Fighter planes

[PICK3]

Close, but it's more about the system....

Think:

Tankers to keep the jets in the air. Lot's o' gas passed with in-flight refueling. If you can't do that, you will be hurting. Most peope really understimate this capability.

Maintenance - it's not easy keeping these things up in the air. Also having the parts to keep 'em going. The Russian's have some nice airplanes that can kick ass at airshows - but the engines are shot to shit in a short timeframe.

Airborne radar - think AWACS. GCI is nice, but it's one of the first things that goes away. Not too many countries have this capability. And none are better then the US. I've worked w/Brit and French AWACS. French just sucked, period. The Brits were good, but not used to dealing with a lot of A/C on freq at the same time.

Radars - When Digger was talking not a pound for air to ground, that really refers to the radar on the F-15. Much like the A-10 was built around the 30mm, the F-15 was designed with it's radar in mind. It's and awesome radar. It's showing it's age now, but it's still a great radar.

Training, Training, Training... if you don't fly at night - you will suck.

Well comparing 2 U.S. aircraft the support functions e.g. Tankers, Maintenance, AWAC support, and training are the equal.

That leaves us with the armament and forward looking radar criteria I previously compared.

 

[PBR]

Ya know, I'd have to say the F-16 has been one of the most versatile A/C we've had in a long time. IT can do everyhing. Not always good, but it can do lots of stuff

throw us some pics bro....

 

[anthrax]

throw us some pics bro....

F-18

 

[PBR]

thrax....awesome bro!!!...im out of Karma for the next 24hours. hit you soon.

 

[bkc]

What do you think is the best fighter ever (post WWII) ?

I'd say F18, Mig21, F16 or Rafale

F-22...

 

[PBR]

F-22...i might agree. i dont know enough about it tho to comment. i however got up- close and personal with one. sick.

 

[Lestat]

FA 18 Hornet

 

[02gixxersix2]

The f-15 was the most dominant air power for a long time. Now it is the F-22 and there is a russian jet that from what I remember has thurster on the side of the ket that allow it to do snap rolls and such. However the F-22 can do mach speeds without afterburner so good luck cathcing it. With the F-22 and the B-2 in our arsenal no one can touch us. I believe the F-22 can skid and actually spin around because of the fact that the pilot can actually direct the thurst of the engine. That couypled with stealth capability make it unstoppable.

 

[digger]

In-flight refueling changed the whole world, that is true. Back in the days of the B-29, they actually tried to build a fighter escort plane that could be carried by a bomber, because the couldn't figure out how to build a dogfighter with enough range to escore bombers all the way into Russia. So, take an F-86 and squish it until it looks like a hard-boiled egg with wings. It was called the Goblin, and after the first one couldn't hook back up with its mother ship (no landing gear... oops) the other one or two ended up in museums.

Let's see if there's a pic... ah, here's a site with some history and a paper model kit.

http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/aircraft/McDonnell-F85/f-85.php

Hmm, they crashed more than one, it sounds like. They were using the B-29 as a mother ship for testing, but it was supposed to escort the B-36.

Heh, guess the old memory isn't shot yet.

 

[anthrax]

F-22