Wiki is your friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mig_31

As mentioned earlier it is only operated by two countries, Russia/Soviet Union and Kazakhstan. I wasn’t aware of this but it is actually a very old airframe, deliveries commenced in 1979 and the Russians don’t seem to have upgraded it much in recent years. I can see it just disapearing over the next two years with little being said about it!

Just curious about peoples choices on this theme. I would choose:

Wright flyer
SE5a
DC2
Spitfire (or maybe Mustang)
Lancaster
B-29
Me 262
Harrier
F-15
SR-71
Concorde
Boeing 747
Space shuttle

Lots more to choose from of course…

I can see why you’ve chosen all of these except the F-15, what is so special (or speshul?) about this?

For me it would have to be the English Electric Lightning.

During the 60s 70s and 80s its role was to protect the UK from the thousands of attack aircraft the Soviet Union could very easily have sent our way.

With two missiles supplemented by two cannon! 😮

I really can’t see them being all that effective at helping us win World War 3.

Looking on Google Earth what is sat about 10/15 metres in front of the Canberra?

I dunno the C5 are still used for the more akward loads arn’t they? Seems if the An 124 is used a fair bit by the Americans maybe they are needing a plane like the An 124 or why else would they hire them out? They won’t be around forever either, a fair few more decades i’d imagine but one day the Americans might find themselves short on heavy lift with no where to turn but hiring from civilian companies that may not (i guess) be willing to hire themselves out to America for whatever reason, then there really screwed with no replacement ready to go.

Would the Americans ever buy An 124, if not what would need to be done to make it possible?

I can only agree with what bazv has said, a B52 flypast sounds most likely.

Is this the sort of size of force the RAF will have in a few years time?

One tanker will be able to refuel all 4 of the F35B fleet at once! 🙁