Administrators Eric Posted July 24, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 24, 2023 5 minutes ago, tous said: XB-70 Valkyrie? Yep. I love that pic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 24, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 24, 2023 1 minute ago, tous said: I suspect that that is cold-weather testing of the Concorde. No reason for it to fly in such an environment commercially. Unless, being half-French, it surrendered over Alaska. Or, some billionaire bought tickets for a bunch of Huskies. The site where I found that said that it was taken at the airport in Fairbanks, Alaska. I have no idea why it was there. Seeing that bird on the ice with a couple of dog sled teams in attendance tickles me though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 4 minutes ago, Eric said: Yep. I love that pic. The Soviets had a similar MACH 3.0 prototype, a Sukhoi product, I think, around the same time as the XB-70, but with only four engines. It sits as a museum piece as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 26, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 26, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 26, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 26, 2023 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalchmai Posted July 26, 2023 Share Posted July 26, 2023 7 hours ago, Eric said: I've never seen a P-61 with only two guns in the turret like that. From what I read they had buffeting issues with the turret unless it was locked full forward or full back. It's amazing that such a fundamental problem wasn't solved early on. They removed the turret entirely in some models. I bet the blast from 4 .50s was intense on that roof and window when they were fully involved. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 22 hours ago, Eric said: So, they got rid of the supercharged Allison engines and replaced them with radials? Lost about 50 knots maximum speed? Cut the service ceiling by 10,000 feet? Instead of one pilot, the thing needed three crew: pilot, RADAR operator and gunner, who sat in the rear of the fuselage. And incorporated a top turret that had to be gated so it wouldn't shoot off the vertical stabilizers? If I'm the other guy, I'm attacking either from below or off to one side in line with the vstab so the turret mount can't shoot at me. Who thought that this was a good idea? Other than Northrup. Yes, it was designed as a night fighter, hence the RADAR, but it's still a dubious design. So, there. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalchmai Posted July 27, 2023 Share Posted July 27, 2023 31 minutes ago, tous said: So, they got rid of the supercharged Allison engines and replaced them with radials? Lost about 50 knots maximum speed? Cut the service ceiling by 10,000 feet? Instead of one pilot, the thing needed three crew: pilot, RADAR operator and gunner, who sat in the rear of the fuselage. And incorporated a top turret that had to be gated so it would shoot off the vertical stabilizers? If I'm the other guy, I'm attacking either from below or off to one side in line with the vstab so the turret mount can't shoot at me. Who thought that this was a good idea? Other than Northrup. Yes, it was designed as a night fighter, hence the RADAR, but it's still a dubious design. So, there. I think the P-61 was always supposed to have R-2800s. Speed and service ceiling were less important at night. P-38M had a radar operator in a jump seat. So just one extra guy on the P-61when the turret was used. I hadn't heard about gating the turret. I assumed they used interrupters like everyone else. I don't think night bombers used many escort fighters (and their night fighters were not that great, either) so I'm not that worried about "the other guy". I agree a little about the dubiosity, but remember, it was the war, and there were a lot of dubious designs. From what I read the P-61 did well enough until real no-compromise night fighter came along. And I'm not even all that big a Northrup fan. Whenever I think about the war I remember the lady from the miniseries talking about life during the war on the home front in Mobile. She pronounced it "waw", like one of my Bama aunts used to do. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalchmai Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipedreams Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pipedreams Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwalchmai Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 30, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 30, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 30, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 30, 2023 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted July 31, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted July 31, 2023 I saw the F4 Phantom referred to on a FB group as, "The world's leading distributor of Mig parts." I got a chuckle out of that. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 1, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted August 1, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 4, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted August 4, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 4, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted August 4, 2023 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Administrators Eric Posted August 4, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted August 4, 2023 The Brabazon. This enormous beast was powered by eight massive engines buried in the wings, powering 4 sets of 2 contra-rotating propellers. I don't know if it was the biggest piston-driven prop plane ever built, but if not, it was very close. I believe two were built and very promising test flights were conducted. The plane was doomed before it ever started though, by a matter of timing. The Comet jet airliner came out during its development, followed closely by the 707. Both of the prototype aircraft were destroyed, although a few pieces still exist and are on display at at least one aircraft museum in Great Britain. It was an amazing effort. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted August 4, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted August 4, 2023 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Administrators Eric Posted August 4, 2023 Author Administrators Share Posted August 4, 2023 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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