Possumblog

I've flown in a B model of the F 15, the E came along after I got out in 83. Hard to believe that it's still a top fighter today after 30 plus years.

The wheels retract that fast? Or can I just not see them?

Some of the jet jockeys out there can probably answer this for certain, but I believe when they're doing combat takeoffs, they yank up the gear as soon as the tires are off the runway. I recall several years back an F-15 stopped off at the Air National Guard base at the airport here in Birmingham. One of the benefits of our airport is that the main runway parallels one of the Interstates that runs through town, I-59/20, and I just so happened to be going to work along that stretch of road the morning the F-15 was taking off. Absolutely the most stunning thing in the world--full afterburner and it took off very nearly vertically as soon as it was off the runway. Sounded like thunder.

I swear, it made me all misty.

By the way, here's a nifty F-15 demo at Langley I found on YouTube. Especially nifty are the last couple of minutes when it has some company.

Amazing stuff. I hope you kept one eye on the road.

No comment.

As for take-offs, from what I could tell from the other videos I saw, seems like full afterburner, stand-it-on-its-butt takeoffs are the norm for these guys.

With gas at more than 2 bucks a gallon? No wonder the military needs more dough.

And if you could start that way, wouldn't you? I sure would.

Well, yes.

Jeepers creepers! I just watched that video of the F-15 you linked to on YouTube, Terry--and *I* almost blacked out watching those moves of that plane. How those pilots stay conscious and coherent I guess must be a mystery or a marvel of modern science.

G-suits and very strong abdominal muscles.

I read an article about the Thunderbirds a while back, and was surprised to see that they don't wear G-suits at all, relying entirely upon their muscle control to keep blood up in their noggins.