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Where old planes go when they "die"

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
Shoot --- got in here too late --- leave it to an "old guy" like ";)" to score first .... I really did know something about this as one of my B/N's --- the Navy's oldest LT when we flew --- was an enlisted aircrewman on these --- lots of great stories.

Like: "Did I tell you about the time we ditched after hitting a flock of buzzards coming out of Calcutta in 1946???" Stuff like that ..... :) I think he retired "Top Hook" in the Navy.

One of the better links I've seen is on the California Wreck Divers page: http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/Grumman%20Guardian.htm

Guardiansinflight.jpg
A squadron of Guardians in flight. The closest plane(#11) is a AF-2W (hunter), the next plane (#6) is a AF-2F (killer).
 

nfo2b

Well, not anymore... :(
Yeah, actually, that link is where I got the pic. Really interesting stuff there.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
I still can't get a photo inserted into text. I'd say it was my age/generation, but A4s pulls it off with aplomb. So make due with the thumbnail and tell me what this classic is?
 

squeeze

Retired Harrier Dude
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
ryan fireball

my turn-


and yes... I _will_ win an a/c id battle :icon_smil

edit- by the way wink... go to www.imageshack.us and you can host an image and it spits out the ubb code that you cut and paste in the post and it will show up as mine did (or fullsize... i elected to use the thumbnail)... plus, its free
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
Yeah .... like squeeze, a man of few words, said ..... the Ryan Fireball.

In the end of 1942 the U.S. Navy drew up a specification for a new fighter-bomber with a composite powerplant, which would use one of the new turbojets then being developed, as well as a more conventional radial engine with propeller. The idea was that the piston engine would be used for landing operations, long-range cruising, extra speed to supplement the turbojet, and as an insurance policy against the possible failure of the jet engine.

Ryan provided the best proposal, and was awarded the contract, with the first prototype being flown in June 1944. The Fireball was the first U.S. Navy production aircraft to have a flush riveted exterior and metal-covered control surfaces. With contracts calling for 1,300 Fireballs, the FR-1s began to equip the Navy in March 1945; however, VJ-Day cancellations left only 66 examples produced. None of these saw operational use during the war, but Fireballs were used for carrier trials after the war until being withdrawn in late 1947.


fr1140um.jpg


Type: carrier-based fighter-bomber
Crew: 1
Armament: four .50 inch machine guns
up to 1,000 lb. of bombs, or 8 5" rockets

Specifications:
Length: 32' 4" (9.86 m)
Height: 13' 7.25" (4.15 m)
Wingspan: 40' 0" (12.19 m)
Wing area: 275 sq. ft (25.55 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 7915 lb (3590 kg)
Max Weight: 10,595 lb (4806 kg) max at takeoff

Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 1+1
Powerplant #1: Wright R-1820-72W Cyclone radial
Powerplant #2: General Electric J31-GE-3 turbojet
Horsepower: 1425 hp (piston)+1600 lb thrust (jet)

Performance:
Range: 1030 miles (1658 km)
Cruise Speed: 153 mph ( 246 km/h)
Max Speed (both): 426 mph ( 686 km/h) at 18,100 ft
Max Speed (piston only): 295 mph ( 745 km/h) at 16,500 ft
Ceiling: 43,100 ft (13,135 m)
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
squeeze said:
ryan fireball

my turn-



edit- by the way wink... go to www.imageshack.us and you can host an image and it spits out the ubb code that you cut and paste in the post and it will show up as mine did (or fullsize... i elected to use the thumbnail)... plus, its free

I thought we were doing USN aircraft --- not high-school science experiments gone horribly wrong .... ??? :)
 

squeeze

Retired Harrier Dude
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
A4sForever said:
I thought we were doing USN aircraft --- not high-school science experiments gone horribly wrong .... ??? :)

fine then


it's sort of a USN a/c
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
Would that be a Topper Harley-mobile? p.s. I'm still gonna' try and find your high-school experiment a/c .... can't stand it when I'm clueless ....
 

Super18Ordie

F/A-18 Ordnanceman
Im lost as well, it looks like an ANTOV AN-14 Clod but the wings are shaped different and its a single engine as opposed to two
 

nfo2b

Well, not anymore... :(
Squeeze--M-15 Belphegor made by WSK-Mielec. It's Polish, and it's an agro plane--the only jet powered agricultural a/c in the world.
Next? :icon_smil
 

skidkid

CAS Czar
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Back on topic of sorts.
Just got back from an RON at DMA. There is a pretty extensive boneyard there. As I was instructing my front seater on the finer points of formation flying I couldnt help but look at all those planes and think they probably deserved better.
There they sat but in a slightly earlier time they were some aviators pride and joy. Most of them had probably taken men into harms way and stayed together long enough to get them home. Im glad my co-pilot was flying well and I had tiem to think about that.
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
nfo2b said:
Squeeze--M-15 Belphegor made by WSK-Mielec. It's Polish, and it's an agro plane--the only jet powered agricultural a/c in the world.
Next? :icon_smil
VERY GOOD, nfo!!! That was tough, and disturbing, too. This is all the closer I could get at this time:

Lala-1 : experimental model of 1972, with rear fuselage/empennage replaced by twin booms and revised tail, allowing installation of a turbofan in the stump fuselage as development for the M-15 Belphegor agricultural aircraft ... i.e., some kind of AN-2 derivative (???)
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
skidkid said:
......DMA .......those planes ........they probably deserved better .....in a slightly earlier time they were some aviators pride and joy. Most of them had probably taken men into harms way and stayed together long enough to get them home. Im glad ... had tiem to think about that.
That's what I saw each time I've been there. My reaction ?? Melancholy.
 
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