Historic Aircraft from back in the day

vet323
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4/1/2026 5:31am Edited Date/Time 4/1/2026 5:32am
Bearuno wrote:
What 'plane is that?By the Cannons I can see on top, and the general design, could it be a much earlier 'take' on Ground Support, like...

What 'plane is that?

By the Cannons I can see on top, and the general design, could it be a much earlier 'take' on Ground Support, like the A10s?

Though, it looks like it may be considerably larger than the A10.  All the glass/ viewing areas are interesting. 

ShellyMX wrote:
Sir,Lockheed P-38 Lightning. You can recognize it by its distinctive twin-boom design, with the cockpit nacelle in the center and twin tails connected by a...

Sir,


Lockheed P-38 Lightning.


 

You can recognize it by its distinctive twin-boom design, with the cockpit nacelle in the center and twin tails connected by a horizontal stabilizer. It was a U.S. fighter used extensively during World War II, known for its versatility—serving as a fighter, interceptor, bomber escort, and reconnaissance aircraft.


 

That is a Northrup P-61 Black Widow, not a P-38.

Edit: Jinx, speedman.

ShellyMX
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4/1/2026 5:46am

I stand corrected! Appreciate the clarification, gentlemen.

speedman
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4/1/2026 5:49am
vet323 wrote:

That is a Northrup P-61 Black Widow, not a P-38.

Edit: Jinx, speedman.

Ah, sorry, I only chimed in because I was surprised no one had identified it yet. 

1
Joey Bridges
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4/1/2026 6:47am
ShellyMX wrote:
Sir,Lockheed P-38 Lightning. You can recognize it by its distinctive twin-boom design, with the cockpit nacelle in the center and twin tails connected by a...

Sir,


Lockheed P-38 Lightning.


 

You can recognize it by its distinctive twin-boom design, with the cockpit nacelle in the center and twin tails connected by a horizontal stabilizer. It was a U.S. fighter used extensively during World War II, known for its versatility—serving as a fighter, interceptor, bomber escort, and reconnaissance aircraft.


 

Doesn't look like any P-38 I've ever seen a picture of...

That's because it's not. 

This is...

1235720604341 0.jpg?VersionId=HlO

The Shop

Bearuno
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4/1/2026 6:55am Edited Date/Time 4/1/2026 6:58am
Bearuno wrote:
What 'plane is that?By the Cannons I can see on top, and the general design, could it be a much earlier 'take' on Ground Support, like...

What 'plane is that?

By the Cannons I can see on top, and the general design, could it be a much earlier 'take' on Ground Support, like the A10s?

Though, it looks like it may be considerably larger than the A10.  All the glass/ viewing areas are interesting. 

ShellyMX wrote:
Sir,Lockheed P-38 Lightning. You can recognize it by its distinctive twin-boom design, with the cockpit nacelle in the center and twin tails connected by a...

Sir,


Lockheed P-38 Lightning.


 

You can recognize it by its distinctive twin-boom design, with the cockpit nacelle in the center and twin tails connected by a horizontal stabilizer. It was a U.S. fighter used extensively during World War II, known for its versatility—serving as a fighter, interceptor, bomber escort, and reconnaissance aircraft.


 

vet323 wrote:

That is a Northrup P-61 Black Widow, not a P-38.

Edit: Jinx, speedman.

This is the type of P-38 I was aware of :

P38 Lightning

After ShellyMX's reply I thought, that, fair enough,  like many 'planes, it was say, a 'Heavy' variant of the P-38. Because it was a considerably larger 'plane. 

I had no idea of the P-61s existence. 

Cool, indeed.

4
Joey Bridges
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4/1/2026 7:46am Edited Date/Time 4/1/2026 8:14am

BREAKING: The United States Heritage Air Force Squadron has just announced plans to resurrect a Convair B-36 from the Boneyard and restore it to full flying condition 🇺🇸HE0YNhFWIAA2QOX The legendary "Peacemaker" will take to the skies once again as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration, culminating in a massive airshow this September at Brookley Air Force Base, Alabama.

