Purposeful in grey

[Splitpin]

VRS Superbug , FSX Steam.

[Adamski]

The F-18 - along with the F-14 - has never been one of my favourites (I prefer the F-15 or F-16) - but those pics make it look pretty damn' attractive ... though I wouldn't want to mess with one!!!

Pics #1 and #4 are stunners!

Adam.

[Splitpin]

Cheers Adam , I've always liked the F-18 ...fits in nicely between the now retired F-14 and the nimble little F-16.
An extremely capable aircraft.

[hasegawa]

I have another view on this thing. I didn´t like it. I think it's a third-rate classic aircraft... can a lot things, but is not good enough in one kategory air-to-air or air-to-ground. It is useful, if no better enemy aircraft and pilots are available. In comparison to the F-16 I like the two engines. If you hit an F-16 (and of course an F-35) in the engine the pilot can only hit the button to go out.

[emfrat]

Andreas, what you need is a TSR2, a beautiful white tactical/strike/reconnaissance aircraft developed by BAC as a Canberra replacement, killed off by the politicians because it could do everything that the F-111 promised and more, without those massively heavy swing-wings. Sadly, at the time, the WW2 Lend-Lease debt meant the US had enough leverage to scare the UK politicians off .
Good news is, Rob Richardson seems to have one in the pipeline. I use the Kaz Ito model, with an update from UKMIL.

[Adamski]

Put that TSR2 over Queenstown in winter and you have your "Camo" entry!

There are still the odd "bits" of the real TSR2 kicking around in the UK aren't there?

[toprob]

The F18 certainly brings out the boy in me -- festooned with weaponry etc.

[emfrat]

Put that TSR2 over Queenstown in winter and you have your "Camo" entry!

There are still the odd "bits" of the real TSR2 kicking around in the UK aren't there?

I was delighted to find this, having also thought there was a cockpit somewhere, and other odd bits elsewhere:
https://defenceoftherealm.wordpress.com ... m-cosford/

[hasegawa]

At the moment I "fly" the F-104S-ASA... made by Sim Skunkworks. It is not,what I have propagated... but an demanding aircraft.

[emfrat]

That, too, was a mighty machine , but the TSR2 was also beautiful

[Splitpin]

" but the TSR2 was also beautiful" 100% agree ....and killed by the Americans and spineless UK government in favor of the F-111 . ( as you said Mike)
Similar to the Avro Arrow ....almost the same fate.

[emfrat]

" but the TSR2 was also beautiful" 100% agree ....and killed by the Americans and spineless UK government in favor of the F-111 .
Similar to the Avro Arrow ....almost the same fate.

Well, the Arrow was a testbed for delta-wing planes, and the findings were used for the Vulcan. But the TSR2 would have survived if Australia had bought it, instead of the yet-to-be-built F-111, but Holt was "all the way with LBJ" and that put the kibosh on that.