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

[Ted_Stryker]

The blueprints I used to have from the original series detail the huge landing gear, which can be seen as regularly spaced rectangles on the lower surface of the saucer.
Geeks-R-Us, yep.

Aha!  A geek imposter! You have been caught!

Nice try, my firend, but the landing gear you referred to were on the refit Enterprise seen in STTMP and beyond, not the original series and not in the Franz Joseph Booklet of General Plans, circa 1975 or the original drawings done for the original series by (pilot and vintage/antique plane buff) Matt Jeffries. Though emergency sepraration of the saucer was discussed in the original series and mentioned in the writer's guide, it was beyond the effects budget of the original series, the gear didn't appear until the 1979 version of the Enterprise.

Sooooo.... [SPOTLIGHT IN FACE ON] Who sent you? Why are you here? Who is trying to infiltrate the chicken coup? You're working for Klyde Morris, aren't you...?

TM
(Genuine Geek who still has his original copy of the Booklet of General Plans, Star Fleet Technical Notebook... and unofficial blueprints of the original Enterprise bridge, Klingon D-7 Battlecruiser, Romulan Bird of Prey, a host of ofther Trek blueprints and... the Space 1999 Moonbase Alpha Technical Notebook...  )

Hey!  I have all those books and blueprints too!  I also have the Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual, which was done in the same format as the Star Fleet Technical Reference Manual.  And, let's not forget, Mr. Scott's Guide To The Enterprise, and the Star Trek Compendium

May you live long and prosper!
(Yes... I DO have Captain Kirk's serial number memorized   )

[happylanding]

The Bird-Of-Prey classes had positionable wings, which could be raised to allow for landings (otherwise they'd have had to make the gear legs longer).
I don't remember all the details, but that was part of it. The BOP ships were constructed by the Klingons, on license from the Romulans, who designed it, and the design was modified and up-sized to a frigate, which was built alongside the smaller ships.
The cloaking device was standard equipment, though I'd be perfectly happy with being able to cloak my tail number on occasion. 

You are correct, velojym.  Though the Romulans had originally created a Bird of Prey, first seen in the original Star Trek series in the episode "Balance of Terror".  Mark Lenard, who later played Spock's father Sarek, played the Romulan Commander.  Later in the Star Trek original series, we come to learn that Romulans started using Klingon ship designs.  The episode "The Enterprise Incident" has Romulans using the Katanga D-7 Class Battlecruiser design of the Klingons.  One must presume that it was likely at this point that the Klingons also took from the Romulans the Bird of Prey design, and made their own modifications to come up with the Klingon Bird of Prey that we came to know well in the Star Trek movies.  The Klingon design for the Bird of Prey is the one with the movable wings.

Of course, the ship in the photos of the Boeing Bird of Prey was not akin to either of the ships above, as this was an aircraft, not a warp speed capable starship of any sort. 

Does anybody have a rating on these flying things?!?
Nobody remembers of the great wonderful old scifi serie V, and V final battle?!?!?

[Ted_Stryker]

The Bird-Of-Prey classes had positionable wings, which could be raised to allow for landings (otherwise they'd have had to make the gear legs longer).
I don't remember all the details, but that was part of it. The BOP ships were constructed by the Klingons, on license from the Romulans, who designed it, and the design was modified and up-sized to a frigate, which was built alongside the smaller ships.
The cloaking device was standard equipment, though I'd be perfectly happy with being able to cloak my tail number on occasion. 

You are correct, velojym.  Though the Romulans had originally created a Bird of Prey, first seen in the original Star Trek series in the episode "Balance of Terror".  Mark Lenard, who later played Spock's father Sarek, played the Romulan Commander.  Later in the Star Trek original series, we come to learn that Romulans started using Klingon ship designs.  The episode "The Enterprise Incident" has Romulans using the Katanga D-7 Class Battlecruiser design of the Klingons.  One must presume that it was likely at this point that the Klingons also took from the Romulans the Bird of Prey design, and made their own modifications to come up with the Klingon Bird of Prey that we came to know well in the Star Trek movies.  The Klingon design for the Bird of Prey is the one with the movable wings.

Of course, the ship in the photos of the Boeing Bird of Prey was not akin to either of the ships above, as this was an aircraft, not a warp speed capable starship of any sort. 

Does anybody have a rating on these flying things?!?
Nobody remembers of the great wonderful old scifi serie V, and V final battle?!?!?

