This Man Owns The World’s Most Advanced Private Air Force After Buying 46 F/A-18 Hornets

[Will Collier]

freeradical wrote:
I saw an F-4 go down in the Yellow Sea after an exercise at Kunsan Air Base around 1981-1982. Both pilots bailed out, and were picked up by a Korean fishing boat.

Both engines flamed out. A compressor stall perhaps? It seems odd that both engines would do the same thing. It seems like (well to me anyway) that both engines would be independent of each other. Maybe not.

Anyhow, I'd want a jet that was a bit more reliable. Like a "big mouth" F-16 with the General Electric engine.

Eh, don't get me wrong, I love the jet, but F-16's crash a lot. It's nicknamed the "Lawn Dart" for a reason...

[Ombligo]

All things considered, I think the Mig-21 would be the best choice for homeownership. In practical terms it is simpler to service, and parts are readily available compared to American aircraft.

Performance-wise the Mig is slightly faster than the F16 but not as maneuverable. It can outclimb earlier versions of the F16. In pure performance, the Mig is slower than an F15 but is far more nimble.

Any way you cut it, any of them would be a blast to fly but none have the romantic attraction of the great warbirds of WW2. I'd take an F4U Corsair, Lavochkin La-7, or DeHavilland Mosquito over the jets in a heartbeat.

[freeradical]

The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that all operations with the MiG-21 LanceR fighter jets were suspended starting April 15, 2022. The decision follows multiple incidents involving the aircraft.

From now on, pilots of the Romanian Air Force will only fly the 17 second-hand Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters, acquired from Portugal in 2016.

“At the same time, measures have been taken to speed up the procedures for the purchase of Norway’s 32 F-16 aircraft,” the Ministry wrote in a statement.

“The available resource of aircraft within the three squadrons of multifunctional F-16 aircraft, which will be operated by the Air Force, ensures their operation for at least 10 years and will constitute an operational air transit capability for the aircraft 5th generation F-35.”

The Romanian Air Force is supported in its airspace surveillance missions by allied nations as part of NATO's enhanced Air Policing over Romania. Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, additional fighter jets have been deployed to Romania.

https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/30768...ing-mig-21

[RAMd®d]

Practical, I do not think that means what you think it means.


Stil LOLing!

The F-4 Phantom is one of my favorites as well.

I stopped building model planes and cars years ago, but I managed to get a few ERTL planes before they all disappeared.

Some R/Cers have spent big bucks making giant flying models of some iconic craft.

YouTube has a lot of videos on them.

[Bill in NC]

PBY Catalina..."slow boat to China"

[Carnos Jax]

Rolando wrote:
[quote=Carnos Jax]
Would love an F-20….F-18 engine in it!

The F20 had the F16 Engine in it. The F18 has two less powerful engines. The SuperHornet is something else entirely!

I myself am Partial to the F104, myself.

But I'd be happy with an F4U Corsair!
No way man, the F-20 had the F-18 engine, GE F404, not the GE F110 of the F-16 (I had to look up the models numbers): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_F...ark#Design

I'd be too afraid to fly the F-104, but I would love a Corsair.

[Rolando]

Carnos Jax wrote:
No way man, the F-20 had the F-18 engine, GE F404, not the GE F110 of the F-16 (I had to look up the models numbers): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_F...ark#Design

I stand corrected! -D