# What's your favorite military aircraft?



## bczoom

So many nice ones to choose from but I'm going to pick 2.

The F-4 and the A-10.  So much "bang for the buck" (pun intended).
Good hearty aircraft that were tried and proven and have served well.
Kind of funny since one is so sharp looking and the other so darn ugly.

I worked on EA-6B's, AH-1T's (Cobra attack helicopter) and UH-1N's (Huey's).  All great planes and in my book probably belong with my first 2 selections.

I also think strapping into an A-4 (basically a big engine with 2 little wings and a seat) would be a riot to take for a spin.


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## johnday

A1 Skyraider, Navy/Marine version ofcourse.  Did a tremendous job in Viet Nam in S&R and close air support. Very manueverable. First aircraft that could carry it's own weight in arms, cargo, whatever.

Then we get into the countryclub airplanes. C-130, gunship/bomber/transport, one bad ass machine in it's own right. 
F/B 111, too bad it didn't work out for the Navy/Corps. Did an excellent job during the first Gulf War, and one of the best looking planes around in my opinion.


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## bczoom

Great selections.

Just thought of another one but this one is something I would just like to ride on (not in)


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## Dargo

If you look closely, you can see that there are some F18's flying a little close to my barn.  You want to talk about rattling the hell out of a barn!  My gosh, these things were LOUD!


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## johnday

Took off this morning over to Custer Airport. I remembered they had a bunch of planes there for a benefit for the Yankee Air Force. I thought it was still on today, but WRONG!! There were a couple planes still there, an A-10, a TBM, and a A/T-6 came in while I was there. Check out the photos.


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## johnday

And a couple more. And to keep it Tractor related, that 'bota is one of the tugs at Custer.


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## bczoom

johnday said:
			
		

> And to keep it Tractor related



Ahhh, John.  Old habits hard to break?  We're in the avation section of a non-tractor forum.  You don't have to quality your post any more...


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## johnday

Aahh geez Brian; It is a habit!! Sorry about the lousy photo of that A-1, if ya can clean up, it's a beautiful snapshot!


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## bczoom

No problem with the A-1 Photo.

What I can't figure out is that newfangled fuel probe sticking out the top of the A-10...


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## johnday

bczoom said:
			
		

> No problem with the A-1 Photo.
> 
> What I can't figure out is that newfangled fuel probe sticking out the top of the A-10...


You weren't supposed to see that. It's one the Martian spacecraft from War of the Worlds. We've had that hiding behind that hangar for years. Don't tell anyone, Okay?


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## Av8r3400

I like the F-18 shots!  Two of them did a "Fly-Over" of Lambeau Field before the Packer game today, right at the conclusion of the National Anthem!  Goose bumps were had by all 70,000+ people!

However, my favorite military aircraft has to be the P-51.  Untill you hear one of those for real, you can't appreciate the sound of that beautiful Merlin Engine!


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## JayC

Hmmm... This is a tough question. There are SO many I like. The A-10 is really cool. I love that big cannon on the nose. It's so ugly yet so functional. I love the way it looks. The A-6 was nice, too. I loved hearing about that old warbird. Before I ramble on too much, I guess I would have to say my favorite aircraft is the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Yes, it is Russian but it looks so cool. It doesn't fly-by-wire so it isn't constrained to that. It has IRST (Infra-Red Search and Track) range finding. It tracks the heat signature of a target aircraft and can home and fire without its prey even knowing. The MiG-29 can perform the Cobra maneuver and the Tailslide. Both are really cool to see. I remember some years ago at an airshow, the MiG-29 was supposed to be there. I was bummed when I didn't see it. They did have a mock dogfight between the F-86 and MiG-15, though. That was awesome to watch.


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## Ricochet

bczoom said:
			
		

> So many nice ones to choose from but I'm going to pick 2.
> 
> The F-4 and the A-10.  So much "bang for the buck" (pun intended).
> Good hearty aircraft that were tried and proven and have served well.
> Kind of funny since one is so sharp looking and the other so darn ugly.
> 
> I worked on EA-6B's, AH-1T's (Cobra attack helicopter) and UH-1N's (Huey's). All great planes and in my book probably belong with my first 2 selections.
> 
> I also think strapping into an A-4 (basically a big engine with 2 little wings and a seat) would be a riot to take for a spin.



F-4 & A-10 rate high in my book as well.  I probably like the F-14 Tomcat the most.


