[thunderbrick]

[Rclark]

 I just caught a strange connotation between this post here and your screen name. Reminded me of the F-105 Thunderchief. Any connection?

[thunderbrick]

Nope.  Far from it. "Thunderbrick" was the name some of my students gave to our department's old van.  Sounded like thunder, handled like a brick.  I have, however, flown in a DC-3 and a B-17.

[Rclark]

 

 Very cool on both counts. I would give my left to fly in a B-17! How did you manage that?

[thunderbrick]

 Very cool on both counts. I would give my left to fly in a B-17! How did you manage that?

There are two aircraft that give rides.  Aluminum Overcast, owned by the EEA, is the one I flew on.  Pricey, but worth every penny.  I used to work with a guy who flew many missions in a B-17.
Next on my list is the B-29 "Fifi" which is housed very close to my son's Dallas workplace, and maybe a B-25.

If you haven't made the pilgrimage to EAA Oshkosh Fly-In, you haven't lived.

[Rclark]

I used to volunteer at airshows, and just about got my pilots license when I was a teenager. I've been around lots of planes, sat in, walked through very many... My instructor was an old guy, flew F-104's in the Air Force.

 One of the coolest planes I've been in was the Antonov 225, the biggest aircraft in the world. Monstrous! It was just me and a crew guy who only spoke Russian. He took me up into the cabin (over 100 feet off the ground!), and I walked back into the crew lounge. Yes, there was an open bottle of vodka on the table.

 They actually rolled the 225 on departure.

 B-1, B-2, all sorts of military craft, aerobatic planes, met a shuttle pilot, was pen pals with a couple female navy pilots, been around em all.

I miss it alot. Hopefully if things take off (lol) for me this year I can get back into flying.

[thunderbrick]

I used to attend the (then) Confederate Air Force shows in Harlingen, TX.  Super events!
Near me are three of derelict (junk) DC-3s that I like to photograph.

[Rclark]

Oh yeah? I've got to see some air racing around here too, with old craft like Bearcats and Mustangs and Corsairs with super built engines doing just incredible speeds  .

 Would you mind posting a few DC-3 pics?

[thunderbrick]

Try this (if I did it right):http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=42049.msg1034374#msg1034374

Edit:  To bring this thread back on topic, my wife's first husband was career USAF.   

[Æ]

One of the coolest planes I've been in was the Antonov 225, the biggest aircraft in the world. Monstrous! It was just me and a crew guy who only spoke Russian. He took me up into the cabin (over 100 feet off the ground!), and I walked back into the crew lounge. Yes, there was an open bottle of vodka on the table.

Yes, it is a very impressive plane. I have a whole bunch of pictures of the plane on my computer. But, your statistics are a bit off.
Not 100 feet tall, not even nearly.

[Rclark]

 Well it sure felt like it! Wouldn't want to fall off a wing either way. And the engines are MASSIVE.

[geezer]

I'm old enough to  have flown in DC-3s a few times when they were still fairly commonly used by some commercial airlines. I remember one occasion, a short hop from Albuquerque to Los Alamos, when the pilot told us we would be climbing the whole way.

[Æ]

Well it sure felt like it! Wouldn't want to fall off a wing either way. And the engines are MASSIVE.

Here is a video I'm sure you will enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rac87fY6w-M&feature=related

[Rclark]

127,000 lbs thrust... Good lord. Was cool to see it power a 747 singlehandedly, also including the drag of the three other powered down engines.

neat 

[thunderbrick]

Damn, did anyone actually find the cartoon in the first post funny?  Where are all the Air Force guys who should be indignant??   Or did someone have to explain it to them?

We now return you to our regularly-scheduled discussion of aircraft history and aeronautical engineering.     

[Æ]

Damn, did anyone actually find the cartoon in the first post funny?  Where are all the Air Force guys who should be indignant??   Or did someone have to explain it to them?

Air Force, or Chair Force?

[Rclark]

Give it time 

This part of the forum is pretty low-traffic.