For Us Plane Lovers

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

F-15A Reporter. (think Black Widow on steroids)

Ever see one ya could not peg? One night I gots an eyefull 'o prototype durin' a ground emergency. Had ta wait 13 years before an official photo came out. We was told it was something it damn sure wern't an we was damn sure we didn't know wot it was. (search Have Blue)

[Sir William Marcus]

I can't believe no one has posted one of my favorites yet....the P38 Lightning!

I gotta mention Richard Ira Bong or Major Richard Bong who was the United States' highest-scoring air ace who shot down at least 40 Japanese aircraft during World War II flying a P-38.


 

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Sadly Richard went back to the states after his 40 kills. While testing a new aircraft  the P-8hooting Star he lost control of the plane shortly after take off the plane malfunctioned Sadly he lost his life on the day Enola Gay dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. He had ended up with 200 combat missions,and over 500 combat hours under his belt

Other top aces of WWII
Thomas McGuire with 38 KIA
David McCampbell 34
Gabby Gabreski 28 (The highest in the European Theater)
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington 28 (Some say only 22 but Pappy always said he had 28 including his stint with the Flying Tigers)
Robert S Johnson 27 (Europe)
Charles McDonald 27
George E Preddy 27 (Top Mustang Ace) KIA by friendly fire during the Battle of the Bulge
Joe Foss 26
Robert Hanson 25

[Ambios]

Lots of great stuff so far!  I can't believe no one has posted one of my favorites yet....the P38 Lightning!

Lovin this thread.  The "Two Tailed Devil" (sorry, can't remember the Deutche) is my all time favorite as well.  Other favorites:
WW2....F4U Corsair, FW-190, and the DeHaviland Mosquito

Jet Age...
F-104 Starfighter.....can still remember getting "buzzed" by these on a regular basis living in Camp Zama (Japan) as they flew over to and from nearby Tachikawa AFB
B-58 Intimidator....short lived but beautiful delta wing early Mach??? nuclear raider....and my favorite model plane as a kid
and, of course,
The Blackbird

[Capt. Bacardi]

Other top aces of WWII
Thomas McGuire with 38 KIA
David McCampbell 34
Gabby Gabreski 28 (The highest in the European Theater)
Gregory "Pappy" Boyington 28 (Some say only 22 but Pappy always said he had 28 including his stint with the Flying Tigers)
Robert S Johnson 27 (Europe)
Charles McDonald 27
George E Preddy 27 (Top Mustang Ace) KIA by friendly fire during the Battle of the Bulge
Joe Foss 26
Robert Hanson 25

Good to see Robert Johnson on the list. He flew a Thunderbolt for the 56th squadron in Europe. Read his book in high school, he took over 200 rounds in one conflict and still got his Jug back to England. He passed away back in 1998.

[Sir William Marcus]

I remember this incredible story about a thunderbolt pilot that got separated from his squadron.  On his way back to the base he was pursued by a German ace that riddled his P-47 over and over again. After engagement after engagement, and to his amazement at being unsuccessful at downing the P-47 the German pilot flew up along side saluted the pilot. tipped his wing and let him go.  Was it Robert Johnson??  They even shared the story on the Military Channel sometime ago. I just can't remember the pilots name.  Anyone?

Lets not forget another P-47 Ace "Gabby Gabreski"

[Noble Dreg]

That's the one...find the story here...

http://www.cradleofaviation.org/history/aircraft/p-47/5.html

[Lord Figaro]

Lot's of great pictures going on here. But I also loved the bombers. B17G Super Fortress baby. One hell of a BUFF. Here's one of the B-17 nick named The Thunderbird. She was used primarily as a trainer for new flight crews on their first missions. She had a 100% safety record. Every crew that took of with her came back home safely.

[Sir William Marcus]

That's the one...find the story here...

http://www.cradleofaviation.org/history/aircraft/p-47/5.html

Toooo cool.. It was Robert Johnson

Thanks Dreg!

[Lord Figaro]

Oh and I just remembered Richard Ira Bong has a museum in Superior Wisconsin right across the river from Duluth. They also have a fully restored P38 painted the same as his original P-38 was in WW2.

http://www.bongheritagecenter.org/newsroom/?newsroom=press_kit

[BubbleWright]

I love anything with wings. One of my favorites is the DC3/C47 whose exploits before, during, and after WWII are legendary. One  C-47 in the Pacific had a Japanese fighter expend all its ammo on it and still flew. The Japanese pilot, not wanting to lose face, rammed the C-47, taking the top of the rudder off. The C-47 made it back to base but the Japanese plane crashed. This was the only transport plane credited with downing an enemy aircraft during WWII !!!!!

[Noble Dreg]

I posted this on the old forum before it imploded...Trust me, crank the music and go to full screen.  Fortunately not only do the Swiss like to fly, they like to film themselves flying!  I feel like I'm "cheating" on the F4 when I say...I really love seeing the FA18 in flight!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3448650583768959103

[Sir William Marcus]

Unleash....the DRAKENS! Watching the video reminded me of the somewhat unusual looking Saab 35 Draken

[Noble Dreg]

Thunderbirds are go!

A classic bit of 60's SST design...The XP Valkyrie.  Two built, one crashed...

[Sir Ironhead]

I posted this on the old forum before it imploded...Trust me, crank the music and go to full screen.  Fortunately not only do the Swiss like to fly, they like to film themselves flying!  I feel like I'm "cheating" on the F4 when I say...I really love seeing the FA18 in flight!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3448650583768959103

That delta wing bird in the video is a Mirage, either a 3 or 5.  I always thought that delta wing birds were like the sports cars of aircraft, built for speed.