http://www.navytimes.com/static.php?...ight080206.php

 

This is a sad moment to see another great bird enter the history books.

.....=o&o>.....

 

While it is sad, It paves the way for newer planes

 

If it takes 15 hours (Ithink that's what they said..) of maintenance work per hour flying, I would hope the newer replacements don't require as much. The swing wing capability has to have it's cost I'm sure. At least the new birds are great planes as well...

 

"Negative Ghost Rider. The pattern is full."






Not directed at anyone. Just seemed right to say.

 

Good bird, it'll be missed.

 

Man, hard to believe the plane that made Maverick and Goose famous is now out of active service.
The opening scene of Top Gun was probably the best recruitment tool ever for the Navy.

The F-14 now joins the P-51 Mustang and the F-4 Phantom.
Those 3 have always been my favorites when it comes to fighter aircraft.

I got to see the last F-4 flight from Birmingham's 117th Tactical Recon back about 10 years ago. I think that was the last F-4 unit in service at the time.

 

Lets not leave out the P-38 with the Mustang's, my dad was lead mechanic on both during WW II in China and India. What? Do you think they would send a native born German back to Europe? Some smuck told him his German wasn't good enough to be a translater in Europe so they stuck him in China.
He was friends with the Reco group so film was free and he had a camera (big no no during war time) and took some photos including freezing butt over "Tin Can Alley". Now the people about own us. Ask a Vet in a wheelchair to buy a Toyota. Must stop as i'm off topic and getting a head of steam built up, sorry, 'ex A&P requesting clearance to land.
.....=o&o>.....

 

A great cold warrior! Well done

 

Sad event indeed, but they need to make way for jets like the F-22. You'll see tears from me when they retire the F-15 from service.

 

What about the F-18 when they retrofit the engines, that baby can flat get it on without afterburner into M1?
All in the name of progress, wonder what the first thoughts of wwII pilot were when he got buzzed by a 262 even though they were crude?
Dad pulled a 1710 from a P-38 after it was flown single engine for 43 minutes at 94 inches boost getting away from being out numbered and shot at.
GM wanted that motor untouched for teardown to inspect for unusual wear.
As he always told pilots, "bring 'em back un one piece without holes or bail out, I don't repair junk". Seems he told me this when I was hot rodding one of his motors, thought the pretty red thing on the tach was a decoration until i kicked rods. That motor I had to replace, oops.
Off subject, ran a 2800 pratt on test stand one night, we pulled 104% of maximum obtainable power from the manufactures specs for sea level.
500 inch car motors are toys compared to playing with radials.

.....=o&o>.....

 

IMO, The US should build Canada's Avro Arrow.

I'll miss the Tomcat..it was one of my fav's.

 

i allways wanted to fly that aircraft. it will be missed

 

The good news is you will still see them eventually at airshows around the world. The Air Force has a "Heritage Flight" and the Navy has a "Legacy Flight". In these flight they have different eras of planes fly in formation. I have a great pic from last summer of a P-51, F-86, and a F-15 all in close formation. This past summer the added the F-4 to the Navy Legacy Flights. A friend emailed me a pic of a F-4, F-18, and F4U in formation. It was called "tail hook legacy flight"

Here are some great pics of the flights

http://www.aero-pix.com/memorial/hfpage.htm

 

Now that would be cool to see...