10 Incredible Oldest Aircraft Still in Use - #5 Is Unbelievable!
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- Опубликовано: 12 июн 2024
- For a country with a $886 billion dollar defense budget, the United States still uses a sizable amount of old gear. Some of the antiquated equipment is around because it works really, really well, and there hasn't come along anything better to replace it with. In other cases, attempts to replace the equipment have floundered, usually due to reasons related to complexity or cost.
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Discover the top 10 oldest American aircraft still in use today. From vintage planes to historic warbirds, these aircraft have stood the test of time.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Top 10 Oldest American Aircraft Still in Use
00:41 10. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
01:41 9. Grumman C-2 Greyhound
02:38 8. Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
03:28 7. Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
04:39 6. Boeing CH-47 Chinook
05:42 5. Bell UH-1 Iroquois
07:00 4. Boeing KC-135
08:09 3. Lockheed C-130 Hercules
09:12 2. Lockheed U-2
10:13 1. Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
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Наука
If It Ain't broke, don't fix It. THX U.S.M & Sam. 👊 😎🇺🇸
😎
i was going to say that, lmao. even if it aint broke, you can upgrade it. which is what we do to get the most out of aircraft lifespan. why spend huge amounts of money on R&D and prototypes for a new aircraft when you can just upgrade the airframe on a tried and true platform for a fraction of the cost? sure, sometimes instances require an all new aircraft like fighter jets as time goes on but some of these old dogs get new tricks
But we have a military upper brass who is more concerned that the suppliers make big $$$, instead of supplying the proven capabilities of the A-10 in support of our ground troops.
@@richardpare3538 Hate to burst your bubble but the air defense environment the A-10 was designed to survive in no longer exists. I'm an old Cold War helo pilot so take my word on this. Back then the Soviets had SA-2 and SA-5 for long range air defense, and SA-6 for medium range. Down low all you had to worry about was SA-7 MANPADS that couldn't track you in ground clutter (hence our SOP to stay below 50 feet AGL) or ZSU-23/4, a tracked radar guided gun system with four 23mm cannon. The A-10 could survive hits by either system and operated low enough not to be tracked by SA-2/5/6. That was then.
Then in the late 1980s ZSU-23/4 was replaced by SA-8 Gecko and things got dangerous at low altitude. Today SA-2/5/6 are all replaced by S-300 and S-400, missiles with twice the speed and ten times the effective range of what they replaced, guided by phased array radars that an track a hundred targets per radar panel down to tree top level. Their MANPADS no longer loose you in ground clutter and anything below 11,000 feet AGL is a meat grinder of highly effective air defense systems from a variety of unfriendly nations. Today, a gun run with an A-10 would be the same kind of one way ride to an early grave like those old TBD Devastator torpedo bombers at the Battle of Midway.
In the modern battlefield, only aircraft with all aspect Low Observable tech are survivable until all those air defense systems are destroyed. Close support today is done from altitude using precision guided munitions, not gun runs. Gen. Mattis proved decisively when taking an Afghan airstrip called Rhino south of Kandahar in what remains the longest range amphibious assault ever conducted that aircraft using precision guided munitions can provide accurate and timely air support. Mattis left his armor and artillery on his ships, moved the entire assault force by helicopter from the North Arabian Se to Afghanistan, took the objective and they relied on air power (Harriers) using pgms for close support. Once the air defenses are down and L-O isn't necessary an F-35 with full internal and external stores including wing tanks carries more ordnance and has more range than the A-10. The A-10 is simply not survivable on the modern battlefield. Nor are the tactics I learned as a helo pilot, but that is for another post.
At 2 minutes there's a shot of a bunch of troops in the plane. Take a look at the guy on the left and tell me that he's not Bruce Willis.
It IS, and behind him is Tom Selleck. Wonder what movie would put Bruce and Tom on a carrier?
Yep
@@ShannonBrooklynTom Skerrit
100% it’s Bruce Willis!
