Best looking aircraft

[The Basket]

I does like Aeroplanes.

The MiG-25 looks the biz...Brutal...and fast...a real sledgehammer.

A GSXR-1100 of jet fighters.

[hall13uk]

ooooo yes tis a nice plane, i like helicopters myself. apache :twisted: http://www.silentlywedefend.com/200apache.jpg

or a nice hornet 8) & i don't mean a *onda

[tigersaw]

Concorde was the one. I never tired of watching it come and go.

[Lissa]

F15

I want one!!!!
http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/4649/duxford0170po.jpg

[Scoobs]

Lockheed Martin F A-22 Raptor.

[rictus01]

The quintessential jet fighter has to be this

F104 Starfighter 1

http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Juvet/1702.jpg

But if it’s just the “right look” for a war plane then

P38

http://www.hlswilliwaw.com/aleutians/Aircraft/Images/p38.jpg

is pretty close, but my fav has to be,

Mosquito Mk. IV

http://www.2worldwar2.com/images/mosquito-B4-sq105.jpg

Data for Mosquito Mk. IV
Length: 40 ft 4 in
Weight: 21462 lb
Powerplant: Two Rolls-Royce Merlin 21 or 23 twelve-cylinder 60 degrees Vee liquid-cooled engines each rated at 1460 hp
Armament: Four 20 mm cannons and four 0.303-caliber machine guns
Ordnance: 2000 pounds
Top speed: 380 mph
Range: 2040 miles
Ceiling: 34000 ft
Climb rate: 2500 ft/min

[Scoobs]

oh, oh, and the Spitfire.

[rictus01]

oh, oh, and the Spitfire.

What only one merlin :roll:

[Mr Toad]

For me, it has to be the B1

http://personal.auna.com/ptma/imagenes/b1.jpg

Nearly the size of Concord, but dark grey/black :twisted:

I singed my eyebrows trying to take photos of one of these - got too close to the afterburners when the pilot ran up the engines for takeoff :shock:

[rictus01]

I does like Aeroplanes.

The MiG-25 looks the biz...Brutal...and fast...a real sledgehammer.

A GSXR-1100 of jet fighters.

not a fighter, but I think this (http://www.astrosurf.org/lombry/Documents/avion-sr71-a12.jpg) fits the "gsxr1100 of the sky" tag better

Oh, and been up in both of these.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/images/f4m.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/9483/raf/buccan1.jpg

although a little higher than this :wink:

Cheers Mark.

[cosmiccharlie]

always thought these were the tops

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17956/index.php?file=17956-nasa-1991-01.jpg

Sleak and stealthy, nuff said :lol:

[Scoobs]

oh, oh, and the Spitfire.

What only one merlin :roll:

I thought we were talking looks not power. I'd rather have January Jones over Tommy Lee Jones.

http://www.latinoreview.com/films_2003/universal/americanwedding/images/jjones.jpg

http://www.ksta.de/ks/images/mdsBild/1120919516630l.jpg

[cosmiccharlie]

D'oh rictus beat me to it :lol:

[GC-SV]

Sorry for going off on a slight tangent here, but the Apache does it for me even though it is a Gunship.

The Hawker Harrier always amazed me, as a kid and still does.

[keithd]

The quintessential jet fighter has to be this

F104 Starfighter 1

http://www.1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Juvet/1702.jpg



i recognise that from my Top Trumps cards from the 70's !!! :D

in fact its the very same picture i'm sure of it!

[rictus01]

oh, oh, and the Spitfire.

What only one merlin :roll:

I thought we were talking looks not power. I'd rather have January Jones over Tommy Lee Jones.



Don't quite get the reference here Scoobs, but the Mosquito although not having the kudos of the Spit, was the pinicle of the "wood & canvas" war plane, stunning and power full, if however you just looking for Merlin power it has to be,

http://www.zap16.com/GR05%20pics/gr05%20Lancaster%20demo%20PA474%202.jpg

with 4 x Rolls-Royce Merlin type 38's

Cheers Mark.

[Scoobs]

stuff

I'm not going to get into an argument with you on this one Mark, cos I think I'd be the one with the bloody nose. Planes aren't my thang. I appreciate the aesthetics rather than the engineering.

[keithd]

stuff

I'm not going to get into an argument with you on this one Mark...

oh BOOOO.

FIGHT!