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## Ricochet

Dargo said:
			
		

> If you look closely, you can see that there are some F18's flying a little close to my barn. You want to talk about rattling the hell out of a barn! My gosh, these things were LOUD!



I don't remember your barn looking like that...maybe that is some other land.  The Blue Angels are awesome but I actually thought the Thunderbirds were better at the Dayton Air Show 2 years ago.  My son actually slept through the Blue Angels performing right over us!


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## Dargo

Ricochet said:
			
		

> I don't remember your barn looking like that...maybe that is some other land. The Blue Angels are awesome but I actually thought the Thunderbirds were better at the Dayton Air Show 2 years ago. My son actually slept through the Blue Angels performing right over us!


 
That was before I added on and concreted all of the gravel areas.  We have been fortunate enough to have the Blue Angels here 3 of the last 4 years.  My house is directly in the path of a "turn around" to their "show box" since I'm in a fairly rural area.  After literally feeling the downblast from them while out in my yard, I am in awe of those machines.

I've gotta say though, the Harrier (sp?) Jump Jet that hovered over my yard doing a 360 degree turn while hovering sure impressed the hell out of me!!  That thing gave a whole new meaning to LOUD!    He blew the fountain in my lake over when he did that!  I didn't have my camera at that time, but I could swear the pilot gave me a salute when he took off and I was just standing there like a dope watching him!


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## nixon

I worked on about 20 different acft. during my time in the AF . My 2 favorites are the C-130 (any model except the A , as it was a hog to work on ) ,and the A7D. Least favorites... T37 , The sound of those things was just about unbearable . T39, Just plain Pigs for such a small airframe . Last but not least, The f117. Great at what it is designed for. But , You couldn't get at anything easily . And if You walked into anything like a gear door, leading edge or trailing edge ,You were going to need stitches . 
Don't even get me going on Helicopters  They really don't fly , it's all done with smoke and mirrors     John.


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## bczoom

Hey John,
I've been waiting for you to chime in... 
(everyone else - everytime I've met John, we always end up discussing military aircraft and what's the best.  It always ends up with us discussing not what's the best, but who's the best and then him conceding that Naval Aviators are significantly better than anyone in the USAF).


			
				nixon said:
			
		

> Don't even get me going on Helicopters  They really don't fly , it's all done with smoke and mirrors     John.


Helicopters exist to show that a controlled crash can be maintained for a significant amount of time before hitting the ground.  Gotta' love an auto-rotation to expedite the experience.


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## nixon

Brian , You are absolutely right on the fact that Naval Aviators ( to include Marines ) are without a doubt the finest I've ever worked with . 
But there are times they seem to push their luck ,or just have brass balls . 
I was On temporary duty with the Ohio Guard on an A7 conversion . Any way a Navy A6 comes in going cross country . The pilots go to lunch, or where ever. In the meantime , we have a C141 come in ,and needs to park where the A6 is . Noone knows how to get into the Cockpit of this thing. So We just Crack the Brake lines ,and tow it . 3 hours later the Crew Shows up .When We tell them what We've done, and that We need to bleed the Hydro sytem , they just say" We've got a Tail hook !!!! 
Anyway , the naval aviators I worked with didn't sweat the "small shit ".
If they had a gripe , it was real . AND, You'd best fix it !    !   John
PS But the AF had Better Maintainers!!!!


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## bczoom

nixon said:
			
		

> or just have brass balls



Nuff said


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## Dargo

nixon said:
			
		

> I worked on about 20 different acft. during my time in the AF . My 2 favorites are the C-130...


 
I'd love to actually see one of those. About 12 years ago or so, one landed (nose down) on a Jo-Jo's restaurant while is was sitting in my car about 1/4 mile away.  It was a terrible disaster just outside the airport in Evansville, IN. I'm sure you can most likely look up that accident on the internet; I've never tried. I was sitting at an intersection and the crash was just to my right and slightly behind me. Out of shear panic, I simply floored it and ran the light, thinking were were under attack and that was the first bomb. Several people died in the restaurant, everyone on the plane, as well as several in a hotel next door (from the fireball). I still have flash-backs to that crash. I was interviewed as a "witness", but I saw nothing but a huge flash and the earth shook.

I am just now getting curious as to the size of a C-130. Also, I have now come to understand that they are actually a relatively safe aircraft. The crash by me was a training pilot error, from what I've read about later reports. They were doing "touch and go" landings.