Maybe is for the movie Tears Of The Sun... they appeared on a carrier flight deck in one of the scenes
Did anyone else notice that Bruce Willis and Tom Skerritt were photoshopped into the shot at 2:01 🤔
I was going to say the same thing lol
Well. Here's the thing. BOTH actors were in a movie called "Tears of The Sun". Willis was a SEAL and Skerrit Some Capt or something. AND, there is a scene on the deck of a carrier as Willis comes aboard from and op. Soooooo, it is quite likely they WERE in the plane and THAT is why the picture was chosen. I think so...
@@hanovergreen4091 well that's certainly a possibility then. But IMHO if you look closely at Willis's pic it certainly looks photoshopped. Doesn't seem to quite fit under the helmet
@@jim2lane Out of answers then but it is concidental :). Best Regards and Best Wishes!
I missed tom skerritt, good eye!
My Dad Repaired B-52's at Barksdale AirForce Base in the 1960's and 70's during the Vietnam War.
He also Crewchief the Huey's in his stint in the Army Reserve unit 4013th.
He built Cobras at BELL Helicopter in Hurst, TX.
Both single engine, and SuperCobra twin engines.
He was in the AirForce Reserve after he left the 4013th Army Reserve unit, and was Crewchief on the A-10's at Barksdale AirForce Base.
But while he was in the Dallas/FtWorth Metroplex he was with the Navy Reserve and Crewchief the F-14's at Navy Airstation Dallas, and worked for LTV VOIGHT aircraft manufacturing (THE B-ONE), B1B making the "POTTY CHAIR" that housed the RADAR in the nose.
He also went to the NAVY AIRSTATION side and assisted in development of the YF-A7 where the A7 was split into and another extension section was added to allow more fuel and weapons.
It was the HEAVIEST ORDINANCE CARRYING ATTACK AIRCRAFT to leave the deck of an AIRCRAFT CARRIER.
He worked on the Commercial facility in Grand Prairie where as Subcontractor LTV built a Section of Boeing fuselage sections.
When he went back to SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA, my Dad worked with Rockwell/Collins division putting Flares and Chaff in the AC-130 SPECTRE 👻, and taught at Southern University in the Department of AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE since he had his A&P LIENCES and INSPECTER CERTIFICATION.
I'M 63 Y/O, MAN.
I'M A TOOL and DIE MACHINIST.
I WORKED FOR PRATT & WHITNEY for 16+ years repairing JT 8D, JT8-200, intermediate cases as a machinist.
I also worked RollsRoyce RB211, GE, LYCOMING, CFM 56 ENGINES from CASES to AIRSEALS and TURBINE SUPPORTS.
As with ALL AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE FBO'S CREWS, "IT'S FEAST OR FAMINE!".
It's the GYPSY in the BLOODLINE of an AIRCRAFT MECHANIC and MACHINIST to move where the jobs takes you!
"OUR TOOLBOXES HAVE WHEELS FOR A PURPOSE! WILL TRAVEL!".
P.S. My Dad went to a vocational high school in Buffalo, New York.
Where he learned how to layout Dime/Quarter patches on old WOOD SPAR, and FABRIC airplanes that flew with open cockpit.
Thanks for sharing but you didn't need to SHOUT.
Holy cow the C-130 climb rate just after take off is insane
😎
Empty cargo and passenger planes have a thrust-to-weight ratio that makes them look like high-performance aircraft below 250 mph.
Keep in mind, it was made to use fields and or roads as its foreword air fields.. I think her are she needs to land/take off in like 150 yards..I do love her for her go just about anywhere and land, also fly into any kind of storms including hurricanes as she is the air craft they use to collect weather data..
Pontiac G8 at 9:45.
Was originally designed to be a fighter jet, they switched it to a prop transport at the last minute.
C-130. I've been on those in the USAF in Japan back in the 1970s, and let me tell you they have the power to get off the runway in no time.
From Yokota to Misawa and back again after my tour, they get airborne FAST! That steep climb off the runway is real.
Designed perfectly for their jobs.
