Military Might

[camonick]

Gotta love the A-10. Brrrrrrt!!!

 

[passedpawn]

Very cool. I won't ask what you were testing so you don't have to kill me.

Haha. It's something new, pretty cool, but not really interesting to you.

 

[Inkleg]

Very cool. I won't ask what you were testing so you don't have to kill me.

Maybe a barrel vaporizing devise?

 

[Still Brewn]

My oldest son after taking a tour of Airforce One

 

[Still Brewn]

On his way to Hollywood

 

[Still Brewn]

Flying over Hollywood

 

[Still Brewn]

He had some pretty cool video of his Osprey flying over the Grand Canyon area but I have to ask him if I can share it first.

 

[JohnSand]

Thanks! The pics are great!

 

[passedpawn]

Not sure where to put this, so...

 

[day_trippr]

"It ain't over 'til it's over, friend"
Captivating presentation of a cool story. He apparently took that as a calling and went on to good things.

I think any techie dweeb wants to believe their sim time would get them safely back on the ground

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

Anyone driven a "duece and a half"? That was the old military truck. They preceded the 5T trucks. I drove them right out of boot camp. IIRC, 4 speed stick out of the floor. One of those massive sticks you could really slam and feel good about.

Watching a military show now and they are talking about them during WW2.

 

[Broothru]

Then when you're reincarnated from that life you'll be an Air Force pilot. That's the final step in aviation rebirth.

Perhaps, but when you finally become a Naval Aviator you'll have achieved Nirvana.

 

[Drewch]

Was at a college football game last year and two F-22's went over the stadium. They were horiz, then hit the jets and went vertical. What a rush. When I am reincarnated, I'm joining the navy and flying one

The F-22 is USAF-only; there's no Navy version. Their Super Hornets are pretty capable, though. You could fly one of those when you come back.

Don't get me started on the F-35, though. Over-priced and under-performing. The only thing they're good for is shutting down meetings because they're so dadgum loud.

 

[Broothru]

Don't get me started on the F-35, though. Over-priced and under-performing. The only thing they're good for is shutting down meetings because they're so dadgum loud.

Man, you got that right. I happened to be on base at Mt. Home AFB two years ago. There were several F-35s in the local traffic pattern. The loudest airplane I'd heard before then was probably a Navy RA-5C in Zone 5 afterburner, or maybe an F-106 taking off. Then there's the multi-service "clean air converter" F-4 Phantom (converts jet fuel into smoke and noise).

 

[MaxStout]

Michigan ANG operating some A-10C Warthogs on a stretch of state highway. It's only a drill, but doesn't hurt to be prepared in case they need to invade Ohio.

Brrrrrt. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrt!

 

[day_trippr]

After the B17 and the Hawker Hurricane, the A10 is my favorite warbird

Cheers!

 

[Stormcrow]

Anyone driven a "duece and a half"? That was the old military truck. They preceded the 5T trucks. I drove them right out of boot camp. IIRC, 4 speed stick out of the floor. One of those massive sticks you could really slam and feel good about.

Watching a military show now and they are talking about them during WW2.

View attachment 738804
Never served in the armed forces, but our local fire department used to have one to pull a tanker. I always had to back it up to the dump tank because I was one of the few who could back a trailer in tight spots with my farming/ truck driving background.

 

[stealthfixr]

The F-22 is USAF-only; there's no Navy version. Their Super Hornets are pretty capable, though. You could fly one of those when you come back.

Don't get me started on the F-35, though. Over-priced and under-performing. The only thing they're good for is shutting down meetings because they're so dadgum loud.

Over-priced? Not to buy in comparison to 4th Gen offerings. Way to expensive to sustain over time, but that's a different thing.

Under-performing? How, and where did you get your info? I have first hand, in the field, warfighter knowledge and it doesn't mirror this statement. In fact, I've been amazed with how well the jet performs for what we asked it to do. But, I've only got 9 years of experience on that jet and 28 years on all kinds of USAF fighters, what do I know?

 

[oakbarn]

Once upon a time: Best Time of my life:

 

[Broothru]

Once upon a time: Best Time of my life:

That's some serious sand blowin'. Red Flag?

 

[oakbarn]

That is the Reno Guard. I was with the 1st TRS at RAF Alconbury and the 62nd TRS at Shaw AFB, SC I did two Red Flags and three REFORGERs. No live fire at the REFORGER and no really High Speed. Red Flag included live Ordnance and Supersonic.

 

[Broothru]

Over-priced? Not to buy in comparison to 4th Gen offerings. Way to expensive to sustain over time, but that's a different thing.

Under-performing? How, and where did you get your info? I have first hand, in the field, warfighter knowledge and it doesn't mirror this statement. In fact, I've been amazed with how well the jet performs for what we asked it to do. But, I've only got 9 years of experience on that jet and 28 years on all kinds of USAF fighters, what do I know?

Seems to be a lot of "bum gouge" out there, re: both F-22 & F-35. Bad dog fighter, can't turn & burn, Yada, Yada. If the bad guys don't see ya' and you Fox a few at 'em, you'll never have to merge to engage.

