OP
THE PILGRIM
Member
We have them stationed here. They are loud. Probably not a good choice for a sneaky Pete insert mission.
Unique aircraft
- Thread starter THE PILGRIM
- Start date
We have them stationed here. They are loud. Probably not a good choice for a sneaky Pete insert mission.
Here's one for you. The F-104E Starfighter.
A big *** jet engine, tiny little wings and some poor fool up front to steer the thing.
When I was working in the Pentagon (in the 1960's) we outfitted an F-104 to climb to over 100K in order to look down on a particular point inside the Soviet Union....didn't work out well as his loiter time on station was measured in seconds!
We only tried it a couple of times before stopping that action!
But, we had fun coming up with different concepts to get what we needed.
AND don't forget the German's had the flying wing first!!!
When I was working in the Pentagon (in the 1960's) we outfitted an F-104 to climb to over 100K in order to look down on a particular point inside the Soviet Union....didn't work out well as his loiter time on station was measured in seconds!
We only tried it a couple of times before stopping that action!
But, we had fun coming up with different concepts to get what we needed.
I remember talking to a couple of guys at work once who had been AP's - they said there was no sound quite like an F-104 taking off.
This is true.....
That is indeed true. But the Wing could fly well. One of the instability problems was 'yaw hunt' but they were developing a device to dampen that out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-LjDUM5tyI
The problem with the YB-49 was that, like the similar German concepts, it wasn't operationally practical until the development of computers small enough to fit inside an airplane and offload some of the control duties from the pilot.
Inherently unstable planes like the F-117 and B-2 have computerized control systems which relieve the pilot of the the need to constantly keep the aircraft from diverging. Imagine what it would be like to try to fly the plane pictured below WITHOUT a computer constantly keeping it trimmed:
That is indeed true. But the Wing could fly well. One of the instability problems was 'yaw hunt' but they were developing a device to dampen that out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-LjDUM5tyI
This is true.....
That is indeed true. But the Wing could fly well. One of the instability problems was 'yaw hunt' but they were developing a device to dampen that out. I'll bet after this test flight the pilot was plumb wore out from trying to keep it a Flying Wing rather than a Crashing Wing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-LjDUM5tyI
The problem with the YB-49 was that, like the similar German concepts, it wasn't operationally practical until the development of computers small enough to fit inside an airplane and offload some of the control duties from the pilot.
Inherently unstable planes like the F-117 and B-2 have computerized control systems which relieve the pilot of the the need to constantly keep the aircraft from diverging. Imagine what it would be like to try to fly the plane pictured below WITHOUT a computer constantly keeping it trimmed:
That is indeed true. But the Wing could fly well. One of the instability problems was 'yaw hunt' but they were developing a device to dampen that out. I'll bet after this test flight the pilot was plumb wore out from trying to keep it a Flying Wing rather than a Crashing Wing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-LjDUM5tyI
Yeah, sort of like a C-5 coming in for a landing. It looks like it's just kinda floating there.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
America's proof that with a big enough engine, even a brick can fly.
Proved to be pretty damn useful, especially in "wild weasel" configuration, as I recall. Our Air National Guard unit here, before they went to the C-130 (and are still deploying those birds all over the world) flew the RF-4 reconnaissance version.
Has to have been one of the meanest-looking aircraft ever. Looks like a humongous shark.
Made a much better fighter when they wised up and gave it a gun.
Too bad about the smoke trail, though.
Harkrader
Member
Beechcraft A17F, the Howard Hughes racer.
The "holy graal" of unique antique airplanes. People have spent fortunes and years searching for it.
A friend of mine was searching for it in the late'70s and snooped in a lot of buildings and on the sites of long-abandoned airfields in California. Some buildings had not been opened in decades. No luck.
I'd sure like to fly it!
The "holy graal" of unique antique airplanes. People have spent fortunes and years searching for it.
A friend of mine was searching for it in the late'70s and snooped in a lot of buildings and on the sites of long-abandoned airfields in California. Some buildings had not been opened in decades. No luck.
I'd sure like to fly it!
OP
THE PILGRIM
Member
A while back, I met a retired Marine brigadier flyer here in town.
I Ask him what he flew in WWII.
He said he flew several aircraft, but at the start of the war he was flying the F2F Buffalo. It was not just slow, it was painfully slow.
When translated into Japanese, it means big slow ugly airplane that's a lot of fun to shoot down.
Of his original squadron at the start of the war, he was the only one to survive the war.
I Ask him what he flew in WWII.
He said he flew several aircraft, but at the start of the war he was flying the F2F Buffalo. It was not just slow, it was painfully slow.
When translated into Japanese, it means big slow ugly airplane that's a lot of fun to shoot down.
Of his original squadron at the start of the war, he was the only one to survive the war.
Attachments
Rastoff
US Veteran
If you had ever worked on one you'd probably change your tune. If you have ever flown one, you'd change your tune. If you have ever paid for one...well you get the idea.
The CH-56 is a better tool for the role the CV-22 fills.
Sorry, but this don't fit here. The title is "Unique Aircraft". You can't post a pic of the longest serving fighter in the history of military aircraft in a thread about unique aircraft. And, get the quote right, "The F-4 Phantom is proof that even a rock, given enough thrust, can fly." (Just messin' with ya)America's proof that with a big enough engine, even a brick can fly.
The F-4 really is a great example of "using what ya got." It was a mediocre design from the beginning, but we used it to great effect. Through it's many variations it has served us well. Even so, I was glad to see it go; its time had come.
I live in the land of unique aircraft. Edwards is the home of so many "one off" planes, both military and civilian, I can't count them all. It's a fun place to work.
Watching this one on it's first flight was exhilarating:
M3Stuart
Member
M3Stuart
Member
Don't know if you consider it as unique, but I always loved the elegant lines of the P-38 Lightning.
Here's another one........
America's proof that with a big enough engine, even a brick can fly.
As a Navy brat growing up in the late 60's, early 70's, I thought this plane was the coolest. I had never seen a plane with drooping tail wings. I always thought it looked pretty wicked. Now though , I like the looks of the A10. If I could be a pilot, that would be the plane for me. You have two big engines, fly slow, shoot everything walking, crawling, standing, running. Hey what is there not to like.
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