FARK.com: (6843684) Most people's Christmas displays don't contain an F-104 Starfighter. But then, Tom Blair is not most people

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		Most people's Christmas displays don't contain an F-104 Starfighter. But then, Tom Blair is not most people (baltimoresun.com)		52
		More: Cool, F-104, Eastern Shore, Twa, Tom Brokaw

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Klippoklondike

2011-12-24 08:35:11 PM

Ha! Nice

limboslam

2011-12-24 08:35:35 PM

"Santa, I think I see a plane with my name on it."

/Another F104 thread?

Dinjiin

2011-12-24 08:38:56 PM

Znuh

2011-12-24 08:40:16 PM

This is getting creepy.

First I find you've discovered the O'Keefes and the whole deal about Festivus and me being their next door neighbor.

I move to Maryland, talk to the guy who's in charge of storage and the F104 comes up - drive, check it out, laugh, and then bam, here is is on Fark.

/Going to go run into the night, quietly whispering 'Aaaaaaaaaah!'

Impasse

2011-12-24 08:43:03 PM

"Is your face odd and misshapen? Join the Air Force!"

"You're lookin' mighty chipper. Somebody get re-fueled over the weekend?"

Opeth1429

2011-12-24 08:50:34 PM

There was a pilot in the '70's who built an F 104 out of 5 dozen or so wrecks. He had one while they were still in use by the USAF. He set a civilian speed record. Sadly, the landing gear wouldn't come down and he had to bail out of it. I'd love to have one to fly!

netringer

2011-12-24 08:50:57 PM

Is he going to send the F-104 back to the Dutch museum?

Captain_Ballbeard

2011-12-24 08:56:13 PM

/has two f-104 afterburner nozzles as swag lamps.
//coolest plane ever
///until you need to do a 180

Kant Lavar

2011-12-24 08:57:16 PM

Sort of approves.

wcpedia.com

Knara

2011-12-24 08:57:24 PM

Werent the Starfighters horseshiat when it came down to actually flying one?

Sandor at the Zoo

2011-12-24 09:00:36 PM

limboslam: [i486.photobucket.com image 640x383]
"Santa, I think I see a plane with my name on it."

/Another F104 thread?

Hey Rudolph, you got any Beemans?

Allen262

2011-12-24 09:13:30 PM

Knara: Werent the Starfighters horseshiat when it came down to actually flying one?

Given it was a supersonic interceptor yes. It was developed to fly straight and fast any thing more it was not happy to doing it.

Link (new window)

Bigjohn3592

2011-12-24 09:23:27 PM

Opeth1429: There was a pilot in the '70's who built an F 104 out of 5 dozen or so wrecks. He had one while they were still in use by the USAF. He set a civilian speed record. Sadly, the landing gear wouldn't come down and he had to bail out of it. I'd love to have one to fly!

There is a company that flies them from the (former) shuttle runway at Kennedy Space Center. If you got an extra $10k or so in your stocking, that might get you a short hop in one: www.starfighters.net

TV's Vinnie

2011-12-24 09:24:45 PM

The peculiarities about the F-104 (very unforgiving to fly, especially at subsonic speeds) is proof enough to me that GW Bush NEVER flew in the Air National Guard. A moron like him at the stick would have resulted in a crater in the ground less than an hour later.

Between the F-104 and the B-58 Hustler, I'm surprised that ANY pilot in the 60's made it into the 70's alive.

Therion

2011-12-24 09:24:52 PM

You can use it as a cigarette lighter
or as an opener for a can of beans.

The Morans Guy

2011-12-24 09:30:30 PM

Bush flew the F-102

fusillade762

2011-12-24 09:36:38 PM

Therion: You can use it as a cigarette lighter
or as an opener for a can of beans.

Or you can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl...

Ambitwistor

2011-12-24 09:42:51 PM

Tony blair has recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Xur and the Ko-dan Armada?

Allen262

2011-12-24 09:49:29 PM

TV's Vinnie: The peculiarities about the F-104 (very unforgiving to fly, especially at subsonic speeds) is proof enough to me that GW Bush NEVER flew in the Air National Guard. A moron like him at the stick would have resulted in a crater in the ground less than an hour later.

Between the F-104 and the B-58 Hustler, I'm surprised that ANY pilot in the 60's made it into the 70's alive.

I have feeling that all of the first first supersonic aircraft suffed from "unforgiving to fly" If they had todays or 80s Fly-by-wire the planes would have beeen fine.

Jormungandr

2011-12-24 09:51:24 PM

Impasse: "Is your face odd and misshapen? Join the Air Force!"

"You're lookin' mighty chipper. Somebody get re-fueled over the weekend?"

Hey that would make an excellent euphemism for a grinch... "Looks like *Someone's* wearing their poopysuit today."

