Aviation Pictures: A-Seven-th Thread--CorsAirin' Through Time and Airspace

[Failure16]

Given that both air and naval vessels are generally going to be picked up by radar, IR sensors, or other forms of detection long before they're visible to the naked eye, is camo really that useful on aircraft?

Sometimes your opponent is some schlep with a rifle or truck-mounted ZSU.

Alternately, if the choice is being shot or not being shot, I'd rather have that extra chance at not being shot. But everyone is different, and that is okay!

[ANS Kamas P81]

Me, I think the Flanker's lines and that swept wing is dead sexy.  Always had a soft spot for that big bird, and that blue-on-blue camo scheme looks fantastic.  Then again, so does dead grey on the thing; it's flexibly pretty.

[ANS Kamas P81]

"The Centennial of Naval Aviation by Stan Stokes, 2011"

[I am Belch II]

I like seeing planes low, but this B-52 is really low.

[PsihoKekec]

"The Centennial of Naval Aviation by Stan Stokes, 2011"

It shows how hard is to tell Hellcat from Wildcat. Size difference aside, the only feature of distinction is that Wildcat has wings a bit higher. Makes sense that it would take some time for Japanese pilots to figure out that they are facing a new plane.

[chanman]

It shows how hard is to tell Hellcat from Wildcat. Size difference aside, the only feature of distinction is that Wildcat has wings a bit higher. Makes sense that it would take some time for Japanese pilots to figure out that they are facing a new plane.

There were lots of similarly nasty surprises with existing fighters getting uprated engines like when Mark IX Spitfires started showing up.

[Daryk]

It took me a minute to realize the vanilla Hornets were the Blue Angels in the background.

[Ruger]

It shows how hard is to tell Hellcat from Wildcat. Size difference aside, the only feature of distinction is that Wildcat has wings a bit higher. Makes sense that it would take some time for Japanese pilots to figure out that they are facing a new plane.

There’s also the fact that the forward wheels retract into the fuselage on the Wildcat, while on the Hellcat, they go into the wings.

Ruger

[chanman]

There’s also the fact that the forward wheels retract into the fuselage on the Wildcat, while on the Hellcat, they go into the wings.

Ruger

If you're close enough to make that distinction, you are definitely close enough to receive a face full of .50 rounds 

[DOC_Agren]

I like seeing planes low, but this B-52 is really low.

I believe we have a new Limbo Champion

[Ruger]

If you're close enough to make that distinction, you are definitely close enough to receive a face full of .50 rounds 

Depends on your relative positions to each other.

Ruger

[worktroll]

I believe we have a new Limbo Champion

If you squint, you can just see the Buccaneer flying under it ...

[Euphonium]

If you squint, you can just see the Buccaneer flying under it ...

I'm sure it's hyperbole, but I remember being on an RAF base in the late '80s and being told that the Buccaneer aircrews hated landings because it forced them gain so much altitude in order to have space to lower the landing gear...

[worktroll]

It's not far off ...



The Buccaneer was designed for very low level, high speed dashes. It's structural frames were - quite literally - carved from steel billets. Not the whole plane, but it felt like it.

[chanman]

It's not far off ...



The Buccaneer was designed for very low level, high speed dashes. It's structural frames were - quite literally - carved from steel billets. Not the whole plane, but it felt like it.

Makes you wonder why they even bothered with pressurization 

[worktroll]

Well, the Brits (and Italians) kept building them with open cockpits for a long time ...

(Now I have this image of a Buccaneer observer with the window down ...)

[Cannonshop]

since we're talking about cold-war ground attackers...

[Failure16]

Love those Intruders. But I have a soft-spot for A-6s numbered "505".

[Daryk]

The artillery Karnov has real world inspiration! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdv56fUhQmk

I want one!!! ;D

[chanman]

The artillery Karnov has real world inspiration! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdv56fUhQmk

I want one!!! ;D

Given that this was only a year or two after the banning of LSD and shrooms, maybe they were just using up their now-illegal stash of creativity-enhancers

[Daryk]

You might not be wrong... ;D

[DOC_Agren]

The artillery Karnov has real world inspiration! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdv56fUhQmk

I want one!!! ;D

Sometime you need to let the crazy out 

And how did GIJOE or Cobra never get one

[Fat Guy]

Check out the loadout on this Super Hornet photographed over Point Magu:



Four AIM-174Bs (air launched SM-6s), three AIM 120s, two AIM-9Xs, an IRST on the belly tank and an ATFLIR targeting pod.

Edit: I suppose this is much like hanging twenty missiles on an F-15EX. It can be done, so long as you don't care about range, speed and maneuverability (and in the Hornet's case, what can safely be brought back aboard the carrier).

[nerd]

When I saw this on Twitter from a different angle my question was how much can be recovered on a carrier. We are all subject to Newton's laws.

[Daryk]

Where's the third AIM-120?  I'm not seeing it...

[Fat Guy]

Right fuselage station.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

So why would they load a jet up that heavily?

[Fat Guy]

Photo op.

[Daryk]

Right fuselage station.

Well that certainly explains why I can't see it! :D

[Fat Guy]

Enlarge the picture and you can find it.