The Canberra has been in service since 1950 and is still in service all over the world. Even the Americans were so impressed with it they built their own version the Martin B57. There are still 2 marks in RAF service The PR9 and T4. The PR9 pictured here has just been upgraded with advanced (and still classified) Long Range Optics Recon System (LOROP).Also pictured is the TT18 used for trials by DERA (Defence Evaluation Research Agency).
Built to be an outright performance aircraft the F104 had lousy manauverability. It does however have speed and altitude performance that puts some modern fighters to shame. It is still in service with the Italian AF. The S model has been upgraded to the ASA and will remain in service until the next century when the Eurofighter Typhoon will replace it. The F104 is supplemented by the Tornado F3 leased from the RAF. This is no dogfighter either but has an excellent Radar system. The second F104 pictured is in special black markings. It is operated by the RSV, a test and evaluation unit based at Practica De Mer.
"This thing don't really fly do it Lieutenant?" Oh yes it does. It just goes to show that if you put enough thrust behind it and have a sophisticated enough control system then anything will fly! The Stealth Fighter first flew way back in 1981. It was kept totally secret except for rumour and disinformation until 1989. It may be virtually invisible to radar but the flying display is limited to a few flybys. The best display I ever saw was the first time I saw an F117. It was doing touch and goes at RAF Honington in 1992 (It was deployed to Glize Rijen in Holland). As it lifted off the runway it soared into the air with suprising climb rate and did a neat wing over to start the next circuit. I suspect the "wobblin goblin" is more agile than we are led to believe. Its exploits over Iraq were legendry.
The F117 found itself in combat again over the Balkans. Its excellent combat record was marred by the first F117 combat loss. Officialy it was due to "technical problems" but other sources say it was dues to triple AAA (ie a lucky fluke hit by a cannon shell) or even hit by a missile. It may be possible to get enough returns of its stealthy shape to track it if you get it triangulated by several different radars. Recent reports suggest that the Serbs used 3 portable radars to track and vector a MiG21 fighter onto the doomed F117. Once in visual range the Mig fired 2 IR homing missles, one of which hit. This did not destroy the fighter but damaged is radar absorbing coatings and shape. This was enough for radar guided SA6 missiles to get a lock and get a hit.
One of my favourites. The Phantom is the yardstick by which all modern fighters are judged. I grew up to the roar of the mighty Phantom. These two Phantoms may look very similar on the surface. They are however quite different underneath. The F4E was the definitive airforce version. Unlike its predecessors it carried an internal gun and had combat slats in the wings for enhanced manauverability. This one is used by the Turkish AF. The German F4F was essentially similar to the E model except for a few features. These Phantoms have however been upgraded with an APG65 Radar usually found on the F18 Hornet. They carry the latest AMRAAM missiles and are once again a very effective interceptor. Israel also does a nice line in Phantom Refurbishment. The Turks are considering these upgrades for their Phantoms. The RAF may have prematurely retired theirs but the old dog still has a few tricks left up her sleeve yet!
The "Last of the Gunfighters". "When you are out of F8's you are out of fighters" so the adages went. The F8 was the first carrier bourne jet fighter to outperform its land based rivals. It was Supersonic in level flight and could easily match anything of its vintage. Flew for the first time in 1955 it will see service life until the year 2000 when it will finally be replaced by the Dassault Rafale M. It earned its combat spurs in Vietnam until supplanted and eventually replaced by the Phantom. The final F8's were ordered by the French Navy for use on their Clemencau class carriers which were too small for the Phantom. This could be the last chance to see these magnificent old fighters in the air. It was our last chance to hear the frightening bang and flash when the burners are lit. Quite unlike any other plane. One bizarre aerodynamic feature is the variable incidence wing. To give a good view of the deck during landing the wing actually lifts out of the fuselage (see the landing pic) to make the approach angle appear less high to the pilot.
An Anglo/French attack aircraft. Its glowing combat record earned this cost effective little plane a repreve and a totally new lease of life.
