Yeah, it will be interesting once the F-22 and JSF come online. Another point that makes *working* Migs dangerous is a certain target system that allows the pilot to target planes behind him for missile shots. I think the Germans have some of these.

jedierrant

Saving damsels in distress,
Defending the defenseless,
Fighting for the underdog,
Don Quixote in an X-wing.

Play UT, and you'll leave crying Volun-Tears!

The eagle also has a high radar profile. Personally I don't think much of the eagle, it's had more issue's than a celebrity with a drug problem.
Once the F-22 and JSF get into full swing production the f-15 will be shown the door.

IMO though the best historical fighter ever would have to be the Spitfire Mk IV followed closely by the P-51.

Must, the MK IV? surely the Mk IX.. by far the best variant of the Spit, although those late model Griffin engined jobbies are pretty spectacular. I would have to say though that I am in agreement with jedi that the finest fighter of all time was the P-51 (but without that lovely Merlin engine would it have been so successful?)

my father was RAF, he was for a time aircrew during the war (Halifax gunner) hated Lancasters because they were cramped, hard to get out of in a hurry and you kept falling over the mainspar all the time. Later on he transferred to the RAF Regiment for the Italian campaign. After the war he joined the Palestine Police. He absolutely HATED it when I joined the RN (although me mum liked the uniform)

P-51 had it were it counted. Yes, it was nothing without that Rolls Royce Merlin. The thing about the P-51 is that it excelled far past any fighter of the day and dominated the skies. It was the only fighter that could escort bomber formations the entire way. It was the only thing that had chance of taking down a German rocket plane. It was just the right fighter at the right time.

jedierrant

Saving damsels in distress,
Defending the defenseless,
Fighting for the underdog,
Don Quixote in an X-wing.

Play UT, and you'll leave crying Volun-Tears!

IMO, F/A-18 Superhornet's faar cooler than any other plane. as for maneuvability(sp?), i'd stick with the sukhoi series. that is in reference with this air show magazine thing i got. turns faster than a missile IMO. and i don't want the F-22 to come in. personally F-15 ranks second. then again, SL's phoenix HAS to get the prize. i mean, who could match the nova cannon?

ever seen one of these babies?



Boulton Paul Defiant N.F. Mk I
Role: Night-fighter
Crew: Two
Dimensions: Length 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m); Height 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m); Wing Span 39 ft 4 in (11.99 m); Wing Area 250.0 sq ft (23.23 sq m)
Engine(s): One liquid cooled, 12 cylinder Vee, Rolls-Royce Merlin III of 1,030 hp (768 kW).

Weights: Empty Equipped 6,078 lb (2,757 kg); Normal Take-off 8,318 lb (3,773 kg); Maximum Take-off 8,600 lb (3,900 kg)

Performance: Maximum level speed 250 mph (402 kph) at sea level, 302.5 mph (486 kph) at 16,500 ft (5,029 m); Cruising speed 259 mph (416 kph); Initial rate of climb 1,900 ft/min (579 m/min); Service ceiling 28,100 ft (8,565 m); Range 465 mls (748 km) at 259 mph (416 kph);
Endurance 1.78 hr.
Armament: Four .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine-guns in power-operated Boulton Paul A. Mk IID dorsal turret, with 600 rounds per gun.


"What? Another girl! Tell me my boy. *whispers* what have you been doing?" - Tobias

@jedierrent - I saw that program too. The P-51 really is a piece of work. In modern times the F-22 has to take the cake tho

"Like a mighty castle our friendship shall survive, though the very heavens rain, er, big rocks down apon it" - Civ III

well well ff a Defiant. interesting choice. when I was a kid our next door neighbour was a former Defiant gunner. apparently at the beginning of the Battle of Britain Defiants got a fair few kills, because the Jerries thought they were Hurricanes and would attack from the rear, thus coming into the arc of that big turret. The wily Hun soon wised up to this though (sorry slipped into "Warlord" mode for a moment) and Defiants started falling from the sky in numbers and were soon retired from active service. They got a new lease of life as a night-fighter during the Blitz, a role which although not designed for, they did very well in, even though they were pressed into service as stop-gap because at the time the RAF had nothing else in sufficient numbers.

