u/rhussain81

133 results (0.08 seconds)

The indomitable F-16 🙂 [2880x28877]

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Did you know that the North American XB-70 Valkyrie was the largest and fastest bomber ever designed by the United States? Here's how the behemoth compares in size to active service bombers/strikers in the USAF inventory [843x666].

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The World's Top 10 Combat Aircraft. With 2,184 examples in active service, the F-16 remains the world's most prolific fighter jet [840x473]

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Nostalgia Alert - An infographic of Soviet Vs NATO radars and air-to-air missiles over Western Europe, from one of those classic Salamander Books of the 1980s. Wish someone could redo/update these. [1080x1920]

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One good set deserves another...here's a pair of Bulgarian Su-25Ks. Bulgaria, a NATO member since 2004, continues to operate ageing Soviet-made aircraft, incl its handful of MiG-29s and Su-25s [1920x1146].

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The nimble little F-5E Tiger II turns 50 today [2048x1534]

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Polish Air Force knows how its done 😉 MiG-29 alongside a C-130 [1863x2048]

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The Phantom Family Tree 🌳 Between 1958 and 1981, 5,195 F-4 Phantoms were built (for 16 nations) making it one of the most successful, and prolific fighter designs of its generation. [1536x2048]

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“Fox”, a shorthand for “Foxtrot” which is often used to mean “fire”, is a NATO brevity term used to indicate munition launch from an aircraft. In air combat, “Fox” is used in conjunction with a “number” to indicate the type of weapon employed. Here’s what it means: [1080x1080]

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The F-22's rectangular jet nozzles can move up and down 20°, which when combined with wings, flaps, rudder, and ailerons give the pilot crazy maneuverability [1500x844]

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A simplified ('80 Salamander Books) take on how aircraft trick radar homing missiles using rapid-bloom chaff. The missile homes on the centroid of the biggest & brightest radar reflection. A sudden chaff cloud can make a missile break lock & home on what looks like a better target. [1000x1200]

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Didn't know that the US Navy deliberately sank 40 retired A-6 Intruders off the Florida coast to form an artificial reef. It's literally called the Intruder Reef :-s [1080x1080]

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A USAF B-1 Lancer leaving Nellis, with Los Vegas glitter in the background. [1080x1080]

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The A-10 Warthog's pilot literally sits in a titanium bathtub! The bathtub weighs ~544 kilograms, and is 38 mm thick at places. The armour is proof against direct hits from 23-mm cannon fire [829x445]

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It is said that the word MiG is recognised by more people than any other military aircraft name. The Mikoyan-Gurevich aircraft that created (or initiated) this brand recognition was the MiG-15. 17,000+ of these nimble, yet tough birds were built. [1920x1080]

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In a dogfight small is beautiful! Head-on, the pint-sized MiG-21 is nearly invisible at two miles; the F-15 not so much 😁 However, do close-in dogfights even matter anymore? Via RealAirPower1 on Twitter [1080x1080]

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The iconic gun camera shot of a NVAF MiG-17 taking 20 mm hits from Maj. Ralph Kuster’s F-105, was taken exactly 55 years ago today (June 3, 1967). USAF F-105s were credited with destroying 27.5 MiGs in aerial combat during Vietnam. [2103x2937]

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A cacophony of US Navy and Egyptian Air Force jets in formation during Bright Star 83. Notice the size difference between American-made and other aircraft? F-14 and MiG-15UT, for instance, jeez! Image Size: 245.88 KB [1116x683]

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The Klimov RD-45 (a direct copy of the Rolls-Royce Nene) the powerplant behind MiG-15's high acceleration rate and superb climb performance - it's said that it was this engine that made the MiG a reality. Image Size 574.95 KB [1024x685]

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With a wingspan of forty-three feet and a length of sixty-six feet, the Lockheed F-117 reflects the same amount of radar energy head-on as a hummingbird. Here are some of the radar eluding features that make the Black Jet (which still flies today) such an amazing platform [1080x1080]

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BUFF-ing a Carrier [1200x1218]

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Classic SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense) tactics using the very deadly AGM-88 HARM - the most prolific anti-radiation missile of them all [1080x1080].