[TSM]

I found this when i was developing the forum map.

http://gmaps.tommangan.us/blackbirds.html

[Mr Toad]

There is a Blackbird at the Duxford museum near Cambridge. It's amazingly small - last time I saw it, it was parked underneath the wing of a Vulcan bomber :shock: (they were a bit short of hanger space)

[jonboy]

TSR2?

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/airshow00/cosford/tsr2.JPG

Oh and well done to Harold Wilson for scrapping what was undeniably the most technically advanced plane in the world, and by some margin.


.

[Scoobs]

Oh and well done to Harold Wilson

Who?

Must be someone from the olden days. :wink:

[rictus01]

stuff

I'm not going to get into an argument with you on this one Mark, cos I think I'd be the one with the bloody nose. Planes aren't my thang. I appreciate the aesthetics rather than the engineering.

Scoobs, both these planes used much the same construction method, although it did take longer to built a spit, being more complex with shaped parts.

But I'm not on about power, if the spit is your thing then your with the crowd, but is suspect you're thinking of the Mk 2 "Battle of Britain" type, from a development point of view it'd have to be the Mark 5C (with the 1585 hp engine, which was increased from 1470 (Mk 5) inturn increased from 1175 hp (Mk2) or 1030 hp original)

Although the most powerful spit was the Mk 14C 2035 hp (but not a real spit as it had a Griffon type 65 engine instead of the Merlin).

( sorry got carried away there :oops: , done my "industrial development" paper on the Merlin many years ago.

Oh Riccardo, bit "trainspoting" ish that :wink:

Cheers Mark.

[The Basket]

I thought the Seafire mk 47 was the most powerful Spit.

The Hawker Hunter was nice too.

[Jelster]

OK, I have a bit of soft spot for aircraft, especially WWII planes.

The unsung hero of WWII was the Handley Page Halifax, used extensively throughout the Far East, and no matter what the TV programmes say, it was the first British bomber to be fitted with H2S Radar. It had Rolls Royce Pegasus radial engines rather than the Merlin

http://members.aol.com/famjustin/halifax.jpg

Obviously, everybody talks about the Spitfire, and excellent though it was, we did not have enough of them in the early days of the war, and the main defender of our wonderful land was the Hawker Hurricane. Made better when it was fitted with the Merlin. Another aircraft made from wood & canvas.

http://www.military.cz/british/air/war/fighter/hurricane/hurri_bank.jpg

Of the more modern day planes, the English Electric Lightning was awesome....

http://hsgalleries.com/images/lightningf6jb_1.jpg

The most brilliant has got to be the Harrier

http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Global/9/9A8E1047-CD6F-4A13-8B32-CD1B09FF8BF7/0/chp_harrier.jpg

And probably the best looking has to be the Avro Vulan...

http://www.flygplan.info/images/Avro_vulcan_XH558.jpg

Concorde takes a lot of beating in the looks dept though...

.

[rictus01]

I thought the Seafire mk 47 was the most powerful Spit.

The Hawker Hunter was nice too.

Once again, not a real spit, it had the Giffon engine although type 88 it made no more power.

Cheers Mark.

[Mr Toad]

Yep, Mosquito's are quite good - I've got some pics tucked away somewhere of the last flying one - I assume it doesn't fly anymore as I've not seen it for a number of years

The performance figures for the Mosquito are simply amazing

- upward rolls on one engine

- carried the same bombload (weight) as a B17 Flying Fortress

- was so fast that on Berlin bomb runs, the crew would often do 2 missions in one night, returning from the second at around the same time as the Lancasters from the main mission

- and mostly made of wood

[keithd]

that vulcan was one noisy b'stard too! saw it a few times at Farnborough air show. mahoosive bird. verrry nice 8)

[Cloggsy]

http://www.sr-71.org/photogallery/blackbird/17956/17956-nasa-1991-01.jpg

These are cool :!:

http://www.danshistory.com/a10_2.jpg

As are these... Quite slow, but highly manuverable & f*$kin' deadly (in the wrong hands - as the lads in tanks involved in 'friendly fire' incidents in the Gulf :roll:)

But for me, the old 'uns are the nicest...

http://www.air-and-space.com/20040516%20Chino/Dsc_0470%20Supermarine%20Spitfire%20PR%20Mk.%20XIX %20N219A%20left%20side%20taxiing%20l.jpg
Supermarine Spitfire

http://www.todo-aviones.com.ar/usa/p51mustang/p51-tmc.jpg
P51 Mustang

[kwak zzr]

Y2K :roll: well it did have a turbine engine.

