Anyone fancy a Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker?

[TVR653X]

XB70 said:

At the rate things are going, the choice in a few years for the lucky few will be



or

Isn't the Blacjack still in service? Last time I checked, Ukraine had a large proportion of them from when it split from the USSR. Were they ever returned to Russia or are they still in the Ukraine?

Pity, some of the Soviet stuff, such as the Sukhois and Tupolev bombers, were miles ahead of anything the West had in terms of sophistication; they just never had the money to fly the bloody things.

[dafeller]

Unfortunately, the Ukraine destroyed the last of its TU-160 Blackjacks in 2001. Biggest hitter they have right now is the SU-24 Fencer, a sort of Russian FB-111 swing-wing attack craft.

[Dr Jekyll]

dafeller said:

Unfortunately, the Ukraine destroyed the last of its TU-160 Blackjacks in 2001. Biggest hitter they have right now is the SU-24 Fencer, a sort of Russian FB-111 swing-wing attack craft.

The resemblance between the Blackjack and the B1 is extraordinary. Who copied who?

[moleamol]

Unbelievable. Seems like nothing for such an aircraft.

[Eric Mc]

Dr Jekyll said:

dafeller said:

Unfortunately, the Ukraine destroyed the last of its TU-160 Blackjacks in 2001. Biggest hitter they have right now is the SU-24 Fencer, a sort of Russian FB-111 swing-wing attack craft.

The resemblance between the Blackjack and the B1 is extraordinary. Who copied who?

The B1 was the earlier of the two designs, first flying in 1974.

The Tu-160 is about 1/3 bigger than the B1 as well.

[ErnestM]

IIRC Russia still has a few serviceable Blackjacks

[FourWheelDrift]

19 apparently.

[JuniorD]

Where I did my training there was a local chap who had a L-39 with livery just like this. http://www.prideaircraft.com/N580LL.htm

Always cool to see it come in with local ANG A-10s and the odd Thunderbird F-16 holding short.

[TVR653X]

Eric Mc said:

Dr Jekyll said:

dafeller said:

Unfortunately, the Ukraine destroyed the last of its TU-160 Blackjacks in 2001. Biggest hitter they have right now is the SU-24 Fencer, a sort of Russian FB-111 swing-wing attack craft.

The resemblance between the Blackjack and the B1 is extraordinary. Who copied who?

The B1 was the earlier of the two designs, first flying in 1974.

The Tu-160 is about 1/3 bigger than the B1 as well.

Yep. The B1A was a much better aircraft in many ways than the B1B - it was faster to start with. However, the US wasnted a bomber capable of flying fast at low level to get deep into enemy territory. The B1A had been designed to fly high, and fast, and drop nuclear bombs, then get out fast.

The TU-160 Blackjack is similar in design to the B1A/B, but, it carries much less ordnance. Its immense size is due to the immense about of fuel it carries; it was designed to fly from Russia, over the polar ice cap, and drop bombs on the USA, before flying home. Unlike the B1B, it'll do over 1200mph. It's also pretty manouverable for such a big plane.