@@1badhaircut They were upgraded a few times - the probably biggest upgrade was more powerful engines and "scimitar" props to handle the additional power. They also gained some weight and cargo weight capacity in that change (I think it was the "S" model).
Still not a big change from the "H" model I flew in once on a MAC flight from Travis to somewhere in Oklahoma around 1980.
I totally love and appreciate a human narrator, thank you
This should be a pinned comment...
I speak French , I found it hard to understand when he says the year of production and the year of entering service , fifty and sixty sound almost alike
But nobody pronounces a Huey's nickname as "Ira-i-kwa"
In the U.S. Military, across all branches, it's I "IR-i-kwoi"
Correct.
What is the point of a human narrator who, really, speaks English like its his third or forth language. That is what editors are for.....
So:delete........
From a certain point of view, some designs are perfection for the needs of the time (and that time could be decades).
At 0:27 there is a image of a B52 tail # 0002. That is a bird I spent a lot of time around back in 1973/74 at Kincheloe AFB in Michigan's upper peninsula .The base is long since gone but seeing this bird brought back a lot of good memories. We all called it BALLS 2
😊
Some designs can't be beat
Some seriously amazing machines, so far ahead of their time when thought up and still irreplaceable.
While having a lot of shared components, the UH-1Y Venom and the AH-1Z Viper ("Mega-Cobra") are not the same airframes/Helicopters. Not to mention that the UH-1A came out 8 years earlier in 1959 vs. AH-1A in 1967.
Cool, I flew in the OH-6 in RVN 69-71. LOVED IT
Informative, well done.
T-38 Talon, CH-53 just to name a few.
Don't NASA use a very old chase plane of some sort?
Not sure but NASA also using a pretty old weather observation plane? I think it was an English build.
the personal favorite in this list might be the c-130/ac-130 since it has been flying for a long time and (my opinion) they should keep it flying for a couple more years.
It's had some upgrades and SEVERAL models over those years, to make it keep up with changes in it's load and additional missions.
I suspect it will possibly OUTLAST the B-52 in our Air Force.
I lived in Merced, Ca between 1977 & 1983.Our house was in the glide path of B-52s landing at Castle AFB near Atwater, Ca. They were and still are real screamers those B-52, but Castle AFB is no more..
Some old stuff don’t die away.They just get upgraded.😁
Just like Trigger's broom...
@@nightwishlover8913 But is it still the same broom after all those years? I'm asking for Theseus who has issues with his bank about the loan 'his' ship.
I absolutely love what the Marines did with the new cobra design, it looks sick. And the new name viper goes with cobra and sounds cool as well.
I remember the AF, I think back in the 80's, was going to transfer all c130's to National Guard reserves. But, they couldn't. They had to continue using and modifying them in the regular AF because replacing them with jet-powered aircraft did not in the final analysis prove to be any better and were a lot more expensive to produce and there were already slews of them that could be modified. This and the B52 were the cream of the crop in longevity and will likely remain that way. Talk about durability and high=performance.
The Air Force HAS replaced it's C-130 (mostly H models) fleet - with C-130 S models (or possibly later).
That was great. Thanks. Im 56 yrs old and it is amazing that aircraft older tham me are still doing their job with some upgrades along the way. I really enjoyed watching that.
I'll add an 11th. The Lockheed P-3 Orion
don't understand how it was skipped
8251 4300 hours
The P-8 Poseidon is rapidly replacing the P-3.
At 1:57 is that Bruce Willis sat Front Left
Fascinating. Many thanks. Keep them coming like the B 52. Rmb5*
Bruce Willis on C-2 cool...
The original engines on the B-52 were J-57 (Pratt and Whitney I think) and then it was reengined in the 70s or 80s with the TF-33. I am glad to hear that it is being reengined again. That was in the works but I had not heard of the final decision. As for the C-130, I briefly managed some of the parts and was amazed by how many different countries/entities used the aircraft. I kept waiting for an order from the Boy Scouts but never got it. Everyone seemed to have one and everyone was happy to have it. The aircraft mentioned here and others are great examples of "a job done right need never be done again." Great vid guys. Thanks
I was a passenger in a C-2. You had to sit facing the rear and wear hearing protection. The first and only catapult launch I ever did.