[tricky]

Interesting discussion, espeac Scoops and Rictus, suprised no one has mentioned the De Haviland Hornet yet (basically a single seat Mosi) cos I think its one of the fastest piston engined planes ever made.

But the post was best looking aircraft, which IMO is a red Hawk 1/1a, or better still 9 of them together

http://www.geocities.com/dickiesisson/reds.jpg

[keithd]

nice collection of birds. gives a good idea of relative size too

http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/Fleet/Small/EC97-44165-149.jpg

[tricky]

Very nice Keithd,I love that tricked up Nasa stuff especially the Delta wing F16XL
Most of it looks like its come straight out of Gerry Anderson's imagination !
:D

[GC-SV]

Forgot about the Stealth (Cloggsy), excellent plane.

[cuffy]

The most brilliant has got to be the Harrier

http://ocw.mit.edu/NR/rdonlyres/Global/9/9A8E1047-CD6F-4A13-8B32-CD1B09FF8BF7/0/chp_harrier.jpg



.Agreed sir 8)

[wyrdness]

My favourites would probably be:
Sopwith Camel

Supermarine Spitfire

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Concorde

Hawker Harrier

[mudge32]

Maybe not the best looking :wink: but definitely my favourite after the EE/BAC/BAe Lightning 8)

The Saab Viggen

http://photos.airliners.net/photos/middle/1/8/7/0374781.jpg

I used to live right next to Warton Aerodrome and to watch Lightnings stand nose up, appear to stop and then launch straight up, as if slung from a catapult, was a sight I'll never forget!! 8) 8)

[The Basket]

http://server2.uploadit.org/files/Karlos1980-untitledpp.JPG

Look at the tailpipes on that!!!

Love the SAAB Viggen too...and the Draken...liked the 900 turbo too.

[tricky]

The MIG 25 was developed to intercept a high speed, high altitude bomber the Americans where developing called the XB70 Valkyrie, however the XB70 never made into production/service but the MIG25 did.

The XB70 was a pretty funky looking thing though

http://www.labiker.org/xb70/fade6.jpg

[northwind]

Can't believe there's only been one mention of the A10, so ugly it's beautiful... I'm quite partial to the Bristol Blenheim...

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/grfx/equip_gallery/historic_gallery/wallpaper/blenheim.jpg

and these daft looking things, Grumman Hellcats

http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Aerospace/Grumman-early/Aero38G8.jpg

and the fantastic JU52, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/Junkers_Ju52_3M.jpg
BMW powered though, so it probably burned a load of oil and ground its engine casings every time it turned a corner...

[empty]

P38
http://www.jetplanes.co.uk/vintageaircraft/p-38lightning3.jpg

Vampire
http://www.warbirdalley.com/images/vamp-01.jpg

Vulcan
http://www.warbirdalley.com/images/vulcan-02.jpg

And, of course, Concorde
http://www.concordesst.com/pictures/gboag_home.jpg

MT

[Nutkins]

Some may say it's ugly and got a big forehead, but I like ugly. Well, not so much "like" as got used to. After all, I look in the mirror each morning.

http://premium1.uploadit.org/Nutkins//17012006013.jpg

This one is used to transport wings of the "new" Airbus.

[Grinch]

Darn.. and I left my WWII aircraft top trumps cards at home! I'll have to dig them out.

I love the mosi... I love the fact that it was a bomber and fighter... 380mph... not bad and the spit only did 60 mph more.

[Nutkins]

That Firefox wasn't bad.

[The Basket]

I remember getting close to a MiG-29.

The fit and finish of the thing was truly dreadful.

A Mach 2 Lada. The MiG-25 Foxbat is a Mach 3 Lada!!! :lol:

Still work though. God knows how.

The 25 is the fastest, highest flying production aircraft ever buit. Worth a nod just for that.

[tricky]

I remember getting close to a MiG-29.

The fit and finish of the thing was truly dreadful.