JohnCarter

2011-12-24 09:51:35 PM

Glad the HOA allowed this

t3knomanser

2011-12-24 09:56:25 PM

Bwhaaa dah dah bwaaaaaaaa.

95629

2011-12-24 10:02:44 PM

Driggs said he "did a double-take" when he first saw the display from the road, with the jet appearing as if it had made an emergency landing that would have impressed American Airlines pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger.

Sully flew for US Airways. Just sayin'.

Captain Steroid

2011-12-24 10:07:40 PM

Nice touch on the reindeer stuck in the air intake. XD

maniacalclown

2011-12-24 10:12:40 PM

Aww...but it's poopysuit day!

Impasse

2011-12-24 10:16:53 PM

maniacalclown: Aww...but it's poopysuit day!

♫ Don't crap in your hand
Crap in your poopysuit! ♫

bdub77

2011-12-24 10:18:16 PM

WTF I thought we destroyed them all.
www.dvdactive.com

Satanic_Hamster

2011-12-24 10:20:28 PM

My God. This is the 3rd Starfighter submission in the last week. How could the mods miss noting this?

SweetSilverBlues

2011-12-24 10:36:01 PM

netringer: Is he going to send the F-104 back to the Dutch museum?

Glad I wasn't the only one!

"Built it" did he?

Suuuuuure he did.

Arklop

2011-12-24 10:40:35 PM

JohnAnnArbor

2011-12-24 10:56:50 PM

The Morans Guy: Bush flew the F-102

Which was as maneuverable as it was powerful. (Hint: it was wildly underpowered.)

OBBN

2011-12-24 11:14:47 PM

whither_apophis

2011-12-24 11:23:15 PM

Allen262: TV's Vinnie: The peculiarities about the F-104 (very unforgiving to fly, especially at subsonic speeds) is proof enough to me that GW Bush NEVER flew in the Air National Guard. A moron like him at the stick would have resulted in a crater in the ground less than an hour later.

Between the F-104 and the B-58 Hustler, I'm surprised that ANY pilot in the 60's made it into the 70's alive.

I have feeling that all of the first first supersonic aircraft suffed from "unforgiving to fly" If they had todays or 80s Fly-by-wire the planes would have beeen fine.

Yup. Flight control computers keep modern jets in the air, the pilot just tells it which way to go.

fracas

2011-12-24 11:27:35 PM

There's something off about the whole thing. It's almost as if the banal little technical soul of a fighter pilot or fighter aircraft buff can't do anything genuinely creative. The mannequin elf on the vertical stabilizer looks like....a mannequin. Oh, the wagon is dented. That must be "detail." He's "thought of everything."

It's an F-104 Christmas display. It should be cool. It shouldn't look like a senile old man put it together in a couple of hours. It shouldn't look like this.

TV's Vinnie

2011-12-24 11:38:55 PM

OBBN: TV's Vinnie: The peculiarities about the F-104 (very unforgiving to fly, especially at subsonic speeds) is proof enough to me that GW Bush NEVER flew in the Air National Guard. A moron like him at the stick would have resulted in a crater in the ground less than an hour later.

Between the F-104 and the B-58 Hustler, I'm surprised that ANY pilot in the 60's made it into the 70's alive.

Really?

YA RLY. The F-104 and the B-58 had HUGE loss records for their type. Supersonic aircraft of the day were real widowmakers when the planes went sub-sonic.

Captain_Ballbeard

2011-12-24 11:46:36 PM

TV's Vinnie: OBBN: TV's Vinnie: The peculiarities about the F-104 (very unforgiving to fly, especially at subsonic speeds) is proof enough to me that GW Bush NEVER flew in the Air National Guard. A moron like him at the stick would have resulted in a crater in the ground less than an hour later.

Between the F-104 and the B-58 Hustler, I'm surprised that ANY pilot in the 60's made it into the 70's alive.

Really?

YA RLY. The F-104 and the B-58 had HUGE loss records for their type. Supersonic aircraft of the day were real widowmakers when the planes went sub-sonic.

Wasn't the B-58 the plane that ejected one of the crew out the bottom of the aircraft, and coincidentally, also had many problems at takeoff?

TV's Vinnie

2011-12-25 12:29:33 AM

Captain_Ballbeard: Wasn't the B-58 the plane that ejected one of the crew out the bottom of the aircraft, and coincidentally, also had many problems at takeoff?

