Came into BFI, unfortunately I missed their arrival. I didn't get here until they were inside the gate :( Oh well I got to see some Kfirs while they were here, which are LOUD and fun to watch :) Plus F18s are going down to Clay all the time.

I believe all fighters have 'hard points' and you are correct about the -22. Here is a shot of it intercepting a Bear and you can see the large underwing drop tanks.
http://rbiii.files.wordpress.com/200...ig_1_9eaeb.jpg

That has actually been one of the things that we joke about the F-35 too. They spend all that money on stealth and then the first thing the Marines will do when we get it is hang everything and the kitchen sink off of it :D:eek: Oh well.......

USMCFLYR

Just remember the old axiom. never fly the A model of any airplane

The second axiom is the C model eventually becomes what the A was supposed to be but heavier and more costly.

And when you read the lit on the -35, you see that it says something about VTOL with 'light loads' meaning it will not carry a full bag of ord when operating from FOLs.

From what I have been reading, the -22 no longer has any real friends either in Congress or the USAF. The seeming intent is to terminate the -22 line, go for the -35. One has to wonder. The procurement process seems a bit confused.

The A-6 had new wings and was ready to go when they decided to get rid of it for more F/A-18s which didn't have the range or payload. Now they are getting rid of the EA-6s with the Growlers and that too reportedly does not have the capability of the Prowler. And don't even start with the tanker chocies. ???

Seems the main thing is to spend money.

[quote=III Corps;429174]Just remember the old axiom. never fly the A model of any airplane

Whoops - blew that one. Flew the A through D model - though my first A model were still Lot 9s - GREAT airplanes and probably the best lot for BFM (at least until the Lot 16-18).

The second axiom is the C model eventually becomes what the A was supposed to be but heavier and more costly. True

And when you read the lit on the -35, you see that it says something about VTOL with 'light loads' meaning it will not carry a full bag of ord when operating from FOLs.
And how often did the Harriers work forward (meaning not from prepared airfields?) I'm not a huge believer in the VSTOL version - I think we should go with the Carrier version personally.

Now they are getting rid of the EA-6s with the Growlers and that too reportedly does not have the capability of the Prowler. And don't even start with the tanker chocies.
I've not been around the EW community much, but I have seen some of the Growler's lit and talked to a few of the pilots whom have come through Lemoore for initial training and I haven't heard anything along the lines of the Growler not having the capabilities of the Prowler - and knocking down that crew from 4 to 2. Instead of listening to one side of the stroy or the other - I'll wait to hear from some prior Prowler guys who have moved over to the Growler.

USMCFLYR

Don't know what I was thinking but you're right. I have not seen the -22s around Dobbins with tanks but here's a shot of the Raptor chasing a Bear. http://tinyurl.com/56grb9

What I meant to say was on ingress the Raptor will probably be clean for the smallest radar paint. Tanks may be used but dropped at some point.

man, the raptor is still my favorite airplane in the world, so beautiful :). Nice vid!

My office is along the centerline for dobbins rwy 29 and we see the -22 overhead almost on a daily basis. I always run outside to see them

Odd sound when it is just loafing around the pattern, huh? But no doubt what it is when it lines up for T/O...

Raptor Odds and Ends
 

I was at Tyndall today and got a tour of the airplane from the maintenance Senior Chief.

He showed me the areas under the wings where external racks, for anything from Air-air missiles to bombs, could be carried.

Of course, that comes at a cost of supercruise and stealth.

He said the external tanks are virtually identical (externally) to F-15 tanks, but were configured slightly different internally.

I'll have to disagree with Photon and say that while the F-22 is an impressive airplane in capability, I think the Eagle, Viper, and even the Hornet are sleeker looking airplanes than either the F-22 or the F-35.

It's similar to comparing classic muscle-cars and new cars--the classics have a personna; the new cars are almost identical.

USMCFlyer:

I have to ask: When you launch an EA-18G off the carrier catapault, is that a "Steaming Growler?"