Big Cholla
Member
Anyone else notice the 'Guy in Back' was actually a 'Gal in Back'? By the name of "Dee". Wow! I'm so envious that I can't believe it. 
...................
...................
What is your all time favorite military fighter jet?
- Thread starter mojave30cal
- Start date
BigBill
Absent Comrade
All of them. There engines were machined on machines I built.
Which one was Tom Cruise? Lol
I was going to the BIG E GUN show in west Springfield, Mass and I seen two fighters off in a distance from the highway. I guess there from westover AFB. It's very touching to see these fighters.
The transport planes went over my shop everyday from the beginning of the Iraq war.
Which one was Tom Cruise? Lol
I was going to the BIG E GUN show in west Springfield, Mass and I seen two fighters off in a distance from the highway. I guess there from westover AFB. It's very touching to see these fighters.
The transport planes went over my shop everyday from the beginning of the Iraq war.
Last edited:
Babalooie
US Veteran
Looks like a B-66 to me.
NO one else has posted this one, and it may not be the classiest, but was the backbone of the reconnaissance and strike capable nuclear fighter bomber during the Cold War. B66.
Babalooie
US Veteran
The best FCF's IMHO were the ones that took off in a light misty, overcast day. The exhaust flames were exceptionally bright and to see so much hardware go almost straight up was a true experience. Even old-timers were impressed.
Last edited:
Babalooie
US Veteran
I worked on the Automatic Flight Control Systems (AFCS) aka Autopilots on F-4C's, D's and RF's while stationed at Yokota and Osan Air Bases. It was the only fighter I worked on, unless a T-33 (two seat F-80) would be considered a fighter.
The F-4 was huge, compared to the fighters I saw at Westover AFB, MA when I was in Cub Scouts.
In my 12 years of Air Force duty, I spent about four years with the F-4. One of the reasons why jocks may not have liked this fighter was because it was like a rock. Without the Stability Augmentation System (SAS) the plane could not fly. Pilots could fly without Autopilot but not Stab Aug.
In order to check out the AFCS the plane needed three hydraulic systems connected to a "Mule" (Hydraulic Test Stand). If hydraulics were not available, we could perform an electrical check, which only tested wire and component continuity. If the system failed the electrical check, we would have to walk the backbone of the aircraft to the tail section and smartly stomp on the stabilator to move it to its "Home" position. If hydraulics were available, this was not necessary.
Walking back to the cockpit was always the hard part for me. Going, I had the vertical stabilizer as a reference point. As long as I focused on that, everything was fine. There was no real reference point going back. There was a time or two, when I crawled back.
We also took care of the compass portion of the AN/AJB7 navigation system. It was commonly known as the "ABBA-JABBA-SEVEN."
If one were to walk in a squatting fashion beneath the aircraft, there were appendages that would catch a person at different points of their body. Depending on how quickly they were moving, would determine the amount of pain received. This is known as a Phantom Bite. Just one of the extra benefits of maintaining the Phantom II.
At one point, the Thunderbirds flew F-4's. With those two engines, the noise would be deafening. I loved it! Then. they switched to T-38's, which burned less JP4 and were much more maneuverable. But, there was less rumble, vibration and noise. I liked the F-4 better.
The F-4 was huge, compared to the fighters I saw at Westover AFB, MA when I was in Cub Scouts.
In my 12 years of Air Force duty, I spent about four years with the F-4. One of the reasons why jocks may not have liked this fighter was because it was like a rock. Without the Stability Augmentation System (SAS) the plane could not fly. Pilots could fly without Autopilot but not Stab Aug.
In order to check out the AFCS the plane needed three hydraulic systems connected to a "Mule" (Hydraulic Test Stand). If hydraulics were not available, we could perform an electrical check, which only tested wire and component continuity. If the system failed the electrical check, we would have to walk the backbone of the aircraft to the tail section and smartly stomp on the stabilator to move it to its "Home" position. If hydraulics were available, this was not necessary.
Walking back to the cockpit was always the hard part for me. Going, I had the vertical stabilizer as a reference point. As long as I focused on that, everything was fine. There was no real reference point going back. There was a time or two, when I crawled back.
We also took care of the compass portion of the AN/AJB7 navigation system. It was commonly known as the "ABBA-JABBA-SEVEN."
If one were to walk in a squatting fashion beneath the aircraft, there were appendages that would catch a person at different points of their body. Depending on how quickly they were moving, would determine the amount of pain received. This is known as a Phantom Bite. Just one of the extra benefits of maintaining the Phantom II.
At one point, the Thunderbirds flew F-4's. With those two engines, the noise would be deafening. I loved it! Then. they switched to T-38's, which burned less JP4 and were much more maneuverable. But, there was less rumble, vibration and noise. I liked the F-4 better.
Last edited:
Big Cholla
Member
My hat is off to those B66 crewmen. Every flight over NVN, Laos and the China Sea was in an UNARMED aircraft. They didn't always have a MIGCAP either. Those crews are among the unsung heroes of the SE Asian fiasco. .................
Babalooie
US Veteran
I have to admit the A10 aka the tank killer always intrigued me. It has got to be one of the ugliest planes in the inventory. Even if its main mission was to destroy weapons platforms with wheels and cleats, if it was saving my bottom, I'd love that puppy with the titanium bath tub.
The one I saw at Wright Pat, 15 - 20 years ago, had a J4 Compass system installed. We supported gyro stabilized remote indicating compass systems also, and performed quite a few compass swings.
The one I saw at Wright Pat, 15 - 20 years ago, had a J4 Compass system installed. We supported gyro stabilized remote indicating compass systems also, and performed quite a few compass swings.
bobf
US Veteran
I first saw the Thunderbirds in the F-100s, and have seen them in everything they have flown since. In my opinion the best shows were in the F4s. They made a high speed pass closer to the crowd than I expected, seemed like eye level.
Babalooie
US Veteran
The first time I saw the T-birds was at Robbins AFB, GA. The runway paralleled the road I drove to work. It felt like that Phantom was next to my shoulder.
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
When I was on the Saratoga (CV-60) we had both Phantoms & Tomcats. You could tell them apart at a distance by the long tail of black smoke behind the Phantom.
For pure menacing aesthetics I've always thought the F104 Starfighter was a dead sexy beast!
Pictures of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter - Fighter / Interceptor
Similar threads
