fire put out I'd sure hate to be on the recieving end.

Back to the Firehog;  I've seen low level demonstrations and I think the airplane would make a perfect tanker.  Mike's exactly right about a medium size load (1-2000 gal) being extremely effective when delivered precisely on a fire from a low level, something the Guard Hercs cannot do for a variety of reasons which is why they are not effective fire fighters in all situations.  Guard pilots are very good and they are well trained but the altitude restrictions they have to adhere to are not as effective as low level attack---think pink mist!

[Ted_Stryker]

The article I read on tanking the A-10 (been awhile, can't remember the details--yeah,yeah, I know--CRS), talked about a centrally tanked airplane, I don't believe the wing hard points would work because of the possibility of a gate malfunction or the need for split loads.  I mean if they had 1,000 gal per side and one tank emptied and the other didn't, you'd have 6 tons hanging out there on one wing !!

Have a friend (that's amazing in itself) that used to fly Warthogs, he's got a couple of deactivated shells/bullets (whatever) and I'm here to tell ya, those suckers are big and with the rate of they fire put out I'd sure hate to be on the recieving end.

Back to the Firehog;  I've seen low level demonstrations and I think the airplane would make a perfect tanker.  Mike's exactly right about a medium size load (1-2000 gal) being extremely effective when delivered precisely on a fire from a low level, something the Guard Hercs cannot do for a variety of reasons which is why they are not effective fire fighters in all situations.  Guard pilots are very good and they are well trained but the altitude restrictions they have to adhere to are not as effective as low level attack---think pink mist!

Careful with those deactived shells.  They may be the depleted uranium kind and should be stored in a lead container.  They use those for their armor piercing capacity.  30mm shells are BIG too, as you saw

[fireflyr]

Thanks for the reminder Ted,

I hadn't thought about but surely, Ken has, although he's great to have along on a camping trip because he glows in the dark!

(there's your cue)

[Ted_Stryker]

Thanks for the reminder Ted,

I hadn't thought about but surely, Ken has, although he's great to have along on a camping trip because he glows in the dark!

(there's your cue)

   Well... as I'm fond of saying... "We've all been irradiated... but at least we're still active!"   

[fireflyr]

  Well... as I'm fond of saying... "We've all been irradiated... but at least we're still active!"

HAHA

[Frank N. O.]

  that's a lot of holes in that thing! But they are designed to be able to handle that, and isn't the design actually a low newer than other jets like the Falcon, Eagle and Tomcat?

I also didn't really know if they had female fighter pilotes yet but I guess they have, well done indeed to keep cool in that situation, even if I heard the cockpit is lined with armoured plating.

About the gun, isn't it so high-powered that it can only fire short bursts or it'll melt from overheating (or something like that)? You can also see the nosewheel is offset, which I guess is for clearence from the gun.

And on a space subject, is there a bigger version of that picture, I love the Valkyrie and seeing something similar used for space is fantastic to see. I actually have some thing about spaceflying/shuttles I've thought about, could I ask that here (in a seperate thread of course).

The Firehog sounds interesting, but I still think the 747 supertanker I've seen is the most extreme firefighterplane I've seen.

Ok I hope I got around to replying to all the new posts.

Frank

[fireflyr]

[quote

I also didn't really know if they had female fighter pilotes yet but I guess they have, well done indeed to keep cool in that situation, even if I heard the cockpit is lined with armoured platin

The Firehog sounds interesting, but I still think the 747 supertanker I've seen is the most extreme firefighterplane I've seen.

Ok I hope I got around to replying to all the new posts.

Frank

The A-10 pilot is enclosed in a titanium tub.
You're right about the 47 being an extreme tanker but it's unproven and even if it works well it will be just one of many different tools needed to do the job.

[Mike]

Personally I think the 747 might turn out to be a flop. With that much water on the fire you would have to clear the whole fire (all the resources) for one drop. And if that drop fails, it's gonna be a while until they make it back to the line. The drop would need to be scheduled way in advance, you'd have to pull all the other aircraft out of the area....I don't know if it's gonna work. The concept is neat but the logisitcs?!
Plus who is going to order up one of them and increase the cost of his fire by thousands of dollars and then justify later if it was really necessary to bring in this big machine?

[Mike]

I was just watching the Discovery channel and they had F-15's on...

Did you guys ever hear about (or see it on TV) the story where a F-15 collided with an A-8 or A-4 or something in training and lost the entire right wing but flew home and landed?
He touched down with almost 300 kts to stay flying and the spray of fuel from an errupted tank on the right side blocked his view the pilot said, so he didn't notice he lost the entire wing otherwise he would have ejected. He was able to stabilize the plane at higher speeds and decided to fly it in. WOW!
I would have wanted to see the look on his face when he saw what he just flew in...
What an amazing plane! I had no idea. (wouldn't wanna try it for myself either though...)

[Gulfstream Driver]

I've seen pictures of that incident.  Very amazing.   

[Ted_Stryker]

I was just watching the Discovery channel and they had F-15's on...

Did you guys ever hear about (or see it on TV) the story where a F-15 collided with an A-8 or A-4 or something in training and lost the entire right wing but flew home and landed?
He touched down with almost 300 kts to stay flying and the spray of fuel from an errupted tank on the right side blocked his view the pilot said, so he didn't notice he lost the entire wing otherwise he would have ejected. He was able to stabilize the plane at higher speeds and decided to fly it in. WOW!
I would have wanted to see the look on his face when he saw what he just flew in...
What an amazing plane! I had no idea. (wouldn't wanna try it for myself either though...)

Yes indeed   In fact, because he held onto speed, he took advantage of the fact (perhaps unknowingly) that 70% of the lift an F-15 gets is from it's central body.  It utilizes the lift-body concept, which is why he was able to make it back.  That is one amazing bird!  I'll be sorry to see it go after the Raptor replaces it fully.  I hate to think it won't be flying anywhere in the U.S. arsenal.... though it's replacement is awesome.