Shredding warbirds

[steelyeye 0]

This is just sad.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070702/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/shredding_tomcats;_ylt=Ai3JJtwu2_z63_Qg.5VDi66s0NUE

Fifty years from now, there will probably be no warbirds from this era still flying, maybe just the lucky few static displays at military museums. Sure glad we did not take this policy with Corsairs, Mustangs and other WWII birds! (and I wish I could go back in time and buy a few of those cheap surplus aircraft!)

"Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..."

[Amazon 7]

Actually we did... after WWII many warbids were destroyed.. some were sold to other countries as we developed better aircraft... they have been crunching airplanes at Davis Monthan for decades.

[steelyeye 0]

Very true, and that prevented a lot of aircraft from being saved, especially the medium and heavy bomber fleets. But there still were many warbirds which made it onto the market (albeit often via other countries which bought our surplus birds). I just don't see that happening to our modern aircraft.

I'm just glad there are a lot of great vintage warbirds on the market (looking at several Stearmen right now), and we still have the opportunity to see them fly. I will be saddened when we can no longer hear the Tomcat's growl at an airshow!

"Better a has-been than a never-was. Better a never-was than a never-tried-to-be..."

[warpedskydiver 0]

Tomcats will never fly again in an airshow, Rainbo was at Oceana for the last flight ever.

Maybe he will post pics.

[StardogJonny 0]

We think of our grandfathers watching P 51s and F4Us at the airshow... but it won't be quite like that in the future. A small team of dedicated aircraft mechanics can keep a T6 running but few airline pilots that I know have the dough to help keep a tomcat in the air. Sad, for real.

[warpedskydiver 0]

I really know very few people who could finance flying a Tomcat.(3)

In a matter or a year or two they would pull the plug.

And that is alot of hard earned money added to inherited wealth.

[Rookie120 0]

Quote

I really know very few people who could finance flying a Tomcat.(3)

I dont think the boys want to spend the money of a twin turbine. Look at the F-4. I think there is only 1 private one flying. Just to much MTX to keep them flying. It was fun to watch it fly though.

If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

[Zipp0 1]

I spent a few years working on the F14's avionics, so it's wierd and sad to see them destroyed. There was nothing like a tomcat doing a Mach 1+ pass 100 yards off the port side. Just awesome.

We also had A7 Corsair and A6 Intruders on the Kennedy, both now retired. And I don't feel THAT old yet, but they even took the Kennedy to mothballs.....

--------------------------
Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[juanesky 0]

Quote

This is just sad.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070702/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/shredding_tomcats;_ylt=Ai3JJtwu2_z63_Qg.5VDi66s0NUE

Fifty years from now, there will probably be no warbirds from this era still flying, maybe just the lucky few static displays at military museums. Sure glad we did not take this policy with Corsairs, Mustangs and other WWII birds! (and I wish I could go back in time and buy a few of those cheap surplus aircraft!)

I am not sad for this one though!

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[warpedskydiver 0]

Fucking disgraceful

[birdlike 0]

Lame.

No one has a sense of history, or the dignity of these birds, anymore.

Everything we do nowadays is dictated by what will save money, or make money, most effectively, even at the tremendous expense of heritage.

I have news for the bean counters: some things are worth an expense even when they don't yield back a tangible return on investment. For example, I skydive and at the end of the day I don't have anything to show for it except the experience, and the joy of having done it. Do I stop doing it because it makes me hemhorrage money? Hell no!

Spirits fly on dangerous missions
Imaginations on fire

[juanesky 0]

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Fucking disgraceful

??? Well, is nice to see that Saddam's airforce planes have a fan cult

"According to some of the conservatives here, it sounds like it's fine to beat your wide - as long as she had it coming." -Billvon

[masterrig 1]

Out here, we have a B-29 that is still flying. Thanks to the CAF. This may not be the case, much longer. The lack of availability of parts may ground 'FiFi'. It's really an experience to see that ol' girl in the air... as well as the other war-birds. Even if, they are on 'static display', they are really something.


Chuck

[DJL 235]

Here's to ya.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[warpedskydiver 0]

it was a plane, metal has no political beliefs.

[normiss 897]

You should see Kermit bring this baby 5 feet off the runway at full throttle on one wing....WOW!
B-25

[bozo 0]

Quote

Actually we did... after WWII many warbids were destroyed.. some were sold to other countries as we developed better aircraft... they have been crunching airplanes at Davis Monthan for decades.

I spent a morning, once, watching them chop the wings off B-52s at Davis-Monthan. They had a crane on either side with a huge sheet of steel suspended on cables.
When the sheet was positioned correctly they let it drop. After they got the wings chopped off they went to the fuselage.....four chunks.
Sad ending for the old Buff.
They did the same thing to all the bombers after WWII. B-17s B-25s B-24s A-20s B-29s...so like Amazon says, its nothing new.

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[masterrig 1]

Quote

You should see Kermit bring this baby 5 feet off the runway at full throttle on one wing....WOW!
B-25

_____________________________________

That'll get your blood pumpin'! I think, it is absolutely wonderful that, folks like the CAF, still care enough to preserve the 'War Birds'. Those babies fly over, it really gets to you.


Chuck

[Amazon 7]

If you look at the Sat photos of Davis Monthan... they have a few rows of Buffs sitting out there... all chopped up and left in place so the Russians can see they are still sitting there.. all decommissioned and chopped up...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Davis-Monthan+AFB,+AZ&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=60.551768,108.457031&ie=UTF8&ll=32.152144,-110.822525&spn=0.01606,0.026479&t=k&z=15&om=1


Ya'll can look around and see all the different aircraft types stored there.. I HIGHLY recommend visiting the base and take a tour next time you go to Eloy.
The base is just a short hop from Tucson.