what next then ff? Fairey Battles, Avro Manchesters, Sea Skuas, Handley Page Hampdens, Bristol Beauforts, Armstrong-Whitworth Whitleys, Westland Wapitis? ah, the name of names has come to me.. De Havilland...I love the Mosqito, it was just so "right"

the British aviation industry, destroyed by govt. interference in the 40s and 50s. we led the americans and the rest of the world in everything, engines, airframes, radar, weapons, but it wasn't to be. Remember the Comet? the Swift? TSR2? Blue Streak? now we have British Aerospace and collaboration projects with our European "partners" and they let us provide the seat covers for the "Eurofighter"...wow great.

I saw one of the last Vulcan scrambles **sniff** what a sight. I also once got to go in a Victor, but they wouldn't let me fly in it, I had to go in a Hercules (I'd have preferred a Belfast)

btw I believe there is a Defiant in the Imperial war Museum, Duxford, or at the RAF Museum, Hendon, can't remember which.


(ok we do a bit more than the seat covers but you get the point)

Edited by - Tawakalna on 29-09-2003 23:57:22

The F-22 is way too expensive to be useful. Stick with the MiGs, you can even rent one in Russia for 2.000 US$ per minute of flight... (not kidding)

yeah Chet I actually looked into it, they offered me 1/2 hr in a MiG-25 twin seater for £9000 and a guaranteed supersonic blast (whether they'd get me to Mach 3 wasn't clear!) I'm seriously thinking about it as we're going to Russia in the New Year anyway. it's expensive but affordable. Better than walking round the Hermitage (again) looking at Fabergé eggs (again)

ok there's a lot of other things I can spend 9K on more fruitfully but like it's a once in a lifetime experience and soon I'll be too old and won't be able to do stuff like that. I already can't go parachuting anymore (booooooo!) and me boat got sold so before i go out to grass at 40 and end up with soaponarope, pipes and slippers as xmas presents I'd like to do something exciting like this, s*d what the wife says.

Abandon F-22's for Migs? Are you kidding me? Why would anyone want that?

I'm not a big fan of the Raptor as much as I am of the JSF. I can't wait for that.

jedierrant

Saving damsels in distress,
Defending the defenseless,
Fighting for the underdog,
Don Quixote in an X-wing.

Play UT, and you'll leave crying Volun-Tears!

The Lancaster Bomber 'nuff said

"What? Another girl! Tell me my boy. *whispers* what have you been doing?" - Tobias

lovely shot ff, although i was half expecting ur next photo to be a Stirling or Whitley after ur Defiant trip! or maybe a Horsa glider

how olds that photo? if thats the "City of Lincoln" from the RAF Memorial Flight, then one of the lads I went to school with now maintains them.

for real rarity value, find a currently flying Sunderland. I believe there is ONE.

The " theres no ****ing way that should be able to fly factor"

The NOTAR System

The NOTAR (No Tail Rotor) system consists of an enclosed variable-pitch fan driven by the main transmission, a circulation control tailboom, direct jet thruster and vertical stabilizers.

In hover flight, the Circulation control boom provides most of the required main rotor anti-torque. The direct jet thruster provides the remaining anti-torque and maneuverability for yaw control and directional changes. In translation flight the direct jet thruster provides anti-torque and directional control. In forward flight, the vertical stabilizers in conjunction with the direct jet thruster provide anti-torque and directional control.

The NOTAR system eliminates the tail rotor, and along with it the negative characteristics associated with the tail rotor such as; air/ground strikes, component failure, additional noise, and additional vibrations which lead to reduced component life, increased maintenance costs and add to pilot fatigue.

The NOTAR system equipped helicopters are not only the safest in the world, they're also the quietest - up to 50 percent quieter than the competition. You no longer have to be a noisy neighbour.

"What? Another girl! Tell me my boy. *whispers* what have you been doing?" - Tobias