Little known / experimental aircraft

[hlg6016]

While not WWII vintage a few piston powered aircraft had long service careers. The French flew the A-1 until the 70's and they then donated them to a few of their African allies to include Chad, which apparently kept them 'in service' until 1987. The Navy didn't retire its last EC-121's until 1982, the last ones flew with VAQ-33. We also flew C-1 Traders until 1988, 32 years after it first started service.

C118's flew Navy Reserve at least to mid 80's

 

[Jim123]

I have to admit I am relieved I didn’t write that “it required a tug to get it up…” That would be an altogether different kind of flying.

@Jim123…meme?

"Any ending you can walk away from is a happy ending."

 

[wink]

Had to read this a couple of times for it to make sense to me. It was the F4U Corsair, the F-4 Phantom, and the A-7 Corsair II. But yes, the F4U was a viable asset for a long time.

Captain on my interview Board at AA in 1989 had flown F4Us in the Marines. I really milked that one. The more we talked about old round engine fighters the less time they had to ask me questions.

 

[Hair Warrior]

"Any ending you can walk away from is a happy ending."
- Robert Kraft

FIFY

 

[Jim123]

????

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Captain on my interview Board at AA in 1989 had flown F4Us in the Marines. I really milked that one. The more we talked about old round engine fighters the less time they had to ask me questions.

I bet he taxied slow. Hard to taxi at V1 in a tail dragger without forward visibility

 

[Pags]

I bet he taxied slow. Hard to taxi at V1 in a tail dragger without forward visibility

That's what the PC hanging on the wings is for.

 

[Hair Warrior]

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?make=MCDONNELL+DOUGLAS&model_group=NO+MODEL+GROUP&model=F-4+PHANTOM&listing_id=2315633&s-type=aircraft

Did someone say “round engine fighters”?

 

[Jim123]

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?make=MCDONNELL+DOUGLAS&model_group=NO+MODEL+GROUP&model=F-4+PHANTOM&listing_id=2315633&s-type=aircraft

Did someone say “round engine fighters”?

I'd ask to see the Carfax on this one.

 

[jmcquate]

That doesn't look like a B. Looks like a test jet. Nose and intakes are wrong for a B.

 

[Hair Warrior]

The US Navy Is Reversing Its Fighter-Jet Design Philosophy

NavAir commander says the next-gen plane will be designed around certain cutting-edge technologies.

www.defenseone.com

 

[Randy Daytona]

Not just any Piper L-4 Grasshopper - but a bazooka firing tank killer.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II
The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II

The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

www.airspacemag.com

A WWII pilot strapped rockets to a recon plane to hunt tanks

Bazooka Charlie, real name Charles Carpenter, turned his unarmed L-4 Grasshopper into a rocket-packed tank killer in WWII.

www.sandboxx.us

 

[Griz882]

Not just any Piper L-4 Grasshopper - but a bazooka firing tank killer.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II
The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II

The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

www.airspacemag.com

A WWII pilot strapped rockets to a recon plane to hunt tanks

Bazooka Charlie, real name Charles Carpenter, turned his unarmed L-4 Grasshopper into a rocket-packed tank killer in WWII.

www.sandboxx.us

View attachment 31906

View attachment 31907

View attachment 31908

This is a fun read for the broader history - self-published, but interesting.

 

[wink]

Not just any Piper L-4 Grasshopper - but a bazooka firing tank killer.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II
The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II

The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

www.airspacemag.com

A WWII pilot strapped rockets to a recon plane to hunt tanks

Bazooka Charlie, real name Charles Carpenter, turned his unarmed L-4 Grasshopper into a rocket-packed tank killer in WWII.

www.sandboxx.us

View attachment 31906

View attachment 31907

View attachment 31908

And the self anointed are scoffing at the A/S-3C Viking Warrior.

 

[Griz882]

I’m not sure if this guy is back somewhere in these pages but how about a Convair helicopter?


The Model 49 was an attempt to beat the AH-64 Apache and was a true flying tank.


It was based off earlier studies of a functional coleopter.