Anyone else...

From: Griffon <font size=1 face="trebuchet ms"><BLOCKQUOTE><hr size=1 noshade>WWII: Lancaster B17 bomber <hr size=1 noshade></BLOCKQUOTE></font><font face=´trebuchet ms, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica´ size=2> Dude, the B-17 Flying Fortress and the Lancaster were two totally different aircraft. The B-17 was American. The Lancaster was British. From:Lethal Larry <font size=1 face="trebuchet ms"><BLOCKQUOTE><hr size=1 noshade>I would have given anything to be a pilot of a CF-18 in the RCAF, but my eyes aren´t 20-20, so no chance of becoming a military pilot. <hr size=1 noshade></BLOCKQUOTE></font><font face=´trebuchet ms, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica´ size=2> It´s correctible to 20-20. My father has horribly nearsighted with glasses. With them, he has 20-10. That enabled him to fly the B-1B Lancer. Though with Canada how it is the CF-18 is the only choice you have. Personally, I´ve always liked the P-51 Mustang for historical aricraft. Modern craft though, my favorite is F-15 Strike Eagle. <b>jedierrant </b> Saving damsels in distress, Defending the defenseless, Fighting for the underdog, Don Quixote in an X-wing. Play UT, and you´ll leave crying Volun-Tears! <A href=´http:// angels2200.com.l0w.net/Default.asp?filler=false´ Target=_Blank><img src=´http://angels2200.com.l0w.net/images/shipsbanner.jpg ´> </a>

Just goes to show how little I know about WWII...I had a vague idea of a big bomber, no idea what its called, thanks for that.

Hmmm...the B-17 and the Lancaster were planes of great reknown. Unfortunately they also had gaping defensive problems. The B-17 for a while didn´t have adequate weaponry to cover the foward arc. The Germans discovered this and began nose-to-nose attacks. Luckily, the engineers corrected this by adding a chin turret to later models. The Lancaster didn´t have a ball turret, even worse one was never added. The Germans constantly ripped them apart by using climbing attacks. I´ve always been a fan of the B-24 Liberator when it comes to WWII heavy bombers. <b>jedierrant </b> Saving damsels in distress, Defending the defenseless, Fighting for the underdog, Don Quixote in an X-wing. Play UT, and you´ll leave crying Volun-Tears! <A href=´http:// angels2200.com.l0w.net/Default.asp?filler=false´ Target=_Blank><img src=´http://angels2200.com.l0w.net/images/shipsbanner.jpg ´> </a>

Im a B-25 fan myself, although pretty much all ww2 heavy bombers were really cool. BUT, since we are on the subject, what would you say is the best aircraft of all time? &quot;I know the situation, just tell me what´s changed&quot; - Civ III

MiG 29 Fulcrum, of course. Sukhoi Su-35 comes in second. Antonov A225 is too... well, scary to be left out, so it gets 3rd.

Migs? Factory-new Migs or in their present state Migs? I go for the F-15. But I saw a show that compared planes from their respective eras, and then graded their influence and power in their era. Then winner´s of each era were compared on how they scored in their own era. If I remember right, the P-51 came out on top. <b>jedierrant </b> Saving damsels in distress, Defending the defenseless, Fighting for the underdog, Don Quixote in an X-wing. Play UT, and you´ll leave crying Volun-Tears! <A href=´http:// angels2200.com.l0w.net/Default.asp?filler=false´ Target=_Blank><img src=´http://angels2200.com.l0w.net/images/shipsbanner.jpg ´> </a>

Crazy enough to want to be a pilot for like 10 years, grew out of it eventually though, some things are best left as dreams IMO

