Post a pic

[lfcrule1972]

[Chewy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380

wow, it flies, hope the designers weren't from Liverpool?

that baby is huge!

chicago to sydney
germany/UK/France

[lfcrule1972]

It's a monster Chewy and I was really pleased to see it at the show ! Honestly Jumbo's are big but this thing is something else, I read that only a few airports round the world are big enough to take it so far - Airbus are hoping that will increase as they sell more of em.

This thing took off using half the length of the runway, banked sharp right came back towards the crowd before turning away again - impressive manouveres. It's final fly past was nose up at a 45 degree angle at almost crawl speed - quite awesome.....

That said I prefer the Red Arrows (flying with it in the pics above) for excitement and display, I think they are similar to the Blue Angels over your way ?

[Chewy]

just rewatched TopGun and the RightStuff, in the mood for avionics

ever hear the story about the F-111 and vietnam, or the B-52 and why we pulled out?

[lfcrule1972]

Nope...

[nwg]

The F 111 was too heavy and had problems with engines, structural integrity and drag. It's first mission was Vietnam and a lot were destroyed.

Its replacement the F 111F was much better.


B-52 Stratofortress

[Chewy]

one article in newsweek told it all, Time censored it, too embarassing for the country that never lost a war

f-111(lost a lot of them) pulled out early, pow pilots after the war's end reported their wings came off after executing a mach III 90 at 100 ft,
sam's with aluminum foil payload,

B52's lead plane in a squadron was full of electronics that simulated 1000's
of planes to sam radar, we lost 2 in 2 weeks at end of war to someone that hooked a telescope to a sam radar guidance system

[uufta]

Wasn't the early F-111 problems due to gearbox failures that moved the wings into Delta position?

[Chewy]

all that was tested before deployment, we lost several in a period of weeks
over enemy territory, planes and pilots, we debriefed surviving pilots after the war, those 2 B-52's were the only one's ever lost in combat, the rest of the squadron witnessed that, they were worth more than the rest of the squadron

[uufta]

Did you see the one that flopped in Australia two weeks ago?, amazing flying!





[18 July 2006] A rookie pilot and a navigator who landed their stricken F-111 on its belly after losing a wheel on takeoff say the emergency has boosted their confidence in the ageing strike fighters. The pilot, Flying Officer Peter Komar, 29, and navigator Flight Lieutenant Luke Warner, 32, made the dramatic emergency landing at the RAAF Amberley Base west of Brisbane, ending a tense, three hour midair emergency. As the disabled jet came down, a hook picked up a cable that helped bring it to a halt, creating a plume of sparks as it slid on its belly along the tarmac....

[lfcrule1972]

Whoa - looks like the pilot didn't eject either !

[Kabuchan]

Since the only technical thing I know about planes is that they don't rely on disc brakes to stop, I'm going to post a pretty shot of my little girl at a wedding...

[lfcrule1972]

Ah bless....

[Jack Lurker]

Looks like she's off! "I'm not getting married, I want a McDonalds!!"

[Kabuchan]

She was mad at some of the boys there!