The B-58 seats ejected upwards, and shortly after the line was introduced, the ejection seats were upgraded with bona-fide escape pods.

lh4.ggpht.com

DrBenway

2011-12-25 02:13:05 AM

Officer: So you want to be a fighter pilot.
Recruit: A Starfighter pilot, sir.
O: And why particularly the Starfighter?
R: Because sir, I am in love with this aircraft. This magnificent engine of steal and gleam.
O: That's very poetic. Please continue.
R: This aerodynamic Delilah. Its uptilted wings and Sidewinder rockets.
Its clear curving cockpit cover, the whirling of dials and needles.
The illustrious uniform of the Federal German Air Force. The click of the heels in salute, the flare of the jacket, the wide, long-skirted hang of it, and oh, the low shiny peak of the cap.
O: I think that's enough.
R: But sir, the danger and the glory of death.
A young and dashing life gone up in flames. Blonde maidens weeping.
To die for one's country.
To set forth in a silver lance to joust with the forces of darkness.
O: They don't always crash, you know.
R: It would be an honour to crash in such a plane.
O: To be mangled and scorched?
R: To be hideously mutilated beyond the recognition of one's own mother.
O: Is that makeup you're wearing?

Dadoody

2011-12-25 02:24:53 AM

clyph

2011-12-25 02:51:37 AM

JohnAnnArbor: The Morans Guy: Bush flew the F-102

Which was as maneuverable as it was powerful. (Hint: it was wildly underpowered.)

Which is why they didn't get sent into combat in Vietnam in significant numbers, making them the perfect assignment for well-connected rich pussies who needed to be kept out of harm's way while still technically being in the military.

They were basically useless, as were the pilots assigned to them.

Summer Glau's Love Slave

2011-12-25 03:05:35 AM

Speaking of notoriously difficult to fly jets....
www.mod.uk

The AV 8B Harrier. Sometimes called "The Widowmaker" or "Lawn Dart." I think this is the only foreign jet in the US fleet. Could be wrong.

/Want.

droosan

2011-12-25 03:11:40 AM

We have one on display in a city park here in Burbank, California (they were originally designed and constructed at the local Lockheed 'Skunk Works', back when).

yafh.com

/its official name is "The Spirit of Burbank"
//but it's locally known as "The Plane on a Stick"

Allen262

2011-12-25 03:22:59 AM

Summer Glau's Love Slave: Speaking of notoriously difficult to fly jets....
[www.mod.uk image 640x475]
The AV 8B Harrier. Sometimes called "The Widowmaker" or "Lawn Dart." I think this is the only foreign jet in the US fleet. Could be wrong.

/Want.

Far as I know the AV-8 dose NOT have fly-by-wire or any flight control computer. So the AV-8s has more or less have not realy changed since the late 60s over all. So they are notoriously difficult to fly a like all jets of the 60s.

musashi1600

2011-12-25 04:41:46 AM

Summer Glau's Love Slave: The AV 8B Harrier. Sometimes called "The Widowmaker" or "Lawn Dart." I think this is the only foreign jet in the US fleet. Could be wrong.

The Harriers used by the U.S. Marine Corps are based on a design jointly developed between McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace, with the aircraft being assembled in the United States.

Foreign aircraft used by the U.S. military include the Pilatus PC-12 (as the Air Force's U-28), the CASA/IPTN CN-235 (as the Coast Guard's HC-144 Ocean Sentry) and the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin (as the as the Coast Guard's HH-65 Dolphin.)

illannoyin

2011-12-25 04:42:12 AM

Also perfect for moth hunting...

Skip to 1:58

JonnyBGoode

2011-12-25 04:49:41 AM

Isn't this like the fifth Starfighter thread this week?

ranev700

2011-12-25 07:27:02 AM

Right down the road from my house.
And yes, it's cool to see.

ritalinchild 54

2011-12-25 12:03:52 PM

ranev700: Right down the road from my house.
And yes, it's cool to see.

I'm in Easton. There are a LOT of unusual folks around here. Lots of retired politicals and assorted spook types.

netringer

2011-12-25 12:22:05 PM

Allen262: ...I have feeling that all of the first first supersonic aircraft suffed from "unforgiving to fly" If they had todays or 80s Fly-by-wire the planes would have beeen fine.

Even before they went supersonic. The WWII P-51 has a slow flight stall regime that has taken out a crapload of pilots. Even today you can't get insurance to fly a P-51 unless you have hundreds of hours of time in type and/or get training at Stallion 51.

Yeager himself says when he gets in one he says to himself, "OK, Yeager, this one can bite ya" when he has flown all kinds of modern jets.

Allen262

2011-12-25 12:44:19 PM

netringer: Allen262: ...I have feeling that all of the first first supersonic aircraft suffed from "unforgiving to fly" If they had todays or 80s Fly-by-wire the planes would have beeen fine.

Even before they went supersonic. The WWII P-51 has a slow flight stall regime that has taken out a crapload of pilots. Even today you can't get insurance to fly a P-51 unless you have hundreds of hours of time in type and/or get training at Stallion 51.

Yeager himself says when he gets in one he says to himself, "OK, Yeager, this one can bite ya" when he has flown all kinds of modern jets.

Do to the laminar flow wings. It one of many planes that designed for performance, little care was given to how hard it was to take off or land.

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