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A USArmy AH-64E armed with a boxy two-shot Rafael/Lockheed Spike-NLOS launcher, during trials at Eglin AFB. The Israeli-made Spike-NLOS, which was selected by the Army as an interim long-range anti-surface weapon in 2020, will quadruple the killing range of the Apache. [2048x1365]

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Stealth in action: the B-2 Spirit is six times larger than the F-16 Viper, yet has a smaller radar cross section [1080x1080].

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The eight primary tasks of Air Power 👐 1.Reconnaissance 2.Close air support 3.Battlefield interdiction 4.Airfield strike 5.Deep interdiction 6.Anti-ship/anti-submarine ops 7.Air supply 8.Air superiority/air defence ...another '80 Salamander Books classic. Via RealAirPower1 on Twitter [1080x1080]

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Did you know that in 1967 the North Vietnamese put a bounty of $25,000 on Col.Robin Olds' head? That's $199,300 in today's money! Despite the risks, Olds stayed in the fight and deliberately didn't because an ace, because that would have signaled the end of his tour. A true legend 👏 [1000x1000]

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How the Stealth compare... [1080x1080]

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A cracking view of an Indian Air Force Jaguar loaded with eight 1,000 lb (454-kg) bombs. Fun fact: this Jaguar is carrying the same tonnage of ordnance as carried by a B-24 heavy bomber of WWII! Via RealAirPower1 on Twitter [1920x1080]

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Fun Fact: The B-36 Peacemaker's wingspan of 230 ft was longer than the first flight made by Wright Brother's Kitty Hawk Flyer in 1903 [1920x1080].

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The extremely tiny & thin wings set very far back, and the enormous climbing performance gave the F-104 the disposition of a manned rocket - it was the world's first aircraft able to break the sound barrier in a climb! Here's a USAF F-104 photographed over Luke AFB. Image size 530.94 KB [1881x1281]

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USAF's Six Point Plan to maintain air dominance in the 2020s [1080x1080]:

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With a wingspan of 172 ft the B-2 Spirit is nearly 6 times larger than the F-16 – yet, it has a smaller radar cross-section (RCS). Here’s how the behemoth’s RCS compare with other bodies [1080x1080]

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Dassault Mirage F1, the only production Mirage to divorce the delta-wing for a swept-wing & conventional tail surface design. The Mirage F1 competed against the F-16 for Europe's Sale of the Century contract in the 70s, and lost. Photo via RealAirPower1 (on Twitter) [1080X1080]

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From BUFF to Backfire, here the size comparison of the world's active service bomber fleet. Which one is your favourite?

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The top 10 combat aircraft types of the world, via RealAirPower1 on Twitter. [1080x1080].

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Did you know that Cdr. Randall Duke Cunningham, Navy's top scoring ace of Vietnam, is credited with destroying a NVA truck with an AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile? The 'truck' kill occurred right after Cunningham bagged his second MiG on May 8, 1972.

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F-35C firing an AIM-9X during a test flight from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland (June 8, 2017)...and the picture isn’t inverted. [1200x960]

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OTD: 53 years ago, F-4s from the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, led by Col.Robin Olds, and “electronically” disguised as F-105s, tricked 16 N. Vietnamese MiG-21s into battle at a disadvantage (Jan 2, 1967). The result: 7 MiGs went down for zero American loses. Operation Bolo was a complete success.

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OI'Smoky! Rich Cooper's classy shot of an F-4 Phantom. The ten-mile long smoke trail produced by GE J79 engines became a calling card of early Phantoms [1080x1080]

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During the late 60’s the DIA evaluated a “stolen” MiG-21. Code named Have Doughnut the top-secret project gave American pilots insights into the MiG’s performance and in turn enabled them to exploit the aircraft’s limitations during the later half of the Vietnam War. [1080x1080]

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The youngest B-52 in active service is about 57 years old - talk about a different era [1080x1080].

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Did you know that missile range depends heavily on the altitude of the launching aircraft (and its target)? A missile launched at sea level may only have one-third the range of a missile launched at 40,000ft, where the thinner air causes less drag and improves rocket thrust. [1080x1080]

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F-15X Super Eagle, features. [1200x1200]

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A lot of people don't know this but the Grumman F-14 Tomcat could haul 10,000 lbs of bombs. Between 1995 & 2006 the F-14D “Bombcat” (seen here armed with GBU-16 LGBs) was US Navy’s most capable long-range striker. Via RealAirPower1 on Twitter [1920x1080]

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The top 10 in-service fighters of 2020. These types represent 56% of the world's active service fighter fleet [1080x1080]

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The many first if the USAF’s “Century Series” [1080x1080]

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On this day: 48 years ago, company test pilot Irv Burrows made the maiden flight of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle over Edwards Air Force Base, California (July 27, 1972) [1080x1080].

