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Posted

B-21 "Raider". Place your bets on what the crews will actually call it now...

The most obvious nickname is already the reporting name for the Tu-160, so maybe not that. :D

Then there's the movie about the similarly-numbered EB-66, but that was a giant mess, so maybe not that either...

So maybe just the... Batarang?

Posted

Update on the U2 crash.

The Unites States Air Force reports that a U-2 "Dragon Lady" crashed shortly after takeoff at approximately 9:05 a.m. today. The U-2 was from the 9thRW ,Beale AFB. The aircraft went down in Sutter County, CA; both crew managed to eject, only one survived.

Via

www.Sierrahotel.net

Posted

There's a video of the event and you can see the smoke from the ejection rockets. It looks like it wasn't that high up, given you can see what look to be two shoots as well and it was all filmed from something with a zoom lens.

In other words, I don't think they were at "normal" cruising altitude for a U2. Which begs the question, what went wrong and why did someone not make it? Very sad indeed.

Posted

There's a video of the event and you can see the smoke from the ejection rockets. It looks like it wasn't that high up, given you can see what look to be two shoots as well and it was all filmed from something with a zoom lens.

In other words, I don't think they were at "normal" cruising altitude for a U2. Which begs the question, what went wrong and why did someone not make it? Very sad indeed.

I'm sorry if i am making light of the death, but a U-2 cruising altitude in 60+thousand feet.

Posted

I'm sorry if i am making light of the death, but a U-2 cruising altitude in 60+thousand feet.

You are very correct Miles. I see them takeoff from here quite a bit. They get off the ground quick but they take a bit of time getting to their "cruising" altitude. I never worked them but they were included in our AF Career Development Course study books. These basically explain the systems of the different aircraft that fall under our AFSC. They have several features that have to be checked prior to take off at the end of runway, especially some of the flight controls. Hard to say what happened until the USAF releases the findings. I am curious as to what happened if both crewmen did manage to eject.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

Edited by NZEOD
Posted (edited)

Ah, the same air-to-air missiles they used in "Blue Thunder", the ones that can take out the whole floor of a tower block by themselves...

...wait a minute, in that second clip, is that music from an "Ace Combat" game?!! Spanish guitar?!!!!:

Edited by F-ZeroOne
Posted

Not sure. Going to have to watch the whole movie now I think.

Posted (edited)

What it looked like the day the dropped it off...

Greek_Air_Force_LTV_TA-7G_Corsair_II_dep

What it looked like after a few weeks after some budget cuts... birds already starting to feel at home on the tail...

A-7C_RIAT2007_2422_800.jpg

Ahhh the unloved life of a trainer...

Edited by NZEOD
Posted

What it looked like after a few weeks after some budget cuts... birds already starting to feel at home on the tail...

A-7C_RIAT2007_2422_800.jpg

Ahhh the unloved life of a trainer...

And it didn't even get washed for the airshow...

Posted

The A-6 was another bird that didn't age too well either.

The A-6 looks neat from some angles. But the A-7 was fugly from all aspects right from the start. Amazing considering it came from the F-8. (If only the A-7F had went into production...)

qqtjftxmfc4af7suprbq.jpg

Posted

What's actually weird is seeing a factory fresh aircraft. Got up close and personal with an F-18E once that was fresh off the delivery to a local squadron. The thing was so utterly uniformly painted, it looked like a toy. Completely flat paint, no dirt anywhere. It was bizarre. :lol:

The pilots with the squadron were having a blast with it though, since it had come without a lot of mission specific components installed yet. No pylons, no pontoon mounts, nothing. They were hot-rodding the thing all over the desert, relishing in the low-drag/low-weight configuration, and how well it accelerated.

Posted

What it looked like the day the dropped it off...

Greek_Air_Force_LTV_TA-7G_Corsair_II_dep

What it looked like after a few weeks after some budget cuts... birds already starting to feel at home on the tail...

A-7C_RIAT2007_2422_800.jpg

Ahhh the unloved life of a trainer...

such a beautiful plane! always had a special place in my heart for the Corsair & Crusader :wub:^_^

if only they made the Crusader III -_-

Posted

The A-6 looks neat from some angles. But the A-7 was fugly from all aspects right from the start. Amazing considering it came from the F-8. (If only the A-7F had went into production...)

qqtjftxmfc4af7suprbq.jpg

Yeah. I think the A-6F Intruder II would have also been great if it had become reality. Would have solved many of the A-6Es shortcomings.

Posted (edited)

The A-6 was another bird that didn't age too well either.

I love that plane. Bulbous nose and all. And to imagine all the crazy bombing missions it was put through-scary stuff.

Edited by Valkyrie Hunter D
Posted (edited)

The A-6 looks neat from some angles. But the A-7 was fugly from all aspects right from the start. Amazing considering it came from the F-8. (If only the A-7F had went into production...)

qqtjftxmfc4af7suprbq.jpg

Had the USN purchased the A-7F, perhaps there may not have been a need to purchase the Super Hornet...

And had the USAF purchased the A-7F, the A-10 might have been retired long ago?

Another pic -

901569%20YA-7F%2071-344%206512TS%20left%

Edited by Vifam7

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