The Airplane Thread

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Viper!

The F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, known universally as the Viper, remains the most numerically important U.S. Air Force combat aircraft. A year ago (the latest date that I have data) 862 were in service with active USAF, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.

Two things:

1. Yes, the "official" name for the F-16 is the "Fighting Falcon"..... said no Viper driver ever.

Why is it called the "Viper"?

Because it entered service the same time that the original Battlestar Galactica was on television (1978) and all the fighter jocks glommed onto "fighter pilots in space" (and if you get drunk and squint, the BSG Viper shares a *tiny* bit of similarity to the F-16.)

2. Dos Gingos. A couple of Viper Drivers who put down some songs while they were deployed to the sandbox. They're fairly NSFW for language as they're a) written by Viper Drivers, b) performed by Viper Drivers in front of c) you guessed it... fighter pilots.

They're funny as hell (at least if you're a military pilot)-- listen to the lyrics..... and to keep it more or less on-topic, I think these are more or less Viper centric ones....

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

2. Dos Gingos. A couple of Viper Drivers who put down some songs while they were deployed to the sandbox. They're fairly NSFW for language as they're a) written by Viper Drivers, b) performed by Viper Drivers in front of c) you guessed it... fighter pilots.

They're funny as hell ...

Great stuff! Talented guys. Thanks for posting. (And I hope the music survives moderator intervention!)

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Great stuff! Talented guys. Thanks for posting. (And I hope the music survives moderator intervention!)

They're literally publicly available on YouTube, (and I did mention NSFW for Bad Words), so hopefully that'll suffice to "fly under the radar" with the Mod's.

And, it introduces some flying enthusiasts to Dos Gringos!

R.

[Lady Jane]

A Nanchang CJ-6 and a Yakovlev Yak-52 collided in Lancaster today about 1½ hour north of LA, killing one pilot.

[E92_William]

Head on

[Llarry]

U.S. Navy T-6B trainers are getting new paint jobs. The fleet of 150-plus trainers, which fly from Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas to train future Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and foreign pilots and flight officers will be gradually repainted to an all-blue color. See the attached for the existing colors and the first T-6B to get the new paint.

Future Naval Aviators receive almost 100 flight hours of instruction in primary flight training using the T-6B before splitting into groups that will fly carrier-based jet aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters or tilt rotor V-22s.

Future Naval Flight Officers get slightly less T-6B time before splitting into groups that will serve in patrol aviation P-8As, F-18F Super Hornet and EA-16G Growler jets and E-2 radar aircraft.

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by Llarry

U.S. Navy T-6B trainers are getting new paint jobs. The fleet of 150-plus trainers, which fly from Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas to train future Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and foreign pilots and flight officers will be gradually repainted to an all-blue color. See the attached for the existing colors and the first T-6B to get the new paint.

Why the change?

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by BReif61

Why the change?

Attributed to a junior officer suggestion.

My observations about large organizations and leaders: There is pressure to innovate/change so that the leader can be termed an innovator. Sometimes leaving well enough alone would be better, but the ambitious leader needs to change things to demonstrate that he/she is a "hot runner" and worthy of promotion.

[Lady Jane]

Government of Canada Orders the MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS from GA-ASI


https://www.ga-asi.com/government-of...as-from-ga-asi

[vreihen16]

My DW was over at Stewart yesterday doing something for her new job, and said that the annual international peacock strut is in full swing on the transient parking ramp. Yes, the UN General Assembly is meeting in NYC this week, and many world leaders fly into JFK and then have their pilots park for the week at Stewart. She didn't take any pictures, but said that one plane had jagged teeth-like cutouts in the front of the engine cowls and another was painted like a whale with a crown on it.....

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

....another was painted like a whale with a crown on it.....

Back in the day Southwest had one of their aircraft painted like Shamu. I was trying to get aircraft #2 to see the #1 Southwest jet and he said he saw the 73 where I called the traffic, but is didn't look like Southwest. Remembering the one 73 painted like a killer whale, I asked him if it looked like a whale. He enthusiastically said "YES!!!!!" I got to say "Follow Shamu, cleared visual approach 24R!" I never got to say that again...

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Back in the day Southwest had one of their aircraft painted like Shamu. I was trying to get aircraft #2 to see the #1 Southwest jet and he said he saw the 73 where I called the traffic, but is didn't look like Southwest. Remembering the one 73 painted like a killer whale, I asked him if it looked like a whale. He enthusiastically said "YES!!!!!" I got to say "Follow Shamu, cleared visual approach 24R!" I never got to say that again...

Alaska used to have (maybe they still do?) a "Salmon Thirty Salmon", with a big fish painted along the fuselage with it's tail going up the tail of the jet.

R.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

Alaska used to have (maybe they still do?) a "Salmon Thirty Salmon", with a big fish painted along the fuselage with it's tail going up the tail of the jet.

R.

The old salmon and the new salmon livery.

[Llarry]

Tomcat Thursday!

An F-14D approaching supersonic speed, causing the formation of shock waves and the resulting condensation.

[Llarry]

Aggressor training is big business. One of the biggest companies is Draken International. Draken has purchased 22 Dassault Mirage F1s from Spain (photo attached) and is refurbishing them in Florida for use in aggressor training.

One of Draken's competitors is Canadian company Top Aces, which also has a large number of aircraft active in several countries.

[Llarry]

The last U.S. Air Force KC-10A tanker/transport flies to the boneyard today, marking the retirement of the type from service.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The last U.S. Air Force KC-10A tanker/transport flies to the boneyard today, marking the retirement of the type from service.

I've got a fair bit of time staring up at the contact lights on the underside of that jet-- it was truly Aluminum Overcast in the Contact refueling position (online the KC-135 which is much smaller).

Big mistake. HUGE, getting rid of the KC-10 in favor of the far less capable (in mission and fuel quantity) and mechanically troubled KC-46.

R.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Draken has purchased 22 Dassault Mirage F1s from Spain (photo attached) and is refurbishing them in Florida for use in aggressor training.

Looking at the main landing gear, it looks like the F1 could have handled carrier operations or at least some rough terrain.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The last U.S. Air Force KC-10A tanker/transport flies to the boneyard today, marking the retirement of the type from service.

.

[Llarry]

The KC-10 was the most versatile tanker that the USAF flew with a boom for high flow rate refueling of receptacle-equipped aircraft AND a drogue for probe-equipped aircraft. On a single mission, a KC-10 could refuel both types of receivers. And it carried a lot more fuel than the KC-135.

The KC-10A first flew in 1980 and became operational in 1982. The Netherlands bought several equivalent aircraft which were converted from civil DC-10s. While both the USAF and the RNLAF have retired their aircraft, three ex-Dutch aircraft continue in the tanker role as civil aircraft under contracts.