COOL Planes!
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Dedicated to the planes' lovers.
Initial production starts in mid-2006. Current plans says about 3,000 aircraft to be built for the US and UK with potential for another 2,000 or more for export customers. Production will likely last until at least 2030.
Being the first supersonic jet used to transport passengers, this airplane was parked at the Galeao - Tom Jobim International Airport, in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil, in the morning of Marh 5th, 2000.
Choppers from the Brazilian Military Forces parade in the Independence Day Party, September 7th, 1999, in the skies of Brazil's capital, Brasilia.
The Lockheed F-117A was developed in response to an Air Force request for an aircraft capable of attacking high value targets without being detected by hostile radar systems. By the 1970s, special materials and techniques had become available to aircraft designers that would allow them to design an aircraft with radar-evading or "stealth" qualities. The result was the F-117A, the world's first operational aircraft that fully incorporated radar-evading techniques.
The first F-117A flew on June 18, 1981 and the first F-117A unit, the 4450th Tactical Group, achieved initial operating capability in October 1983. The 4450th was renamed the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing in October 1989. The F-117A was first used in combat during operation JUST CAUSE on December 19, 1989 when two F-117As from the 37th TFW attacked military targets in Panama. The F-117A was again called into action during Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM in 1990-91 when the 415th and the 416th squadrons of the 37th TFW moved to a base in Saudi Arabia. During Operation DESERT STORM the F-117As flew 1,271 sorties, achieving an 80 percent mission success rate while suffering no losses or battle damage. A total of 64 F-117As were built between 1981 and 1990, 5 for testing and 59 for operational use . The F-117A was awarded the 1989 Collier Trophy, one of the most prized aeronautical awards in the world.
One of the Navy's hottest strike fighters, the single-seat Hornet was originally designed as two aircraft, one a fighter and one an attack plane. Because they ultimately differed only in some operational equipment and missile armament, the two were combined under one designation. The F-18 first flew in 1978, and in 1979 became the first modern jet aircraft to complete initial sea trials within one year of its first flight. F-18s officially entered service in early 1983. Since 1986 most F-18s have been C and D models, similar to the original As and Bs, but with additional equipment. (The fighter version of the A and B replaced the Navy's F-4s; the attack version replaced the A-7s.) These newer models can carry more weaponry, including imaging infrared Maverick missiles, and they incorporate advanced computerized avionics. The Canadian, Australian and Spanish air forces use versions of the Hornet, as does the U.S. Marine Corps.
Sometimes referred to as the "station wagon" because it has four seats, the EA-6B Prowler is an advanced electronics development of the EA-6A, which was itself an electronics development of the A-6A Intruder. Like its predecessors, the Prowler is a carrier-borne, low-level attack bomber; it is equipped specifically to hit targets completely hidden by weather or darkness with nuclear or conventional weapons. It strongly resembles the Intruder, except for its longer nose and the large, distinctive antenna pod on its tailfin. The EA-6B has been in production since 1970, and in that time its airframe, engines and appearance have remained virtually unchanged. What has changed are its electronic capabilities. The manually operated tactical jamming system that Grumman first began work on in 1963 now includes an automated system requiring the skills of three electronic warfare officers. Few air forces are known to have squadrons dedicated solely to tactical electronic warfare. The U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are remarkable in that all three have relied almost exclusively on aircraft built by a single manufacturer to equip those squadrons.
The versatile "swing wing" F-111, unofficially named the "Aardvark" until its retirement ceremony on 27 July 1996 where the name was made official, entered the USAF inventory in 1967. The F-111 can exceed twice the speed of sound (Mach 2) by sweeping its wings rearward while in flight. The wings are swept forward for takeoffs, landings or slow speed flight. Originally known as the TFX (Tactical Fighter "X"), the F-111 was conceived to meet a USAF requirement for a new tactical fighter-bomber. In 1960, the Department of Defense combined the USAF's requirement with a Navy need for a new air superiority fighter, then launched a competition among aircraft manufacturers for the final design. In 1962, General Dynamics and Boeing were selected as finalists with the General Dynamics TFX design eventually winning out. The Navy version was known as the F-111B and the USAF version the F-111A. The first flight of the F-111A took place in December 1964, and the first production models were delivered to the USAF in 1967. Meanwhile, the Navy's F-111B program was canceled. In all, 566 F-111s of all series were built; 159 of them were preproduction and production F-111As.