The old adage was, "Speed is Life", but nowadays stealth, theater awareness and a few good missiles define air superiority.

 

[Broothru]

That is the Reno Guard. I was with the 1st TRS at RAF Alconbury and the 62nd TRS at Shaw AFB, SC I did two Red Flags and three REFORGERs. No live fire at the REFORGER and no really High Speed. Red Flag included live Ordnance and Supersonic.

Had a buddy who flew Rhinos there in a past life, probably late 80s time-frame.

 

[oakbarn]

1975-1980

 

[MaxStout]

After the B17 and the Hawker Hurricane, the A10 is my favorite warbird

Cheers!

Damn near indestructible, too.

"Oh, did I get hit? I thought I heard something on the way over."

 

[stealthfixr]

Seems to be a lot of "bum gouge" out there, re: both F-22 & F-35. Bad dog fighter, can't turn & burn, Yada, Yada. If the bad guys don't see ya' and you Fox a few at 'em, you'll never have to merge to engage.

The old adage was, "Speed is Life", but nowadays stealth, theater awareness and a few good missiles define air superiority.

I saw the first RED FLAG's with F-35s used, and no one had ever seen the F-22s more confused. No, it's not the best fighter at the merge--wasn't ever built purely to fight at the merge, though it sure can do it (with heavy energy bleed off in the first turn). It's got stubby wings, not awesome wing loading (Boyd would have hated it), and a bulky lifting body. But, it has monster AoA, doesn't need a Growler to go everywhere, almost more battlespace SA than an AWACS, a motor with more power than you'd believe, and more than double the internal gas of a Viper. And, world class low observability (good luck in a Super Hornet beak to beak many miles apart) and a killer AESA on the nose with gobs of power. The "Fat Man in the Magic Suit" doesn't fight like a Viper, but she's got plenty of fight in a different way, and much more effective against the latest threats.

Haven't met an operator who came from any other platform that wanted to go back, other than one salty F-22 test pilot that was still in love with the mighty Raptor and it's Air Dominance mission. Pick almost any other mission type, and the Lightning II is a top and most effective choice. Might be a Swiss Army Knife, but she's a real dang good one. Anyone who thinks the F-35 is under-performing is someone who is under-informed.

Too bad we cannot afford to sustain them. Not as bad as the Raptor, but not what the services planned for POM-wise, by a wide (but shrinking) margin. F-35 rant off.

 

[Broothru]

I saw the first RED FLAG's with F-35s used, and no one had ever seen the F-22s more confused. No, it's not the best fighter at the merge--wasn't ever built purely to fight at the merge, though it sure can do it (with heavy energy bleed off in the first turn). It's got stubby wings, not awesome wing loading (Boyd would have hated it), and a bulky lifting body. But, it has monster AoA, doesn't need a Growler to go everywhere, almost more battlespace SA than an AWACS, a motor with more power than you'd believe, and more than double the internal gas of a Viper. And, world class low observability (good luck in a Super Hornet beak to beak many miles apart) and a killer AESA on the nose with gobs of power. The "Fat Man in the Magic Suit" doesn't fight like a Viper, but she's got plenty of fight in a different way, and much more effective against the latest threats.

Haven't met an operator who came from any other platform that wanted to go back, other than one salty F-22 test pilot that was still in love with the mighty Raptor and it's Air Dominance mission. Pick almost any other mission type, and the Lightning II is a top and most effective choice. Might be a Swiss Army Knife, but she's a real dang good one. Anyone who thinks the F-35 is under-performing is someone who is under-informed.

Too bad we cannot afford to sustain them. Not as bad as the Raptor, but not what the services planned for POM-wise, by a wide (but shrinking) margin. F-35 rant off.

Truth ^^^^

 

[Dland]

Anyone driven a "duece and a half"? That was the old military truck. They preceded the 5T trucks. I drove them right out of boot camp. IIRC, 4 speed stick out of the floor. One of those massive sticks you could really slam and feel good about.

Watching a military show now and they are talking about them during WW2.

View attachment 738804

Yeah, almost as much fun as my old two stick Mack. A friend of mine still uses a multifuel Duece (M35A1) w dump piston to run scrap, and although his truck is in great shape, he refers to it as his "over the road torture device". Loud as heck, I'm sure you remember.

The WW2 models (M-135 etc) had a nice gas flathead, at least they were somewhat quiet.

 

[passedpawn]

Yeah, almost as much fun as my old two stick Mack. A friend of mine still uses a multifuel Duece (M35A1) w dump piston to run scrap, and although his truck is in great shape, he refers to it as his "over the road torture device". Loud as heck, I'm sure you remember.

The WW2 models (M-135 etc) had a nice gas flathead, at least they were somewhat quiet.

It was the heat that was a problem for me. Over long drives, the rumble and heat would make me sleepy. I learned to drink coffee driving trucks (had two pots today ). Also, smoked like a chimney. Getting sleep while driving a truck full of marines and gear will freak you out.

 

[passedpawn]

This was my "jet" haha. I was the only trained on one of these, so I drove it most of the time. LVS "Dragon Wagon". Yes, that was a while ago.