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## nixon

Brent , Working from memory Here as to the specs on the 130 . Wingspan 132 ' , length 100and a bit . Engines  t56- 15 (On H and later models ) 4900 shaft hp . Max TO weight is around 175 k Pounds . It's a very safe machine . About the only way they crash is Pilot error , or gun fire .    In fact the first one purchased by the AF (53-3129 ) is still flying as a gunship out of Duke Field in Fla.    John


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## DaveNay

Dargo, is that the JoJo's right next to the Drury Inn near the airport?  That's the hotel I usually stay at when I'm there!

Dave


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## bczoom

nixon said:
			
		

> Here as to the specs on the 130



You didn't even mention the JATO option???    Now that's cool.


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## nixon

Brian , thats one of those things that was rarely used . It seemed like a great idea at the time . But the damage it caused from the heat ,and the occasional  hang fire from one or more of the Jato units tended to dicourage it's use. We had one plane overseas that was also "modded " so that the prop condition levers could be put into reverse before the plane was on the ground . It was intended for very short fields . It worked , but really beat up the plane and crew .   John


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## bczoom

nixon said:
			
		

> It seemed like a great idea at the time



Wasn't it developed as a way to get the hostages out of Iran?  I thought I recall that they needed a C130 to be able to land, then take off from something the size of a football field.  I thought I also recall that of the 2 planes they were testing it on, someone engaged the braking JATO's when still in the air.  It fell like a rock.


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## nixon

The Jato fixtures have been on every model of the C130 I've worked on . They mount on the Air deflector doors (4 per side ) .They produce about 1000 pounds of thrust per motor . Depending on fuel load , runway surface You could get airborne in less than 1500 feet of runway . The 130's You are referring to were EC130 E's  "combat Talon ) out of the !st SOS at Hurlburt field in Fla.  They were somewhat madded for their purpose . But what it was specifically I'm not sure . Anyway the mission was compromised when one of the helicopters collided with one of the 130's at the refueling area in the desert. That was a black day .     John


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## Dargo

DaveNay said:
			
		

> Dargo, is that the JoJo's right next to the Drury Inn near the airport? That's the hotel I usually stay at when I'm there!
> 
> Dave


 
That's the one!!  I bet you can look up the crash somewhere on the internet.  I was sitting at that intersection on Hwy 41, headed north.


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## johnday

At an airshow at Willow Run here in Michigan, the Blue Angels Fat Albert demonstrated a JATO. Man , very impressive. They rotated at a 45 degree angle they said, leveled off around 500', killed the JATO, and it looked like it was just hanging in mid air. Other that tractors and big trucks, airplanes rule!


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## Deerlope

The C-130 is a great workhorse for the military. It can be set up to do so many things. But I like the P-51 and the SR-71 Blackbird.


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## bczoom

Deerlope said:
			
		

> But I like the P-51 and the SR-71 Blackbird.


2 excellent choices.  So many aircraft to choose from...


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## Melensdad

For no particular reason that I can justify, but I like the Navy Sea Knight (despite its marginal safety record) 








A sentimental favorite from my childhood when I used to make models of planes would have to be the venerable Sopwith Camel








And for some reason, the DeHavilland Mosquito has always been a favorite of mine.  This is a plane that was built in secret, was never supposed to have existed because it was not considred viable, but ended up being used in great numbers (something like 7700 of them were produced in at least a dozen variants).


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## waybomb

B1 is way cool. And I wonder what it's real mission is. I really don't think it was intended for bombing. I'm thinking fairly large missile launching from near space altitudes? It sits way high off the ground, as if intended for large underbelly payloads.

I had the pleasure of being at the 50th aniversary air show at Edwards. We got there before sun-up, so we could watch the SR71 take off (oh man, is that simply mind-numbing!) We also witnessed the B2 take off as well, along with a representative of every other USAF machine in service. At that show, you could walk up to any aircraft there, including an SR71. They also had the proto YF22 and 23 right there that you could walk up to and touch. But the B1? It was across the field, all by itself, with armed guards around it. What's with that?

The formation fly-by of one of every USAF machine was simply too cool.


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## frank_f15

kind of late to this  thread , but as you can tell from my name the f15 is one of the best in the world and has been for some time, although the new  boy on the block  the f22 Raptor looks interesting, course i am partial to fighters.


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## Doc

Frank, did you fly an F15?  Sure wish I could've.


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## Doc

angle decoys


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## johnday

Doc; Great photos. The C130 is one "H" of a machine!! 
Looks like the angel of death!