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With 115 F-16Cs and 40 F-16Ds in active service the Hellenic Air Force is one of the largest operators of the type in the world. Lockheed will soon start working on converting 85 HAF F-16s to the new “V” variant. [866x866]

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F/A-18 Hornets taxing out of their shelters at RAAF Base Tindal, during Exercise Pitch Black. [1365x2048]

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The Harrier uses two types of flight control systems: conventional for wing-lift flight, and bleed air reaction control for vectored-thrust flight. Here we can see the mighty Pegasus engine (rated 21,750 lb) in V/STOL mode, as seen through an IR camera. [1080X1080] Via www.facebook.com/RealAirPower

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Coming off a strike on Thud Ridge and critically low on fuel Col. Robin Olds ran into a KC-135 Stratotanker that wasn’t interested in giving him gas. After a heated argument, here’s what Col Olds said to the KC-135 crew to make them comply “immediately”: [1080x1080]

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Did you know that during the first 100 hours of Operation Desert Storm, 277 AH-64s destroyed 278 Iraqi tanks? The aircraft's night-fighting capabilities are legendary. [1061x1061]

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Affectionately known as “Double Ugly”, there is very little about the Phantom that’s slick. However, the straightforward sense of brute force that comes through loud and clear in this view of F-4’s J79 engines is undeniable. [800x800]

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The unit price of Sidewinder, AMRAAM, and HARM missiles. Shit ain’t cheap! [1080x1080]

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B-52s on the chopping block. [663x663]

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With 2,280 examples in active service the F-16 is the world's most in-service fighter. Here's the top-ten list [1080x1080]

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On this day: 64 years ago, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 'Fishbed', the world's most produced jet fighter, made its maiden flight (February 14, 1955). Happy Valentine's day! [1080x1080]

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Boeing's new F-15X Super Eagle, and its features (including production and running costs). As per news reports Pentagon is expected to order 12 of these in FY2020. [1200x1200]

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At its height, France operated ~200 of these Mirage F1 hotrods. The last squadron flying the type was officially disbanded in June 2014. Btw that menacing R.550 Magic in the foreground is just ❤️ [1767x992]

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SR-71's untouchable record of achievement [740x499]

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The top five in-service military helicopters of 2020. Interestingly, these five types represent 50% of the world's active service helicopter fleet. [1080x1080]

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Did you know that missile range depends heavily on the altitude of the launching aircraft (and its target)? A missile launched at sea level may only have one-third the range of a missile launched at 40,000ft, where the thinner air causes less drag and improves rocket thrust. [1080x1080]

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F/A-18 Hornets taxing out of their shelters at RAAF Base Tindal, during Exercise Pitch Black [1365x2048].

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Early in its career, the Warthog was briefly tested with a variety of tan, green, and brown camouflage schemes for ultra low level operations. Collectively, these schemes were called JAWS (Joint All-Weather Attack System). This A-10 was assigned to the 57th Tactical Training Wing.[1140x720]

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How the USAF aims to improve and maintain air superiority in the 2020s. The six-point plan [1080x1080]:

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F/A-18 Hornet turns forty today. [1200x1200]

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Top 10 countries in terms of active combat aircraft strength. These countries account for 61% of the global fighter (and bomber) fleet. Via www.facebook.com/RealAirPower [1920x1080].

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USAF Phantom's war record over Vietnam [1080x1080]

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Did you know that after the Soviet Union fell in 1991, 365 B-52s were destroyed under the START treaty? These aircraft were stripped of usable parts and chopped into 5 pieces with a 13,000-pound steel blade. Some were even sold for scrap at 12 cents per pound! [663x663]

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With 5,195 examples produced, and a career spanning 50+ years, the F-4 Phantom is certainly in the leading group of the most successful military jet aircraft ever designed, don't you agree? [1080x1080]

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OTD: 75 years ago, the Douglas A-1 Skyrider made its first flight (March 18, 1945). The piston-powered, propeller-driven relic of WWII became an ubiquitous weapon in the US arsenal of the 50s & 60s, and played an indispensable role as a CAS/SAR platform during conflict in Vietnam [1080x1080]

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A B-52 Stratofortress buzzing the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-61) during a joint exercise in the Persian Gulf (1990) [1200x1218]

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OTD: 61 years ago, the legendary McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom ll (YF4H-l) made its maiden flight (May 27, 1958). [1200x1200]

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Bell V-280 specifications. [1200X1200]

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The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet made its maiden flight today in 1978.

