Saw the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels today

Good times and they rock and roll.

pitdogg2 wrote: »

So cool... I'd pay a good dollar to go balls to the wall in one of those planes...

It was the ride of my life, man... imagine the most insane rollercoaster you have ever been on and then forget about it because it ain't even close.

I feel the need...

The AF will be flying Eagles for the next 40 years, and are still taking deliveries of new airframes through 2027....

Have seen many air shows since I was a kid and biased for the Air Force...I'll always say "Go Blue!". However, there's nothing like the Blue Angels and the F-18 Hornet when it thunders overhead. The power and unique sound signature are exactly what airshow demonstrations are about. The Thunderbirds are great but the F-16 just isn't as menacing. At power, you have to hunt in the sky for the 16...the Hornet...you know it's coming.

watched a show the other day about the F35 and the F16. In air to air combat F35 lost 97% of the time. If the F16 had the avionics the F35 has it would be all over. I was very surprised to hear that watching the show.

Toured the F-35 production plant, in Fort Worth, TX, when the initial run was rolling off the production line. The Marines were getting their first jump jet variant (vertical takeoff). Buzz Aldrin (astronaut) had toured prior to us and they had him sign inside the avionics section of the nose cone. Pretty cool to see his signature and know that aircraft has a bit more history to it.

The virtual reality tools used to create the aircraft are mind blowing. They let us use it and simulate loading weapons in the weapons bay. The VR sensors track you in real-time and place you in/under the aircraft. They used it as a case study to show us the power in pre-production. They'd previously brought in weapons loaders and discovered the bay configuration caused problems with the work. Engineers immediately redesigned the bay and made changes that years prior would've been fleshed out in a physical prototype. Saved numerous man-hours and millions of $$$'s.

Also witnessed the last of the F-16's being produced. If memory serves, they were sold to Egypt.

JayCee wrote: »

pitdogg2 wrote: »

watched a show the other day about the F35 and the F16. In air to air combat F35 lost 97% of the time. If the F16 had the avionics the F35 has it would be all over. I was very surprised to hear that watching the show.

F-35 wasn't designed for air-to-air, F-22 was and to replace the F-16. True statement but not same missions.

Very true and to my knowledge we are not building anymore F-22's. The test was because we've sold so many F-16's around the world the likelihood the F-35 will go up against one is very good. Pilot training is everything.

According to the show the F-35 is supposed to do it all and replace the F-22. We'll see how that goes. They did mention they were buying many more F-15E F or G's whatever letter designate. The F15's we have now have tons of hours on the airframe and are starting to show big-time.

afterburnt wrote: »

@JayCee word on the street is the B-21 Raider is in line to replace all of them. Crazy that the Buffs are usually older than their pilots. I guess the same can be said of the Bones at this point.

PS that F-15 is pretty long in the tooth, that design is almost as old as me.

Haven't kept up w/recent designs and just Googled the B-21. Interesting. I thought you were joking about an older WWII era acft. LOL.

I had a couple of opportunities to work the secret squirrel stuff where they keep the "alien" aircraft but declined because I didn't want to live in Vegas or work off-site from my family. Had co-workers that did when the F-117 and B-2 were black. Would've been cool to be a part of what's to come. Had a boss that was on the 117 program in the 80's, pre public, and pretty wild to hear his impressions of being a 20 something and his first look at the 117. In the realm of, "holy shi!!, I'm looking at something the world's never seen."

When I was a kid I lived at Edwards AFB and my grade school memories revolve around seeing the F-15, F-16, A-10, space shuttle, watched the maiden flight of the B-1 and other test acft. One of my 3rd grade friends dad was a test pilot...I witnessed his plane crash while waiting for the school bus. Copilot bailed out. Her mom came to our school to get her a short time later. Learned later he saved the copilot and avoided even more casualties on the ground. Sad. On a more positive note most of the airshows I attended were here. Even saw Col Austin's space suit from the X-24B...Lee Majors, aka "The Six Million Dollar Man", a prop from the TV show. Exciting for a young me.

https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/the-six-million-dollar-man/

My dad worked for the Army on the Blackhawk test flight program at Edwards and now my son is a Blackhawk MEDIVAC pilot. Back in the day my dad never thought he'd have a grandson flying it.

JayCee wrote: »

afterburnt wrote: »

Is the USAF still buying F-15's, if so why?

Didn't know the answer until now....no, but as of this month, Boeing is reviving the production line in case the new defense budget appropriates for it.

There was no need to restart production of the Eagle, as it is still being built, with current projections showing orders for the jet through 2022. The F-15X Super Eagle project will equip new airframes with the electronics package from the F-35, allowing it to serve as a flying weapons platform for the Lightning II. It will also have some stealth characteristics added with a modernization of the aerodynamic features of the jet. This will have Boeing building variants of the aircraft through 2028. While the new Super Eagle has not been greenlit as of yet, the project is seen as vital to ensuring air dominance going forward.

The Stealth jets (F-22/F-35) hooks 'em and the Super Eagle fries 'em… It can carry up to 24 air to air missiles in just one of the load-out scenarios. In others, it will carry bombs and missiles of various types. The Raptors and Lightnings lock the targets up and sends the acquisition data to the F-15, which will fire on the targets.

Boeing further states the new variant will be able to remain in service for more than 40 years! This means the mighty Eagle will potentially serve in one way or another for more than 80 years.

With regards to the Tomcat being a Good looking aircraft, it is about as ugly as they get. I have tremendous respect for them and their capabilities, but they were never easy on the eyes. The Hornet just flows so well from curves to flat surfaces, especially the A and C series birds. They are just beautiful to look at and a treat to see in the air. The F-14 looks like a swiss army knife... useful, but everything was added on almost as an afterthought.

afterburnt wrote: »

nooshinjohn wrote: »

The Stealth jets (F-22/F-35) hooks 'em and the Super Eagle fries 'em… It can carry up to 24 air to air missiles in just one of the load-out scenarios. In others, it will carry bombs and missiles of various types. The Raptors and Lightnings lock the targets up and sends the acquisition data to the F-15, which will fire on the targets.

I don't get how the 15's can be in missile range and not be targeted themselves?

Hypersonics… I could say more but then, well, you know what I would have to do next.

They strike with such velocity that a warhead is redundant... They should come online in the next couple of years.