Fighter Planes

One of my hobbies was to go to as many military air shows as I could.  Even tho I was stationed at numerous bases around the world, and got to see certain aircraft up close and personal, there are always ones you don't see too often. Being in the war, and other "great" places (sarcastic), I know first hand what many of them are capabile of doing. I have personally seen so many I could not list them all.  But there are a few favorites:

1) The A-10 "Wart Hog" or "Thunderbolt" - my personal favorite for many reasons.  The main reason is their ability to support ground troops in a very "up close and personal" way. There is no better sight to see, if you're in a jam, and things aren't looking great for you, than an A-10 or same type model, coming in low and close to "take care" of the problem for you. I can tell you that one of them really came to our rescue when I was over there. I have a personal pride in this plane.

2) The "F-15 Eagle" - for years the backbone of the Air Force, and a really great plane. It's superiority was unquestionable during it's main years. It was highly manueverable, capable of doing things no other plane could do. It was the master of the sky. It's a classic!

3) The "F-18 Hornet" - A tip of the hat to the Navy.  Another great plane, and the name fits it perfectly.  It's folding wings were, of course, designed for it to be a carrier fighter plane.  It's fast, and it's mean.  Just as it should be. It is not a plane any other country's pilot would like to see in it's rearview mirror. Game over!

4) The "C130 Hercules"- it's been in the inventory since Moses.  It has been everywhere and done everything. It's models range from gunships, to firefighters, to cargo, to whatever you need.  It has way more than paid for itself through the years. It's only one of a very few that had a very long life.  And it's still used all over the world today!

5) The "F-4 Phantom"- a plane I saw every day in the '80's at Clark AB, P.I.  Of course it is outdated now, but in it's day it was a scary plane.  It's design (especially the ones with face designs) was unique and shouted "power"! It could carry a huge payload, and could hit very high speeds at altitude. It was loud as hell and strong, and you definitely knew when one was taking off. It made your insides shake!

6) The "C-5" - a huge cargo plane capable of moving large amounts of materials and troops. I personally deployed in or flew in a C-5 at least thirty times. It has been heavily used for years and has been all over the world. It is still relied upon to get supplies, rescue gear, and equipment to ravaged countries.

7) The "C-141" - another cargo/troop mover that's been around for a long, long time. I have flown in these planes about fifty times or more. It's turbines have a very distinctive sound that can only relate to this plane. If you were blindfolded, but knew how the C-141 sounds, you could tell right away. While it is not made for comfort at all, which it was not built for, sitting in the web seats, and being able to move around when in flight, is not that bad.