Posted on 07/31/2005 9:26:36 AM PDT by Righty_McRight
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The Eagle's survivability, excellent performace and combat effectiveness is in no little part due to the sound and robust design, best displayed by an IAF F-15 on May 1st, 1983. On a joint training flight with A-4 Skyhawks, an F-15D collided with a Skyhawk. While the Skyhawk crew had to eject, the Eagle crew managed to land their crippled aircraft, whose entire right wing had been torn off!" |
I was an IT intern at Mac in 1990. I'll always remember that was the summer before Desert Shield because C130s dropped by to pick up all their extra Pegasus engines (used in AV-8B Harriers) for use as spares for Marine birds in the field.
Anyway, at the end of the summer, my boss (who had helped design F-15 components prior to transitioning into IT) set me up with a buddy on the production line for a couple of days of watching 'em build 15s and 18s. I saw a two takeoffs as you described -- I was told that the test pilots did that on just about every first flight.
Best/worst/too old/whatever.
The F-15 was, quite simply, the most beautiful aircraft ever flown and will hold that title forever. Graceful and elegant, like a swan, it owned the skies for 30 years and still is better than everything except the JSF amd F-22.
And the latter 2 may be more effective, but the F-15 will always be remembered as master of the sky for her day and a beauty forever.
She has some life left, since who can afford her only rivals?
The F15's tiles don't seem to fall off quite as often.
Bring one in from 200 miles up and we'll see how it does.
I remember when these puppies made their debut at Langley Air Force Base. I saw one go screaming by a couple hundred feet off the ground, do a couple of barrel rolls, then go ballistic. Awsome sight. All jokes aside, it was and is still a fine machine.
Time share???
Ahhh, a bird of prey.
Yeah, it would make a dandy crop duster!
mmmmmmmmm still here, they keep showing and talking about "it"; I don't pretend to know anything about development/procurement/production. If no JSF as you said last year then what do the Navy and Marines do. Not another 18 upgrade I'm sure.
That is what he is talking about, post 4.
I lived at RAF Lakenheath a few years ago; OK, quite a few years ago.
Ahhh, points to discuss. I can see why you would say it ain't gonna make it operational. As a civilian I keep seeing this neat plane every now and then and ??what?? Techwise I think they can do the engine/vectoring thing; need mogas or nogas.
Did that a long time ago!
F104, nothing close.
F104, nothing even comes close!
A repost!
The F-15 is my favorite fighter of all time. Spent many nights in Germany in the late 1970's admiring their lines as I drove the flight line guarding them.
Was able to see many night-time full-afterburner take-offs...what a beautiful sight!
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