Author Topic: A sad, sad day in aviation...  (Read 10696 times)

Offline madpilot44

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #15 on: September 07, 2006, 10:26:45 PM »
There's an F-111 sitting in front of a surplus store on I-30 in Texas. If they can sell one of those, I don't see 'em having too much of
a problem selling a (demilled maybe) Tomcat.
I've been reading Ragwings and Heavy Iron by Martin Caidin, and he's pretty clear on the government's lack of historical foresight
when it comes to retiring equipment. For instance, anyone see the footage of the guv'mint dozers pushing a bunch of P-38s into a hole? Brung a tear to my eye, it did.


if the buyer takes the engine off it it may be possible, but I hear the collings foundation needed to make an amendment to an act of congress to be able to have their F-4 flying, so... I don't really think they're gonna let some guy buy a flyable F-14 just yet. A shame though... my favorite plane :'(
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Offline FB41

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #16 on: September 07, 2006, 11:41:11 PM »
The US Navy is loathe to sell ANY airplane in their inventory and they consider ALL planes that were once used by the Navy and their big Brother the Marine Corps, to still be Navy property.

Just read some of the horror stories about guys that have recovered crashed Navy planes...

Offline YawningMan

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2006, 06:35:26 PM »
I've not seen a lot of the F-14, but I really do like the F/A-18.  I highly doubt it's anywhere as fast.  While it is sad to see the F-14 go, I'm plenty happy to see that the F/A-18 is well-established and ready to serve in the Tomcat's stead.  I still hold a lot of respect for the C and Ds, as well.  F/A-18 is a very solid and capable machine, and I have few bad things to say about it.  It's just not the same caliber of movie-star as the Tomcat always was.

Offline Ted_Stryker

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #18 on: September 11, 2006, 09:32:52 PM »
I've not seen a lot of the F-14, but I really do like the F/A-18.  I highly doubt it's anywhere as fast.  While it is sad to see the F-14 go, I'm plenty happy to see that the F/A-18 is well-established and ready to serve in the Tomcat's stead.  I still hold a lot of respect for the C and Ds, as well.  F/A-18 is a very solid and capable machine, and I have few bad things to say about it.  It's just not the same caliber of movie-star as the Tomcat always was.

The latest version of the F/A-18 is the E, F, and G model, which are practically completely different machines, with far more power, and almost twice the size of the F/A-18 C and D models.  You can tell the difference in photos between them even without a scale reference by the shape of the leading edge extensions coming off the wings.  On the A, B, C, and D models there is a kind of indentation contour on the LEX's.  The engine intakes on the earlier models are also round, whereas the new F/A-18's (E, F, and G) have rectangular intakes.   How do I know this so well?   I was on the team that helped build the F/A-18 E/F  :)

I'd put up a new F/A-18 against the F-14.   The new F-22 Raptor, however, will be the true future of air superiority manned fighters.

 |:)\
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Offline Callisto

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #19 on: September 12, 2006, 07:42:50 PM »
I had to comment on this. I started posting in this forum due to the Top Gun post. I got into aviation due to Top Gun and the cool as hell Tomcat. I hate to see "her" go (oh wait, that's a different topic in here  :D ). The F/A-18x will be a decent replacement in the military aspect, but the Hornet will never replace the Tomcat in my heart.  |:)\ |:)\ |:)\
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Offline Ted_Stryker

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #20 on: September 12, 2006, 08:20:28 PM »
I can understand the way people feel.  I have similar feelings about the F4-U Corsair, F-86 Thunderjet, Navy Hellcat, and a number of other planes that were movie stars long before the "Top Gun" movie.

For that matter, the B-52 isn't bad either.... remember Dr. Strangelove!   Yeeee  haaaaa!!!     ;D
We're going to have to come in pretty low!  It's just one of those things you have to do... when you land!  -- Ted Striker - Airplane!

Offline YawningMan

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #21 on: September 13, 2006, 08:15:06 AM »
Aside from having worked on their avionics, a lot of my fondness for F/A 18s comes from the howl their engines make.  F-16s and AV-8s just make a lot of racket.  F-14s screech and whine.  F/A 18s howl like a banshee coming to reap souls.  I've been surprised by each of these airplanes doing one thing or another, and the most lasting impressions definitely go to the 18s.

Plus, when they come by, barely under the speed of sound, you can hear a bit of a "whoop" just before you hear the engine boom.  They are the most audibly satisfying jet around, IMO.

The best audio experience from airplanes still goes to a certain flight of immaculately painted red Stearmans with 450hp radials.  I will be really sad the day the Red Baron Squadron retires from show perfomances.

Offline spacer

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #22 on: September 13, 2006, 12:56:37 PM »
I grew up under an approach for Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, when they had the F-111.
Now, *that* was a satisfying jet noise. When they got rid of 'em for the whiny little F-16, I had trouble
sleeping as I was used to a deeper roar.

Offline cj5_pilot

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Re: A sad, sad day in aviation...
« Reply #23 on: September 13, 2006, 07:09:57 PM »
In addition to the C-130s that use my home as a checkpoint, quite a few of the F-15 Eagles do.  I rarely see the F-16s stationed at Elmendorf.  I'm looking forward to the new C-17s and F-22 Raptors that are going in to Elmendorf, hopefully they'll use the same pattern :)
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