Plane Pr0N, Vapes…and such

 

UPDATE: Happy 60th Birthday to the USAF (18 Sep 1947 – 2007) 
(thanks for the reminder Mike)

Frequent readers of this site (all 3 of you…) know that we tend not to cut the Junior Service too much slack, especially since their idea of a tailhook has not much more heft than a bent coat hanger (if one is present at all).  However, there is the occasional photo op that is too good to pass on, especially if it can elicit a response from the strike-fighter contingent.  And so, we came across the photo below whilst working (in our official capacity too – sometimes it is fun doing what you are paid to do) on some research for a project (click on photo for higher-res shot):

We await the response with no little curiosity   There’s some more below the fold…

A pair of Mustangs flank an F-4 at the March 2007 Heritage Conference at Davis-Monthan AFB.  For those marveling at an operational F-4 when they had been retired from the operational inventory some few years ago — this is a drone painted in Heritage colors and will (one day) offer itself up as a target. 

Offer us an opportunity to show a Mustang (winged or pony-car variety) and we, of course, will bite the hook…

…throw in a (rare) Jug (OK, P-47 for the noobies) and we’ll bite harder:

Sometimes, inspite of their best efforts, the home team manages to sneak a presence onto the Junior Service’s photo site:

One would imagine the above group would spell bad news for the operator of a SAM or EW site…

And finally, remember the Valiant Shield ’07 photo?  Well, with the exception of the real aircraft, all the others had to come from someplace:

(Anderson AFB, GUAM)

 

 

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10 Comments

  1. Pingback: Plane Pr0n
  2. I remember seeing a Rhino-F perform at Andrews several years ago; it was the first time I have ever seen a military plane do a Hammerhead stall or a one-turn spin (or so it appeared from the ground; I doubt that the plane departed controlled flight).

    This summer I saw the Raptor perform at Andrews; not only did it do Hammerheads, but it would literally stop in the air; “float” downward belly first while the pilot yawed the nose through 180° turns, and then throttle up and return to normal flight.

    Damned impressive engineering.

  3. Saw Raptors performing at an Airshow in Rhode Island this past June. Amazing things to see – power, speed and maneuverability at speeds that boggle the mind. I too saw that “Hammerhead” move mentioned by Bruce above (didn’t know that’s what it was called). “Damned impressive” is an understatement.

    We watched a video recently about the choreography behind those airshows – it’s just as impressive that while much of it is planned, overall the pilot just “does his/her thing” in the moment, depending on conditions.

    Wow.

  4. Ahhhh – note the mighty war pigs crouched at the ready on the starboard hot pads. Ready to spring in to action on a moment’s notice! By action, of course, I mean an R2N to Hong Kong, or perhaps a mini-det to Amsterdam.
    What’s the per diem rate these days?

  5. Just got back from the Reno Air Races where the 60th anniversary was
    a theme of the event. No Raptor or F-4, but the Viper West and A-10 West demo
    teams were there for the Heritage Flyby with the P38, Glacier Girl, and an A-1
    Skyraider. Beautiful!
    NAVAIR participation was an F/A-18C on the ramp, and a formation flyby
    of an F/A-18C and F-16 from Fallon’s Adversary Squadron.
    A Restored T-2 Buckeye won the Jet Gold Race, and Mike Brown’s
    F-7F Tigercat “Big Bossman” painted in Marine colors is always a crowd favorite!
    There was also a FM-2 Wildcat “Air Biscuit” in the Bronze as well.
    If anyone’s sitting on the fence about going to Reno, think about falling
    on the side to see the races-My 1st year and I’m hooked!
    Blue Skies & X6,
    Rich

  6. re #4 Kris in NE, linky for the video by chance? I was at the same show @ Q BTW and it was impressive watching the 22 and the 15 flying tight (relatively) with the Mustang. That Raptor was sweet – kinda makes one wish for a high in the Hi-Lo for the Navy, eh? Though nice to see the Superbug screaming fast & low though it did soil the underthings of some attendees…

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