50 Unusual Jet Fighter Facts

I used to have a poster of the SR-71 and it had trivia across the bottom. One of the things it said was that it traveled faster than a 30.06 bullet.
 
When I was in the Air Force in the late 70's every year On "Armed Forces" day they would bring all sorts of air craft to the air base.
I remember watching the SR-71 taking off and thinking what a mother long aircraft it was for just one guy. I don't think I had a clue as to it's capability at the time.
I also remember there was a B-25 parked next to an F-15 and the bomber was smaller than the fighter.
Growing up I always thought that these WWII bombers were these massive things. The B-25 also looked so fragile compared to the F-15.
But the coolest I remember was seeing the F-15, with afterburners on - the sound was amazing - streak down the runway and without looking like it changed elevation raised it's wheels and then shot straight up until it was practically out of sight. Totally awesome.
I understand the F-15 was the first fighter with a greater thrust to weight ratio enabling to accelerate going straight up.

Something like this but without the spins

 
Yep, as an Air Force brat I have seen tons of aircraft over the years at about every open house at every base my dad was stationed at. I have seen some amazing stuff. I agree that the large aircraft of WW2 are not all that big when compared to today’s aircraft. I remember how shocked I was back in the mid 80’s while I was on a 727 taxiing at Tucson AZ airport when out the window ast the threshold was a B29 waiting for us to take off. I believe that aircraft had just been restored at that time and was getting ready to test hop, first time Airborne since the war. Really surprised me how small it seemed. However about 4-5 years ago the B-29 “Gigi” was in KC and she is a beaut.
 
Yeah, as an AFB myself. in the 8th grade my dad was stationed at Travis AFB. BIG base with lots of aircraft. We would occasionally get on our bikes (at night) and take some paths that would get us near the end of a runway. Dismount, have a snack or two, and watch the BUF's come in for a landing less then a couple of 100 yards away. Awesome. No, we probably weren't allowed there, but strangely the Air Police never bothered us.

 
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When my dad was stationed at TAC headquarters at Langley Field they brought in the first 2 F-15's (about '73-74'-'75 -ish) to do demonstration flights for HQ personnel and also for the locals, as they had announced the 1st TFW would be flying out of Langley. My dad was good friends with one of the pilots. When they did their demo flight it was pretty "tame", no afterburner take off's, you know "quiet" type stuff as to not antagonize the locals with noise. When the F-15's left they did a nice easy takeoff, nothing showy, no afterburner stuff, used all the runway. However, the support group's C-141 followed them and that pilot promptly performed a max military takeoff, about halfway down the runway lifted off about 20 feet, pulled up the gear, and when he got to the threshold did about as max performance takeoff as I have ever seen a cargo plane do. It was awesome. I have only seen one other "max" takeoff of a cargo plane, that was the C-130 support plane that travels with the Blue Angels.
 
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