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## frank_f15

Doc  never did fly the F15 or for that matter any airplane,  but i sure wish i would have been able to, airplanes are just a love of mine, and can only imagine the  feeling of  flying one, can not  begin to wonder  what it would be like to  catapult off in a  tomcat off the deck of a carrier.


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## Doc

I get a thrill just imagining that Frank.  I've never had the chance either.  Darnit!


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## humor_me

I like the Harrier.


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## Archdean

I have always liked this one perhaps it's why I spent so much time in it!! 

Ch47,A,B,and C


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## Archdean

See some of you occasionally at TF and have the oppurtunity to drop in and say hello! Plus share a small vid with you about Beavers in Alaska!!

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v517/Archdean/?action=view&current=Dolleytakeoffweb3.flv


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## lilnixon

http://www.444thbg.org/676thbombsq.htm

FU-Kemal is the coolest airplane.  My Dad flew on this plane until it crashed.  It was his favorite B-29.


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## Michael

Well lets see, I have worked on these Air Force birds before I retired from the Air Force (12 years active and 11 in the Reserve)

1. F-4 
2. T-38
3. F-15
4. F-16
5. C-124
6. C-130
7. C-141
8. C-5
9. C-17
10. C-9 (the C-9 was the medical evac plane used by the Air Force for critical injury patients)

My favorite aircraft to work on was the first aircraft that I had the pleasure to work on even tho it was a beast the F-4 that the Air Force had.


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## lilnixon

I just found out from my brother that my Dad actually was responsible for getting the Fu-Kemal named.


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## bczoom

lilnixon said:
			
		

> I just found out from my brother that my Dad actually was responsible for getting the Fu-Kemal named.


And a fine name that is!!! 
I almost pasted it into a google search to see it's meaning until I change the pronunciation (_and then it made perfect sense_)


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## nixon

bczoom said:
			
		

> And a fine name that is!!!
> I almost pasted it into a google search to see it's meaning until I change the pronunciation (_and then it made perfect sense_)


My FIL recounted a ttale to Me about a very senior officer asking about the name . He told Him it was pronounced FOOCAMEL.  Then  proceeded to tell Him it was a Chinese term wishing good luck   
Another time when He was asked by an arrogent officer what the "pee tubes were , He told Him it was part of the intercom system . He'd always crack a smile when He described how that guy tried talking into it ,and waited for a response from the cockpit


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## Snowcat Operations

A-10 Warthog!


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## Snowcat Operations

I changed my mind  SR-71


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## Bobcat

Too hard to pick one.

Classics
     B-17, flew in one a few years ago, remember the 8th.
     P-51, would marry your ugly daughter for a ride.
     P-38, just looks cool.

Almost Classics
     F-86, just looks cool.
     H-1, carries more than you can cram in it, makes a lovely wop-wop.
     C-130, land anywhere, carry lots-o-stuff, floats like a butterfly.

Modern
     F-16, one sleek bird.
     SR-71, just looks cool, heard it could fly to moon if trajectory was right.

If I absolutely had to pick one, it'd be the B-17. Maybe not so much for its art-deco looks and fighting capability. Maybe more for the memory of the men who flew those last miles in her in a straight line, unprotected, in the daylight raids over Europe, watching other ships fall around them.


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## Bobcat

My B-17 ride...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspUsJTJ2O0"]YouTube - B-17 - Aluminum Overcast[/ame]


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## Erik

Beech model 17 "Staggerwing".  (UC-43)
WWII observer and courier craft.
one of the last biplanes, one of the last cloth skinned planes, and could outrun and outfly most of the combat birds early in the war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beech_Staggerwing


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## RNE228

A little late to this thread, but...

Chance-Vought F4U Corsair, hands down. 

The Corsair saw production through the Korean War. It was extremely versatile, and could hold its own against any other prop fighter. All other US production of fighters ended at the end of WWII. Although P51' etc flew for a long time after, the F4U was the one in production and heavy use.

The F4U easily held its own. Although it saw very limited use outside the Pacific Theatre in WWII, in US military testing late in WWII it won a large percentage of test mock fights. It was tested against other US fighters(P51, P38 etc), Japanese fighters, and German fighters captured during the war. It could easily hold its own, and usually came out on top.

It was tough enough to fly from carriers, or go land based. Yes, it had a rough start on carriers. Interestingly, it was the British that figured out how to really make it work on carriers. Only the "Cat" series could boast that too...

Those gull wings just look cool!

I am briefly acquainted with pilots who flew them off the USS-Phillipine Sea. Pretty cool stories. The pilot narrating this video, and the one making the rough landing, are the pilots I have met and talked with. The pilot who made the video, is a docent on the USS-Hornet CVS-12 museum, in Alameda Ca. This pilot also flew F9F Panther/Cougars off the USS Hornet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq61EV-FqYw


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## Av8r3400

Bobcat said:


> Classics
> B-17, flew in one a few years ago, remember the 8th.
> P-51, would marry your ugly daughter for a ride.
> P-38, just looks cool.
> 
> Almost Classics
> F-86, just looks cool.
> H-1, carries more than you can cram in it, makes a lovely wop-wop.
> C-130, land anywhere, carry lots-o-stuff, floats like a butterfly.
> 
> Modern
> F-16, one sleek bird.
> SR-71, just looks cool, heard it could fly to moon if trajectory was right.




Sorry to tell you Bobcat, but your modern choices are 'almost classics' now, too.


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## fogtender

The Consolidated PBY was/is my favorite militart plane, not fast, but could fly for hours and did a lot of work during WWII


PBY Catalina





PBY-5 Catalina landing at NAS Jacksonville.
Typeflying boat patrol bomberManufacturerConsolidated AircraftDesigned byIsaac M. LaddonMaiden flight28 March 1935IntroducedOctober 1936, USNRetiredJanuary 1957, USNRPrimary usersUnited States Navy
United States Army Air Forces
Royal Air Force
Royal Canadian Air ForceProduced1936-1945Number built4,051 (est.)Unit cost$90,000 as of 1935VariantsBird Innovator
The *PBY Catalina* was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. It could be equipped with depth charges, bombs, torpedoes, and .50 Browning machineguns and was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the US military and in the air forces and navies of many other nations. In the United States Army Air Forces and later in the USAF their designation was the *OA-10*, while Canadian-built PBYs were known as *Canso*s.
In World War II, PBYs were used as anti-submarine warfare aircraft, patrol bombers, convoy escorts, search and rescue aircraft, and transports. The PBY was the most successful aircraft of its kind, as no other flying boat was produced in greater numbers. The last active military PBYs were not retired from service until the 1980s. Even today, over seventy years after its first flight, the aircraft continues to fly as an airtanker in aerial firefighting operations all over the world.
In the acronym PBY, "PB" stands for "Patrol Bomber", and "Y" is the code for "Consolidated Aircraft", as designated in the 1922 United States Navy aircraft designation system.







[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NzkUfpSpZg"]YouTube - Pescaria - Puta susto! / Fishing - What scare! (funny)[/ame]


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## nixon

There's been some fine and beautiful acft. named here. But I'm still going with the C130 .  It's still in production and at the same time a classic . 
It also has done some things that other land based acft. Can't even attempt.....[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfwJJD5jGXk"]YouTube - C-130 Hercules on an Aircraft Carrier!![/ame]


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## Snowtrac Nome

guys talk about bang for the buck nothing in the invetory matches the service life of the b52 and ithink the runner up could be the hurc the hurc is likely my favorite the two sounds the turn me on is the c130 and the m35 and 51 with the multi fuel motors


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## Dargo

dds said:


> guys talk about bang for the buck nothing in the invetory matches the service life of the b52 and ithink the runner up could be the hurc the hurc is likely my favorite the two sounds the turn me on is the c130 and the m35 and 51 with the multi fuel motors



I was sitting at a stoplight about 15 years ago when, tragically, a C130 landed nose first about 1/4 a mile from me on top of a JoJo's restaurant and Drury Inn.  I've mentioned it earlier, but it really sticks in my mind.


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## Av8r3400

I still say that all you need to do is sit in a chair with a blindfold on in the "War Bird" area of Oshkosh during Airventure and you will nearly die of the chills and goosebumps.

If you have never smelled, felt and heard a _real _warbird with a 1000+ hp radial engine, you have never lived.  (The video is a very poor representation.)  Feeling the vibration of the air in your lungs to the chugga-chugga-chugga of one of these huge engines is beyond explanation.  A Harley is a very poor substitute.  Crack cocaine is less addictive.  Just watching this video brings tears to my eyes at the sound...

