What is your favorite flying machine?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 11:59:47 -0500

We all have them, no matter what branch.

Personally, I love the Warthog. My dad's is the C-130 (in all its variations). So, let's hear it. What is your favorite flying machine? (You are not allowed to answer SFC Mark Merino, we already know your's ...lol!!!!)

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 12:02 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:02:17 -0500

Whatever flying machine that is gonna save my butt at the time.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Mar 2 at 2015 12:07 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:07:51 -0500

F-14 Tomcat . . .

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 2 at 2015 12:08 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:08:53 -0500

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_C-5_Galaxy

On 13 September 2009, a C-5M set 41 new records; flight data was submitted to the National Aeronautic Association for formal recognition. The C-5M had carried a payload of 176,610 lb (80,110 kg) to over 41,100 ft (12,500 m) in 23 minutes, 59 seconds. Additionally, 33 time to climb records at various payload classes were set, and the world record for greatest payload to 6,562 ft (2,000 m) was broken. The aircraft was in the category of 551,160 to 661,390 lb (250,000 to 300,000 kg) with a takeoff weight of 649,680 lb (294,690 kg) including payload, fuel, and other equipment

88 Tons. For reference, an M1A2 Abrams weighs 68 Tons.

This bird can literally carry a tank, and have room to spare.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft originally designed and built by Lockheed, and now maintained and upgraded by its successor, Lockheed Martin. It provides the United States Air Force (USAF) with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize loads, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many similarities to its smaller Lockheed C-141 Starlifter...

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 12:14 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:14:48 -0500

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member. Depends on purpose . . . but I do love Huey UH-1D Iriquois. Warmest Regards, Sandy

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Mar 2 at 2015 12:28 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:28:38 -0500

B-17 "Flying Fortress" . . .

Response by SSG Rob Cline made Mar 2 at 2015 12:36 PM

SSG Rob Cline — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:36:56 -0500

Good to have these on our side!

Response by PO3 Alan Haynes made Mar 2 at 2015 12:38 PM

PO3 Alan Haynes — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 12:38:30 -0500

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 1:12 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 13:12:03 -0500

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 2:06 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:06:13 -0500

The C-130 because it delivers supplies, vehicles, ordnance, intelligence collection, electronic warfare capabilities, SMs, and most importantly :) Paratroopers!

Response by MSgt Trenton Musel made Mar 2 at 2015 2:19 PM

MSgt Trenton Musel — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:19:05 -0500

While I agree with many of the planes below (I'm a fan of the P-51s), let's not forget that the F-15s are the only fighter aircraft with a perfect operational record of 101 to 0!

Response by SSG Mike Rose made Mar 2 at 2015 2:22 PM

SSG Mike Rose — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:22:19 -0500

A10

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Mar 2 at 2015 2:25 PM

SGT Jim Z. — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:25:18 -0500

The one takes off and lands without crashing...

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Mar 2 at 2015 2:59 PM

SrA Matthew Knight — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 14:59:00 -0500

I have to divide them up.
Cargo Plane: C-5
Bomber: Toss up between the B-52 and B-1
Fighter: F-15 hands down
Helo: MH-53
Recon: SR-71

Response by CPO John Yerby made Mar 2 at 2015 4:11 PM

CPO John Yerby — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:11:53 -0500

PBY Catalina!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 4:29 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:29:52 -0500

Any one that lands purposefully instead of unscheduled.

Response by CH (MAJ) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2015 6:06 PM

CH (MAJ) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:06:35 -0500

I will forever love the Blackhawk helicopter. My first assignment was to 3–4 aviation out of Fort Hood Texas. Travelled to Iraq with them in 08–09 on my first deployment.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 2 at 2015 8:40 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 20:40:07 -0500

I like them primitive...

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Mar 2 at 2015 8:45 PM

SSgt Dan Montague — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 20:45:22 -0500

It is such an awesome feeling landing on a ship or flying tree top level at top speed. Not so much in windy sandy areas though.

Response by Sgt Kam-Wing Chan made Mar 3 at 2015 1:06 AM

Sgt Kam-Wing Chan — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 01:06:57 -0500

P-47 Thunderbolt , the original beast

Response by SGT Ray Grooms made Mar 3 at 2015 1:14 PM

SGT Ray Grooms — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 13:14:48 -0500

Powered Paraglider. I knew a Lt. who had one. We called him "The man with the fan."

Response by GySgt Joe Strong made Mar 3 at 2015 3:38 PM

GySgt Joe Strong — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 15:38:54 -0500

I'm very partial to the OV-10 Bronco.
http://www.aviationspectator.com/files/images/North-American-Rockwelll-OV-10-Bronco-019.preview.jpg
My Uncle, a MAC V (SOG), then 5th Group guy told me some interesting stories about them and they stuck.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2015 9:17 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 21:17:53 -0500

The F-22 is an incredible piece of equipment. We need to buy more of these.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Mar 4 at 2015 3:44 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 15:44:19 -0500

For me, SSgt Private RallyPoint Member, I think of my favorite aircraft in terms of what I enjoyed jumping.