I remember reading an article about a year after the re-unification of Germany.
NATO pilots evaluated some ex East German MiG 29's (they where even considered for RAF usage). They found that the MiG 29 was indeed an awsome dogfighter, but everything else about it was pretty poor, espeacially the missile systems which only had a 60% chance of a kill even with good lock and no countermeasures.
The airframe and engine life was very short too.

That said I've seen MiG 29s displayed many times and is a very impressive aircraft to watch when flown balls out, probably only bettered in that respect by the Su 27

[Mr Toad]

The 25 is the fastest, highest flying production aircraft ever buit.


'Fraid not. SR71 Blackbird beats it by some margin on both counts.

[The Basket]

The 25 is the fastest, highest flying production aircraft ever buit.


'Fraid not. SR71 Blackbird beats it by some margin on both counts.

Quite so...But the SR71 was never really a production machine. Built for mass production. Although about 31 were built. The MiG was. The Blackbird was built from titanium which was frighteningly expensive, the MiG was built from steel....so it could be built by the hundreds.

Oddly, at the time, the only source of titanium was the USSR!!!Lockheed had to create cover stories to buy so much without the Ruskies knowing.

[tricky]

The 25 is the fastest, highest flying production aircraft ever buit.


'Fraid not. SR71 Blackbird beats it by some margin on both counts.

This is turning into an online game of Top Trumps :D

Isn't the SR71 7 or 8 inches longer travelling at max speed compared to stationary ?

[Conrad Poons]

I still like the old B-52 I have to admit.

And one of those blimmin great Antanov cargo things flew into land at East Midlands after the GP last year. Very VERY impressive.

Of course the old classics Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster.


Blimey, this is like 'pick your three favourite movies' now....

[hall13uk]

loads of nice pics espically that blakbird pic from cloggsy 8)

[empty]

Should also add a vote for the B-2 stealth bomber, and the SR-71 (have a great picture of it flying over Greenland with its distinctive exhausts at full but its absolutely huge, I'll try to find the link again)

MT

[The Basket]

The 25 is the fastest, highest flying production aircraft ever buit.


'Fraid not. SR71 Blackbird beats it by some margin on both counts.

This is turning into an online game of Top Trumps :D

Isn't the SR71 7 or 8 inches longer travelling at max speed compared to stationary ?

Yes...it gets so hot it grows a few inches...if I am saying that wrong please edit it!!!!

Kinetic friction...like rubbing your hands together on a large scale...expansion of metal...that is why it leaks fuel on the ground...the fuel tanks are only liquid tight when at high temp so leak like sieves on the ground...the tanks expand to fit.

[valleyboy]

The Mig-25 isnt as fast as people think.. the Russians advertised it as Mach 3.2 capable.. but what they dont tell you is anythng above mach 2.8, it required new engines, as they would basicaly be of no use after that... it would get to 3.2 mach, but as said... new engines please afterwards. And also its top speed was only any use as a dash... it wouldnt sustain it for very long.

The SR-71 on he other hand was designed to stay above Mach 3 for very lengthy periods....

As for Russian aircraft in general, it is said their build quality is terrible... India have a production lisence for the SU-30MKI.. the Russians are supposedly rather gealous of these aircraft, as India and also China (SU-30MK) have been using Western machinery in building these aircarft, and for that they have a much much better finish to them, and are overall much more capable than what Russia is currently fielding in its air force, as they cannot afford to buy themselves what Sukhoi and Mig are developing.

[mudge32]

Interesting discussion, espeac Scoops and Rictus, suprised no one has mentioned the De Haviland Hornet yet (basically a single seat Mosi) cos I think its one of the fastest piston engined planes ever made.

I'd nearly forgotten about those :wink:

http://www.vflintham.demon.co.uk/aircraft/hornet/horn20.jpg

It's a real shame none survived.

One beast that was great to watch at Airshows was the Sea Fury 8)

http://www.stringbag.flyer.co.uk/rnhf/images/vr930pd2.jpg

Wasn't this one though :wink: I'm not sad enough to recall it's registration :lol:

[The Basket]

The Soviets did not have the technology to build a Mach 3 aircraft...but they carried on anyway...and the MiG-25 is it...they always made do with what they had.

A bit like putting a huge powerful engine in a SV and live with the consequences.

The MiG is a pure interceptor so only needs dash speeds.

It has been clocked at Mach 3.2. But Balenko said it redlined at 2.83.

Normal use was about 2.4....it would trash the engines and lose control any faster!!!It was slower armed and fueled than the recce versions.

