Post amazingly cool pictures of aircraft (Volume 2)

[Eric Mc]

Do I get a prize?

[MartG]

Vulcans on QRA at RAF Finningley in 1961

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Interesting to see on Google Earth that the ORP (Operational Readiness Platform) at Finningley has since been grubbed up.

[MartG]

The path to Typhoon - first there was P110...



Then ACA...



Then EAP...



And finally...

[Ayahuasca]

The twin tail made it look more 'modern'. Yes, I know that looks are not a consideration.

[MB140]

FourWheelDrift said:

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak outside Aktion Airport, Greece.

http://www.airpics.net/photo/53-6689-Republic-F-84...

We have a winner.

Sending you a virtual pint

[Dr Jekyll]

Apart from the twin tail and extra engine, the P110 looks remarkably like a Gripen.

[Eric Mc]

MB140 said:

We have a winner.

Sending you a virtual pint

I said F-84F before he did - and I suggested Greece.

[Eric Mc]

Dr Jekyll said:

Apart from the twin tail and extra engine, the P110 looks remarkably like a Gripen.

A number of designs have fluctuated between single and twin fins before being finalised. The aircraft that stands out to me as being way ahead of its time is the North American A-5 Vigilante - which at one point in its early design phase featured twin fins. In the end, it featured a single fin.

[Opel-GT]

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

A number of designs have fluctuated between single and twin fins before being finalised. The aircraft that stands out to me as being way ahead of its time is the North American A-5 Vigilante - which at one point in its early design phase featured twin fins. In the end, it featured a single fin.

Yup - original design had twin, non-folding fins. US Navy at the time was uncomfortable with the twin fin design so asked NA to redesign it with a single taller fin, which of course needed to fold so it would fit in the carrier hangar

[Ayahuasca]

The Panavia Tornado was originally going to have twin fins. Instead it got one giant one.

[MB140]

Eric Mc said:

MB140 said:

We have a winner.

Sending you a virtual pint

I said F-84F before he did - and I suggested Greece.

Well you can have a virtual pint on me too and call it a draw. Either way. Well spotted by both of you.

[Eric Mc]

Mine's a virtual T.E.A.

[tight5]

Eric Mc said:

North American A-5 Vigilante

Weird things.

[Dr Jekyll]

tight5 said:

Eric Mc said:

North American A-5 Vigilante

Weird things.

The problem with the bombs being chucked out of the tail was that they could get caught up in wake turbulence and be basically towed along for a while behind the bomber, which in the case of a nuke tended to make the crew stressed and demoralised.

[Eric Mc]

They performed better as photo recce aircraft - the RA-5C version.

[MartG]

It was also not unknown for the weapon and fuel tanks to come loose during a catapult launch, and be left behind on the deck

[Tango13]

[MartG]