I was a USAF C-130 crew member back in the 70's and 80's. It was and still is an amazing aircraft. I flew on "E" models as a airborne command and control aircraft and in "B" models that we used for catching de-orbited spy satellites. I sure do miss those days.
I was a passenger on half of them.
0:55)The C-5A Galaxy is from before 1968. From April 1968, I was in Basic and Advanced infantry training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Ft. Dix is next to McGuire AFB. C-5s were there.
4:58)A CH-47 picking up a C-123 Caribou.Flown on the C-123 also.
4:52)The UH-1 was not called the Huey until the 6th model, UH-1E. Before, there was the UH-1, -1A, -1B, -1C, and the -1D.
@leondillon8723 The C-5A was accepted by the AF in 1970 but didn't begin operational flights till 71 . Before then, the C-133 was their heavy hauler - took a 133 MAC flight from NAS Pensacola to Travis AFB in late 1970 where I saw the C-5 for the first time and was told by the 133 crew chief that he was headed to the C-5 loadmaster school and would be stationed at Dover.
I've seen first hand what a Herc can do. Sat next to an Air Force Herc pilot on and R&R flight from Danang to Bangkok. That flight seemed to take only ten min as this Lt. raved about his C130 and crew.
Every aircraft in this video is awesome and still very useful. Considering all the upgrades and new frames built, most of the ones in operation can still be considered fairly new except of the B52, of course (less than 2 decades). The only not necessary one is the U2 now that we have such good satellite tech. It is being retired this year but kept in long term storage just in case. ☺
C-5's used to come into Schenectady Air Guard most Thursdays between 11 and 12. You could always tell it was one of them by the unique sound of their engines. A wein like no other.
Great video! I really enjoyed the way you explained the concepts-very clear and easy to follow. ❤❤❤❤❤ Hu hu
C-2 Greyhound fun fact: Only an "A" version was ever produced; no Bs, Cs, etc. When they cycled them back through the factory, they came out as C-2A(R), "R" for Reprocured. Tough to think of any other US military aircraft that came in only the "A" version, especially one around for so damn long. Personally, I'd feel better riding in an old C-2 than a new V-22. Just hope your seat doesn't leave your toes right over the ramp hingeline. C-c-c-c-c-c-cold.
We called them airborne Harley Davidsons on the Nimitz back in the 80s lol
The C-2A(R)s were new production aircraft. All the original C-2As were disposed of by 1987. The C-2A(R) fleet would later go through a service life extension program. There was a study to replace them that my current team lead was part of. Lockheed Martin had a new design, Northrop-Grumman offered a version of the C-2 with all the changes incorporated into the E-2D and Bell-Boeing offered the V-22. When all was said and done, the V-22 made the most sense. The L-M and N-G proposals were new designs which meant they required a complete development and operational test regimen while the V-22 was in production and needed absolutely no changes to do the Navy mission. It also had a greater unrefueled range than the C-2, had the capability to be refueled in flight and the icing on the cake was it carries a higher payload than the Greyhound. Pretty much a slam dunk for the mission.
C-130. 392 steps around one. Its amazing what you find out at 2:00am and you're bored out of your mind.
The base I served at (Blytheville AFB-later changed to Eaker AFB) had two of these venerable aircraft: The KC-135 and the B-52. I served in the 340th Bombardment Squadron (in the orderly room) and the KC-135's were under the 97th Air Refueling Squadron. During my time in I was fortunate to personally witness two B-52 midair refuelings-once from one of our KC-135's and once from a KC-10 (I don't remember where it was out of). I was a passenger on the KC-10 on a deployment to an inactive SAC base at Roswell and we fueled up a Blythevile AFB bomber. One of the most impressive sights I was privy to was a MITO (Minimal Interval Takeoff) at my base. Watching, hearing, and feeling those B-52's thunder down the runway was a thing to behold. And the smoke pouring out of those turbojets was something else. My base was one of the last to still have the oldest B52-G model before the former was closed and the latter was retired. Some of those aircraft were pretty beat up.
