http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/26/content_10113996.htm

Essay about Chinese and PLAAF aircraft industry.

Strange emblems on the PLAAF Su-27/Su-30? Russian?

BTW, the three astronauts up there are all PLAAF Colonels.
For comparison, before Yang Li Wei lifted off, he (thought he) was a PLAAF Lieutenant Colonel. He, and the general public, didn’t know he was promoted to Colonel, some days before the lift off.
In the few years after his feat, he’s been promoted to Senior Colonel, then recently to Major General.

*OFF-TOPIC ALERT*

] China reports successful space flight before rocket lifts off

So Commie China’s invented time travel, in addition to space travel. Shrug.
IMO, the Shen Zhou VII mission is all CG, albeit more hi-tech than the NASA landings on the moon.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/21/AR2008092102432.html

“Senate Boosts Funding for Laser Weapons”

Monday, September 22, 2008; Page A13
By Walter Pincus

The Senate has embraced last year’s Defense Science Board conclusion that directed-energy weapons — such as high-, medium- and low-power lasers — hold great potential and should be developed as soon as possible.

http://pao.navair.navy.mil/press_releases/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.view&Press_release_id=3985&site_id=15

“Carrier-based launch system reaches milestone”

23-Sep-08

NAVAIR Patuxent River, MD — The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) took its next giant step toward fleet introduction Sept. 3, when it reached the 10,000 High Cycle Testing, Phase 1 milestone at the General Atomics test facility in Tupelo, Miss.

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080922/1/16coc.html
http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080922/11/16clr.html
http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080922/17/16cfh.html

Saturday, 20 September 2008:
F-CK-1 Ching Kuo IDF. 1500. Single-seater.
Tai Nan Lian Dui, ROCAF, based at Tai Nan AB.
While preparing for take off, APU leaked fuel or oil. Pilot tried to start the engine once, and didn’t notice the leak; tried to start the engine a second time, and the leaked fuel/oil caught fire on the ground behind the aircraft, near the right auxiliary fuel tank (drop tank).
Ground crew immediately extinguished the fire.
The take off and air display flight of this aircraft were cancelled, and replaced by spare aircraft.

Tai Nan AB open house delayed to 20 September 2008 by Typhoon Sinlaku.

IDF has built-in APU, and doesn’t need an external APU vehicle.

] Not sure but ‘Wings of the Apache’ had one. Probably doesn’t count though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Birds

IIRC, “Wings of the Apache” was its initial title. Renamed “Fire Birds” when someone later realised the attack heloes had 1) short stubby fixed wings; 2) multiple long narrow rotary wings.
“Wings of the Apache” conjures an image of an aircraft with long, broad wings.

Also, ISTR in the end of Highlander I, a RAF jet fighter flies by, but we see only its tail end, so I always forget whether it’s a Harrier or Jaguar?

F-104s in Star Trek

The USAF aircraft in that Star Trek was a F-104 Starfighter

FYI, for more gory [sic] details about the F-104s in Star Trek, check out this thread in the nearby Modern Military Aviation forum:
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1300620

LLAP!