The plane enthusiasts thread

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Drago

Legendary Member
A DC3 or one of its derivatives flew over today. Low cloudbase and distance prevented a really good look.
 

Handlebar Moustache

Well-Known Member
Location
Scotlandia
So... thoughts on the F35 in UK service? A lame and expensive duck with limited range, excess weight and little manoeuvrability or a technological marvel which will give us unprecedented control over the battle space?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
F35 is fine, but it's a one trick pony. The moment someone figures out how to reliably track it - its reckoned China isn't far off and researchers in the west have had some limited success - then it doesn't have speed or agility to fall back upon.

Israel has the right idea. They've fitted metal plates to theirs at strategic locations, RCS enhancers, so Iran cant spend time testing out tracking methodologies by observing them in flight - any attempt is pointless because they're tracking a big metal plate deliberately designed to be detected. The moment they need to use them in serious anger then the tinware comes off and the planes disappear from the screens, and Iran won't know what to do about it.
 
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Handlebar Moustache

Well-Known Member
Location
Scotlandia
F35 is fine, but it's a one trick pony. The moment someone figures out how to reliably track it - its reckoned China isn't far off and researchers in the west have had some limited success - then it doesn't have speed or agility to fall back upon.

Israel has the right idea. They've fitted metal plates to theirs at strategic locations, RCS enhancers, so Iran cant spend time testing out tracking methodologies by observing them in flight - any attempt is pointless because they're tracking a big metal plate deliberately designed to be detected. The moment they need to use them in serious anger then the tinware comes off and the planes disappear from the screens, and Iran won't know what to do about it.

That does sound sensible. IIRC I remember that the B2 does something similar but electronically makes itself ‘noisy’ until it needs to go properly quiet.
 

Handlebar Moustache

Well-Known Member
Location
Scotlandia
undoubtedly a capable and agile jet, but when watching the recent fighter pilot training documentary it was a little surprising that t least one one sortie had to be cancelled because the pilot couldn't "log into" the jet, despie trying several times. Cant see that going down well on QRA!

computer says no, eh? I’m sure in wartime the subsequent call to IT Support would be quite a heated one!
 

Drago

Legendary Member
The F15 is an astonishing war machine. Zero air to air combat losses, despite being in a good few dust ups over the years. The very few - and it is bit a few - that have been downed have all been taken out by ground fire.
 
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