just returned from the air show....

[Requiem ex Inferni]

and it was great. Lots of vintage planes, along with some newer planes. For the first time ever, I got to get up close and personal with a B-52 Stratofortress, and I even got to go inside the Buff's bomb bay, which is much smaller than I had anticipated. I also got to stare down not one, but TWO F-22 Raptors- didn't get to go near them, but I got to get pretty close.

They had several air performances that I stayed for, including several stunt flyers, a performance by the Patriots- an air group like the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels that flies Talons-, and a fly-by by a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. However, what I really came there for was the F-22. It took to the sky and blew the others out of the water with it's performance. Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

The Thunderbirds were supposed to perform, and they're actually buzzing up in the air now, but I decided not to stay another three hours. Especially after what happened last time, when they had to delay the performance by 45 minutes because the female pilot hit a bird.

Now, to tie this into guns- there was a stand for a group who does historical WWII re-enactments, and I got to handle the following:

M1 Garand- authentic, fully functional, and the guy had the bayonet and grenade launcher attachment for it. He even did the "ping" thing for me.

M1 Carbine- replica, I think.

M9 Bazooka- replica. Much lighter than I thought it would be, even with a rocket loaded.

MP40- reproduction designed to only fire blanks. Heavier than I imagined.

StG44- this one was an airshit replica, but it had the feel and weight of the real thing. They had another replica that I couldn't handle.
The also had a replica Panzershreck and Panzerfaust, several authentic K98s, and an authentic, albeit deactivated, MG-34 that was on loan. They also had a variety of other authentic WWII items, such as a German parachute and weapons drop case.  

[Fresnel]

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

I have no clue, but they manage it.  

[Buki_Actual]

Requiem in Mortis

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

I have no clue, but they manage it.

They probably had the P-51 at full throttle with the F-22 and F-86 at a close speed.  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Most likely.

It actually rained during the show, and during the F/A-18 demonstration, there was a lightning strike about a mile away. But they didn't stop any of the aircraft from going up.

It was also windy for a while, but they still got a guy flying a prop plane to land the plane on top of a truck. A moving truck, but a truck. A pickup truck.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.  

[Fresnel]

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.

If I remember my Chuck Yeager's Air Combat correctly, the top speed of the fuselage of a P-51 is notably higher than the top speed of the wings. I think you'd have to redesign that plane to fix that particular problem. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren't any supersonic prop-driven aircraft, are there?

The most fun I could have in CYAC outside of combat was diving from 40k feet. The F4 and the P-51 were the only planes that could dive fast enough to rip their own wings off. And the P-51 didn't have afterburners to help.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.

If I remember my Chuck Yeager's Air Combat correctly, the top speed of the fuselage of a P-51 is notably higher than the top speed of the wings. I think you'd have to redesign that plane to fix that particular problem. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren't any supersonic prop-driven aircraft, are there?

The most fun I could have in CYAC outside of combat was diving from 40k feet. The F4 and the P-51 were the only planes that could dive fast enough to rip their own wings off. And the P-51 didn't have afterburners to help.

I'm sure the F-86 doesn't have to go past the sound barrier to stay in the air. I'm no scientist, but I would think making the wings out of more durable materials could help it stay together at higher speeds.  

[Fresnel]

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.

If I remember my Chuck Yeager's Air Combat correctly, the top speed of the fuselage of a P-51 is notably higher than the top speed of the wings. I think you'd have to redesign that plane to fix that particular problem. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren't any supersonic prop-driven aircraft, are there?

The most fun I could have in CYAC outside of combat was diving from 40k feet. The F4 and the P-51 were the only planes that could dive fast enough to rip their own wings off. And the P-51 didn't have afterburners to help.

I'm sure the F-86 doesn't have to go past the sound barrier to stay in the air. I'm no scientist, but I would think making the wings out of more durable materials could help it stay together at higher speeds.

Oh no, the F86 was only a couple steps away from the P-51. I'm talking about the F22 here.  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

I don't think the F-86 is capable of going supersonic, except in dives.

In other news, here's a shot of the F-22, F-86 and P-51 flying together.



This is now my wallpaper on my laptop.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Requiem in Mortis

Then, the heritage flight took place, and the F-22 was flying along side a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre. It was incredible.

I will never understand how they can make a jet go that slow. I mean, the P-51 was no slouch, but this thing's a ******** jet fighter designed for supersonic combat. How does it not fall out of the sky trying to keep pace with a plane that would explode if it hit the sound barrier?

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.

