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Posted

I buy it if it can transform into 3 modes :lol:

Posted

I see they also have a MiG-29 up on eBay, too! At least in the Fulcrum's case, there are pictures of the alleged aircraft in it's disassembled form.

If this is legit, of course the concern is how complete this aircraft is (especially ECM equipment). I wouldn't want to see a complete Hornet sold to someone representing a threatening nation(s)...

Posted

Yeap, a news report said the seller got a visit from the FBI. How sales of military equipment is not illegal is beyond me. Guess Homeland Security was told by the powers that be to leave this seller alone for the sake of economy. :blink:

Posted
Yeap, a news report said the seller got a visit from the FBI. How sales of military equipment is not illegal is beyond me. Guess Homeland Security was told by the powers that be to leave this seller alone for the sake of economy. :blink:

I think private citizens being able to own military equipment is a good thing, but we're drifting dangerously into politics...

Posted (edited)

ECM stuff's always removed whenever taken out of service. There's nothing "sensitive" in a Hornet-A besides that. (Well, the radar, but that's certainly gone) C's and later though would have quite a few "little" things. Think about it--that airframe could be nearly 25 by now, no "aerodynamic" secrets in it---Hornet A's suck, which is why they're all gone and replaced by Hornet-C's. Which suck, but suck less than an A. Also--it's a Blue Angels plane (almost all the Hornets from that production block are). All the "good stuff" is already gone. (Don't believe the airshow "they can be fighting in 24 hours" line---nope. There's a LOT of stuff taken out to reduce weight, many ports/vents are literally welded/bolted shut, etc--they are for airshows, nothing more. Heck, the entire cannon area is replaced by a smoke-generator-oil set, and civillian ILS/NAV equip, etc) A Blue Angels Hornet has no chance of ever fighting again, not without a LOT of work.

PS---on one of the main airplane forums I go to, there's a guy who's part of a "club" who have (flyable)F-104's, Mig-21's, and are looking at an Su-27. And they have looked into this F-18, but the price is getting high, quickly. But the exchange rate is quite favorable for ex-Ukranian fighters...

Only history I could find on the F-18 for auction is this:

"161973 was Blue Angels aircraft. Offered for public sale by Air Capitol Warbirds as of Feb 2002"

::major edit::

Here's the F-18 being rebuilt:

http://www.airwarbirds.com/f_a-18_pics.htm They've got lots of F-5's and A-7's it looks like, too.

Edited by David Hingtgen
Posted
How sales of military equipment is not illegal is beyond me.

EVERYTHING is legal when you have enough money and the right paperwork... jets, machine guns, missles, grenades, tanks, choppers... I personally know a guy in Nevada who owns TWO General Electric Miniguns, all above the boards and all legal and legit. Private citizens in the right state, with the right paperwork and background checks, and lets just say "more disposable income than Bill Gates" can legally buy and use almost any piece of military hardware on the market that has passed through the propper channels.

... and for the people who might think this auction is a come-on my question to them is: who in the world would have the kehonies to fake something like this? An auction as audacious and conspicuous as this one will attract attention, positive and negative, and someone doing this on a larf would be in for just what happened: a little visit from Club Fed.

Posted

I know a few air musuems that would love to get their hands on that Hornet and Fulcrum, if they did I would have to go back there all the time, especially the Fulcrum.

Posted

99 mil? It's not worth that, literally. Also---you know, I expected a lot of fake bids, but most of them are by people who have hundreds of points, with like 0-2 neg, and wouldn't risk "blowing" their good status.

Posted

wow thats some bid history. never seen so much canceled bids saying bogus.

think its real. it was on the news tonight. not sure if anyone would want one of them birds knowing how they fly them. even with all the maintenance I wouldnt trust it too much to fly reliably.

Posted
Yeap, a news report said the seller got a visit from the FBI. How sales of military equipment is not illegal is beyond me. Guess Homeland Security was told by the powers that be to leave this seller alone for the sake of economy. :blink:

It depends on what kind of equipment it is. Ex-army vehicles - up to and including deactivated self-propelled guns are not uncommon in classified ads in the UK and I suspect we have rather tighter laws on this sort of thing than most of the states do.

There are quite a few 50s era jets wowing audiences at airshows, and some hopefuls are looking to get a Vulcan bomber - one of the most amazing things to watch take off I've ever seen - back flying, if only they can talk the Civil Aviation Authority into it.

At leats one company in South Africa has taken things into its own hands and offers rides in classic ex-British jets such as Buccaneers, Hunters - and my favourite this - English Electric Lightnings, still one of the fastest things in the sky...!

BTW, I have to ask... just how is that Hornet doing that...?!