Absolutely I remember V and V Final Battle!  I remember seeing them eating the rats and mice the first time before you knew what they were like underneath their human-looking exterior!  Cool show!!  I remember it fondly in fact.  Robert Englund (aka Freddy Kruger) was actually a "good guy" alien in that one too

[happylanding]

Absolutely I remember V and V Final Battle!  I remember seeing them eating the rats and mice the first time before you knew what they were like underneath their human-looking exterior!  Cool show!!  I remember it fondly in fact.  Robert Englund (aka Freddy Kruger) was actually a "good guy" alien in that one too

I adored it! And still do!
BTW, I was a great fan of Mike Donovan (my first "love" in life!!!  ) and Ham Tyler.
When the show came out in Switzerland I was around 4 yrs old. I remember I was so much addicted to it (and I ignore from what this addiction began, since I do not remember the first day I first saw it but my mom says it was a night I was unable to sleep and come downstairs to the lounge and they were watching it) even if I could not understand a lot the meaning (since it was not created for kids) that I obliged my parents to record them and used to watch in the afternoon of the day after. I never stopped watching it (I had the tapes and then new ones and now I've the DVDs in English) and last year I spent an entire weekend (something as 30 hrs in a row) to see everything from the beginning of the first series, to the last minute. Some time ago (say a year) I heard that Hollywood was trying to put the same cast together again and do a kind of sequel, with a new invasion. Do you know if it's just a urban/internet legend?!?

Later in life I had some problems believing that good Willy was the same face of Nightmare!

[fireflyr]

COME ON TED!!!  You really don't have all that stuff memorized, do you?

I'm embarrassed to admit I actually attended a "Trekkie" convention one time---my wife was yelling "GET A LIFE!" before 10 minutes was up!--we left quickly and quietly.

[happylanding]

HAHAHA! That's a "should have been there scene"!! How does it happen that you ended up there if you are not crazy about StarTrek? it was just a coincidence or you were curious about it?

[Ted_Stryker]

COME ON TED!!!  You really don't have all that stuff memorized, do you?

I'm embarrassed to admit I actually attended a "Trekkie" convention one time---my wife was yelling "GET A LIFE!" before 10 minutes was up!--we left quickly and quietly.

You mean do I have it memorized that there are 432 Crewmembers aboard a standard Constitution Class Federation Starship, that Captain Kirk's serial number is SC937-0176CEC, or that Spock's parents are Amanda Grayson (her maiden name), and Ambassador Sarek (son of Skon and Solka), and that she (Amanda) was a school teacher on Earth prior to her marriage to Sarek?   Uhm... yes.... doesn't everybody know these things intuitively nowadays? 

I will proudly admit to being a Trekkie/Trekker.  In fact, I have indeed attended many a convention, and I credit Star Trek with being formative of whom and what I am now, with it's philosophy of IDIC, and the characters that were truly heroic, and worthy of emulating.  Dr. McCoy's humanity, Spock's intellect and logic, Kirks strength of command and exploration, Scotty's can-do magic working, and Chekov's ability to see things with a sense of playfulness, while also taking it seriously.  Yes, there are those that take things a bit far with not "moving out of their parent's basements", and William Shatner put it once, but just ask how many in NASA are fans, and what motivated them to go on to become what they are... including the Astronauts themselves!  Not a bad group to be associated with in my opinion

[Ted_Stryker]

Absolutely I remember V and V Final Battle!  I remember seeing them eating the rats and mice the first time before you knew what they were like underneath their human-looking exterior!  Cool show!!  I remember it fondly in fact.  Robert Englund (aka Freddy Kruger) was actually a "good guy" alien in that one too

I adored it! And still do!
BTW, I was a great fan of Mike Donovan (my first "love" in life!!!  ) and Ham Tyler.
When the show came out in Switzerland I was around 4 yrs old. I remember I was so much addicted to it (and I ignore from what this addiction began, since I do not remember the first day I first saw it but my mom says it was a night I was unable to sleep and come downstairs to the lounge and they were watching it) even if I could not understand a lot the meaning (since it was not created for kids) that I obliged my parents to record them and used to watch in the afternoon of the day after. I never stopped watching it (I had the tapes and then new ones and now I've the DVDs in English) and last year I spent an entire weekend (something as 30 hrs in a row) to see everything from the beginning of the first series, to the last minute. Some time ago (say a year) I heard that Hollywood was trying to put the same cast together again and do a kind of sequel, with a new invasion. Do you know if it's just a urban/internet legend?!?

Later in life I had some problems believing that good Willy was the same face of Nightmare!

I think I recall some sort of effort for a V remake/reunion, but it never came to pass unfortunately.  It would have been good to see!

[tundra_flier]

Ok, this is a tough one. 

