[vrooom3440]

...Both the Navy and Air Force are building new highly complicated Jets that are replacing very capable old jets, and for what? Nobody on the face of the Earth can touch us now.

Oh well, lets just spend billions of dollars on new stuff.

If I remember my history correctly, this was roughly the same thought most people in this country had in the late 1930s and very early 1940s. True the reasons were different (isolated by oceans vs. technology) but the invincibility and fiscal direction are the same.

If not for the skunk works efforts of a few history might have been very different. The air corps was significantly out classed by most of the world at the beginning of WWII. Only a combination of designs in the pipeline and extraordinary teamwork/response of the citizens of this county pulled us through.

Except for the loss of life, I think the Japanese did us a huge favor by attacking the Hawaiian Islands. They quickly disposed of a bunch of obsolete junk and awakened the American citizens to the reality of the world they lived in.

I think we have been down this "multi-role" path before too... with the previously mentioned F-111. It was supposed to be a plane for everybody that nobody was happy about. Only by a fortunate discovery of the benefits of stability of the swept wing in low altitude terrain following bombing operations did that plane ever amount to much.

These things are too often tainted by politics.

Just MHO

 

[79943]

Made feel old, the last school I went to before getting out was the F14 fire control radar. Neat plane but I am still an F4 Phantom fan. The F4 is like a SS454 or a Hemi ... pure raw power, where the F-14 and the newer planes are more like Porsche's. We live right on the approach to Andrews AFB and I used to love seeing the Marine F-4's coming in. You cant replace that sound and look !

my sentiments exactly. for me the profile of the F4 or F111 just looked like a "bad" plane. both were pretty big airframes that could deliver enough ordinance to ruin your day. the new stuff is quieter faster stealthier much more accurate but for just pure intimidating looks that F4 was hard to beat.

 

[Professor_SS]

man, I can remember when we got them and the new stallions back in 71 or 2.

 

[Motorhead62]

Wow, You guys are really beatin' me up here. Have yall read what the Air Force is doing right now to pay for those Multi-Billion dollar aircraft.

Say what you will, but man what a way to pay for things. Cutting people in a force that is already hurting.

Hmmm...

 

[SS_Dave]

Im in but I reserve the right to be called "Goose"

...another example of me typing a response and deleting it.
It wouldn't have been fair to Beaux.
So, I'll PM you Beaux.

 

[dbreese]

Great thread!

Being a former Air Force military brat I've always had a love of military aircarft. My dad wrenched on the F-105 Thunder Chief (Thud) during the Vietnam War. He said that this plane was designed by Greyhound and built by Maserati. This plane could deliver some serious hurt and could haul tail in a straight line. I saw one at an air museum a few years ago. That is a huge plane!! All engine with little wings!

David

 

[ftgallant]

The toughest jet and the coolest fighter I ever had the pleasure of being around! VF-14 and VF-32 out of Oceana, Va. were on the USS JFK while I served from 1980-1982

 

[QuickSilver70]

I grew up on LI NY and would take my lunch break just outside the Grumman Calverton facility and watch the F14's take off and land it was great !!! Sorry to see it go, I hope they preserve them for future generations.

Yeah, My grandpa used to work there and I rember being taken as a kid to see them up close. You really cant tell how amazing those machines are till you see one up close and sit in one. Definitely the pride of LI

-Ryan