WOW the B 52 is older than me!!!
It’s amazing - most of the planes still in service that were designed in the 50’s and 60’s are variants of those designs built much later but the newest B52 airframe in service is about 62 years old.
And the father of the last B-52 pilot probably hasn't been born yet.
@@philsalvatore3902 The father of that pilot is probably alive.
The PILOT however probably had not been born.
IIRC, there is a story about 3 generations of air force pilots that not only flying 52's for a living, but the exact same one.
Old is Gold! Roa Aotearoa nui.
Noticeable exclusion was the P-3 Orion in service still in the US Naval Air Reserve and other countries inluding Canada since 1962.
Good catch!
The CP-140 Aurora has been in service in Canada since the early 1980's. Basically the same air frame as the P-3 Orion but mounting the electronics suite of the Lockheed S-3 Viking. Due to be replaced by the Boeing P-8A Poseidon between 2026-2033.
2:01 is that Bruce Willis on the left of the screen sitting in a C2 Greyhound ?
Tears In The Sun (2003)
During Desert Storm one of our pilots noted that his F4G and AGM-45 shrike missiles were older than his crew chief by 2 and 4 years respectively.
As a former AF SP. I have had the privilege of working near just about every aircraft. I've riden on the KC135, C130, and KC141. When they asked for volunteers for a TDY, I raised my hand.
With the situation with the osprey right now it's safe say greyhound going be around a bit longer
If "it works really, really well," it's not antiquated.
My great grandfather was a engineer on chinhook
2:00 Bruce Willis?
looks like him ))
I noticed that too. Movie role?
Tom Skerritt sitting behind Willis.
@@samadams7224 He had a small bit-part in a RUclips video entitled "Top 10 OLDEST Aircraft of the U.S. Military" put out by US Military News: he was supported by Tom Skerritt, amongst others.
Check the movie Tears of the Sun (2003)
Ok, since nobody else wants to do it I am going to give some love to the Chinook. I didn't fly them in the military. I flew SH-3s and CH-46s. But I had the opportunity to fly the BV-234 Civil Chinook with Columbia Helicopters as well as the civil version of the CH-46, the BV-107II. The Chinook is a gentle giant, easy and forgiving to fly (by the standards of helicopters) and man oh man are they fast! We were restricted to 145 knots in the civil model, but you could accelerate to that speed in second. We routinely carried 28,000 pound loads on the external hook. There was so much power at sea level you were very much torque limited and as a co pilot one of my jobs was to put a hand over the pilot's collective and prevent him from pulling too much power and over torquing the gear boxes since the pilot was leaning out into the bubble window looking down at the load. I was the eyes in the cockpit. Flew it across country twice and loved it. Just a great flying helicopter and man do you have presence on the ramp when you land someplace in a Chinook. Everyone knows you arrived. Great workhorse helicopter.
Great documentary, always remember the B52 flying over during my tour in Vietnam 1967/68 the milk run I think they called it around mid morning doing a daily bombing raid to Hanoi. I was just abaggy arse sapper in the Royal Australian Engineers nothing heroic.
Thankyou . Always knew the the B52 was number one . But there's no doubting that U.S was the top gun but we certainly had the advantage in WW2 in Europe ......we had to !
The buff will get warp engine upgrades in 2050.
#5 is arguably the most believable
The new RR engines will give the b52 an increase in capacity that would have amazed and well pleased the designers.Just got it right,
I can't imagine what would replace the Galaxy. Improved engines maybe at some point but, I would think the airframes will be good to go certainly beyond my lifespan.
C5 was flying in the late 60s. C2s grounded a long time in the 60s ,we’re throwing props through the side of the aircraft and killing AOB
It's a movie crew and they sure as hell aint sitting in a Greyhound!