[tricky]

I do like the Sea Fury, Bristol Centaurus radial engine sounds fantastic.

Anyone mentioned the Dakota yet ?

[Grinch]

How about one of these...

http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/images/camm_typhoon_350.jpg

[Jelster]

Anyone mentioned the Dakota yet ?

Ah yes, the DC3, probably one of the most timeless aircraft ever built. Designed and first produced in the 1930's, still being flown commercially in the 80's...

.

[Sid Squid]

In no order of preference, and including the previous good suggestions:

C47 (http://www.airventure.org/2004/gallery/images2/c47.jpg)/DC3 (http://www.barabarapress.com/Alderton%20DC3.jpg)
Tempest (http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Trempe/2015L.jpg)
Hurricane (http://www.machtres.com/Hawker%20Hurricane.jpg)
Reno air race clipped wing '51, (very very sexy) (http://www.wetwing.com/reno/unlimited/unlimitedfoto/unlimited38.jpg)
Vulcan (http://www.warbirdphotos.net/aviapix/PostWW2/British/Vulcan/MK-vulcan.jpg)
Shackleton (http://www.warbirdalley.com/images/Shackleton-Bomber.jpg)/Lincoln (http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/raaf2/assets/images/linc.gif)/Lancaster (http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/images/HK66274_750.jpg), (all good)
Pitts Special (http://www.flightjournal.com/fj/images/gallery/gallery_images/Pitts/pitts_1lg.jpg)
Comet (http://www.bamuseum.com/images/large/50-60/50-60s25.jpg)/Nimrod (http://www.airventure.de/riat2002/Nimrod2.jpg)
VC10 (http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/uk/vickers/vc10/G-ASG0-01.jpg) More commonly seen doing this nowadays: VC10 (http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/images/gallery/vc10_02.jpg)
747 (http://nycaviation.com/images/bit-BA747-436.jpg) 'cos it just eeenormous, and everytime I see one I still doubt that it should be up there. And yes, I know it's not the biggest, (Antonov 225?), but it's the one I commonly see when I look up.

[tricky]

How about one of these...

http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/images/camm_typhoon_350.jpg

Awesome
Typhoon designed by Sydney Camn, same guy that designed the Hurricane.
Developed into the Tempest, one of the few prop planes that had the legs to keep up with a V1 or an Me 262 (and bring it down)

[Jelster]

Some good calls in there Squid...

And the few I forgot to mention....

The BeeGee

http://www.aeroreno.com/BeeGee.jpg

Supermarine S5 (without which there would be no Spitfire..)

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/images/schneidera5.jpg

And the Sunderland Sea plane...

http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/equip/grfx/equip_gallery/historic_gallery/wallpaper/sunderld.jpg

My Dad was a flight engineer in WWII and commented that the Sunderland was "the most wonderful aircraft he ever had the opportunity to fly".... Seems strange looking at it's bulk.

.

[tricky]

Candidate for one of the ugliest, The Mil-8 helicopter

http://www.kareliacopters.ee/en/Mil%20Mi8.jpg[/img]

[philipMac]

No question.
The Blackbird.
End of story.
http://www0.fh-trier.de/~nalbachs/blackbird.jpg

[Lissa]

There is a Blackbird at the Duxford museum near Cambridge. It's amazingly small - last time I saw it, it was parked underneath the wing of a Vulcan bomber :shock: (they were a bit short of hanger space)

What..............THIS Blackbird?
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4498/duxford0190ak.jpg

That's Pete and my daughter stood underneath it..............it IS small!

Oh, and there is a Vulcan bomber parked permanently at Wellesbourne airfield, just outside Stratford. Beautiful bit of kit. Brings a smile to my face every time I see it.

[hall13uk]

well the hind gunship does it for me every time

serious bit of kit

http://www.freecomputerdesktopwallpaper.com/wallpapers/6_Mi_24_Hind_military_aviation_helicopter_wallpape r_x.jpg

[philipMac]

There is a Blackbird at the Duxford museum near Cambridge. It's amazingly small - last time I saw it, it was parked underneath the wing of a Vulcan bomber :shock: (they were a bit short of hanger space)

What..............THIS Blackbird?

Thats the one. I saw one up close a while back.
They are badness with wings attached.