 

Seriously hoping this isn't an April fool's post on the aviation site. 

9
ShellyMX
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4/1/2026 8:22am
Bearuno wrote:
This is the type of P-38 I was aware of :After ShellyMX's reply I thought, that, fair enough,  like many 'planes, it was say, a 'Heavy'...

This is the type of P-38 I was aware of :

P38 Lightning

After ShellyMX's reply I thought, that, fair enough,  like many 'planes, it was say, a 'Heavy' variant of the P-38. Because it was a considerably larger 'plane. 

I had no idea of the P-61s existence. 

Cool, indeed.

I had no idea it existed either! Obviously. Lol

PRM31
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Fantasy
4/1/2026 11:59am

I guess this now qualifies as historic.


IMG 2547 0.jpeg?VersionId=JSWW5BPByjS4ke

8
LoudLove
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4/1/2026 4:56pm
PRM31 wrote:
I guess this now qualifies as historic.

I guess this now qualifies as historic.


IMG 2547 0.jpeg?VersionId=JSWW5BPByjS4ke

Kenny Loggins now jamming in my gray matter…

3
Bearuno
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4/1/2026 6:56pm Edited Date/Time 4/1/2026 7:56pm
BREAKING: The United States Heritage Air Force Squadron has just announced plans to resurrect a Convair B-36 from the Boneyard and restore it to full flying...

BREAKING: The United States Heritage Air Force Squadron has just announced plans to resurrect a Convair B-36 from the Boneyard and restore it to full flying condition 🇺🇸HE0YNhFWIAA2QOX The legendary "Peacemaker" will take to the skies once again as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration, culminating in a massive airshow this September at Brookley Air Force Base, Alabama.

 

Seriously hoping this isn't an April fool's post on the aviation site. 

Ay Carumba ! : 6 Radial (?) Piston Engines, and 4 Jet (?) engines!

 

1
4/1/2026 8:07pm
BREAKING: The United States Heritage Air Force Squadron has just announced plans to resurrect a Convair B-36 from the Boneyard and restore it to full flying...

BREAKING: The United States Heritage Air Force Squadron has just announced plans to resurrect a Convair B-36 from the Boneyard and restore it to full flying condition 🇺🇸HE0YNhFWIAA2QOX The legendary "Peacemaker" will take to the skies once again as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration, culminating in a massive airshow this September at Brookley Air Force Base, Alabama.

 

Seriously hoping this isn't an April fool's post on the aviation site. 

Bearuno wrote:

Ay Carumba ! : 6 Radial (?) Piston Engines, and 4 Jet (?) engines!

 

4 burning, 6 turning!

2
G-man
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4/1/2026 8:54pm
1000014877

The Northrop P-61 Black Widow is a twin-engine United States Army Air Forces fighter aircraft of World War II. It was the first U.S. aircraft conceived from the outset and deployed operationally specifically as a night fighter, incorporating onboard radar as part of the original airframe design.

Yep the Black Widow was a badass aircraft, the first night fighter. Jan's father was a pilot in that aircraft, but she told me that he never talked about the war. Just like her, he was a very humble and kind person. I wish I took the time to get to know him better, one of my regrets in life.

7
RaceFan
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4/1/2026 10:22pm Edited Date/Time 4/1/2026 10:22pm
G-man wrote:
And here 's the mighty B-52 loaded for bear.72 years since its inception and still causing havoc! Dang we are throwing the whole kitchen sink at...

And here 's the mighty B-52 loaded for bear.

72 years since its inception and still causing havoc! Dang we are throwing the whole kitchen sink at them. 😲

 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CVm3V2YAf/

 

Drove past Fairford recently. I know very little about planes but B52s are not hard to spot. Lots of activity and quite eerie to see and hear these for the few days we were in the area.