Big Ugly Fat "Fellow" indeed... I'm 71 and my dad was in the Air Force when I was born, stationed at Davis Monthan AFB in Tucson AZ. It's amazing to think that some of these planes were flying when he was in his 20s and I was just a baby.
“Fellah” 😏
LOL - edited for a PG audience???
What is the name of movie with actors in C-2 Greyhound?
Tears of the Sun.
@@greghardy9476 thx mate 🙂
I must be weird. I think the B52 is a glorious looking aircraft
@1:57 I'm dead! :)))
Not mentioned regarding the C-5M is that those airframes do not have a huge number of hours on them and at current usage rates have decades more life left in them. Interesting aside a C-5M pilot told me, the M has more power on three of its engines than the C-5A had on all four.
I herd on a show that some aircraft desined may be used for a century 😮
Problem is, airframes wear out. If they are good at what they do, perhaps it's time to either design a comparable aircraft, or retool and make new ones. The A-10 is one that for sure should be put back into production.
It would be nice for them to keep this stuff and give us ! tax-free year!
Whenever the C-2 landed on the carrier they always used to say "Ms piggy is on the ball with mail!" you know spirits were high as mail was ready to be delivered!
The C-2 wasn't Miss Piggy. Miss Piggy was the nickname given the US-3A. During the 1980s the Navy needed a COD with a really long range, able to fly non-stop from Diego Garcia to the North Arabian Sea. The old Greyhound didn't have the legs and couldn't be refueled in flight so the Navy had Lockheed convert about a dozen S-3A Vikings into CODs removing all the ASW gear and weapons bay, removing the ejection seats and adding provisions for passengers and cargo in back. I knew some of their pilots when I was stationed out on "Dodge" circa 85-86. They would load up, fly to a carrier off Oman, unload, refuel, load up "retrograde" and fly back to Dodge. We used to kid them about all the flight hours they logged saying "Ten point oh or we won't go" when the rest of us were lucky to get two hours every other day. They had Miss Piggy patches on their flight suits. One of their pilots I remember vividly. He had three sets of wings, one from the US Navy, one from the USAF and one from the South Vietnam Air Force. He was originally South Vietnam Air Force, trained by the USAF to fly A-38 Dragonflies. When it was clear they were about to lose he flew his Dragonfly to Thailand and got asylum in the US. He eventually joined the US Navy, went through our flight school and earned Navy wings. Cool guy too. He was flying Miss Piggy when I met him on Dodge.
Many people don't know that the KC is the military version of Boeing 707 ;-)
@2:00 - is that Bruce Willis on the left ??
Nope, that's Lieutenant A.K. Waters.
Just kidding: that's cast & crew from the movie "Tears In The Sun"-(2003)
Until they get rid of all the bugs on the Osprey, the navy will continue to use the COD.
As a Mission Crew Commander Air Battle Manager on AWACS, I control them all.
I loved the shot showing the B52 receiving the engine upgrade of Rolls Royce engines. It says American made on the nacelle. Didn't know RR was American. Yes i know, built under license.
Also forgot the CH-46 Sea Knight.
Face it. Everyone knew the Buff would be #1
Haha...."fat fella".....well, maybe to some.
Funny seeing the funny siren man here
@@stanfrymannThe version I heard was not suitable for polite company...!
@@stanfrymann Compared to a Bear (which has been around about as long) or to most US bombers that predated the B52, it's a lot fatter.
Compared to something like a C5 or a 747, it's slender.
You can't beat herc.
Been there, she can do everything.
Martin Baker still uses British Meteors as test aircraft for ejection seats
Oldest still in service possibly the KC135 tanker
1.58 Bruce Willis - first on the left ...
The COD how Amazon does business with sailors at sea.
The AH-1 is NOT the same as the UH-1. While there are some common parts, which helped with it's quick development, but it is an entirely different helicopter, which is why when I went through my training to work on helicopters back in the late 80's, each had it's own section of the training.
