The Planespotting/General AV Geek Thread

[kermatu]

Great Photos FlyboyAl
Can you identify these aircraft for us?

Agree - superb pics.

 

[Milefest]

Amazing that the B52 is still in service and it's expected to stay in service until the 2040s..

 

[jb747]

Some interesting B47 video. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6cIgTAtj4E4

 

[FlyboyAl]

Well done Boca68 - you get a star!
Not to split hairs, I think the B52 is an A model - I'll check my other pics.

Not to steal Al's thunder, but

From top to bottom: B-47, B-52 (G model, I think?) , B-29 and a B-17.

 

[Boca68]

Well done Boca68 - you get a star!
Not to split hairs, I think the B52 is an A model - I'll check my other pics.

Thanks Al.

Your probably correct with the B52. Defer to your superior Knowledge.

The B-47 is one of my favourites in a design sense. Close second to the B-58 Hustler, which I think is just spectacular. Love to see one them one day.

 

[petercr]

Well done Boca68 - you get a star!
Not to split hairs, I think the B52 is an A model - I'll check my other pics.

According to Wikipedia, it's a - D... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_displayed_Boeing_B-52_Stratofortresses?wprov=sfla1

• 55-0679 - March Field Air Museum, March Air Reserve Base (former March AFB) in Riverside, California. It is marked as"679" and was accepted by the USAF on 5 June 1957 and operated by the 92nd BW at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota; 494th BW at Sheppard AFB, Texas; 509th BW at Pease AFB, New Hampshire and Andersen AFB, Guam; 454th BW at March AFB, California; 22nd BW at Andersen AFB, Guam; 99th BW at Andersen AFB and U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand;, 43rd SW at U-Tapao RTAFB;, 7th BW at Carswell AFB, Texas; 99th BW at Andersen AFB and U-Tapao; 22nd BW at March AFB; 43rd SW at Andersen AFB and participated in Linebacker II;, 7th BW at Carswell AFB; 22nd BW at March AFB, 175 combat missions, became a training airframe as a GB-52D and withdrawn from service in 1992.

I wonder if now that's over 50, it gets cheaper to insure

 

[FlyboyAl]

My apologies - it is a D. Something else was an "A" model, but I can't remember which!!!
All in all, its a good exhibit, but regrettably none of them fly. Go down the road the Yanks Air Museum or Planes of Fame, and almost all of them fly.

According to Wikipedia, it's a - D... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_displayed_Boeing_B-52_Stratofortresses?wprov=sfla1



I wonder if now that's over 50, it gets cheaper to insure

 

[petercr]

My apologies - it is a D. Something else was an "A" model, but I can't remember which!!!
All in all, its a good exhibit, but regrettably none of them fly. Go down the road the Yanks Air Museum or Planes of Fame, and almost all of them fly.

No need to apologise... Wish I got to see a few more in the flesh... I 'll have to post some from when we were in NYC and Washington

 

[Altair]

22 BW Anderson AFB Guam....means my dad probably worked this.

 

[FlyboyAl]

OMG, the KC135 is the same age as me!
Here is an interesting video from the US Air Force on the first of the KC135 refuelers.
https://youtu.be/rGqdEsglaRY

 

[FlyboyAl]

I think I found my "A" model!!!
It was the KC135 - A!
Here are some pics which go with the You Tube video in the above post - this was probably one of the earlier ones as it has been retired for some time. It first flew in june 57.

 

[jb747]

Something very interesting behind the #3 engine in the top picture. The ultimate drone.

 

[PaulST]

Amazing that the B52 is still in service and it's expected to stay in service until the 2040s..

I wonder if they'll upgrade the engines? I understand that the current KC135 that the USAF fly (well the ones I've seen at the Avalon air show) is a 707 that has been retro fitted with the newer engines so I wonder if they could replace the 8 B52 engines with 4 of the newer CFM turbofans?

 

[FlyboyAl]

JB, do you mean the D21?

Details here
Lockheed D-21 Drone

 

[FlyboyAl]

The D21, carried aloft by this beauty.
The SR71.

 

[FlyboyAl]

This is the full setup at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

 

[puppysparkes]

Does anyone have access to the full article? Thanks in advance.

http://www.janes.com/article/63341/china-and-ukraine-agree-to-restart-an-225-production

China and Ukraine have signed an agreement to recommence production of the Antonov An-225 'Cossack' strategic airlifter, media from both countries have reported.

The agreement signed between the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and Antonov on 30 August gives China access to the aircraft's designs and technologies for the purposes of domestic production, according to China's STCN news organisation and the Ukrainian Business Channel (UBR).

Powered by six Progress D-18T engines and having demonstrated a world-record payload of 253.82 tonnes, the An-225 (named Mriya in Ukraine) is the largest transport aircraft ever to have flown. Having been originally built to carry the Soviet Buran orbiter, the aircraft made its maiden flight in 1988. Only one aircraft was ever finished to an airworthy standard and flown, and while work on a second example was begun it had become clear by mid-2001 that funding would no longer be provided and the project was shelved. The sole aircraft to be completed is now chartered by Antonov Airlines to fly outsized cargo throughout the world.

According to the reports, China now plans to fly the first of an unspecified number of An-225s in 2019.

Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options ihs.com/contact

 

[Altair]

I doubt the deal would ever come to fruition.
IIRC the head of Antonov Airlines was asked when they would assemble the second An-225, all the parts are in crates a hanger, and he replied why would they when the current single example was not even at a 50% utilization rate.

 

[jb747]

I expect that it's more a repeat of the UK selling the RR Nene to Russia....

 

[puppysparkes]

I'm not sure how recent this is and I couldn't find anything on AV Herald. I have no words to describe this https://instagram.com/p/BKKgIU1jZUf/