533908d8-4f58-4e54-a42a-3e1f5a038d72.jpeg?VersionId=e1Z4fssgE9eaj4TGWOUxkqFEniXbv
6
G-man
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4/2/2026 2:19pm
G-man wrote:
And here 's the mighty B-52 loaded for bear.72 years since its inception and still causing havoc! Dang we are throwing the whole kitchen sink at...

And here 's the mighty B-52 loaded for bear.

72 years since its inception and still causing havoc! Dang we are throwing the whole kitchen sink at them. 😲

 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CVm3V2YAf/

 

RaceFan wrote:
Drove past Fairford recently. I know very little about planes but B52s are not hard to spot. Lots of activity and quite eerie to see and...

Drove past Fairford recently. I know very little about planes but B52s are not hard to spot. Lots of activity and quite eerie to see and hear these for the few days we were in the area.

533908d8-4f58-4e54-a42a-3e1f5a038d72.jpeg?VersionId=e1Z4fssgE9eaj4TGWOUxkqFEniXbv

Takes a lot of runway to get this beamouth off the ground!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DiTbXmayg/

 

2
plowboy
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4/2/2026 5:46pm

I was dragging a toolbox behind a row of Buffs at Offutt AFB way back and a tail gun started tracking me.  I ain't gonna lie...I was scart.🙃

5
G-man
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4/7/2026 12:33am

An A-10 Thunderbolt II successfully returned to base despite sustaining more than 150 holes from enemy ground fire during a combat mission.✈🇺🇸

When Kim Campbell’s aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile over Iraq In 2003, she instantly knew that ejecting was not the safest option.

“At first it caught me off guard, but I instantly knew the aircraft had taken a hit,” Campbell said. “There was no time to hesitate—ejecting would’ve meant coming down right into the heart of Baghdad, which was far too risky.”

The strike knocked out two of the A-10’s hydraulic systems—damage that would typically make the aircraft uncontrollable. But the Warthog is built for moments like this. By engaging its backup manual control mode, Campbell managed to keep the jet stable and fly it to safety.

Against the odds, she flew the heavily damaged A-10 back to base and landed safely.

“It was the best landing I’ve ever made,” Campbell later said.

Her calm decision-making and exceptional airmanship earned her the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism, one of the U.S. Air Force’s highest honors.✈️🇺🇸1000015067.jpg?VersionId=mixCHs23OiNdHIe

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SKlein
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4/7/2026 6:56am

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ShellyMX
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IMG 4333 1
motorick5052
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4/7/2026 7:07pm Edited Date/Time 4/10/2026 3:39pm
IMG 4875 2.jpeg?VersionId=1csLIcjvnwSG9DqQgic0xOVb6DN

When my buddy decided it was time to park the P-61 model, rather than selling it to another RC flier, he pulled out all the flight gear, both 55cc engines and donated it to the Air & Space section at the Oklahoma Science Museum where it’s hangs on display to this day! 
😊 👍❗️

NOW BACK TO FULL-SCALE COOLNESS! 🤪

8
G-man
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4/9/2026 9:10am

Remind me again why they want to retire the Warthog...... what other aircraft could survive this today?

An A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) successfully returned to base after sustaining more than 150 battle damage holes from intense enemy ground fire during a combat mission. Despite the severity of the damage, the aircraft remained flyable, and the pilot landed safely without injury. ✈🇺🇸💪

The strike knocked out two of the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, which are typically responsible for controlling its flight surfaces. In most situations, this level of damage would make the aircraft impossible to fly. However, the A-10 is built with a unique survivability feature known as manual reversion.

This system provides a purely mechanical backup, allowing the pilot to control the aircraft without hydraulic assistance through direct linkages to the control surfaces. By engaging manual reversion, the pilot managed to retain control and successfully return the badly damaged aircraft to base.

