Skip to comments.
Is There Anything An F-16 Cannot Do? (Break from Politics)
Strategy Page ^
| April 21, 2013
| Strategy Page
Posted on 04/21/2013 3:06:00 PM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-96 last
To: Fred Hayek
BUFF pilot: Shut off two engines. There is also the one where the BUFF pilot says, "I just got out of my seat, took a leak and got a cup of coffee."
To: puppypusher
82
posted on
04/21/2013 6:43:12 PM PDT
by
Jack Hydrazine
(IÂ’m not a Republican, IÂ’m a conservative! Pubbies haven't been conservative since before T.R.)
To: Jack Hydrazine
I can’t watch the video because of my dial-up connection.
Didn’t the “Nomads” from Eglin AFB pretty much dominate the air combat?
83
posted on
04/21/2013 6:49:49 PM PDT
by
yarddog
(Truth, Justice, and what was once the American Way.)
To: yarddog
They didn’t mention the Nomands from Eglin AFB but only the pilots’ names who were flying F-15Cs engaging MiG-25 Foxbats and MiG-29 Fulcrums.
84
posted on
04/21/2013 7:18:44 PM PDT
by
Jack Hydrazine
(IÂ’m not a Republican, IÂ’m a conservative! Pubbies haven't been conservative since before T.R.)
To: yarddog
I personally would vote for the Spitfire, tho the Messerschmidt BF-109 was close. Best looking twin engined carrier fighter: the Hornet
85
posted on
04/21/2013 7:18:56 PM PDT
by
Oztrich Boy
(What is hateful done to you, do not do to your neighbour. That is the whole of the Law. - Rabbi Hill)
To: yarddog
Same thing with fighter jets. The basic platform was pretty much as you say, on a plateau beginning with the 60s. There have been improvements but really how much has the basic platform improved? The real advances have been in computer and electronic technologies.
Again, I get into trouble but I do agree. If I had an F-4 or MiG-21 with more advanced avionics, they could be more of a match for fighters like the Sukhoi-30, the F-22 and so on. I think for the most part, stealth is overrated, heck IIRC, I think if you used old WWII type radars, you can pick up stealth aircraft as plain as day, using CW pulse modulation. Supercruise was done in the 1950's, the English Electric Lightning, with it's two "over/under" engines, had supercruise as well and did attain Mach 2.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not downplaying totally what we have developed in the last 50 years but it isn't the undefeatable "Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers" technology either. Sometimes this also causes nations and people to be cocky and too reliant on technology instead of skill.
I'm just saying that you can still use old airframes if you had to but update them a bit. Even so, it really does not take much computing power to scan, acquire, track and guide a missile to target. I've talked to a coworker who worked with computers from the old F-102 where the pilots wore them on their leg and plugged them into the plane. The computers used about 8K of memory to do all of that. I think the main difference today is you need more computing power when you have to monitor the plane's "health" and system as well as navigation.
There are no true obsolete weapons, it is how you employ them.
86
posted on
04/21/2013 9:11:12 PM PDT
by
Nowhere Man
(Whitey, I miss you so much. Take care, pretty girl. (4-15-2001 - 10-12-2012))
To: RightOnline
Im an old KC-135 driver. I left the AF in 84 from Dyess, and my very last day in the Force.....Dyess took delivery of its first B-1. Helluva sight to see.
Here in Pittsburgh, we have KC-135's in the Penna Air Nat'l Guard and C-130's in the Air Force Reserve.
87
posted on
04/21/2013 9:13:30 PM PDT
by
Nowhere Man
(Whitey, I miss you so much. Take care, pretty girl. (4-15-2001 - 10-12-2012))
To: ImJustAnotherOkie
It can’t fly with one engine out.
To: yarddog
If you look at a U2, it is obviously closely related to the F-104.No surprise there. They were both designed at Lockheed's Skunkworks by Kelly Johnson.
89
posted on
04/22/2013 7:02:56 AM PDT
by
rmh47
(Go Kats! - Got eight? NRA Life Member])
To: puppypusher
All fighters, except the A-10, are rated at 9-g’s for everyday flight.
They can go higher but need an NDI before the next flight.
Thing is, the F-16 is controlled by a computer so the jet CAN’T go above 9-g’s if demands by the pilot. Other fighters can.
90
posted on
04/22/2013 9:47:11 AM PDT
by
Hulka
To: Fred Hayek
Old Air Force magazine cartoon:
A zoomie in an F-4 is flying along with a BUFF. The zoomie of course has to show off, and then says to the BUFF pilot You cant do anything like that!. The BUFF pilot responds Yeah, but can you do this? The BUFF keeps flying at the same speed, altitude, and direction.
Zoomie: Do what?
BUFF pilot: Shut off two engines.
I aways thought the reply was “get up and get a cup of coffee and a hot pastry from the microwave...”
To: EQAndyBuzz
Im also old SAC. I loved the way the BUFFs took off. When I was leaving the AF, the B1s were starting to arrive. I was driving a cab in Bellevue, NE when the first B1 was officially delivered to the Air Force. Our cab stand was right outside the Offutt gates, and so I had the chance to watch the whole show. It was amazing. That bird came off the tarmac and practically went straight up. I was in awe.
92
posted on
04/22/2013 11:57:54 AM PDT
by
EternalVigilance
(RINOism to Libertarianism: Out of the frying pan and into the fire.)
To: All
One of my favorite Kelly Johnson designs:
![](http://www.free-picture.net/albums/airplane/old-airplane/lockheed-constellation.jpg)
Lockheed Constellation
93
posted on
04/22/2013 12:07:38 PM PDT
by
Spruce
To: Yo-Yo
That’s some cool flying, he must have nerves of piano wire.
94
posted on
04/22/2013 12:08:03 PM PDT
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
To: yarddog
>> “I was just thinking of when I was a kid they had fighters which were just as fast as what we have now.” <<
.
There are real world limitations on how fast a manned aircraft can travel.
95
posted on
04/22/2013 12:12:33 PM PDT
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
To: Spruce
Dead link, must have been way too hot!
96
posted on
04/22/2013 12:16:00 PM PDT
by
editor-surveyor
(Freepers: Not as smart as I'd hoped they'd be)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-96 last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson