Royal International Air Tattoo 2004

Just come back from a great day out at Royal International Air Tattoo 2004

Just wanted to share a couple of photos, sorry that similar images have been posted before - but was a great

Quick thanks to the

Royal Netherlands Air Force Solo Display team
393 EBS Tigers (B-2 guys)
Black Sheep (F-117s)
Royal Navy (Rigid Boat simulator)
RAF Regiment
Army Air Corp
B1 B guys
and so many others

For being great to my little boy (especially with the freebies) everyone there from all the different nationalities was some friendly




B-2 with F-15 escorts


F-117


Furofigther Typhoon


Will probably edit later in the week with some better photos once I have had chance to recover.

Cheers

thanks for the pics mate.
very interesting, but you always know when the U.S. are building better airplanes cos there old top secret planes go on show to there public.
I know this is common knowledge to many of you, but I thought I would mention this anyway.

Does anyone know when the RAF are taking their first batch of Typhoon fighters ????

Does anyone know when the RAF are taking their first batch of Typhoon fighters ????

The typhoon eneterd RAF service at the beginning of the year with No.17 Squadron and has since being joined by No.29 Squadron who were at the show I got to chat to one of the pilots who was on the Static display - shame they were not selling the squadron badges like the other aircrews


One amazing thing I learnt yesterday -- one of the themes of the show was 50 years of the Hercules C-130 -- was that in November 1963 on the 8th, 21st and 22nd, Lt. James H. Flatley III and his crew members, Lt. Cmdr. "Smokey" Stovall and Aviation Machinist's Mate (Jets) 1st Class Ed Brennan, made 21 full-stop landings and takeoffs in a C-130 Hercules aboard the ship. The tests were conducted 500 miles (900 km) out in the North Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts. In so doing, Forrestal and the C-130 set a record for the largest and heaviest airplane landing on a Navy aircraft carrier. The Navy was trying to determine if the big Hercules could serve as a "Super-COD" � a "Carrier On-board Delivery" aircraft. The problem was there was no aircraft which could provide resupply to a carrier in mid ocean. The Hercules was stable, reliable, and had a long cruising range and high payload.

The tests were more than successful. At 85,000 pounds (38 t), the C-130F came to a complete stop within 267 feet (81 m), and at the maximum load, the plane used only 745 feet (227 m) for take-off. The Navy concluded that with the C-130 Hercules, it would be possible to lift 25,000 pounds (11 t) of cargo 2,500 miles (4,000 km) and land it on a carrier. However, the idea was considered a bit too risky for routine COD operations. The C-2A Greyhound program was developed and the first of these planes became operational in 1965. For his effort, the Navy awarded Lt. Flatley the Distinguished Flying Cross.



Video of C-130 landing on USS Forrestal

Video of C-130 taking off from USS Forrestal







[edit on 19-7-2004 by Popeye]

Don't think the Typhoon is actually in operational service yet. It is still undergoing evaluation by the RAF

Originally posted by LordofLard
Don't think the Typhoon is actually in operational service yet. It is still undergoing evaluation by the RAF

check out the RAF website Typhoon page

Typhoon is now entering service with the RAF, with initial aircraft deliveries to the Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit (OEU), No 17 (Reserve) Squadron at Warton with initial operational capability due in 2006/2007. The operational conversion unit, No 29 (Reserve) Squadron began reforming on Typhoon in late 2003 at Warton with a view to moving to their permanent base at RAF Coningsby at a later date.

The guy I chatted too was from No.29 Squadron

As I said operational service. The quote from that website is "initial operational capability in 2006/2007"

Same thing.