Note: The A-7. A subsonic performer that flies as fast in the transonic region as the F-35, carries almost as many bombs and can go further....at a significantly lower price....
Ah, the Terrible Twins Crusader and Corsair II... always love that planes. Two very similar airframes and you get not only a superb fighter but also a excellent attacker. Something that F-35 can only dream of.
It seems FJ technology reached a peak in the mid-60s and then went down. What will kill F35 isn't UCAV but smarter missiles in large numbers. Air power is at one of those places where two technologies are converging on the same point. Seeing as UCAV is bigger and expensive, like manned aircraft, I think the missiles will win out.
Eric: the A-7 was designed to replace the A-4 Skyhawk in the Naval tactical delivery of Nuclear weapons, down and dirty on the deck, High speed and low drag, lobbing a tactical nuke at some nations sub pens in or near the Crimea, taking out Some nation's entire Fleet. Turn some port city into rubble.
Charley the F-8 Crusader was called "The Gunfighter" in Naval aviation circles. The MiGs off Yankee station would not fuck with a Gunfighter. It was an Fleet Air Superiority fighter. The A-7 was a strike/attack aircraft.
The wikipedia article on the F-7 Cutlass (F-8's predecessor) reads like modern articles on the VF-22 Osprey. Over 25% of all F-7's built were lost in accidents.
Lets see...I seem to remember the F-35 being more or less designed to be a bomb truck (so the Air force could keep the F-22)...so is the performance comparison a huge surprise....noooooope
The A-6 was the premier bomber of the Navy, shit hot accurate, the queers would go in and spoof the radar and the rest of the strike would come down with Iron Hand and bridge busting. The A-7 was a battlefield bomber and hit barracks, dams, staging areas for troops, boat docks etc, etc. The Gun was used to strafe everything, land sea and swamp. A Holy terror on Non specific logistical support craft and vehicles. The A-7 was the Navy's version at that time of the A-10. It was Shit Hot, a man strapped to a jet engine sitting on a gun and more bombs than a B-17 Bomber.
For a carrier bomb truck I'll take the venerable A-6E and its SEAD cousin the EA-6B. Long live the AN/TSQ-90, AN/ALQ-99 and AGM-88 to find em, jam em, and kill em.
The Japanese government announced it has signed an agreement with Germany on the co-development of next-generation main battle tank, aka the Leopard 3.
It is striking how Japan is now seeking foreign partners on weapon systems that were self-reliant, in order to reduce cost. If the US wills it, it should be able to sign an ACV development deal with Japan.
There's allready been an F35 btw the F35 draken a ground attack aircraft in the style of the Mirage V but based on the SAAB J35 Draken but with less electronics more fuel and payload.
Ah, the Terrible Twins Crusader and Corsair II... always love that planes. Two very similar airframes and you get not only a superb fighter but also a excellent attacker. Something that F-35 can only dream of.
ReplyDeleteIt no wonder why we should have kept the A-7 going with the A-7F. It would have been a more cost effective CAS Aircraft for the USAF.
ReplyDeleteI am having trouble parsing your last sentence. :)
DeleteThe A-7 was also used by Air Force pilots.
DeleteFrom what I understand, one of the great bomb trucks of all time. I've read the pilots quite like them, which is always a good yardstick.
ReplyDeleteIt was, they did and the PAVN/VC hated it with a passion.
DeleteIt seems FJ technology reached a peak in the mid-60s and then went down. What will kill F35 isn't UCAV but smarter missiles in large numbers. Air power is at one of those places where two technologies are converging on the same point. Seeing as UCAV is bigger and expensive, like manned aircraft, I think the missiles will win out.
ReplyDeleteAir force: its too cheap and not stealthy nothing to see here move on.
ReplyDeleteA really good aircraft with a really good tactical payload and good bombing system.
ReplyDeleteEric: the A-7 was designed to replace the A-4 Skyhawk in the Naval tactical delivery of Nuclear weapons, down and dirty on the deck, High speed and low drag, lobbing a tactical nuke at some nations sub pens in or near the Crimea, taking out Some nation's entire Fleet.
DeleteTurn some port city into rubble.
A-7 was a much better aircraft that the F-7, just saying... A relatively simple jet, and precursor to the A-10.
ReplyDeleteErr. F8
DeleteCharley the F-8 Crusader was called "The Gunfighter" in Naval aviation circles. The MiGs off Yankee station would not fuck with a Gunfighter.
DeleteIt was an Fleet Air Superiority fighter.
The A-7 was a strike/attack aircraft.
The wikipedia article on the F-7 Cutlass (F-8's predecessor) reads like modern articles on the VF-22 Osprey. Over 25% of all F-7's built were lost in accidents.
DeleteLets see...I seem to remember the F-35 being more or less designed to be a bomb truck (so the Air force could keep the F-22)...so is the performance comparison a huge surprise....noooooope
ReplyDeleteThose planes from 50's-60's are so beautiful birdes
ReplyDeleteThe A-6 was the premier bomber of the Navy, shit hot accurate, the queers would go in and spoof the radar and the rest of the strike would come down with Iron Hand and bridge busting.
ReplyDeleteThe A-7 was a battlefield bomber and hit barracks, dams, staging areas for troops, boat docks etc, etc.
The Gun was used to strafe everything, land sea and swamp.
A Holy terror on Non specific logistical support craft and vehicles.
The A-7 was the Navy's version at that time of the A-10.
It was Shit Hot, a man strapped to a jet engine sitting on a gun and more bombs than a B-17 Bomber.
For a carrier bomb truck I'll take the venerable A-6E and its SEAD cousin the EA-6B. Long live the AN/TSQ-90, AN/ALQ-99 and AGM-88 to find em, jam em, and kill em.
ReplyDeleteAh, the Mighty SLUF. What an adorably ugly aircraft.
ReplyDeleteImagine what that payload matched with JDAMs and SDBs would be able to accomplish in a place like Afghanistan.
Fighter pilots make movies, bomber pilots make history!
ReplyDeleteUntil Flight Of The Intruder Was Released To theaters
DeleteWhich was the first book of a series long before it became a movie....
DeleteThe Book was better, the movie was just Platoon in the air.
Delete...also ironically staring Willem Dafoe
Deletehttp://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=pol_30&k=2014060700052
ReplyDeleteThe Japanese government announced it has signed an agreement with Germany on the co-development of next-generation main battle tank, aka the Leopard 3.
It is striking how Japan is now seeking foreign partners on weapon systems that were self-reliant, in order to reduce cost. If the US wills it, it should be able to sign an ACV development deal with Japan.
There's allready been an F35 btw the F35 draken a ground attack aircraft in the style of the Mirage V but based on the SAAB J35 Draken but with less electronics more fuel and payload.
ReplyDeleteHave you watched Area 88 before? The Crusader is the protagonist's initial fighter jet in that anime. Pretty legit.
ReplyDeleteHaving heard an F-8 bust Mach at nape of the earth in a Carrier fly by I can attest it is pretty legit.
Delete