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How the USAF aims to improve and maintain air superiority in the 2020s. The six-point plan via Air Force Magazine [1080x1080]

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Did you know that between April 1965 and March 1973 the USAF flew 1.99 million fixed-wing combat sorties over Vietnam? Here’s a breakdown of the aircraft losses suffered by the service and their suspected causes. [1344x1344]

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From the mighty P-51 Mustang to the ultra-modern F-22 Raptor, here's the evolution of the American thoroughbred fighter cockpit. Which one is your favorite? [768x782]

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USAF's fixed-wing combat aircraft losses over Vietnam, a summary.

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Vietnam was the first “true” AAM war. During the conflict US Forces fired 1,066+ AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles to achieve 137 kills, a dismal kill probability rate of 12.8 percent. [1080x1080]

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OTD: 64 years ago, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules made its maiden flight (August 23, 1954). The C-130 is the only military aircraft to remain in continuous production for over 50 years and has served the air-arms of 60+ countries around the globe.

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Did you know the #F16 has the second best air-to-air kill ratio of modern Western fighters? To date #FightingFalcons have shot down 53 enemy aircraft for two (be it controversial) losses. Informatiom via www.facebook.com/RealAirPower

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Ain't it ironic? [900x600]

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XB-70 Vs the rest, a size comparison. [1214x960]

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AIM-9 draws first blood [1600x1519].

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Slipped in at medium altitudes, a stealth fighter enjoys significant advantages over conventional fighters going in at low altitudes to conduct a hasty first strike. Here’s a snapshot of the stealth advantage [1080x1080].

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During the Vietnam War the Air Force shot down more MiGs, but the Navy did it more efficiently! Here's the air-to-air exchange rate of leading American fighters of the war. [1100x1000]

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Bell V-280, specs.

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U.S. Air Force more, but the U.S. Navy more efficient at killing MiGs. [1100x1000]

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Who lost the first F-16 in aerial combat? Pakistan! On September 4, 1989, Wg Cdr. Amjad Javed flying an F-16A mistakenly shoot down his wingman, Flt Lt. Shahid Khan, during an intense dogfight with Afghan MiG-23s close to the Afghan-Pakistan border. Blue-on-blue, but a kill nonetheless [1200x1200]

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4,950 enemy aircraft in Europe alone. The best Allied fighter of World War Two. [1011x760]

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Strategic bomber sizes, compared.

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Bell's V-280, specifications. [1200X1200]

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OTD: 60 years ago, Taiwanese F-86 armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles shot down 10 Chinese MiGs in a series of aerial engagements over the Taiwan Strait (September 22, 1958). This was the first time the legendary Sidewinder was used successfully in combat. [1600x1519]

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Evolution of the American fighter cockpit. Which one is your favourite? [768x782]

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With over 104 kills to zero losses, the F-15 Eagle series is currently the undisputed king of modern fighters! Do you think the F-15's record would ever be broken?

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Su-35S, the crowning achievement of the “Flanker” family. Here's a snapshot of Flanker-E’s sensory capabilities. [1080x1080]

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F-4 Phantom's Nam war record by varient [1080x1080]

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Hard knocks... [864x864]

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...4,950 enemy aircraft in Europe alone! And the Mustangs only became available to the 8th and 9th Air Forces in the “winter” of 1943-1944 – so, all this in the last two years of #WWII! [1011x760]

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Blackbird's amazing achievements [740x499]

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OTD: 53 years ago, the diminutive Bell AH-1 Cobra, the father of all modern dedicated attack helicopters, made its maiden flight (September 7, 1965). [1200x1200]

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The indomitable BUFF. [1152x1152]

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The indomitable BUFF. [1152x1152]

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Phantom always and forever... [1080x1080]

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Ain't it ironic? [900x600]

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From the sensational F-86 Sabre to the stealthy F-35 Lightning II, here's the evolution of the American jet fighter. [1152x720]

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Did you know that the average age of USAF aircraft is over 28 years? Here's an overview of the average age of USAF fighter & bomber force. [1080x1080]

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