Not USAF but MAN!! What a flight!!

[Seabrooke]

I believe a bunch of the HOF members are also pilots. Of course I have no idea what types of aircraft any of you fly but the L39 Albatross seems to be quite a popular choice as a privately owned jet.

I had a flight in one last year. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RUSH!!!!

If any of you ever get the chance to take one of these jet fighter flights - GRAB IT!!

http://youtu.be/l-r7xdG4UDY

 

[krush]

I hope to buy one after I marry rich.

 

[gbharrington]

Adding that to the list! Thanks for sharing.

 

[hyperfishing]

Bah, buy your own Mig 21 Fishbed perfectly maintained to do 1,300 MPH on ASO for a mere 60K or so. True!

 

[krush]

Bah, buy your own Mig 21 Fishbed perfectly maintained to do 1,300 MPH on ASO for a mere 60K or so. True!

http://www.controller.com/listingsd...-MIG-21-UM/1967-MIKOYAN-MIG-21-UM/1163877.htm

 

[Avenger]

Much like a vintage Hatteras I suspect the maintenance vastly excedes the purchase price.

 

[season]

Although we certainly did not pull any "G"'s my brother and I were beaming from ear to ear to get a ride in the plane that our Dad flew 42 combat missions in WWII in the South Pacific. I would like to thank the Beechcraft pilot that provided the cameras for this flight and posted the video on YouTube. We were able to experience close to a one hour flight that included 3 full stop take offs and landings to validate the left seat pilot's certification in the B-25. That's me on the left with the iPad blocking my face as I too filmed the experience for posterity. My Dad flew it the year before at 90 years old. The chief pilot proclaimed Colonel "you have not lost much in 67 years". Dad responded "I don't remember the controls being this heavy but at 23 years old I was in a little better shape. Dad asked to make a low pass over the museum field. Remember their typical missions in the South Pacific over targets were at 50 feet. The pilot said sure just keep above 200 feet. My Dad responded "CHICKEN!" Let's just drop the gear and we will declare a missed approach! The pilot laughed and said OK make it 150.
If you go to 6:45 seconds in the video the B-25 footage begins. The B25 was truly the mold that the A-10 Warthog was built around. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vyCHT2sm3Y

 

[rsmith]

The reason the Russians had the best ejector seats was because their aircraft and engines were total junk. The L39 is not a bad plane but it's still single engine and the engines are prone to grenade. There's been a number of people killed in them here in the states. I wouldn't get in one unless I knew the ejection seat was armed and current on inspections and I've received detailed training in that model seat. Even with extensive military training ejections are not always successful.

 

[rsmith]

I had a friend that owned a B25 "Killer Bee" these old WW2 aircraft were designed to run on 130 octane fuel. Whit the 100 octane the best you can get today they are forced to take off at reduced power and struggle to get into the air. It's a dicey deal in one of these old birds if you lose an engine on take off


http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB980371808134919865

 

[season]

While attending several of the 500th Bomb Squadron reunions over the years several of the pilots including my Dad explained that since many of their missions were at the end of the fuel envelopes they would get to the 100 foot altitude that they flew over the Pacific on their routes to targets and then lean out the fuel mixtures while watching the cylinder head temps rise. They would lean them out to just below overheating and extend their range significantly. The B-25 fuel tanks feed to the engines are at the back of the tanks to prohibit fuel starvation on take off. Since they landed at a nose down attitude they would be sloshing the little fuel left away from the senders and would stall the engines on final. Dad said you could always tell a B-25 low on fuel on approach because the pilot would keep pulling the nose up to shove the remaining fuel back to the aft end of the tanks.
The 500th lost one third of all planes and crews in the three years they were in the South Pacific. The week before they assigned my Dad to the squadron they lost three planes and crews.

 

[krush]

In 50 years, I wonder how many "old farts" will be flying around a-6, f-15's, f-14, f-18's, etc. If we're lucky, somebody will have a c130.

Sigh.

After I do that marry rich thing (and retire) maybe then there's time to join the Confederate Airforce....or whatever PC name they have now.

 

[Seabrooke]

Bah, buy your own Mig 21 Fishbed perfectly maintained to do 1,300 MPH on ASO for a mere 60K or so. True!

No Pilot's licence and not having 60 k laying around for jam plus whatever the fuel and maintenance etc. costs, I was VERY happy to use somebody else's aircraft!

Anyhow, all but one MIG21 that I just found for sale were $150k or more like this one

http://www.aerocontroller.com/aircr...aircraft-for-sale/7005-r-13-powered-mig-21um#

Think I'll stick with the joyflights!!

 

[hyperfishing]

I was just kidding. Most of us boat owners know it would be far smarter to merely charter a vessel to get our jollies, same for jet aircraft.

It is surprising the number of Ex-Soviet designed fighters in private hands though. I know an F104 Starfighter was also owned by a private person, and so was an F-86, but the number of U.S. designed jet fighters in private hands is very small by comparison.

 

[rsmith]

I was just kidding. Most of us boat owners know it would be far smarter to merely charter a vessel to get our jollies, same for jet aircraft.

It is surprising the number of Ex-Soviet designed fighters in private hands though. I know an F104 Starfighter was also owned by a private person, and so was an F-86, but the number of U.S. designed jet fighters in private hands is very small by comparison.

That's because the Gov never gives up ownership. They can demand them back at any time. After 911 they tried to confiscate all the WW11 warbirds in private hands.

 

[krush]

Having a peer from high school that is now doing his first tour flying f18's off carriers, I see some of his pictures on the bookFace. Knowing this guy growing up, and his mental capacity...well, lets just say I was surprised he even went to college (he studied marketing, not engineering). Anyway, as a private pilot, I sometimes wish I was in his shoes, but then my senses and wisdom gained from living a former associated military life kick in and I realize how miserable and bureaucratic our forces have now become (and associated cut in flying hours, lack of meritocracy, etc). Plus, after 10-20 years as a fighter jock, it's hard to find a well paying job outside that skill set. I'll stick to fixing big machines and paying to fly for fun.

 

[Avenger]

Yeah, but for the taxpayer to foot the bill to drive a hotrod like that..... I'd still be tempted.

 

[krush]

Yeah, but for the taxpayer to foot the bill to drive a hotrod like that..... I'd still be tempted.

Min 10 years of your life. Plus, the chance that you may be stuck doing aerial refueling or P3 duty instead............