The F-117 Stealth Fighter is being retired - Page 4

GizmoQ · #46 (**permalink**) 03-14-08, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIWS

The F-111F was one of the most, if not the most, successful strike aircraft during Desert Storm. It was credited with over 1500 tank kills, more than any other aircraft in theater.

Yeah, but at what cost. Why risk a trained pilot and a multi-million dollar aircraft, not to mention the operational cost of fuel and maintenance. Sure once we secured the skies, there was no air-to-air threat, but that's an old and expensive aircraft doing a mission better suited for Predator drones (another instance of the "pilot mafia" justifying their own worth).

CIWS · #47 (**permalink**) 03-14-08, 10:02 PM

UAVs/Drones weren't that advanced in 1991. The Predator didn't even enter service until 1995.

For the mission assigned the F-111F appears to have been the best candidate for the job at the time, 17 years ago. Considering all of the different platforms in theater during Desert Storm, for it to come out on top definitely says something in it's favor.

dkozloski · #48 (**permalink**) 03-15-08, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIWS

UAVs/Drones weren't that advanced in 1991. The Predator didn't even enter service until 1995.

For the mission assigned the F-111F appears to have been the best candidate for the job at the time, 17 years ago. Considering all of the different platforms in theater during Desert Storm, for it to come out on top definitely says something in it's favor.

The A-10 Warthog guys will give you a big argument about who the real tank killer is. What was the availability rate of the F-111 compared to the Warthog's 95.7%

GizmoQ · #49 (**permalink**) 03-15-08, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIWS

UAVs/Drones weren't that advanced in 1991. The Predator didn't even enter service until 1995.

If you say so......

Time for me to shut the hell up.

CIWS · #50 (**permalink**) 03-15-08, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkozloski

The A-10 Warthog guys will give you a big argument about who the real tank killer is. What was the availability rate of the F-111 compared to the Warthog's 95.7%

It was at 85% during the war. It flew half the number of overall sorties as the A-10 and yet was still able to have a greater number of armor kills. That's because they optimized it's advantages and used it when/where it was the most capable.

dkozloski · #51 (**permalink**) 03-15-08, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIWS

It was at 85% during the war. It flew half the number of overall sorties as the A-10 and yet was still able to have a greater number of armor kills. That's because they optimized it's advantages and used it when/where it was the most capable.

Of course it was out of service for the latest war and the Warthog soldiered on running up its score.

CIWS · #52 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkozloski

Of course it was out of service for the latest war and the Warthog soldiered on running up its score.

Lots of platforms got retired from 1991 to 2003. The F-111 went out in 1998 as the F-15E came up to speed and replaced it. Since the A-10 came online 10 years after the F-111, it's still got a few years to catch up on

PAULSTSMAN1 · #53 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 03:42 PM

PAULSTSMAN1 · #54 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

Oh I forgot about this one....

The EKRANOOOOPLAAAAAN! (Caspian Sea Monster)

Definitely the best (oddest) looking bit of aviation ever made.

Is there enough fuel in the World to fly that monstrosity? Eight jet engines, the people that designed that, should have been executed or banished to a Siberian mental gulag!

93DevilleUSMC · #55 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAULSTSMAN1

Is there enough fuel in the World to fly that monstrosity? Eight jet engines, the people that designed that, should have been executed or banished to a Siberian mental gulag!

And from a tactical perspective, what does it actually DO besides soak up SAMs?

**I~LUV~Caddys8792** · #56 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 93DevilleUSMC

And from a tactical perspective, what does it actually DO besides soak up SAMs?

Looks awesome. That's what it does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAULSTSMAN1

Is there enough fuel in the World to fly that monstrosity? Eight jet engines, the people that designed that, should have been executed or banished to a Siberian mental gulag!

It gets similar fuel economy to a mid '70s Cadillac Eldorado.

93DevilleUSMC · #57 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I~LUV~Caddys8792

Looks awesome. That's what it does.

It gets similar fuel economy to a mid '70s Cadillac Eldorado.

Maybe it's a troop transport. It's way too big, though. That's Russia for you: build it big and ugly and hope no one notices how crappy it is.

**I~LUV~Caddys8792** · #58 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 06:43 PM

It was designed as a transport ship, but the problem was, it needed to fly over water to work, and seeing as how it was built on the Caspian Sea, it could only fly over the Caspian Sea. When it reached land, it had to stop and turn back.

But you gotta admit, that thing looks intimidating as all hell. It's just a tad smaller than the Spruce Goose.

Blackout · #59 (**permalink**) 03-16-08, 07:23 PM

That plane wasn't made to "fly" persay but it was more of a hydrofoil craft then plane. I think I remember reading that it was made to cross the Caspian Sea as a troop transporter. I saw video of it in action on the history channel not too long ago and it just skims across the water. The pic that I~LUV posted was actually the second one made, the first one didn't look as modern or as cool as that one looks like.