Hmm….the X-35 and X-32 use/used the canted rudders on takeoff and landings. So people better in the know didn’t think it was a bad idea.

No sweep? You mean not a lot of sweep. THERE IS a reason for that.

The F/A-18As was the first aircraft in US service to be repeatedly flown at extreme AoA for that time. Such flying wasn’t in the design specs so modification were made.

Instead of cutting and pasting what you want to hear, try reading it all.

UCAVs will have their place but it won’t happen overnight. The F-35 is the most advanced fighter aircraft to date…barring any black projects 😀

Are you guys model builders?
Just curious.

“makes it possible to control airspace over a radius of 300 km. Not even small objects can escape detection. Even a football flying over a stadium. …….

Now that is too funny 🙂

I was at Barksdale AFB, LA when they brought back nose art on the B-52s as a morale booster. It was a big hit with the aircrews and support personel who combined to come up with some GREAT artwork, much of it quite raunchy. As a matter of fact, I’ve still got an 8 x 10 of the artwork on my father’s bomber named Lil’ Patches 57-6491. That particular figure was in need of a couple of patches in at least 2 very strategic places.

Everything was going great until the 8th Air Force Commander for some reason brought his wife out to see the “Colorful Artwork” she was hearing so much about. Needless to say, she was not impressed, and shortly after, ‘Lil Patches” got the patches she was needing. After the G models were retired, the less offensive artwork was transfered over to the H Models where it remains to this day.

To answer your question…. the aircrews got away with as much as they could, while they could. The fun only ended when the public complained. Aparently it’s more obscene to show a cartoon breast on the side of a warplane than to see that aircraft loaded up with multi-megaton weapons ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Good post! I had to chuckle when I read it.

For the ones that didn’t know about it, the F-14s original job no longer exists (Fleet Defense). It was replaced by something that isn’t an aircraft, its called the AEGIS System. Do a search and see what you come up with.

The F/A-18E/F has some short comings but I think that is true of all military equipment regardless of its origin. The Super Hornet will do its job and come back asking, “what’s next” (NOW BABY!….its replacing the Anytime Baby slogan).

What gaines?only expencive loses look at MIG-29K its much better done just ram and thats enough
with external weapons,fences,intakes,.. forget it.For protection of carier you need bigger cruising platforms and it is not.nor its a dash and sprint fighter,nore indurance ,now when you can launch from near 300km ramjets at carier whow is it going to protect it?modern fighter can start from 500km away and reach that critical launch distance before f-18.now hows carier even with help form awacs gona register it at that distance at all.su-25 and -27 suprised americans at pacific,revealing themselves over their decks.

Growler is a truely stupid waste of taxpayer money. A jammer is a flying beacon that says “come kill me”. Some smart guy is going to develop a very long anti-radiation missile powered by turbojet or ramjet and a couple hundred kilometer range. The jammer will never see it coming.

If that is the way you feel you don’t understand the purpose. It has been said that the EA-6 is a vital part of most strike packages. If that Prowler was down (maintenance) the mission would more then likely be delayed.