[philipMac]

well the hind gunship does it for me every time

serious bit of kit


I know lads that were shipped in and out of Afghanistan in that baby.
They are loud apparanty.

[valleyboy]

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//spirit.jpg

Not exactly my favorite aircraft, but thought it deserved to be shown.

I have too many favorite aircraft ;)

[valleyboy]

Ohhh, as were getting into aircraft porn..... heres more stuff with afterburners :twisted:

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//maxclimb.jpeg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//f14d2o.jpeg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//f-22-lkbed2a.jpeg

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//14247_800.jpg


Some serious firepower there, from now.. and the future 8)

[chunkytfg]

As a regular passer by of RAF lakenheath i'm a bit of a lover of the F-14 however i do like the hercules along with the chinock

[philipMac]

i do like the hercules along with the chinock

A size man ;)

Emm, I did a dive down to a chinook ditched into a lake in the US. Swam down to it, and eventually it emerged out of the blue grey.

And, I thought, hmm, there is the main rotor, first thing i saw, it was sticking up. And swam a bit more, and then I was trying to figure out how the rest of it fitted together. I then realised that I wasnt looking at the main rotor, it was just the tail rotor. My brain did some double taking. Like, thats how big it was.
When I found the actual main rotors, they were enormous. I think each rotor is about 100ft long or something. And really wide. They look like plane wings.

HUUUUUGE helicopter.

A mate of mine flys choppers out here, he was saying that when the chinook is flying, the rotors are so big, that they create this huge downwash and if its desending slowly, it can sort of sit into this downwash, and suddenly have no air to fly against, and basically fall out of the sky.
Something like that. Probably mangled the technical details.

[valleyboy]

F-15C and F-15E's are at Lakenheath.. as for the F-14.. the US Navy now no longer uses them... which leaves Iran as the last operator of F-14's :shock:

[valleyboy]

There is no tail rotor on a chinook.. they are both main rotors... the other big US chopters would be the CH-53 and derivatives.. they are big bloody things too!

[valleyboy]

chinook.. taken at RAF Fairford last year

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//chinook.jpg

Now, you gotta see the RAF throw a Chinook around the sky.. you really think the rotors are about to fly off with some of the manouvers they put it through! :lol:

[philipMac]

There is no tail rotor on a chinook.. they are both main rotors... the other big US chopters would be the CH-53 and derivatives.. they are big bloody things too!
Oh yeah.
Braindead. What the hell was I looking at then?

Maybe I initially thought i was looking at a plane wing at the start, and then realised it was the Chinook they were talking about. Cant remember it seems.

Whatever it was, the size of the thing underwater really confused and disoriented me. I could just about reach across the width of the rotor blades. You can comfortable swim about wiaring full scuba gear inside it. No worries.

[tricky]

well the hind gunship does it for me every time
serious bit of kit


I know lads that were shipped in and out of Afghanistan in that baby.
They are loud apparanty.

I've flown in in a MIL 8 (Hip) can confirm noisy. (If I can tar all russian helicopters with the same brush)

***EDIT****
Just checked the Big Boys Book of Helicopters
The Mil 24 has the similar (more powerfull engines) Isotov TV3-117 engines (2225 shp) compared to the 1700shp Isotov TV2-117A engines in the Mil 8.

The Hip is 'kin noisy so the Hine must be 'kin b&*tard noisy ! :D

[philipMac]

well the hind gunship does it for me every time
serious bit of kit


I know lads that were shipped in and out of Afghanistan in that baby.
They are loud apparanty.

I've flown in in a MIL 8 (Hip) can confirm noisy. (If I can tar all russian helicopters with the same brush)

***EDIT****
Just checked the Big Boys Book of Helicopters
The Mil 24 has the similar (more powerfull engines) Isotov TV3-117 engines (2225 shp) compared to the 1700shp Isotov TV2-117A engines in the Mil 8.

The Hip is 'kin noisy so the Hine must be 'kin b&*tard noisy ! :D

Yeah. Misha was saying you could hear them miles and miles off as they wouldfly down the Afghan valleys to pick them up. And when you are in the thing, its just insane, hearing damage noisey.

[haggis]

Possibly due to the subliminal effect of them screaming overhead here day and night, the Tornado.
Sounds lovely when they open them up on a low pass.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-10/1097502/tornado-gr1b2_8.jpg
I think this photo is taken over Scapa Flow, Kirkwall?




