If you could fly ANY plane ever built, what would it be?
Spitfire. Any Mark, lower numbers with Merlins for preference.
F-4 Phantom and Harrier.
I once, many, many years ago, when the Harriers first came into service, saw on TV, one take-off into a hover, then when what appeared to be about 20' off the ground, rotate from the horizontal position, into the vertical and then accelerate STRAIGHT UP - AWESOME
I once, many, many years ago, when the Harriers first came into service, saw on TV, one take-off into a hover, then when what appeared to be about 20' off the ground, rotate from the horizontal position, into the vertical and then accelerate STRAIGHT UP - AWESOME
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Harrier take-off
I think you described the Harrier airshow take-off which Chief Test Pilot John Farley came up with for demonstration / show purposes, not tactical as he freely admits.
He would hover the Harrier, then use the reaction controls & move the nozzles ( all by seat of the pants, no suitable instruments ) to hover at around 40 degrees or more then apply full power & 'rocket climb' away.
My father was crew-chief when J.F. did this in a display at Farnborough in an Indian FRS51 Sea Harrier - the aircraft, half way up, was seen to stagger & level out early...
John landed uneventfully, and remarked " I always wondered what would happen if the water pump gave up at that point !"
He would hover the Harrier, then use the reaction controls & move the nozzles ( all by seat of the pants, no suitable instruments ) to hover at around 40 degrees or more then apply full power & 'rocket climb' away.
My father was crew-chief when J.F. did this in a display at Farnborough in an Indian FRS51 Sea Harrier - the aircraft, half way up, was seen to stagger & level out early...
John landed uneventfully, and remarked " I always wondered what would happen if the water pump gave up at that point !"
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In the Forties - F4U Corsair or ME 262
In the Fifties - F 86 Sabre, Twin Mustang
In the Sixties - F101 Voodoo, Sea Vixen, Saturn V
In the Seventies - F4, Buff, Early Model 747, A7 Corsair.
In the Eighties - F14 off the deck of a CVN, Tornado, DC-10
In the Nineties - Mirage 2000, Su - 27
In the 2000's - SU - 37, Spaceship One and lets see how the Aurora flies, shall we ?
How nice it is to dream on a Friday afternoon !!
In the Fifties - F 86 Sabre, Twin Mustang
In the Sixties - F101 Voodoo, Sea Vixen, Saturn V
In the Seventies - F4, Buff, Early Model 747, A7 Corsair.
In the Eighties - F14 off the deck of a CVN, Tornado, DC-10
In the Nineties - Mirage 2000, Su - 27
In the 2000's - SU - 37, Spaceship One and lets see how the Aurora flies, shall we ?
How nice it is to dream on a Friday afternoon !!
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Boeing Stratocruiser:
For me, the Stratocruiser epitomised the imagined sophistication of airline travel in 1951, when I first saw BOAC's silver beauties at Heathrow on a school visit. Double-decked, with a spiral staircase leading to a passenger lounge, and an impressively bulbous fuselage with high panoramic flight deck. Alas, by the time I was old enough to fly they were all gone.
Years later, flying BA Club World on business to Bahrain, I got a strong sense of 'deja-vu' boarding up the spiral staircase to the upper deck of the 747. Even better, this being well before 9/11, I asked for and got a flight deck visit. While chatting to the flight crew, the F/O pointed out the scheduled BA aircraft en route back to Heathrow, a couple of thousand feet below over Saudi. My childhood imaginations of what it must have been like on the Stratocruiser's "bridge" were strongly evoked.
Years later, flying BA Club World on business to Bahrain, I got a strong sense of 'deja-vu' boarding up the spiral staircase to the upper deck of the 747. Even better, this being well before 9/11, I asked for and got a flight deck visit. While chatting to the flight crew, the F/O pointed out the scheduled BA aircraft en route back to Heathrow, a couple of thousand feet below over Saudi. My childhood imaginations of what it must have been like on the Stratocruiser's "bridge" were strongly evoked.
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My father instructed in Harvards (AT-6's, actually) but I've never had the chance. It was his favorite plane.
And I had the controls of a Spartan for a few minutes, Pigboat, absolutely delightful - you could roll with two fingertips. The Howard by contrast handles like a DC-3, very stable but gives you a workout.
I'd really love to fly a P-47 or F4U or F8F though. Spoiled on the R-2800, or any E. Hartford radial for that matter.
And I had the controls of a Spartan for a few minutes, Pigboat, absolutely delightful - you could roll with two fingertips. The Howard by contrast handles like a DC-3, very stable but gives you a workout.
I'd really love to fly a P-47 or F4U or F8F though. Spoiled on the R-2800, or any E. Hartford radial for that matter.
JetBlast member 2005.
JetBlast member 2006.
Banned 2007
JetBlast member 2006.
Banned 2007
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The Hindenberg across the Atlantic, with a limitless supply of gin and tonic in the observation deck. Then I'd strap on my rig and jump it before it docked 
I could enter it in two log books.
Also after having read the thread, the Sunderland, in the Far East.
Also I want to fly a PZL Wilga
If in WW2, it's have to be the PR Mosquito. That way I wopuldn't have to shoot at people who I had more in common with than differences and if it wasn't for the war, would probably get on with them really well
oh, and the G&T would be Tanquerey
I could enter it in two log books.Also after having read the thread, the Sunderland, in the Far East.
Also I want to fly a PZL Wilga
If in WW2, it's have to be the PR Mosquito. That way I wopuldn't have to shoot at people who I had more in common with than differences and if it wasn't for the war, would probably get on with them really well
oh, and the G&T would be Tanquerey
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My dream flight would be the FW190D followed by the Griffon Spitfire, Typhoon, Beaufighter, Buccaneer, EE Lightning, F4 Phantom, all flown low !!
According to my old man who flew them in N Africa, the Beaufighter was nicknamed "Whispering Death" because it arrived so fast you only heard the wind noise over the air frame until it opend up on its target, then you got the full Majesty of those two giant Bristol Hercs as it left you which were basically brutes of power units!
Peter R-B
According to my old man who flew them in N Africa, the Beaufighter was nicknamed "Whispering Death" because it arrived so fast you only heard the wind noise over the air frame until it opend up on its target, then you got the full Majesty of those two giant Bristol Hercs as it left you which were basically brutes of power units!
Peter R-B
