Kick Ass Aircraft

I am partial to what we produce here in the Pacific Northwest.

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Boeings next project.

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Here is one I personally took at the Renton plant I was working at around 2000 or so.
It is one of a few fully restored B17s.
Before it was moved out there, they had it inside the building where the 737 wings are put together, and it was in a corner, and retirees would come in on their spare time and restore it.
The jets at the back of the picture are waiting to fly out to customers, or to be painted at another paint hanger near Seattle.

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Although this is not an aircraft below, it sure can fly around Lake Washington at hydro season.
It is painted in the 787 colors.

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From talking with pilots, many prefer Boeing over Airbus.
But I suppose it comes down to personal preference too.

The building I am at has the flight simulators in it where pilots from all around the world come to train at.
John Travolta trained here since he has a full size Boeing jet in his backyard.
This use to be Frank Sinatra's home, but Travolta now lives there.

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Oh Yeah!!! :rock: Love the Unlimited Hydros!

Too bad they translate to TV so badly...

Although this is not an aircraft below, it sure can fly around Lake Washington at hydro season.
It is painted in the 787 colors.

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I live near Dover Air Force Base and they have C5 Galaxies fly out from there. The first time I saw one in the air I was sitting in the back yard with my wife enjoying a glass of wine. She looked up and "Oh my, what is that?" I said, "I don't know, but I sure as hell hope it's friendly". Those C5's are just huge, I can't believe the get off the ground. I believe they are made by Lockheed

What are some of your favorite planes?


C5 Galaxy
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Other planes shown for scale
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I've been inside one of these. The payload capacity is MASSIVE!
 
I have a love / hate relationship with bad brains. I dont know whether to love them or hate them!
 
When I was taking lessons for my pilot's license, one of the requirements was a solo cross-country. I flew from Martin State Airport to Cumberland To Lancaster to Salisbury and then back to Martin with a landing at each. On the leg from Lancaster to Salisbury, I overflew Dover. I was at 7000 feet. There were C5s in the pattern over Dover at 2000 feet. Even 5000 feet above them, they looked like they were just under my gear and quite a lot like houses flying around below me. "BIG" just doesn't do them justice when you are sharing the air with them.

Flying out of Martin, I also got to fly with the A10s. Martin mixes civilian air with the NG all the time. coming back from one solo, I was in the pattern to land making 'left traffic' at the same time an A10 was in the pattern to land making 'right traffic.' Because of the disparity in our speeds, the tower cleared us to both land at the same time. We both turned 'base' at the same time.

I was beak to beak with a warthog. Now, he was going almost 3 times faster than I was. He would turn final before I had even completed 1/3 of my base, but that didn't matter to me. I called the tower and informed them that I would 'extend my downwind by 1 mile'. Request approved and I shot our over the bay....
 
Still one of my favorite YouTube videos to watch. Over loaded Russian cargo plane using every bit of the runway to get off the ground. :)

 
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I was inspired to visit the Udvar Hazy Museum today, what an amazing place!

Space Shuttle Discovery
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P40
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So many amazing planes and space craft
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Are these similar to the Airbus commercial jets? I've flown in a couple Airbus jets and they are amazing.

Bite your tongue.....We have a saying here @ Boeing. "If it ain't Boeing, I'm not going!!!!!" :laugh:

Honestly Shawn....as someone who flew on C-5's as a USAF loadmaster you can understand why I dislike them!They are amazing to watch fly and I can pick up the engine clatter without looking but, they broke everywhere we flew into. Between hydraulic leaks and breaks catching on fire, they are really a PITA. I would smile when I was assigned to a C-141 or 130 vs a C-5. They never left me stranded waiting on parts to br flew in!
 
I'm sure, Dr. Know gets a lot of loving.....with a face like that and the wad in his hands when he starts one of his reggae thangs....drives the ladies crazy.
 
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