Something I saw this weekend
 

I finally saw an F-22 in my own eyes. Unfortunately it was on the back of a flatbed truck!? It was covered with tight fitting tarps, and the cockpit section was missing. It was fairly easy to tell that it was an F22 though.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

I live pretty close to the Vermont National Guard; I hear planes take off all the time. The other day it had just gotten dark, and driving past the airport I heard a jet, so naturally I looked, and for the first time saw the beautiful and perfectly conical afterburner flaming out the back of a silhouetted plane - totally amazing.

At the state fair there are always reps from the National Guard; this year they were set up with military jet and an elevated walkway, so you could see inside, etc. I was amazed at how small they actually are - simply a cockpit, engine, and a wing-shaped fuel tank.

I told myself I didn't want to end up engineering killing machines for war, but those planes are SO cool that maybe I could justify working on turbine engines...

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

That was the Wright Brothers intention for inventing the airplane, military use.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

Many wonderful things have trickled down from the military. I don't deny the need but have the desire to concentrate my energy elsewhere.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

gaRCfield, they actually let you guys see inside the cockpit?! WoW, Im in the Air Force and I don't even get the luxury. Last time we went on a trip to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas we could drive where they we're parked but you couldn't get too close to them. And if you think the F-22 is small wait till you see a F-35, its just a little bit bigger than a F-16. I would never have imagined that plane being so small. You know, our ancient A-10's that we work on here have a system that shoots out error codes for certain problems with the plane, sort of like dummy lights on a car, but I've heard that the F-22's can troubleshoot themselves. If they have a problem in flight by the time it makes it way back to the parking spot it has troubleshot the problem all on its own. Now don't hold me to it, its just something I heard, it could perfectly be something blown out of proportion, but with today's technology its not that hard to believe. And brett you should see the afterburner on takeoff at night, it looks like a giant butane lighter scorching the ground.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

I have seen a couple of them from Tinker Air Force Base, its 1 mile from our airfield. They had some B1's and a few F-15s. Mainly AWACS.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

I was a Marine Avionics tech..used to see F-4s with AB at night rotate on takeoff and bend the flame on the runway....that was kinda cool...but you know if you can't feather a couple, get a cup of coffee..and walk around while in flight..and go to the bathroom..well then you're just flyin around thristy...with cramps in your legs...in a soiled flight suit...
I hear the F-22 cruises super sonic..and is going 2 on 16 with F-15's and winning..due to the advanced avionics they're shootin the 15's before the 15's know where the F-22's are..don't know if the 2 on 16 part is really true..it's just what I've heard
TRANSPORTS FOREVER fighters are for kids
Good flyin to ya all

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

If it weren't for those weapons of war, all of our lives and all of the wonderful things we enjoy right now would be much, much different and I do not mean for the better. Yes, some idiot types can mis-use something but in the grand scheme of things I am extremely thankful and respectful of everyone involved with our military from the guy designing ammunition and airplanes to the guys who are willing to put their butts on the line without hesitation. Weapons and armies are not bad, only human behavior is.

Every time I see an F-16 thundering over my house, I am at the same time impressed, proud, envious and a little regretful I didn't choose a different path 20 years ago..

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

I get a little teary eyed when I see the B-2 in flight. I know what you mean when you wish you had picked a different path.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

Just want to re-iterate that I understand the necessity and the benefits of having military and related equipment, and I don't criticize anyone involved in the manufacturing of such goods (my best friend designs turbine engines for GE), I am just choosing a different path.

I used to live a stone throw from the airport, and every time a jet would take off my house would rumble - at all times of the day and night. People used to get annoyed, but I was just totally in awe, every time.

The plane I saw at the fair was an F16. It was SO small! They had the canopy up and you could almost climb in the plane if there weren't two guys in uniform watching. But you could look in the cockpit and touch the plane; it was kind of surreal.

