Originally Posted by CafeenMan

I've seen the F14 crash several times but not the F18 or the Hawk. How that guy got the F18 back I have no idea. That elevator is just flopping around. No flight video to go with it but he's right that it's nothing short of a miracle that he managed to land the plane.

I come across threads on the forums every once in while that indicate people think space age materials are magic. That just putting them in the airframe will be enough to make it survive anything.

In particular folks want to add carbon fiber to spars just because. it cracks me up when a guy wants to add carbon fiber to the spars of a .40 size plane. Sure it will make the spar stronger but it will make the plane heavier and the balsa spar was already more than strong enough. He didn't gain anything but a heavier, more expensive airplane. But at least he didn't weaken it.

Maybe FEJ should try that instead of whatever it is they're doing.