Jump to content

DutyCat

Members
  • Content Count

    2,229
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by DutyCat

  1. DutyCat

    KS-3 seat

    Thank you very much, Murph. Wondeful references.
  2. DutyCat

    KS-3 seat

    Anybody have any idea about how to get some painting info for a KS-3 ejection seat? I can't find a single pic on the net.
  3. You did not come off as punchy at all. I was complimenting you while explaining my relative ignorance. I kinda know the birds are and what they can basically do, but I am not up on the various upgrades unless they are significant and 'the word gets on the street." An engine upgrade is a big deal. 25%? Wow.
  4. DutyCat

    YF-23

    Actually, Navy markings would be kinda cool. I think it likely that if the Navy had remained in the ATF program instead of bailing to try and build the A-12 (lets not even go there!), they would have evaluated the YF-23 as a more suitable design for carrier operations than the YF-22 and pushed for its selection. It seems the YF-23 would have a more forward center of lift, and that, combined with a shorter nose, would have made it easier to bring aboard the boat. The F-22 is VERY traditional land based Air Force looking.
  5. Yeah, I think we kinda covered most of these points in various posts throughout the thread. You are correct. I realize every aircraft is a sum of its design strengths and weaknesses, performance emphasis, etc. The whole reason I brought up this topic is because the SH seems to finally be getting a little respect. All I have heard for several years is negativity about canted out weapons pylons, insufficient roll rate, insufficient range, underpowered, coordinating the outer air battle from the bridge, Mr 'Right Now,'or just "the SuperHornet sucks. Tomcats rule," etc. Now that it is in se
  6. Oh, and while we are at it, is the Italeri Berkut the same kit as the Zvezda/Revell? I did not see a Revell Bekut listed on the squadron.com website.
  7. Well, I am not so much of a fighter community insider as you. I know a bit about aerodynamics, so I was focusing my comments about SH basic airframe capabilities in relation the newer, lighter, canard configured designs. But as you have pointed out, weapons/sensor/software integration and pilot interface are as much of the equation as anything, and the SH is probably a generation ahead of the legacy Hornet in this regard. I have no idea what ASEA means, aside from assuming it is an avionics upgrade. What did intrigue me about your post was your reference to an engine upgrade. I had not hea
  8. Yes, the Revell kit is out. The Zvezda kit has a good rep. I was just wondering if the Revell kit is a Rebox.
  9. Are these the same mold? Decal quality?
  10. No, not a world beater. It would probably struggle against several advanced aerodynamic types now entering service (Eurofighter, late SU-series, Gripen, Rafale, J-10), but it probably is the overall best plane we have after the F-22 and JSF. I was just tired of hearing the SH get slammed by a bunch of people for supposedly being an inferior aircraft to the F-14 ever since it was slated to replace the Tomcat. Every little development glitch was ceased upon as a reason to dis the plane. Its nice to see that its teething problems have mostly been worked out and it is entering service as capab
  11. Are they going to do a 1/72 Sea Flanker? That would be so cool. Folding wings and tail?
  12. The YF-17 was in fact called a Cobra by Northrop. It was given that name specifically because of its LEX's gave the forward fuselage a hooded appearance. Whether that name would have been retained by the Air Force is an entirely different matter. I would say maybe. The Fighting Falcon makes sense as a companion fighter in the stable nex to the Eagle. I think the the F-18 was named the Hornet because it redesigned naval landing gear looks distinctly like the legs of wasp hanging down in flight...and Hornet sounds cooler than Wasp. Now, I think the F-22 was named the Raptor because 'raptor
  13. Doh! ...nice to see "the it" perform well. Funny. I always seem to screw up something in my post! LOL
  14. Well, I guess it depends on what you are looking for. As a disclaimer, as I said at the beginning of the post, I haven't actually SEEN a SH demo, but I did look at that video link up there at the beginning of the thread. Going on that and the many actual demos I have seen of the F-14/15/18/18, the SH seems to outclass them all in pure manuevering ability. Energy bleed is a different story and obviously, the Eagle and Viper have more to work with there. But I don't think either of them could turn inside even a legacy Hornet, much less a SH right after the initial merge when energy states are o
  15. DutyCat

    YF-23

    I tell ya, as much as I like the Raptor, from what I have read the YF-23 seems like it might have been the better plane in some ways. It certainly looks more futuristic. That may have actually scared the Air Force off a little bit. There was some mention of concern about cost overuns. Lockheed has a pretty strong track record when it comes to building advanced technology aircraft, and they had just recently built the F-117. There may have also been some 'share the wealth for the good of the industrial base' politics going on. Northrop was ramping up the B-2 program about that time. This
  16. VS-24 was my fleet squadron, so it is good to see some pics of them. It's also interesting to see the evolution of the squadron markings on these birds over the years.
  17. Thanks. I guess it is a pretty good bird, then.
  18. How does the aircraft's maneuvering performance stack up to the other teens? I have watched them all over the years, and IMHO the legacy hornet initially turns the tightest of any of them, although it bleeds energy quickly compared to a Viper or Eagle. I am just curious how this new breed of bug stacks up in a knife fight. I'll check out the video links, but I would like to hear the opinion of some folks have have seen the Superbug fly up close and can make a comparison.
  19. Well, I was hoping to see a SuperHornet flight demo when the Blues came to Jax a few weeks ago, but NOOOO! The only fighter types that flew were Air Force. No legacy Hornet (except the Blues) and no SuperHornet. We didn't even have one on static display. But, obviously, as the Pensacola photos show, the plane is out there performing. So, for you airshow vets who have seen the Superhornet do its thing, how does it compare to the F-16, F-15, and F-14A+/B/D and legacy Hornet. Does it suck or do we have ourselves a pretty good, well rounded combat bird here?
  20. What about the Hobbycraft 1/144 B-2. How bad is that?
  21. When I was an AW1 on active duty stationed at Roosevelt Roads, VF-103 came in there with about five of their jets. They were all lined up on the ramp real pretty like and I attempted to take nice pic through the flight line fence. This overreactionary female staff LT with I am assuming no line experience stopped her POV and ordered me not to take even one photo. I told her I had close to 2000 hours in the back of Vikings and had taken many a shot of deployed and armed F-14s, Hornets, and everything else that flies off of a boat. Taking a pic of these unarmed Tomcats was no big deal. She r
  22. Any pattern diagrams or color call outs? Anyone?
×
×
  • Create New...