GERMAN JET FIGHTER REPLICA HEADS OVERSEAS (US Gov. alarmed at "war weapon export")

AOPA Online | 1/13/06

[pabianice]

A replica of one of Germany's greatest technological triumphs late in World War II, the Messerschmitt Me.262 fighter jet, has left American soil and reached Germany after U.S. State Department officials delayed it 60 days because they saw it as a weapon of war.

The four 30 mm replica cannons aboard lack a firing mechanism and still wouldn't fire if they had one. The aircraft now has arrived in Germany where it will be reassembled by the Messerschmitt Foundation aircraft collection and flown once again.

The replica project has been taken over by a group of retired Boeing engineers operating in Everett, Washington, as Legend Flyers. The aircraft are for sale by Air Assets International/Warbird Recovery in Colorado. Messerschmitt granted five additional serial numbers. Two have been built, with three to go.

[tanknetter]

I *think* its predecessor, the YF-12, was so fast that it could shoot itself down; after firing rounds the plane could catch up to the bullets. At least that's a story I heard.

Another great story along these lines has Navy F-4s in Vietnam flying formation with 16" shells fired from the USS New Jersey during her 1968 gun-line deployment.

[FreedomCalls]

the hottest-looking plane Ever. Below you will find a photo of a plane that holds that title.

No, I disagree. This is the hottest plane ever built. A heavy bomber meant to carry megatons of destruction deep into Russia at Mach 3+ cruise speed.

[FreedomCalls]

The B-17 footage shows a B-17 stick of bombs falling into the right tail elevator, knocking it off. The stricken 17 keeps flying for a while fading to the right until it goes into a spin and crashes...

This one:

By the way, I once met a pilot of one of the other planes in that formation. He saw the event first hand (so he said anyway).

[ReignOfError]

With the range of a MiG-17T? That I'd like to see also! ;-)

I'm starting from Atlanta, which puts a few spots within reach. Stop to fuel up in Miami, and most of the Caribbean is doable.

[Bender2]

I guess you two will be wanting to buy a couple of these from me, eh?

[norton]

"...somewhere tropical, with white sand and ovrproof rum where nature could take its course."

Heck,
I can fall asleep right here.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yep. At the beginning of the US involvement in WWII or pilots were inexperienced and would get their asses waxed by the experienced German pilots. But gradually our pilots got more experience and the Germans got less and less experienced pilots as the older ones ran out of luck.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Were are you flying a Mig-17 from Atlanta? PDK? George Brown?

[Robert A Cook PE]

OK, OK aesthetics and form and fit and functions ...

What a battle!

I think the Hustler is simple much more beautiful, as far as supersonic aircraft goes, but (like the "boxier" earlier 200 mph+ Ferrari's compared to a "smoother, more rounded" Porshe-type shape) the stark angular lines of the B-70 are more awe-inspiring than the blended lines of the Hustler.

But, it is in the eye of the beholder.

[tarheelswamprat]

I'm starting from Atlanta, which puts a few spots within reach. Stop to fuel up in Miami, and most of the Caribbean is doable.

We had a Mig-17 crash near here two or three years ago. It went down in the Green Swamp, near Wilmington, NC. Sadly, the pilot was killed. Don't know if you have any sort of Mig owners' club or association, but was wondering if you knew anything about this crash and what caused it. Our local media reported the crash, but I never saw anything else about the investigation report.

[texson66]

I believe the SR-71 used to launch supersonic RPVs. Could that have been used to photograph the "mother ship"??

[ReignOfError]

Were are you flying a Mig-17 from Atlanta? PDK? George Brown?

I think I should clarify at this point that this is an imaginary MiG. I'm not sure where in the thread I started sounding like I actually had one, but you're not the only person who read it that way. Sorry for any confusion.

[ReignOfError]

See post 196

[ReignOfError]

I believe the SR-71 used to launch supersonic RPVs.

There were some test flights, but the drones weren't very reliable. I believe two were destroyed in crashes, and the rest are mothballed at Davis-Monthan.

[dljordan]

"The Mossie? Not a bad plane for an overgrown balsa wood glider......"

Light weight and extremely over-powered. Oooh baby! Just the thing for a hot date.

[Robert A Cook PE]

http://www.me.mtu.edu/~slpost/nasa/

Photo's from Dryden of many of the vehicles in this thread: Be careful of your search spec in Google: several of the photo's of the SR-71/Y-12 drones on other sites were listed as D-12 (and M-12) - rather than the M/D-21 that should be used.