<img src=´http://www.geocities.com/gwtc_99/russia/transport/an225.jpg ´> Nation: USSR Manufacturer: State Industries (Antonov Design Bureau) Type: Transport Year: 1988 Engine: 6 Lotarev D-18T turbofans, 51,575 lb thrust each Span: 290 ft Length: 275 ft 7 in Height: 59 ft 4.74 in Max Takeoff Weight: 1,322,750 lb Max Speed: 528 mph Ceiling: Range: Crew: 6 Armament: none Payload: 551,146 lb

steel , y m8 I really tried, back in the early 80s when I was in there was still plenty of fixed-wing left, although it soon went in the MOD cuts of the same time! also tried for subs and ASR. Did you get in finally yourself or did you skip it? I ended

I would have to say the best military fighter in service is the F15 Eagle. It is now decades old and yet is still pretty much unmatched as a fighter. A MiG can out-manouvre it at low speeds, but the Eagle was never built to be much of a turner, and since when would it let MiGs get that close? The downsides of the Eagle is that it is BIG, and not very economical costing ALOT to build and repair. Its slowly losing the popularity contest with the F16 Falcon, and the new F22 is supposed to replace it as air superiority fighter. On a side note: Did you know an A10 warthog can out-manouvre an eagle at slow speeds?!

Yeah, it will be interesting once the F-22 and JSF come online. Another point that makes *working* Migs dangerous is a certain target system that allows the pilot to target planes behind him for missile shots. I think the Germans have some of these. <b>jedierrant </b> Saving damsels in distress, Defending the defenseless, Fighting for the underdog, Don Quixote in an X-wing. Play UT, and you´ll leave crying Volun-Tears! <A href=´http:// angels2200.com.l0w.net/Default.asp?filler=false´ Target=_Blank><img src=´http://angels2200.com.l0w.net/images/shipsbanner.jpg ´> </a>

The eagle also has a high radar profile. Personally I don´t think much of the eagle, it´s had more issue´s than a celebrity with a drug problem. Once the F-22 and JSF get into full swing production the f-15 will be shown the door. IMO though the best historical fighter ever would have to be the Spitfire Mk IV followed closely by the P-51.

Must, the MK IV? surely the Mk IX.. by far the best variant of the Spit, although those late model Griffin engined jobbies are pretty spectacular. I would have to say though that I am in agreement with jedi that the finest fighter of all time was the P-51 (but without that lovely Merlin engine would it have been so successful?) my father was RAF, he was for a time aircrew during the war (Halifax gunner) hated Lancasters because they were cramped, hard to get out of in a hurry and you kept falling over the mainspar all the time. Later on he transferred to the RAF Regiment for the Italian campaign. After the war he joined the Palestine Police. He absolutely HATED it when I joined the RN (although me mum liked the uniform)

P-51 had it were it counted. Yes, it was nothing without that Rolls Royce Merlin. The thing about the P-51 is that it excelled far past any fighter of the day and dominated the skies. It was the only fighter that could escort bomber formations the entire way. It was the only thing that had chance of taking down a German rocket plane. It was just the right fighter at the right time. <b>jedierrant </b> Saving damsels in distress, Defending the defenseless, Fighting for the underdog, Don Quixote in an X-wing. Play UT, and you´ll leave crying Volun-Tears! <A href=´http:// angels2200.com.l0w.net/Default.asp?filler=false´ Target=_Blank><img src=´http://angels2200.com.l0w.net/images/shipsbanner.jpg ´> </a>

IMO, F/A-18 Superhornet´s faar cooler than any other plane. as for maneuvability(sp?), i´d stick with the sukhoi series. that is in reference with this air show magazine thing i got. turns faster than a missile IMO. and i don´t want the F-22 to come in. personally F-15 ranks second. then again, SL´s phoenix HAS to get the prize. i mean, who could match the nova cannon? <img src=smilies/icon_smile_tongue.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