For military jumps, it was the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter (no longer in service). All you had to do was walk out of the door, and the next thing you knew, you were under a canopy! It was a smooth and easy jump.

For civilian skydiving, it was the Short SC.7 Skyvan. Since it was a turboprop a/c, it was fast and could get to high altitudes quickly. Also, it was a back door exit, so that was always a lot of fun.

Response by Cpl Mark McMiller made Mar 4 at 2015 5:50 PM

Cpl Mark McMiller — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 17:50:18 -0500

The new Air Force flying staff car.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2015 7:29 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 19:29:38 -0500

I like which ever one that gets me home

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2015 8:02 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 20:02:14 -0500

I think the neatest plane we made was the consolidated/Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" 10 engine beast with 6 turning and 4 burning. It was our first long range strategic bomber for a short period, before being phased out, to the the all jet powered BUFF.

Response by MSgt Robert Pellam made Mar 4 at 2015 8:14 PM

MSgt Robert Pellam — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 20:14:08 -0500

My Vote is the P-38 Lightning. Flown by Richard Bong in WW2. Still the American Ace of Aces.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Mar 5 at 2015 10:28 AM

SGM Erik Marquez — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 10:28:25 -0500

Im not sure I can pick a favorite over all.. How about by category.
Fixed Wing non attack: C-130 - for getting me into, but more importantly out of some dicey places and runways, leaking, smoking, with holes at times and once with an engine off after it caught fire. ..And still it flew.
Fixed wing Attack: A-10, nothing more need be said....Thank you.
Rotary wing non attack- Tie... UH-60G and HH-60 and the crews that fly them.....when ever, where every we called.......sometimes, even when common sense said go the other way.
Rotary wing Attack: While not a true attack AC OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, gets my vote.. I've told the story here before...and there are more times.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2015 10:43 AM

CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 10:43:45 -0500

The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2015 8:32 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 20:32:03 -0500

Without a doubt its definitly going to be the AH-64 Apache!!

Response by SGT William Howell made Mar 11 at 2015 6:58 PM

SGT William Howell — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 18:58:19 -0400

I know I am going to get crap for this, but the EA-6B

Tinted windows and just sexy to see fly.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Mar 12 at 2015 12:17 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 00:17:00 -0400

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member Can I post my 2nd favorite?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 12:39 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 00:39:55 -0400

The sky pig... KC-130... Spent many hours working on her... Can fly with 2/3 her wing gone, take off with 2 engines, fly with one, and land with none... She is the maintenance man's airplane.... I sleep like a baby on her...

Response by SGT Joseph Jones made Mar 12 at 2015 12:52 AM

SGT Joseph Jones — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 00:52:26 -0400

Mine was just a Warthog or an Apache. I love both. But when I saw the plane I grew up next to in action I fell in love! I'm sure it's a C-130 in some fashion. But the spooky gunship from Hurlburt Air Force base stole my heart. It carries cannons 105mm and shoots them straight down on target the same cannons we fire by lobbing rounds a great distance. The but that round going from so high and able to circle our base and protect us it amazed me. We had a car shooting RPGs into NAJAF base and someone lobbing mortars in and spooky found them both before we could and we are QRF team. It was an awesome machine and cool to watch through NVG at night you can barely hear it but you see it's white shape in the dark sky. I loved it. I also love a good old leaking Blackhawk. Little birds protect convoys around Babylon and Baghdad it's just cool to see the birds at work. All of them. The pilots all have a swagger it's funny to see everyone treat them like they are pro football stars when they come in chow halls on the little base I was on in Al Kut.

Response by HN Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 1:16 AM

HN Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 01:16:42 -0400

I personally like Harriers. Very deadly pieces of machinery!

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 3:04 AM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 03:04:28 -0400

Depends on the category I'm looking for to qualify it for "favorite."

For this thread I'll go with the B-17 Flying Fortress, because it's probably the most intimidating and aggressive looking bomber ever built, and a lot of that comes down to the angular cockpit/canopy design. You don't see hard angles on canopies these days and it doesn't give your plane the same edge to its profile.

I'll put a picture up when I get to my regular computer since it has a few.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 9:21 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:21:08 -0400

I love them all the one that stands out for me is Apache a devastating tool that we have in our arsenal that support ground troops

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 9:38 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 09:38:13 -0400

Is this even a question? The CH-46E Battle Phrog is the baddest piece of work that has ever graced this planet! Spent 5 years working with these bad boys. Took this photo at the last Airshow that will feature the Phrog from an operational HMM squadron.

2015 - End of an era, beginning of an error

Phrogs forever!

Response by TSgt Tim (lj) Littlejohn made Mar 12 at 2015 11:39 AM

TSgt Tim (lj) Littlejohn — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 11:39:47 -0400

older B-17 Flying Fortress, P-51 Mustang, newer The Buff B-52, F-16. I spent 10 years on the B-1 it's a great plane, but all things considered the B-52 has got to be my favorite, I worked Ds,Gs,Hs. Wow what can you say about a plane that started flying in the 1950s and is still flying today, 70 years later!!