I feel like the F22 looks a lot like the F14, or a combination of the F14 and F15.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

And YOU have a RIGHT to feel that way because a lot of us made sure you did !!!! ENJOY !!! RED

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

And there are a lot of other things the military does besides kill things and blow stuff up. I was involved in evacuating New Orleans this summer, and I know nothing happened and it was all to save FEMA face or whatever, the point is that the big airlifters do a lot of good and they run on the same jet engines. Our 30+ year old Herks are slow and some may say ugly but we do a lot of humanitarian missions and are the Armys first plane trip on the way home.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

You are not thinking about it correctly. There have always been wars, as far back as recorded time. At present, it would appear that there will always be wars in the future. The only question to answer is if someone will die in war, which side do you think they should be from?

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

The wonderful thing about being an American is that he is thinking about it correctly - - correctly for him. He has that choice, and if he feels one way or the other way, that is his right. It's not possible for him to be wrong in that way. You may have a different opinion, but that does not invalidate his.

We all serve our country in different ways. Many of us have worn uniforms, and many have chosen not to. Each choice has a nobility to it, in that as individuals we must first and foremost be true to ourselves.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

It all comes down to "the delivery". How a person puts forward his/her opinion, especially on an open forum like this, where no-one can actually read your mind This makes a lot of difference on the perspective of the person making the comments as compared to the person reading and digesting the opinion, then forming a response or reply.

Personally, as a retired military type, I have a certain appreciation for these "weapons of war" because, from my perspective, they are truly the tools we use to keep or maintain the peace!

Again, just my perspective.

CGr.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

The best part is that we can all have whatever opinion we want and even talk about it publicly and nobody shows up at our door to haul us off to some frozen prison camp somewhere or stones us to death. No, this nation is not quite perfect (nothing can be) but it sure is wonderful. The next time you see an aging old vet, shake is hand and say thanks.

I am by no means a moderator but one of the cool things about these forums is people discussing what they have in common: a love for the hobby. Sometimes political discussions could ruin that.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

Had a F-15 and F16 fly over our boat during the Atlantic City Airshow this summer! Way cool! Also got to see 4 F-22's perform as well. Here's 2 pic's of the F-35B in the National Air and Space Museum Hanger at Dulles.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

Sweet.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

In regards to seeing aircraft three instances have made a lasting impression on me.
The first was almost 40 years ago. My two brothers and I were fishing in a very small stock pond when a F4 Phantom flew directly over us. It was barely higher than the electric poles, we could clearly see the panels and the noise was incredible ... it scared the bejeebers out of us.
The next experience that left a lasting impression was in 1979 when I was stationed in Rota Spain. I was walking from my work building to the the department office, it was barely dusk. I heard a racket coming from the hangers that was louder than anything I had heard before. I actually thought that there may have been an accident over there. But the noise did not subside, it kep getting louder. I started to catch glimpses of something beyond the tree line. Then just as it reached the end of the treeline the plane kicked its nose up and was running at high speed on the back tires. It was a SR-71. It used almost the entire runway before it lifted off. The plane was flying diagonally away from me, very quickly the landing gear retracted and then there were twin fireballs that erupted from the engines followed by one the sound of a tremendous explosion. That plane leapt into the sky faster than anything I have ever seen before or since, very impressive.
The last was when I was on the ship in the middle of the Indian Ocean, we were playing the red dog and trying to find the aircraft carrier before they found us. I stepped out for a break and had the bejebbers scared out of me again by a F-14 that had found us. The sorry SOB pilot flew in on the deck and then pulled up right on top of us and hit the afterburners. I would have choked him if I had the chance, he was quite proud of himself as he flew almost straight up rolling his plane in victory.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

Check this out...my best friend is on the team that designs the engines for this bird.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

it looks photoshopped

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

It's a painting. Prints of it are very common.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

Yeah, here is my water flyby I found awhile back, but the second one is the real deal.

RE: Something I saw this weekend
 

I noticed that a few years ago but still do not understand why it was put in a museum before it was put into active service!