Others.... Saab Viggen, MiG 29, Northrop F5A and the Harrier (incredible to watch these at work)

[valleyboy]

This is how sad I am...

That is a Tornado GR-1B the -1B as it is carrying Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles... the GR-1A was your usual bomb truck, while the bog standard GR-1 was the Reccy specific version.. now they have all been upgraded to the GR-4.. which looks like it will be around for some time as the MOD is thinking about putting some fancy high tech AESA radars into them... which means it will be an all singing dancing radar that can do lots of things all at the same time, this radar will then replace the main radar, and the terrain following radar, as an AESA radar can do multiple things at the same time, i.e. scan for air targets, ground map, and do terrain following at the same time.... while also serving coffee, and weighing about 1/10th a mechanical radar :lol:

[Mr Toad]

I like the noisy ones :twisted:

http://upload3.postimage.org/63013/b1b.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63013/photo_hosting.html)

Shortly after this I lost most of my eyebrows

http://upload3.postimage.org/63017/b1back.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63017/photo_hosting.html)

On my scanner, I could hear the pilot tell the control tower that he was having trouble getting no. 3 burner to light. He wasn't kidding as he had to stand on the brakes for what seemed like ages

http://upload3.postimage.org/63035/b1burn.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63035/photo_hosting.html)

High speed pass in wet weather

http://upload3.postimage.org/63040/dbf3.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63040/photo_hosting.html)


Eagle at Fairford - very loud :twisted:
http://upload3.postimage.org/63059/F15Afterburner.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63059/photo_hosting.html)

Can't forget Sally B

http://upload3.postimage.org/63070/sallyb.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63070/photo_hosting.html)


All quiet now

http://upload3.postimage.org/63086/dusk2.jpg (http://upload3.postimage.org/63086/photo_hosting.html)

[Richie]

TSR2?

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/airshow00/cosford/tsr2.JPG

Oh and well done to Harold Wilson for scrapping what was undeniably the most technically advanced plane in the world, and by some margin.


.

Jonboy, you had the airfix kit at the same time as I did... :wink:

[Iansv]

Has to be the SR71 for me

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/9054/sr71.jpg

[Richie]

well the hind gunship does it for me every time

serious bit of kit

http://www.freecomputerdesktopwallpaper.com/wallpapers/6_Mi_24_Hind_military_aviation_helicopter_wallpape r_x.jpg


too slow and can be taken out but a single rifle shot.


but look's Awwwwsome....

[Iansv]

Bet if it was outside your bedroom window you wouldn't critisise it :wink: :lol:

[Richie]

chinook.. taken at RAF Fairford last year

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//chinook.jpg

Now, you gotta see the RAF throw a Chinook around the sky.. you really think the rotors are about to fly off with some of the manouvers they put it through! :lol:

I never want to go up in one of those's ever again.... Onion range, Falkland''s...

where's my sick bag...

[valleyboy]

hehehe, Ive read a few stories about the B-1B at airshows! :lol:

There is a reason they no longer do high speed passes at airshows now ;)

From what I remember reading, it was an airshow in the States, near a mountain range, the B-1 pilots got creative and used the mountains to hide what they were up too... they did a low pass over the airfield at moderate high speed, and buggered off into the distance.. over the mountains... while one or two aircraft were still performing, they had travelled around, and came up from behind the crowd... the performing aircraft had buggered off/landed.. and the B-1 made a pass from behind the crowd.. now, the pilot wasnt paying attention to his airspeed, and the crowd didnt hear the B-1B coming.. now being a fecking loud supersonic capable thing, means one thing :twisted:

A few complaints were said to have ben made to the base comander ;)

[The Basket]

The loudest aircraft I have ever heard was the Vulcan. You could feel the noise.

It could set off car alarms for miles.

On QRA, they would send up 4 Vulcans at a moments notice. That must have been something.

The Vulcan was a Northern lad from Woodford so can be forgiven anything. :D

[timwilky]

Another vote for the English Electric Lightning. Once required a clean set of undies after on took off over my head at Warton in the 70s. Seemed to be able to climb almost vertical.

TSR2 caused a lot of upset and swing to the Tories round here

[Richie]

The loudest aircraft I have ever heard was the Vulcan. You could feel the noise.

It could set off car alarms for miles.