The A-10 was later repaired and returned to operational service, further demonstrating the aircraft’s exceptional durability and combat survivability. Captain Campbell’s skill and calm decision-making under fire earned widespread recognition and helped solidify the A-10’s legendary reputation among both pilots and ground forces who rely on its close air support capabilities.🇺🇸💪

1000015095
8
TeamGreen
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4/9/2026 9:44am

He Hog has excelled at Drone Elimination at an unbelievable level. Its ability to loiter and truly pretext ground troops is quite literally unparalleled. In the last DUDE rescue, the A10 heroically fulfilled the “Sandy” role and REMOVED threats to the rescue op. 

So, where is…what is…our next Warthog?!

The closest airframe, capability-wise, are out AHs and in some cases…the 130 Talon(BIG Suppression Ops) …but, over-all “time on mission”, the Hog is THE airframe for the job of loitering and providing ground-pounder protection.

We need a New Hog!💪🏼🇺🇸

 

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1
Sully
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4/9/2026 5:07pm
G-man wrote:
Remind me again why they want to retire the Warthog...... what other aircraft could survive this today?An A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) successfully returned to base after...

Remind me again why they want to retire the Warthog...... what other aircraft could survive this today?

An A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) successfully returned to base after sustaining more than 150 battle damage holes from intense enemy ground fire during a combat mission. Despite the severity of the damage, the aircraft remained flyable, and the pilot landed safely without injury. ✈🇺🇸💪

The strike knocked out two of the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, which are typically responsible for controlling its flight surfaces. In most situations, this level of damage would make the aircraft impossible to fly. However, the A-10 is built with a unique survivability feature known as manual reversion.

This system provides a purely mechanical backup, allowing the pilot to control the aircraft without hydraulic assistance through direct linkages to the control surfaces. By engaging manual reversion, the pilot managed to retain control and successfully return the badly damaged aircraft to base.

The A-10 was later repaired and returned to operational service, further demonstrating the aircraft’s exceptional durability and combat survivability. Captain Campbell’s skill and calm decision-making under fire earned widespread recognition and helped solidify the A-10’s legendary reputation among both pilots and ground forces who rely on its close air support capabilities.🇺🇸💪

1000015095

I had the opportunity to check out the cockpit of an A10 back in '94. Damn thing was almost completely analog. I'm sure it's been upgraded since, but back then, it looked like a modern plane with a 1960s cockpit. Definitely a jet that needs to stay in the inventory for a while.

3
ShellyMX
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4/10/2026 9:55am
IMG 4341 3.jpeg?VersionId=1wa
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ShellyMX
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moto-moto
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unknown? ...but NOT..., MP US
Fantasy
4/10/2026 10:38am

^^^
Is there a name for that paint scheme?

ShellyMX
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4/10/2026 10:49am
moto-moto wrote:

^^^
Is there a name for that paint scheme?

Camo chic? 😂

Kenny Banyan
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4/10/2026 11:01am
G-man wrote:
Remind me again why they want to retire the Warthog...... what other aircraft could survive this today?An A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) successfully returned to base after...

Remind me again why they want to retire the Warthog...... what other aircraft could survive this today?

An A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) successfully returned to base after sustaining more than 150 battle damage holes from intense enemy ground fire during a combat mission. Despite the severity of the damage, the aircraft remained flyable, and the pilot landed safely without injury. ✈🇺🇸💪

The strike knocked out two of the aircraft’s hydraulic systems, which are typically responsible for controlling its flight surfaces. In most situations, this level of damage would make the aircraft impossible to fly. However, the A-10 is built with a unique survivability feature known as manual reversion.

This system provides a purely mechanical backup, allowing the pilot to control the aircraft without hydraulic assistance through direct linkages to the control surfaces. By engaging manual reversion, the pilot managed to retain control and successfully return the badly damaged aircraft to base.

The A-10 was later repaired and returned to operational service, further demonstrating the aircraft’s exceptional durability and combat survivability. Captain Campbell’s skill and calm decision-making under fire earned widespread recognition and helped solidify the A-10’s legendary reputation among both pilots and ground forces who rely on its close air support capabilities.🇺🇸💪

1000015095

That’s unbelievable…👍🏻

1

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