I grew up near the Gernsey Wy Guard bases.  So Herky birds were almost daily fair.  One summer I watched a pair of B-1's refueling several times a week at 7am.  I watched a C-141 doing low level manuvering where I swore he'd clip a wing if he banked too hard.  Had a Hugie (sp?) fly by at eye level while hiking up the side of a small canyon.  Heard increadible double sonic booms that have since been revealed to have been from the SR-71 on one of their standard training routes.

Now I live in Fairbanks Alaska, which I'm beginning to realize has one of the most wonderful and unique airports in the world.  Here's some of the still flying planes that call PAFA home:
A Carvair (yes, I've seen it take off and land several times and even got a tour once.  Theres a placard above the windscreen that says "Flare High")
Several DC-4's and DC-6's
A DC-3/C-46
a few C-47 Commandos
A C-1 COD
A couple T-28's
A Beech Stagger Wing
A Cessna C195
More Piper cubs than you can shake a stick at.
Stearman PT-17

Transients seen on occasion:
Bamboo bomber
Stinson Reliant
AN-124 (got a great view from above the other day, I was departing from 1R in my 150, the AN124 is was on final for 19R)
Beech 18

And with Ft. Wainwright and Eielson Airforce Base so close by I've seen just about every active military plane imagainable.  Including all sorts of forien jobs, thanks to Cope Thunder, the twice annual multinational war games.  Someone had some F-4's flying around up here recently.  And a friend of mine actually got air to air photos of an F-22 near Elmondorf AFB recently. 

So the most amazing I've ever seen?  Hmmm...guess that would have to go to Rare Bear.  Just for the shear sound of her thundering by.  Got to see her at Reno in 99 and again in 03.  Awsome!

Phil

[fireflyr]

 ???C-1,   I had to google that one, don't believe I've ever seen one in real life.

[tundra_flier]

???C-1,   I had to google that one, don't believe I've ever seen one in real life.

I really need to add a page on my website for "Planes I've Seen"  With photo's of each.  Unfortunately I didn't have my camera when I passed the AN124.  Doubly so since I saw about 20 Dall sheep that evening too.   

Phil

[fireflyr]

Had an AN124 come into SBD when I was assigned to the tanker base there---they picked up a Crane for delivery to Europe (which crashed 2 weeks later on a fire mission)      That thing is HUGE!

[tundra_flier]

Several European car companies ship their latest greatest models up here on an AN124 for cold weather testing.  So we'll typically see a bunch of identical cars running around town with front and rear covers shortly after the 124 arrives.  Not sure what it was doing here in the summer.

Phil

[spacer]

The Bird-Of-Prey classes had positionable wings, which could be raised to allow for landings (otherwise they'd have had to make the gear legs longer).
I don't remember all the details, but that was part of it. The BOP ships were constructed by the Klingons, on license from the Romulans, who designed it, and the design was modified and up-sized to a frigate, which was built alongside the smaller ships.
The cloaking device was standard equipment, though I'd be perfectly happy with being able to cloak my tail number on occasion. 

You are correct, velojym.  Though the Romulans had originally created a Bird of Prey, first seen in the original Star Trek series in the episode "Balance of Terror".  Mark Lenard, who later played Spock's father Sarek, played the Romulan Commander.  Later in the Star Trek original series, we come to learn that Romulans started using Klingon ship designs.  The episode "The Enterprise Incident" has Romulans using the Katanga D-7 Class Battlecruiser design of the Klingons.  One must presume that it was likely at this point that the Klingons also took from the Romulans the Bird of Prey design, and made their own modifications to come up with the Klingon Bird of Prey that we came to know well in the Star Trek movies.  The Klingon design for the Bird of Prey is the one with the movable wings.

Of course, the ship in the photos of the Boeing Bird of Prey was not akin to either of the ships above, as this was an aircraft, not a warp speed capable starship of any sort. 

Does anybody have a rating on these flying things?!?
Nobody remembers of the great wonderful old scifi serie V, and V final battle?!?!?

You could try Orbiter. I believe there's a large community coming up with vehicles to fly there.
http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/
Notably, they have a Firefly. "Ever sail in a Firefly... Wanna?"

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=1271

[spacer]

I have to update my preference on this thread. I finally found a museum that caters to what I like.
Yeah, the big powerful warbirds are tres cool, but to me this is even better.
http://www.fairchild24.com/museum.htm
They have a museum with lots of stuff from Waco, Fairchild (Fairchildren?), Ryan, etc... If you look at #14 on the website
you'll see a designation that brings ol' Velo some warm fuzzies, the Waco JYM. The photo DOES NOT do it justice. It's pretty
stunning in 'person'. If I were to build something like a Fisher Celebrity, I'd take a bunch of styling ideas from this plane.

One of the other highlights is this lovely yet cantankerous wing thing: