What's your favorite military aircraft?

[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.

 

[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.

 

[tiredretired]

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

 

[bq482]

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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[bczoom]

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?

 

[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

 

[BruceIowa]

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.

 

[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]

 

[Adillo303]

Gotta go with the A-10 Warthog.

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

 

[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.