Excellent.

"Yup. That tasted purple."

Still expect some grumbling from Americans, of course^note  Not necessary here, but....

Just had a book turn up: Desert Fist^note  Brown, Ian (1991) .

edited 22nd Nov '14 6:11:37 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On

Well it is one thing to kick a cruise missile out the back hatch. It is another kick a drone out and have it try and return.

I think even the US considered palletized missile drops.

I mean it wouldn't surprise me given some of the crazy shit we have dropped, mounted, or fired off of airplanes. Like a MRBM off of a B-52.

Who watches the watchmen?

There's a video somewhere of a C-5 Galaxy pallet-launching a ballistic missile. Drag chute pulls it from the plane, guide chute in the nose swings the ass earthwards, and the rocket fires, sending the missile at the heavens (but with the intent of missing and hitting Moscow instead).

Who is that guy narrating? I like him.

Also neat missile thing.

Oh really when?

That is insanely cool.

Schild und Schwert der Partei

Speaking of cool aircraft experiments: The carrier-borne Hercules.

Still love narrator guy, love that they're called Leftennant across the pond and if it apparently worked why don't we do that?

Also is this from a particular film or?

Oh really when?

No idea of the sauce.

The Leftenant/Lieutenant thing is (possibly) due to how Latin works (the letters U and V are the same, leading to weirdness like the "Double-U" being a pair of Vs in most English usage). "Leftenant" is an Anglicization of the French word. Of course, English sometimes anglicizes French words, and sometimes just steals them wholesale.

Boeing needs to get it's head on straight. Airbus had been giving them a good thrashing on price and performance for years. Look at the "Dreamliner", I'm guessing Delta Airlines' board wanted aircraft with a better track record....

It's technically true, they had 12 "free" slots for 787's. If Boeing had better leadership they might have foreseen this problem. Hopefully this is the kick in the complacency Boeing needs.

edited 22nd Nov '14 12:22:18 PM by TairaMai

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Today I learned that late in WWII, the US Navy carried out air raids on the Japanese home islands, including a series of raids in preparation of the invasion of Okinawa, targeting airfields to prevent the Japanese from sending reinforcements or air support.

^ In related news, water is wet. Of course they did that. Aerial supremacy (both combat and logistical) was one of the first goals for the final campaigns on Okinawa and if necessary Japan itself.

It was sort of a repeat of the doctrine used prior to and during Overlord in France.

edited 22nd Nov '14 12:56:12 PM by MajorTom

AFP: Pretty cool.

I still like the GAM-87 Sky Bolt

Who watches the watchmen?

Of course, you might not know that Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm aircraft may have shot down the first and last kills of World War II.

edited 22nd Nov '14 2:29:25 PM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

It worked, sure, but it was pretty impractical. Nowhere to put the Hercules once it's on the carrier, for one. It's just gonna take up valuable space on the flight deck.

A different shape every step I take A different mind every step of the line

The Herc was to be used as a COD, Carrier Onboard Delivery, aircraft. Resupply stuff and deliver new troops, deliver large parts (i.e. aircraft engines) and deliver the mail. The Herc would have meant the deck would have to be clear for each delivery. But a smaller aircraft allows normal flight ops.

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Aviation week roundup:

• Japan Prepares Designs For Its Next Fighter: Moe little sister to the F-22's Cool Big Sis..

• Opinion: Abandoning Kiowa Is A Huge Mistake: I agree! Pity big Army wants to send the monies elsewhere.

• Boeing Stays In F-16 Upgrade Race: Boeing tries to drink Lockheed and BAE's milkshake...

• Opinion: Pentagon Moves Complicate Fighter Plans: The DOD gets all Teen Girl drama with it's fighter plans, The USAF can't even when it comes to program management....

• China’s C-130 – And A Look Back At The Lockheed Original: China copies the C-130, AvWeek look back on the OG Herc...

edited 22nd Nov '14 8:37:42 PM by TairaMai

All night at the computer, cuz people ain't that great. I keep to myself so I won't be on The First 48

Any bets the F-3 will be miles better than the F-35 in every way?

So, we're just supposed to imagine what it'll look like in robot mode?

Imagine a sexy futuristic Gerwalk or Battroid mode as opposed to one inspired by F-14s.

@ F-3: The role oddly enough sounds a lot like that of the Tornado ADV. A stealth Tornado?◊

edited 23rd Nov '14 12:05:47 AM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On

You know how we always joke about the F-35 can do everything. You know like carry the gun of the A-10 for example. ....About that. You see some maniac took a GAU-8 and crammed into a gun pod that an F-16 can lift. They toned down the rate of fire but it is apparently still rather powerful. Its called the Gau-13.

Who watches the watchmen?

Oh yeah, that... Foxtrot Alpha has an article on it.

Apparently the recoil from the gun meant that accurate fire was impossible due to the pod shifting on the pylon.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot

How accurate are a fighter's guns?

Edit: Fucking sentence structure, how does it work?

edited 23rd Nov '14 3:16:23 AM by Rosvo1