The U.S. Air Force's Fighting Falcons first came to the drawing board in the Lightweight Fighter protoype program in 1972. The original requirement for an air superiority day fighter expanded to include radar and all-weather navigation capabilities that allowed it to play an air-to-surface role. Its blended wing, marked by the flaring intersection of the wing root with the fuselage, improves lift at higher angles of attack -- improving maneuverability -- and makes room for more fuel capacity. The thicker wing root is also stronger structurally. Combat-ready in 1980, the F-16 can be found in service around the world. In the United States, it was expected to replace aging F-4 Phantoms and modernize the equipment supplied to Reserve and Guard units. In Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium, the F-16 replaced F-104s. Other countries throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia have versions in service as well.
There was me in the last august in a plane at the Saint Louis Airport, waiting to take off, when three F-15 Eagle landed, just close to my sight. I could be very quick and take a picture of the last one, as you can see above.
In operation since early 1985, the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau's twin-engine fighter is comparable in size to the F/A-18 Hornet, and in configuration to the larger Su-27 Flanker. It resulted from a concerted effort by the Soviet Union to close the technology gap with the West and was expected to replace the outmoded MiG-21 and -23 and the Su-21. Just how successful the Soviets had been was first demonstrated to the world in 1986 when the aircraft made a goodwill visit to Finland. Its demonstration performance there impressed pilots and designers alike. Pilots appreciated the leading edge root extensions on the wings, which made the MiG-29 an excellent dogfighter by giving it superior maneuverability at slow speeds. Designers appreciated how nosewheel contact with the runway triggered doors to close over the underslung engine air intakes, eliminating problems with ingested ice, slush and other debris during winter takeoffs and landings. (This occurs when air is taken in through louvers in the top of the leading edge extension while the engine intakes are covered.)
First flown in May 1958, the Phantom II originally was developed for U.S. Navy fleet defense and entered service in 1961. The USAF evaluated it for close air support, interdiction, and counter-air operations and, in 1962, approved a USAF version. The USAF's Phantom II, designated F-4C, made its first flight on May 27, 1963. Production deliveries began in November 1963. In its air-to-ground role the F-4 can carry twice the normal bomb load of a WW II B-17. USAF F-4s also fly reconnaissance and "Wild Weasel" anti-aircraft missile suppression missions. Phantom II production ended in 1979 after over 5,000 had been built--more than 2,600 for the USAF, about 1,200 for the Navy and Marine Corps, and the rest for friendly foreign nations.
In 1965 the first USAF Phantom IIs were sent to Southeast Asia (SEA). The armament loaded on this F-4C consists of four AIM 7E and four AIM 9B air-to-air missiles, and eight 750 lb. Mk 117 bombs. The aircraft is also carrying two external 370 gallon fuel tanks on the outboard pylons and one ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures (ECM) pod on the right inboard pylon. This was one of the typical armament configurations for the F-4C during the Vietnam War in the summer of 1967.
One of the most widely known of all land-based antisubmarine aircraft, Lockheed's Orion was developed from its Electra passenger transport in 1957. The first P3V flew four years later with a crew of 12, retaining the Electra's Allison turbine engines but shortening its fuselage and incorporating its distinctive magnetic anomaly detector boom. In 1962 the Orion was redesignated the P-3. Successive models have modified the airframe and engine mountings, received saltwater corrosion treatment and borne a variety of engines. Electronics and avionics were gradually updated from the time of its initial service entry in the Navy in 1962. The Orion can be armed with mines, depth bombs, rockets and torpedoes (carried forward), and a range of sonobuoys and markers (carried aft). Variants fly in the active and reserve units of navies in many countries.
The F-22 Raptor has the lead design in its role as advanced tactical fighter for the 21st century.
It is being developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company, Lockheed Martin Fort Worth Company, and Boeing to counter the increasing sophistication and threat of potentially hostile air forces around the world. This fighter will provide tactical air forces with an assured capability with which to protect that can no longer be countered by existing aircraft will be defeated by the lethal and survivable F-22 Raptor, with its balance of low observability, super cruise, increased range, and enhanced offensive and defensive avionics.
