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Posted

Wait--"rule out the much more expensive F-22". Since when is the F-22 MUCH more expensive? The F-22's price can only drop at this point, while the F-35's continues going up. They'll be tied (or the F-35 will be the more expensive) by the time the F-35 actually gets in service.

Posted (edited)

Australia is cheap, always looking for the most cost-effective solution at-this-very-moment. Remember the Seasprite helicopter debarcle where we decided to go with refurbished airframes while New Zealand bought brand new ones? Last I hard, the entire Seasprite fleet had been grounded for years. Besides, you guys refused to sell the F-22 to us anyway, so its moot. I see the US selling the F-22 (or a stripped down version) to Japan or Isreal before Australia, simply because we are not watching any major US enemies.

I think the main problem is we can't afford to have a large airforce with several types of fighters, and for the lack of a better choice, we're stuck with the F-35 which can apparently fulfill several roles. Apparently.

Edited by Fit For Natalie
Posted

Yeah, but that's still a "severe career limiting" move. Damaging a perfectly good airplane? He'll be flying a desk soon.

Posted
Yeah, but that's still a "severe career limiting" move. Damaging a perfectly good airplane? He'll be flying a desk soon.

Indeed - and given that we don't have very many of those.... I would say that the RAF would be expecting better of folk who have gone through the conversion course. Wouldn't be surprised if he finds himself in a lot of hot water once he is back home.

Karl

Posted (edited)

Yeah baby!!! Redbulll airraces, Sunday ...My grlfriend got us tix for our two year aniv..gonna take the 50+ mile trip down south for the day... :wacko: .REDBULL

Edited by orguss01
Posted

I saw the air races in San Francisco a few years ago and they were a huge disappointment. My friend's grandparents own an apartment RIGHT by the Bay, so we got to watch from there but it was still boring as heck. Best part was watching the Thunderbirds from the apartment's rooftop, but the races themselves were incredibly boring.

Posted

I love how they have New Jersey listed among all of those foreign cities and Los Angeles written on the side of the jet. That's right, my home state is cool enough to have its entire name written on the side of Iron Maiden's airplane! :p

Posted

DH probably is following this more closely but with the A-380 it seems as if they are getting their production lines sorted out; they delays seems to be 7 or 8 planes over one to two years over 30 or so produced. Not too serious. The Dreamliner's problem is in design; which means the planes can't be produced and delivered until the work is completed. Their problems push back all the orders, meaning its a serious problem for Boeing's profits.

Also here is an article about the airplane business as it stands today

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1/945e8e24-2191-11...0077b07658.html

Posted

787 seems more "production issues" than "design". While the majority of airliners get to "first flight" without anything needing re-design, it's not that uncommon. 737 and A330 both needed their rear spars redesigned/strengthened, so the 787 needing its center wing box (basically the front and rear spar connection) strengthened is not unusual---it's the most common "fix" needed for a new airliner.

I think the 787's real issue is still lack of quality/assembly from the subcontractors. Design is fine on 99% of the plane, they're just not building it right. Plus the infamous "fastener shortage".

A380 is still mostly "backlog" AFAIK---nothing much more to redesign, but it still has to be implemented---just a trillion man-hours of labor to re-do what's been done (mainly wiring-wise), and it's slowing down the whole line.

Posted

I don't know if this is the right place for this - Takara Tomy working on 1/144 scale JASDF Aggressor Eagles for their new "GiMix" line.

http://www.geocities.jp/hobby_show_album/j...ka2008/0468.htm

http://www.geocities.jp/hobby_show_album/j...ka2008/0467.htm

These are based probably on the Eagles that were part of Takara Tomy's "Midnight Eagle" collection. Takara Tomy's sculpt, paint, and detail on the Midnight Eagle collection F-15J/DJs were absolutely superb btw.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I thought the YF-23's restoration was done? There were pics a while back of it being "rolled out" and it looked spotless.

As for the Phantom---a note at the end says it all (tongue in cheek): "Regarded as a monster in its day, the F-4 is about equivalent in empty and loaded weight to the Super Hornet and Joint Strike Fighter. It has rather less power than those aircraft, but (depending on variant) is about 500 mph faster and has a similar weapon load. Technology has clearly advanced a long way."

Posted
I thought the YF-23's restoration was done? There were pics a while back of it being "rolled out" and it looked spotless.

Whenever I got to the Air Force Museum's website, the only pictures of the YF-23 are of it in a much more disassmbled form so I thought it was still being restored. Where would newer pictures be?

Posted

This is supposed to be the most recent pic of it, being rolled out, though the EXIF data says 1998. (I'm guessing the camera's date is wrong)

Posted

Well duh, it's the coolest-looking plane ever. :) (Well, the XB-70 might surpass it---The 23 is definitely the best-looking fighter though)

Posted

Some more pictures of it. Now, that's one cockpit I'm glad I wasn't in. And, gosh, look at the misalignment of the windows in the last one - that must have been a hell of a deceleration.

post-414-1212302673_thumb.jpg

post-414-1212302708_thumb.jpg

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post-414-1212302765_thumb.jpg

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post-414-1212302809_thumb.jpg

Posted

I've never been a really big transport plane fan, but after seeing a C-17 demonstration today, I'm quite impressed. The coolest thing I thought, was its ability to actually move backwards under its own power.

Posted (edited)
I've never been a really big transport plane fan, but after seeing a C-17 demonstration today, I'm quite impressed. The coolest thing I thought, was its ability to actually move backwards under its own power.

Yeah, the C-17 is a very, very cool plane with some of its abilities. I remember when I first stationed at Scott AFB back in 96/97 and the C-17 was still very new, and they had one here doing a demo for the yearly airshow. Well the AF wanted to show off all the C-17's capabilites with combat landings/take-offs, and the pilot ended up standing it/scraping the tail... needless the say the AMC 4 Stat General that was in attendance was not happy.

Guess my point is, that "heavies" are far more agile than people give them credit for... especially the C-17.

Oh, and the C-141 was able to back up under it's own power too... and the C-5 can too, but C-5's need a waiver (C-141 didn't) to do that... at least last time I checked.

Edited by Evil Porkchop
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