1970s Mil Collection

[Polecat]

Are there any F-111 frames left in flyable conditions or perhaps are there any groups busy with keeping an F-111 in the sky that anybody knows of?

Keeping an F-86 (a pretty straightforward jet) in flyable condition is already difficult, so I wouldn't hold my breath in waiting for anyone to start flying a twin-engined, variable geometry jet with an escape capsule i.s.o. a bangseat...

agree on that... On a side-note. What surprises me is that there has never been an F-84 restauration project. Relatively straight forward aircraft, and many "customers", as half of Europe's airforces have flown the beast. Quite a few airshow organisers/airforces would probably be willing to pay to get an airworthy one at their airshows... (bare metal, with different roundels(stickers) all the time ...)

and on topic: Again great stuff posted in this topic!!!

[wvanbel]

Goetsenhoven (summer 1976):

[wvanbel]

Some more shots from Goetsenhoven (summer 1976):

[wvanbel]

The Belgian Air Force "Slivers", during the seventies:




and a Belgian Air Force F-104G Starfighter, undergoing engine-testing at Beauvechain:

[tomh]

wvanbel-very colorful photos from Goetsenhoven, nice to see them. And what can I say about a couple of fast-moving F-104s other than BRAVO!

Polecat-you bring up an interesting point on the lack of a flyable F-84. I agree it would have been easy to put one in the air, or at least that was true about ten years ago, and maybe still. It would be nice to hear one too, with the moaning sound of the J-65 engine. Somehow, I think the warbird community preferred to expend resources on the better-known Sabrejet, both here in the States and elsewhere. If we feel the need to fly vintage combat aircraft, apparently we prefer to revive the types that fired their guns in anger, whereas the F-84F combat record is quite limited.

F-84F 51-9387 131st TFS/104th TFG, Massachusetts ANG landing runway #02, Barne Municipal Airport, Westfield, MA., 1970.

[Hans Rolink]

Tom and Polecat,

FWIW, I once read that the reliability of the Wright J-65 (basically a Bristol Siddely Sapphire) was such that a Permit to Fly would never be issued to an airworthy F-84F. How that would be wrt a General Electric J-35 in an straight winged F-84G is a different matter.

Hans.

[Flyboy]

Original here

JBoyle wrote:
The last flyable F-84F was owned by someone named Ward..it was flying about 20 years ago...it's now at the Pima Air Museum.

Actually, if the info I have in my records is correct, Mr. Ward's "Streak", (painted in Thunderbirds colors), N84JW s/n 52-6969, (which performed at TICO shows down in Florida as Rob Rohr mentioned) was apparently repossessed by the USAF and stuck on a pole at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, where she was repainted in the markings of a 407th Strategic Fighter Wing bird with the false I.D. of 52-6974.

The Pima '-84F in Thunderbird colors is supposedly 52-6563.

Sure would love to find out the reason it was "repossessed".......

(Would also really love to see one fly!)

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/454955.html
And..

[Javindo50]

OK, Welschap, 21-10-1969 basevist at 314 Sqn. with P-221 (53-6563) :

[Thermal]

Are there any F-111 frames left in flyable conditions or perhaps are there any groups busy with keeping an F-111 in the sky that anybody knows of?

@ mart; wouldn't get my hopes up. The last 'Vark' users (RAAF) are actually dumping them under the ground instead of keeping their memory alive. This to the horror of many Australians who think this is no way to treat Australian aviation history.
Only 2 have been saved to go to museums.


@ tomh; interesting pic, did not know the USAF ANG was still using 'Streaks' as late as 1970?!?

Thanks for sharing, got more??

[tomh]

thermal-The 104 TFG at Barnes didn't get their first F-100 Super Sabre until May, 1971. I think the last F-84 left ANG service around 1972.

Here's a General Motors-built Thunderstreak at Barnes in early 1970. Without external tanks they looked very sleek, and I suppose, were supersonic in a shallow dive. Not visible in this photo, but for some reason, it appears the GM-built examples all had smaller "blow in" doors on the forward fuselage.

[wvanbel]

Goetsenhoven Tower, during the seventies:



Two different generations of trainers:



The lovely SV-4C:



An apron full of Marchetti's:



A Marchetti SF-260M, ready for take-off:

[Javindo50]

Fiat G-91Y Italy Air Force, Bierset, Belgian AF Show 22 June 1969, MM6451 (cn 2013):

[Javindo50]

Melsbroek/Zaventem 25-06-1967:


Soesterberg 29-06-1971:

[wvanbel]

Melsbroek/Zaventem 25-06-1967:

Thanks for sharing that shot! I had memories from my childhood that I had seen a mock-up of a X-15 or a SR-71 during a schooltrip to Zaventem, but since I have no photos from that time, I have always wondered whether that was a correct memory or just wishful thinking!

I saw this X-15A-2 again during a trip in 2004 in the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.


Close-up of the front section of a NASA North American X-15A-2 (56-6671 ; cn 240-2).

[Stephan Lodewijks]

The lovely SV-4C

It's not a SV.4C, but a SV.4B (it's also marked as such on its tail: 'S.V.4' in large print, followed by a very small 'B').

Nice shots!

Regards,

Stephan