Besides, the F-22 Raptor is being designed with an emphasis on reliability and maintainability to ensure that it will be effective and affordable.
Incorporating two new Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 high thrust-to-weight engines, the F-22 Raptor will be designed for efficient supersonic operation without afterburner. Other advanced technologies incorporate include integrated flight-propulsion controls and two-dimensional, thrust-vectoring engine nozzles.
Some features:
Crew: 1
Height:16' 5" (5,03 m)
Length: 62' 1" (18,83 m)
Wing span: 44' 6" (13,55 m)
Speed: Mach 2+
Armament: M61 20mm cannon, AIM-9 & AIM-120 missiles
USAF planned production: 648
The Tomcat is a 2-seat, twin-engine fighter with twin tails and variable-geometry wings. Its general arrangement consists of a long nacelle containing the large nose radar and 2 crew positions extending well forward and above the widely spaced engines. The engines are parallel to a central structure that flattens towards the tail; butterfly-shaped airbrakes are located between the fins on the upper and lower surfaces. Altogether, the fuselage forms more than half of the total aerodynamic lifting surface. The original design airframe life for the F-14 was 6,000 hours, but was later extended to 7,200 hours.
The F-14 Tomcat is the US Navy's standard carrier based fighter. Its missions include Combat Air Patrol (CAP), Deck-Launched Intercept (DLI), and air superiority. It is a large, fast, heavy aircraft designed around the long-range AIM-54 Phoenix Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) and the powerful Hughes AWG-9 weapons control system, which weighs 1,300 lb (590 kg) and occupies a volume of 25 cu ft (0.71 cu m).
The final prototype of the F-14 took off on May 24th, 1971, with its variable-geometry wings for speed and greater stability. In full forward-sweep position,the wings provided the lift needed for slow-speed flight, especially needed during carrier landings. In swept-back positions, the wings blend into the aircraft, giving the F-14 Tomcat a dart-like silhouette for high-speed, super-sonic flight (using Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A Turbofans).
The wings are shoulder-mounted and programmed for automatic sweep during flight, with a manual override provided. The twin, swept fin-and-rudder vertical surfaces are mounted on the engine housings and canted outward. The wing pivot carry- through structure crosses the central structure; the carry through is 22 ft (6.7 m) long and constructed from 33 electron welded parts machined from titanium; the pivots are located outboard of the engines. Normal sweep range is 20 to 68 deg with a 75-deg "oversweep" position provided for shipboard hangar stowage; sweep speed is 7.5 deg per second.
The Tomcat has an internal 6-barrel M61A1 Vulcan 20-mm Gatling-type gun located on the lower left side of the aircraft, underneath the pilot. It can carry AIM-7 Sparrows, AIM-9 Sidewinders, AIM-120 AMRAAMs, AIM-54 Phoenix missiles and up to 20 MK82 bombs (Mark Bombs). The heart and deadly aspect of the F-14 Tomcat is its unique ability to carry the Phoenix. The F-14 Tomcat was built for that purpose, and it is the only platform that can carry the Phoenix. At most, the F-14 Tomcat can carry up to 6 Phoenix which are been carried on 4 fuselage stations between the engines and on 2 pylons fitted on the fixed portion of the wing; 2 Sidewinders can be carried on the wing pylons above the Phoenix mount.
The SR-71, unofficially known as the "Blackbird," is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft. The first flight of an SR-71 took place on December 22, 1964, and the first SR-71 to enter service was delivered to the 4200th (later, 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, in January 1966. The U.S. Air Force retired its fleet of SR-71s on January 26, 1990, because of a decreasing defense budget and high costs of operation. FYI-The SR-71 was returned to the active Air Force inventory in 1995. -Capt Champ
Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth's surface per hour. On July 28, 1976, an SR-71 set two world records for its class: an absolute speed record of 2,193.167 miles per hour and an absolute altitude record of 85,068.997 feet.
SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 55 ft. 7 in.
Length: 107 ft. 5 in.
Height: 18 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 170,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: None
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney J58s of 32,500 lbs. thrust each with afterburner
Crew: Two
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: Plus 2,000 mph.
Range: Plus 2,900 miles
Service Ceiling: Plus 85,000 ft.
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