If I remember my Chuck Yeager's Air Combat correctly, the top speed of the fuselage of a P-51 is notably higher than the top speed of the wings. I think you'd have to redesign that plane to fix that particular problem. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren't any supersonic prop-driven aircraft, are there?

The most fun I could have in CYAC outside of combat was diving from 40k feet. The F4 and the P-51 were the only planes that could dive fast enough to rip their own wings off. And the P-51 didn't have afterburners to help.

I'm sure the F-86 doesn't have to go past the sound barrier to stay in the air. I'm no scientist, but I would think making the wings out of more durable materials could help it stay together at higher speeds.

Oh no, the F86 was only a couple steps away from the P-51. I'm talking about the F22 here.

Even the F22 shouldn't have to stay above the speed of sound to stay in flight. Besides, if it did the resulting sonic booms would be too much of a problem for an air show.  

[Fresnel]

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.

If I remember my Chuck Yeager's Air Combat correctly, the top speed of the fuselage of a P-51 is notably higher than the top speed of the wings. I think you'd have to redesign that plane to fix that particular problem. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren't any supersonic prop-driven aircraft, are there?

The most fun I could have in CYAC outside of combat was diving from 40k feet. The F4 and the P-51 were the only planes that could dive fast enough to rip their own wings off. And the P-51 didn't have afterburners to help.

I'm sure the F-86 doesn't have to go past the sound barrier to stay in the air. I'm no scientist, but I would think making the wings out of more durable materials could help it stay together at higher speeds.

Oh no, the F86 was only a couple steps away from the P-51. I'm talking about the F22 here.

Even the F22 shouldn't have to stay above the speed of sound to stay in flight. Besides, if it did the resulting sonic booms would be too much of a problem for an air show.

No, I know that, because it'd be damn hard to take off when supersonic. My point is that the P-51 can't even get close to the sound barrier at maximum speed and while diving. It's a very slow aircraft by today's standards, and the F22 is a very fast one. It DOES have a minimum speed, and I'd expect that minimum speed to be uncomfortably close to the P-51's maximum speed.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Maybe they made the engines super strong then added nitrous oxide to the mix.

If I remember my Chuck Yeager's Air Combat correctly, the top speed of the fuselage of a P-51 is notably higher than the top speed of the wings. I think you'd have to redesign that plane to fix that particular problem. Actually, now that I think about it, there aren't any supersonic prop-driven aircraft, are there?

The most fun I could have in CYAC outside of combat was diving from 40k feet. The F4 and the P-51 were the only planes that could dive fast enough to rip their own wings off. And the P-51 didn't have afterburners to help.

I'm sure the F-86 doesn't have to go past the sound barrier to stay in the air. I'm no scientist, but I would think making the wings out of more durable materials could help it stay together at higher speeds.

Oh no, the F86 was only a couple steps away from the P-51. I'm talking about the F22 here.

Even the F22 shouldn't have to stay above the speed of sound to stay in flight. Besides, if it did the resulting sonic booms would be too much of a problem for an air show.

No, I know that, because it'd be damn hard to take off when supersonic. My point is that the P-51 can't even get close to the sound barrier at maximum speed and while diving. It's a very slow aircraft by today's standards, and the F22 is a very fast one. It DOES have a minimum speed, and I'd expect that minimum speed to be uncomfortably close to the P-51's maximum speed.

Google is no help when searching minimum speed.  

[Fresnel]

Requiem in Mortis

I don't think the F-86 is capable of going supersonic, except in dives.

In other news, here's a shot of the F-22, F-86 and P-51 flying together.

This is now my wallpaper on my laptop.

I demand hi-rez so I can do the same. mrgreen  

[Fresnel]

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Fresnel

Desert_Fox_Rommel

I'm sure the F-86 doesn't have to go past the sound barrier to stay in the air. I'm no scientist, but I would think making the wings out of more durable materials could help it stay together at higher speeds.

Oh no, the F86 was only a couple steps away from the P-51. I'm talking about the F22 here.

Even the F22 shouldn't have to stay above the speed of sound to stay in flight. Besides, if it did the resulting sonic booms would be too much of a problem for an air show.

No, I know that, because it'd be damn hard to take off when supersonic. My point is that the P-51 can't even get close to the sound barrier at maximum speed and while diving. It's a very slow aircraft by today's standards, and the F22 is a very fast one. It DOES have a minimum speed, and I'd expect that minimum speed to be uncomfortably close to the P-51's maximum speed.

Google is no help when searching minimum speed.

I could find out if X-Plane had BOTHERED to put in a VTOL/forward thrust switch. But no, the F22 is a ******** helicopter in that game because there's no switch for forward thrust. Even the V-22 has one!