On QRA, they would send up 4 Vulcans at a moments notice. That must have been something.

The Vulcan was a Northern lad from Woodford so can be forgiven anything. :D


Thats my favourite....

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/allen.conquest/gallery/vulcan1.jpg

1982.. Falkkands Islands... 25 Miles away and 6 miles up in the sky...
and on a bombing run to take out the runway......

Mrs Thatchers speach... Unforgetable...

[Richie]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/allen.conquest/gallery/vulcan1.jpg

just noticed... When do you have camoflarge in the Sky that colour....?

[Vfr400]

I was lucky enought to be working on RAF Mildenhall when the SR71's were stationed there wonderful to see and hear.
but my Favorite piston engined aircraft has to be the Sea fury, spitfire and P51D Mustang and for jets the Lightning, Vulcan and did I mention the lightning :lol:

chris

[Richie]

I was lucky enought to be working on RAF Mildenhall when the SR71's were stationed there wonderful to see and hear.
but my Favorite piston engined aircraft has to be the Sea fury, spitfire and P51D Mustang and for jets the Lightning, Vulcan and did I mention the lightning :lol:

chris

Jeeezzz, man How old are you????

Well in there, to see such fantastic, School boy visions...
last time I was @ Mildenhall was 1983, on an open day... saw the American version of the Red Arrows, thunderbolts or something like that..

[Well Oiled]

http://premium1.uploadit.org/valleyboy//spirit.jpg



Went to the Cleveland air show when I lived in the states and they featured one of these. Wouldn't land / take off (presumably too secret) but it flew over and around the place for a while. When it first came in from over the lake no-one could see it for ages, then it appeared as a thin black line. A bit like seeing a flat black piece of card flying towards you edge-on. When it flew over the airfield it reminded me of an overgrown bat - black, wide and with triangular bits at the back of its wings. I couldn't stop wondering how the heck they controlled it from side to side, with no tail fin or vertical surfaces of any kind.

[Vfr400]

Jeeezzz, man How old are you????

Well in there, to see such fantastic, School boy visions...
last time I was @ Mildenhall was 1983, on an open day... saw the American version of the Red Arrows, thunderbolts or something like that..[/quote]
I'm only 47 well very nearly 48
best time was the week before the May bank holiday air show lots of sillyness that wouldn't be allowed when the public were there. Line astern Dutch (I think) starfighers inverted at about 20 ft all the along the main runway!!! :lol: :lol:
chris

[hall13uk]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/allen.conquest/gallery/vulcan1.jpg

just noticed... When do you have camoflarge in the Sky that colour....?

i guess its for when it's on the ground, it will blend in with the wet leaves. :wink: :wink:



:lol: :lol: sorry can't help it :lol:

[northwind]

You could feel the noise.

Amazing isn't it... Used to be the highlight of the Leuchars show for me when I was wee. Cover your ears? Why bother, it doesn't help. The onlything I've ever come across that sounds anything like it is an avalanche.

Much mention of Lightnings... There's one of those on a stick at the old Ferranti factory by my work. Poor thing :( Not a very dignified end. they've torn down the factory now, wonder if the plane will be there much longer...

[amarko5]

Of the more modern day planes, the English Electric Lightning was awesome....

http://hsgalleries.com/images/lightningf6jb_1.jpg


.

Another vote for the Lightning :thumbsup: had the pleasure of seeing one fly 20 feet above the runway at lossiemouth then full throttle with afterburners straight up (or near as damn it) awesome i can tell you :lol:

Quite like the jaguar as well, nice lines (and i also had a flight in one) over the north sea at about 50 feet close to the speed of sound :wink:

and the vulcan is awesome if you have ever seen it flying with the bomb doors open (as in richie's pic) saw it at an airshow donkeys years ago before they banned flying over spectators :shock: makes you open your eyes and hold your hands over your ears :lol:

[RandyO]

One of my employees was ona ground crew and maintenance instructor for SR71's when he was in the Air Force

even though it's still the fastest plane ever built, he says their junk, they leak fuel like a seive on the ground and until the airframe heats up & expands in flight, and it take a whole tank of fuel to get them in the air, they have to refuel withing 20 minutes of takeoff

they retired the plane cause it cost a million bucks every time they fly

CIA is still flying them though

[Ratty]

My baby

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/nimrod/images/Nimrod_12.jpg