This is the sound of testosterone.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw6UWPaTUt0"]YouTube- Grumman F8F Bearcat Flight Demonstration - MONSTER Radial Sound ![/ame]


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## WVBill

My personal favorite from my perspective as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO)  - "GIBS" for you AF guys - was the EKA-3B.








Big, roomy, fun to fly in, great multi-mission aircraft :  Electronic Warfare, Air-air-refueling, long-range navigation lead, cruise missile simulator and all-around cargo hauler.   Only drawback - no ejection seat.

Favorite aircraft to watch launch from and recover on the carrier:  RA-5C





This sucker is HUGE.  Crew of two.  You can see the pilot in this pic.  The NFO is in back of him.  See that little dark square above the star-and-bars?  That's the NFO's window.  He can't see ANYTHING when coming aboard the carrier - if things don't go right, he feels it before he sees anything...  those guys had cojones.....


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## RoadKing

My 2 cents

 WWII P38 Lighting

P38 Association


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## bq482

I have 4 favorites. The F-101, F-102, C-7A and the B-58. I had the priviledge of maintaining the hydraulic and some armament systems on these aircraft.


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## Snowtrac Nome

what is the turbine version of the c-7, we had a few fly into Bryant air field. it was an impressive airplane to see  land, also we had an outfit flying c-7's out of anch international it was so cool to see those land, than make the turn to the ramp almost as soon as the wheels touched the ground. another cool airplane I was able to get up close to was an l-13 what an impressive little bird I could only imagine what kind of moose hauler that would be.


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## tiredretired

The legendary F4J Phantom. This one is seen launching from the forward starboard catapult USS Independence  CVA-62.  Circa mid 60's/


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## bq482

The C-7A had Pratt & Whitney 2000R engines. Was not uncommon to land and/or takeoff in less than 2000 ft.


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## Snowtrac Nome

I love the sound of those radials they just sound like raw horsepower if I were to have to fly commercial turbines are the only way to go as they have less maintenance. as for the f-4 that was one of the best deals the government ever got one plane that worked for all services.


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## Catavenger

My father was part of Operation Matterhorn http://www.historynet.com/world-war-ii-operation-matterhorn.htm in WW 2 .
This used B29's to bomb Japanese targets from bases in India & China. It wasn't really successful due to logistics. However it showed the Japanese that the USA could fight back and it let the crews become familiar with the B29 until islands were available for bases in the Pacific. 
After my father died my mother gave me a negative of a B29 she had found in his effects. I scanned it & reversed it into a positive image. A military air forum told me it was taken in Alabama. I would imagine after my father returned.
Anyway this gives me a good reason for the B29 being my favorite. Of course they also dropped the bombs that ended the war & a variant called the B50 launched the 1st aircraft to break the sound barrier.


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## bq482

I found an interesting photo from another website I frequent.
A C-7A Caribou transport was hit by a US Army 155 Howitzer while taking off. All 3 crewman were killed.
I had worked on this airplane during my tour in Vietnam.


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## bczoom

bq482 said:


> A C-7A Caribou transport was hit by a US Army 155 Howitzer while taking off.



What's the story behind that?  What's a US howitzer doing shooting at our planes?


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## bq482

First I must correct a mistatement about the incident. The plane was on final approach when hit.
It was just a freak accident. The artillery crew was firing just as the plane flew in front.
A gross lack of communication. This was supposedly remedied after the accident, but, actually, who knows? Probably wouldn't ever happen again under any circumstance


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## BruceIowa

lilnixon said:


> I just found out from my brother that my Dad actually was responsible for getting the Fu-Kemal named.



Interestingly, I grew up hearing my dad named the plane. William E. Smith (navigator).  I was also told the meaning of the plane.  Which was...
(Please don't censor this, I promise this is what I was told.)  "F--- Em All. "
I got the impression the "Em" was the Japanese, but also a little toward the military authority.  My mom, having heard the story, didn't want the picture of the plane hanging in the den.  It would make sense to me that my dad named the plane.


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## leadarrows

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQxb-V-rZqA"]F4U Corsair "Whistling Death" Flight Demonstration ! - YouTube[/ame]



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4aPk4fledU"]Flying the Vought F4U "Corsair" Fighter (1944) - YouTube[/ame]


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## Adillo303

Gotta go with the A-10 Warthog.

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/warthog.html


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## loboloco

My favorite aircraft are the A10 Warthog and the Spectre gunship.

Probably the most successful is the Buff.  Followed closely by the P-51 Mustang.  Variants of the Mustang are still being used by some countries as ground support craft.


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