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Saw this at the Wright Patterson Museum. it's even more wild looking in person i think only two were ever built. The other on crashed
The one that crashed had a mid air collision with a starfighter...
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Dad flew with VMFA-312. They had distinctive checkerboard markings. (Checkerboard squadron). They were just VMF-312 back then.
They later added the helmeted bulldog, but that was after his time, I think.
Something like this....
That’s awesome, man!! I bet he had some stories.
Thanks.
Carrier stories usually topped the list. Like his first night carrier landing. He said "I remembered everything except which side the fucking conning tower lights were supposed to be on, and I sure as hell wasn't going to ask anyone."
I met his Cherry point crew chief once when I was a kid.
He said, "Yeah, I strapped many an aircraft to your old man's ass, and oftentimes he was so hung over, he was asking for oxygen before he got sat down good."
Lmao!!🤣🤣 That’s a fucking epic comment about your old man!!
An angry Hog and it’s GAU.
NICE!
An early EX bird?
(…maybe one built form the F15QA stock in the beginning?)
Excellent eye, sir!
Part of my day-to-day…
The development of that bird has had a lot of material development infused into to it to get things lighter & tighter…and…quicker/faster.
The actual upcoming production EXs will carry more Weps…and carry them faster…and longer…than can be believed. One would truly have some fun if they were to look into “what” engines that bird runs…or…will run ultimately.
They’re implying that there are production birds out there…but, not really. Not yet. There’s apparently 2 tiers of EX…and then…maybe…a CX? Hey, it could happen!
When the real EXs show up…the game is gonna change. Hell, even the Zoomies are taking note.
They’re gonna run the gamut, from near and afar…and they’re gonna bring their own noise.
There’s a coupl’a early variants that don’t have the conformal packs built into them…they FUCKING HAUL ASS…and are probably out there to raise eyebrows and get funding for the CX.
The Lockheed pod (I have a hard-time saying or typing Lockheed-Martin…fuck that) and much of the EPAWSS & supporting equip for stand-off Weps management and other bolt-on stuff allows that bird to play quarterback…are all new & improved…lighter-faster-better…etc.
The EX actually has features/design allowances for adding damn near any available system to it “as needed”…which is REALLY nice.
Lots of cool stuff strapped onto that bird.
LOTS! 🤣
I truly appreciate all that insight, sir! That bird is probably the most bad ass bird I’ve ever seen. Simply amazing.
Got a kid that I convinced (his dad is our sr. engineer) to go FAIP directly outta his initial flt training…that lasted 3 years & he was afforded the opportunity to “select”…he had excellent e-vals & was in the top of his class…on top of that…he’d volunteered for FAIP when they really needed instructors (T6…it’s a really good gig).
He had 35 & 15 available…really, really, really…leaned on him to go 15. He did. He goes to North Carolina this winter…get this…because he went directly to FAIP…he still has to do all his survival/sere stuff. But, no worries…uncle Manny has plans for him…well timed plans. EX, Bitches!🤣
Note: while the 35 is pretty cool and seems all the rage…it’s EXACTLY like a modern car that doesn’t want to let you do what you want to do. Not kidding. 😎
An EX, on the other hand…for a young man that’s gonna make O-4 early…that’s gonna be a really good gig that will likely keep him flying versus the usual desk shit…that’s “if” he can get in a good EX syllabus training slot.
It’s a great time to be flying for America.
I apologize, just aircraft related. I thought this was really cool.
Awesome story, Manny!! You’re a great mentor to that young man👊👍👍👍👍
The EX seems far and above more fun!
Pit Row
That's AI.
• At the beginning, they're sitting in a side door (Ch47 doesn't have those), but they jump off a ramp.
• Dogs are way too calm. SOF dogs are still dogs, and shit they don't understand scares them.
• Military doesn't jump without helmets & Air Force pilots don't usually jump voluntarily.
• There's a serious lack of physics on exit. Jumpers don't float, they fall.
Check out Mike Ritland's Mike Drop podcast from last week (September 22) with Ryan Bodenheimer from the Max Afterburner YouTube channel. He flew Strike Eagles before becoming a Thunderbird and has some pretty wild combat stories. It's insane how many different weapons, and how much weight, they can load on those F15Es.
Oh how disappointing. HAAHAA! They got me.🤦♂️
"There's a serious lack of physics on exit. Jumpers don't float, they fall."
Hahahaha! The last guy ended up at the same altitude as the first guy who got out.
Also, good luck remaining stable with your arms tucked in like that.
Navy uses 100% compressed oxygen. It’s one helluva hangover remedy. Or at least that’s what I’ve been told…
There’s talk of retrofitting Vipers as well. Last airframe rolled off the line in ‘05. Yet the plant (relocated from FTW to SC) remains viable. Average age of our F-16 fleet is 34 years.
Huh? Didn’t they recently make some new export models? With the A4ish lookin’ “Hump-Back” conformal fuel system?
I’m guessing last US airframe was ‘05? (Bloc 60?)
Well, Mover & Gonky talked about the retrofit, so it must be true! At least I hope so, since they and Ward Carroll are my only news sources.
The Viper is another bird that needs a 2nd Gen variant like the 15EX. Why?
“Bang for the Buck”.
That’s why. 😎
Imagine a Viper with an F135 engine …43,000+ lb thrust.
“You can’t see me!”
OpFor - “See WHO?!”
Also, there’s a “vectored thrust variant” of the F16 that NASA’s used to develop the syllabus for that technology and has literally tormented other overpriced thrust vector designs…which is hilarious.
The old F-16N was an awesome performing jet. For what it was intended…. The GE motors, strengthened wings, no gun, the old radar, basically just a hot rod.
Here’s the coolest F16 EVER that actually evolved from the Agile F16 program…
This is the Mitsubishi F2 Viper Zero…not kidding. Those strange looking wings are well…bigger, stronger, provide more range and…they’re Carbon-fiber.
But, get this, by the time the birds were built and the cost over-runs were calculated…one F2 could pay for 2-3 F16 Bloc 50-60 🤣
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