I'm retired military and readily admit our military budget is vulgar, to say the least.
I had to laugh at "The KC-35 is a versatile aircraft"
It does one thing! - And it does it well
It does MANY things and is versatile. Refueling fighters is not the same as acting as Air Ambulance is not the same as cargo transport is not the same as flying gun platform is not the same as launching paratroopers is not the same as....... get it ?
@@LanielPhoto well said!
Based on, I believe the Boeing 707, which is certainly a versatile platform.
I mainly think of it in its Stratotanker role
@@marko11kram Nope. Little known fact but the KC-135 is built on the original Boeing 717 (derived from the Boeing 367-80). It is shorter and has a different wing than the 707. They fly differently too, differently enough that you can't use a KC-135 as a trainer for something built on a 707 airframe, like RIvet Joint or the E-3A. They don't behave the same in the pattern.
@@philsalvatore3902 Interesting! I did not know that. Thanks for the detailed info.
@philsalvatore3902 what are you talking about?
The Boeing 717 is a small regional airliner mostly used by Hawaiin Airlines with tail mounted engines, the KC-135 is absolutely based off of the Boeing 707, which is a large 4 engine commercial airliner and the first major jetliner to be used.
American engineer are smart
Old but still reliable.... 😮😅😊
Like me !
1:59 Bruce Willys on this aircraft
I can't help but think how many great aircraft the U.K. produced in the same period, and had the Avro Vulcan bomber been an American aircraft, there's a good chance it would still be in service today, as it was pretty much superior to the B52 in every aspect.
1:58 Bruce Willis
The C-47 is not in the military but they are still being used for commecial purposes.
The commercial version is the DC-3, same plane different designation.
Another case of "if it's still doing the job well, don't screw with it"
At 7:38 the show an F-16 being refueled. It looks like some fuel is coming over the plane onto its "exhaust". I couldn´t avoid thinking "how it doesn´t catch fire?" So, how is the trick done?
I'd rather fly on a Greyhound then an Osprey, lol. Glad I flew in them 20 years ago and wasn't made to fly in the other.
1:57 Bruce Willis, first from the left
Shows pic of B-47 at 10:40
NASA also uses a U2.
Don't even get me started on the F14 Tomcat
F-14 didn't last nearly as long as many current inventory planes.
The F-4 Phantom lasted longer.
I have a feeling that the B-52s now serving in the USAF are the oldest airframes still serving in front line combat service in any airforce in the world. The last one was built in 1962, meaning that the newest B-52 airframe has been serving for 62 years. The only airframes still in USAF service that might be older are the KC-135s, but I don't know how old the actual aircraft are. (The last KC-135 was made in 1965.) Does anyone have any other thoughts about this?
I was a Tanker C/C in the early 60's the first year of tankers was 1957. I was the Chief of A/c 136 at Castle Afb in 67 it was used to photograph the bimini atoll a bomb tests. The a frame is based on boeings -80 design.
There are still a half dozen air forces flying the old 1947-1961 vintage Antonov AN-2 biplane transport. Among NATO members the Latvian and Bulgarian air forces both operate them. Some SH-3s, Westland Wessex and early Westland Sea Kings are older than the B-52.
Soviet "Bears" are similar age and the maritime version is still in service.
@@philsalvatore3902 The AN-2 and other aircraft mentioned are not "combat" aircraft.
Transports and airliners converted to transports tend to be used longer than combat aircraft.
each of these gives me that warm and fuzzy feekling,
kinda like my old steel pot, or my woobie
I would seek out the highest-flying large aircraft, and attatch a small spacecraft, and have it separate and launch it from there.
The Osprey is the most apologetic air frame in the fleet.
If nothing surpasses something, it doesn't matter how old it is. It isn't ANTIQUATED.
You list the age of the rypes. I'd be intersted in the age of the specific aircraft. Which aircraft is the oldest?
Some of the B52s have been service 60+ years.
It that Bruce Willis I see?
Shot from a movie.