Posted

One of the opposing solos takes off by retracting the landing gear as he attains enough airspeed to become airborne. He's still only about 6 ft over the runway at that point, but he hasn't completely pulled back on the stick. Once he reaches the end of the runway, he pulls back sharply to climb vertically.

It's pretty cool.

Posted

Both the US and Russian militaries will sell you anything.... the big "no no" is anything sensative in nature i.e. missle lauchers... anything "containing secrets"... If its declassified as having no "secrets" to any of the technology, you could actually place and order through the manufacturer (if they still make them). Just call up your corner-store McDonnell Douglas shop, hand over a $29mil cashiers check... you too can fly away in your F-18C

Wish I remember where to go, but the former USSR sells their old Diesel Submarines (like a few $mil a piece). They have sold several to the US film makers market over the years.

Posted
Just call up your corner-store McDonnell Douglas shop, hand over a $29mil cashiers check... you too can fly away in your F-18C

funny you say that the former mcdonnel-douglas gift shop here in stlouis is now a boeing gift shop and it is on the corner by the fighter plant

Posted (edited)
One of the opposing solos takes off by retracting the landing gear as he attains enough airspeed to become airborne. He's still only about 6 ft over the runway at that point, but he hasn't completely pulled back on the stick. Once he reaches the end of the runway, he pulls back sharply to climb vertically.

It's pretty cool.

Thanks - it must look pretty scary but I guess its reasonably safe or they wouldn't be cleared to do it.

I wonder if the pilot has a large "NO!" sticker attached to the forward stick position...? :lol:

Edited by F-ZeroOne
Posted
Yeap, a news report said the seller got a visit from the FBI.  How sales of military equipment is not illegal is beyond me.  Guess Homeland Security was told by the powers that be to leave this seller alone for the sake of economy.  :blink:

I think private citizens being able to own military equipment is a good thing, but we're drifting dangerously into politics...

:rolleyes:

Hows that? Lighten up man... It is only a problem if members start threatening each other's lives.

Posted
Yeap, a news report said the seller got a visit from the FBI.  How sales of military equipment is not illegal is beyond me.  Guess Homeland Security was told by the powers that be to leave this seller alone for the sake of economy.   :blink:

I think private citizens being able to own military equipment is a good thing, but we're drifting dangerously into politics...

:rolleyes:

Hows that? Lighten up man... It is only a problem if members start threatening each other's lives.

right,,,what he said,,,i if had that much cash, i sure as hell wouldnt but a jet in pieces that needs to be assembled by a faa cert. mechanic for about another mill,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,id buy detroit and level it

Posted
One of the opposing solos takes off by retracting the landing gear as he attains enough airspeed to become airborne. He's still only about 6 ft over the runway at that point, but he hasn't completely pulled back on the stick. Once he reaches the end of the runway, he pulls back sharply to climb vertically.

It's pretty cool.

Thanks - it must look pretty scary but I guess its reasonably safe or they wouldn't be cleared to do it.

I wonder if the pilot has a large "NO!" sticker attached to the forward stick position...? :lol:

It's a very nerve-wracking thing to see in person, I'll tell you. Your stomach does somersaults as you watch him go by.

Posted
One of the opposing solos takes off by retracting the landing gear as he attains enough airspeed to become airborne. He's still only about 6 ft over the runway at that point, but he hasn't completely pulled back on the stick. Once he reaches the end of the runway, he pulls back sharply to climb vertically.

It's pretty cool.

Thanks - it must look pretty scary but I guess its reasonably safe or they wouldn't be cleared to do it.

I wonder if the pilot has a large "NO!" sticker attached to the forward stick position...? :lol:

It's a very nerve-wracking thing to see in person, I'll tell you. Your stomach does somersaults as you watch him go by.

Hell yes,

We were on Lk st clair for the Sefridge show and I was anchoring my boat and one flew (seemed like 50') overhead (had to have afterburners on) and it felt like someone punching you in the chest and a blast of wind afterword. The angels got wwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy close to the runway and out in the lake. One of the best shows Ive seen so far (even the migs were cool)

Posted

I think private citizens being able to own military equipment is a good thing, but we're drifting dangerously into politics...

:rolleyes:

Hows that? Lighten up man... It is only a problem if members start threatening each other's lives.

*shrugs* Don't get me wrong. I don't care if others want to talk about it. I'm just here to talk about hobby stuff

Posted
Strange, I saw something on the news about the seller not having permission from the true owners to sell it. Unfourtunately I missed the full report on it.

Well its possible that the true "owner" probably has it in storage... and if you don't pay your storage bill... hehehe :lol::lol::lol: the Storage owner can sell your stuff :lol::lol::lol: with or without permission... your storage bill has to go 90+ delinquent. -just a thought ;)

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