ever seen one of these babies? <img src=´http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/ty…efiant/Mk1%20Defiantx.jpg ´> Boulton Paul Defiant N.F. Mk I Role: Night-fighter Crew: Two Dimensions: Length 35 ft 4 in (10.77 m); Height 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m); Wing Span 39 ft 4 in (11.99 m); Wing Area 250.0 sq ft (23.23 sq m) Engine(s): One liquid cooled, 12 cylinder Vee, Rolls-Royce Merlin III of 1,030 hp (768 kW). Weights: Empty Equipped 6,078 lb (2,757 kg); Normal Take-off 8,318 lb (3,773 kg); Maximum Take-off 8,600 lb (3,900 kg) Performance: Maximum level speed 250 mph (402 kph) at sea level, 302.5 mph (486 kph) at 16,500 ft (5,029 m); Cruising speed 259 mph (416 kph); Initial rate of climb 1,900 ft/min (579 m/min); Service ceiling 28,100 ft (8,565 m); Range 465 mls (748 km) at 259 mph (416 kph); Endurance 1.78 hr. Armament: Four .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine-guns in power-operated Boulton Paul A. Mk IID dorsal turret, with 600 rounds per gun. &quot;What? Another girl! Tell me my boy. *whispers* what have you been doing?&quot; - Tobias

@jedierrent - I saw that program too. The P-51 really is a piece of work. In modern times the F-22 has to take the cake tho <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> &quot;Like a mighty castle our friendship shall surviv

well well ff a Defiant. interesting choice. when I was a kid our next door neighbour was a former Defiant gunner. apparently at the beginning of the Battle of Britain Defiants got a fair few kills, because the Jerries thought they were Hurricanes and would attack from the rear, thus coming into the arc of that big turret. The wily Hun soon wised up to this though (sorry slipped into &quot;Warlord&quot; mode for a moment) and Defiants started falling from the sky in numbers and were soon retired from active service. They got a new lease of life as a night-fighter during the Blitz, a role which although not designed for, they did very well in, even though they were pressed into service as stop-gap because at the time the RAF had nothing else in sufficient numbers. what next then ff? Fairey Battles, Avro Manchesters, Sea Skuas, Handley Page Hampdens, Bristol Beauforts, Armstrong-Whitworth Whitleys, Westland Wapitis? ah, the name of names has come to me.. De Havilland...I love the Mosqito, it was just so &quot;right&quot; the British aviation industry, destroyed by govt. interference in the 40s and 50s. we led the americans and the rest of the world in everything, engines, airframes, radar, weapons, but it wasn´t to be. Remember the Comet? the Swift? TSR2? Blue Streak? now we have British Aerospace and collaboration projects with our European &quot;partners&quot; and they let us provide the seat covers for the &quot;Eurofighter&quot;...wow great. I saw one of the last Vulcan scrambles **sniff** what a sight. I also once got to go in a Victor, but they wouldn´t let me fly in it, I had to go in a Hercules (I´d have preferred a Belfast) btw I believe there is a Defiant in the Imperial war Museum, Duxford, or at the RAF Museum, Hendon, can´t remember which. (ok we do a bit more than the seat covers but you get the point) Edited by - Tawakalna on 29-09-2003 23:57:22

The F-22 is way too expensive to be useful. Stick with the MiGs, you can even rent one in Russia for 2.000 US$ per minute of flight... (not kidding)

yeah Chet I actually looked into it, they offered me 1/2 hr in a MiG-25 twin seater for £9000 and a guaranteed supersonic blast (whether they´d get me to Mach 3 wasn´t clear!) I´m seriously thinking about it as we´re going to Russia in the New Year anyway. it´s expensive but affordable. Better than walking round the Hermitage (again) looking at Fabergé eggs (again) ok there´s a lot of other things I can spend 9K on more fruitfully but like it´s a once in a lifetime experience and soon I´ll be too old and won´t be able to do stuff like that. I already can´t go parachuting anymore (booooooo!) and me boat got sold so before i go out to grass at 40 and end up with soaponarope, pipes and slippers as xmas presents I´d like to do something exciting like this, s*d what the wife says.