BADASS Thread

[blownstang01]

I was obsessed with the SR-71 when I was younger (hell, I still am). The speed, engineering, everything is just magic to me. A lot of the allure also had to do with the secrecy , almost making it mythical.
So, imagine my surprise when I took my kids to the nations capital back around 2014 and we went to the Smithsonian air and space museum. I hadn't done any research on what was inside, just seemed like a good day trip. I was amazed that they had an SR-71 just right there where you could walk up and touch it ( the secrecy thing again..). I was like a kid in a candy shop. And then I walked up on the Enola Gay, not a "similar" B52,....The Enola Gay. Being a WWII history buff, I just stood there and starred for longer than my wife could understand, even to this day. LOL
Damn, we were badasses before the nonsense took over.

 

[ZYBORG]

 

[ZYBORG]

 

[L8APEX]

So glad that Enola Gay is in one piece again. Originally, they just cut the nose section off and stuck it in the museum leaving the body to rot at Andrews AFB. The silverplate B-29s were heavily customized to carry Fatman and Little Boy. Only 15 made during WWII, ended up with 60 before the B-50, and B-36 took over followed by the B-47.

 

[ZYBORG]

 

[*Jay*]

Thats awesome and oddly enough sounds about right but Im having flashbacks to stripping out all the tracers and relinking all of our ammo due to fire conditions.

 

[ZYBORG]

 

[Double"O"]

That is ****in awesome!!!
Love old iron like that...what it crazy is sometimes they would spin the wheels at speed while literally "layin the coal to her"

 

[Double"O"]

I got to see a U2 launch once...**** me they are loud...im certain most on sicily heard her leave at 3am lol

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

 

[ZYBORG]

 

[98 svt]

I thought this was pretty badass. You guys ever see this technique before?

 

[Junior00]

I thought this was pretty badass. You guys ever see this technique before?

Yeah, but more work than the proper back cut where you leave several inches as a hinge. Works the same based on what my BIL says.

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

I've always loved the F117 as well. Never really known what the primary purpose of these were though. Are they stealth bombers or for low stealth reconnaissance?

 

[*Jay*]

I've always loved the F117 as well. Never really known what the primary purpose of these were though. Are they stealth bombers or for low stealth reconnaissance?

Its an Attack aircraft, it engages targets. A Fighter aircraft would engage other aircraft.

 

[Fat Boss]

I thought this was pretty badass. You guys ever see this technique before?

I've never seen that particular technique. I did get some good training on felling trees from Cal Fire a few years ago.

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

Its an Attack aircraft, it engages targets. A Fighter aircraft would engage other aircraft.

Okay, that makes sense. So what differentiates it from the mission of the B2? Range?

 

[L8APEX]

I've always loved the F117 as well. Never really known what the primary purpose of these were though. Are they stealth bombers or for low stealth reconnaissance?

It should have been an A-117, but designating her a fighter helped keep her capabilities secret, longer. She has no radar. They were flying in the late 70s and had an active squadron in Reagan's first term. Wasn't until they were used in "Just cause" in Panama (dropping a Paveway in a field near our forces to create a diversion) that they were presented in the public. And the critics went nuts. Then Desert Storm comes, and she was the darling.

Unlike the F-35 or the F-22 The F-117A is unique as it can lase a moving target from it's two main optics suites. It can guide in cruise missiles or glide bombs or if need be by dropping a pair of paveway (up to 2k lb each) or a JDAM with the laser seeker head.
There apparently have been a few operating in the Middle east last year.

Others are being used as aggressor aircraft with modifications to the RAM covering the skin (even a chrome looking skin) to get it to simulate a "peer" 5th gen fighter (J-20) with the Navy off California the past year.

Hardest working "retired" aircraft I can think of lol.

I have a piece of an F-117A at home in office. Specifically, a portion of one of the original shorter vertical stabilizers they were first fitted with originally before the taller ones were installed.

The F-117A is like a scalpel. Has two laser guided bombs it can drop in somones window. The F-117A and the F-22 and F-35 are very stealthy from the front, and not as much from the rear or sides. She proved "steath" could work.
The B-2 is much more impressive stealth tech and is stealthy at all angles along with a vastly larger payload and range, as well as the nukes.
Most radar systems can see if an F-117A, F-22, or F-35 is in the area running in the lowest bands. Not enough info to track or even get a lock but they know there are stealth aircraft above. The B-2 they only really know when stuff starts popping the aircraft are operating overhead, if they are lucky they might get 15-30 sec if they catch an open door.

 

[ZYBORG]

 

[ajaf1656]

I've always loved the F117 as well. Never really known what the primary purpose of these were though. Are they stealth bombers or for low stealth reconnaissance?