SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - McChord Airshow pics

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Who owns all those Japanese planes? They look pretty cool. that must have been an awesome show.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Now here is one 'VERY' hard aircraft to photgraph! I was completely blown away that this plane was here and on public display! I've personally never seen one in real life, and I probably will never ever again see one in real life! Only 16 exist, but these are 16 EXTREMELY scary planes to any foreign power. Think SR-71 was America's premeir spy plane? Think again!

The Soviet Union was so scared of this plane, that the risked shooting down a normal airliner in the 1980's just to make sure this plane was not flying near its airspace! They actually shot down a normal airliner in this case, killing hundreds. :nope:

Today, lets just say its capabilities have grown 10 fold. Talking with these guys, they of course will not tell you a single thing. So, this planes mystery continues for me. You can get an idea of its capabilities though by simply analyzing it. Any electronic transmission from a cell phone to a radar sig to a sat transmission does not escape this plane. It makes of the three teir survallance package of AWACS, Joint STARS, and Rivet Joints. Most people know nothing of what this plane does and few actually know what it can do. Anyway, I have plenty of pics to share:

-S

PS. I'm sure they would shoot you on site if you tried to get close to it. It had the same restriction the F-22's had.

...Images...

Recognized it as soon as I saw the "Thimble Nose" in the first pic. :) I wonder when the RC's got those new turbofans. I always thought they still used turbojets...

Anyway, yep, that's one hell of a "spy plane." Must be interesting to operate its systems.

Here are some interesting pics of the KC-135 that you may have never seen before. I was given the full demo on how to refuel an aircraft. Got some interesting shots too!.

-S

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/2239/cimg0769lq9.jpg

Outside looking in! As you can see, this whole panel will recess so that a better view can be had for the refueler officer:

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/5986/cimg0768kg7.jpg

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/8164/cimg0763wi8.jpg

Here is the refueling station. There are two beds, one to the left and one to the right of me. And yes, I am laying on my stomach and my feet are clamped in behind me. Most of this panel is self explanitory, and yes the lever on the left controls the extention of the probe. I would have retracted the window as seen above, but I got instruction from the refueling officer that this would have started up the hydralics for the boom, and that was probably a not so good thing with people walking around! :D:

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/7164/cimg0764sr6.jpg

Here is the window cover in place and what it looks like from the bed:

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/3439/cimg0765oy3.jpg

And to make sure aircraft stay in sight at all times, here is an extra mirror so you can see them under the belly:

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/37/cimg0767mw0.jpg

This is the actual control stick below and on the right of the bed so that you can actually 'fly' the boom. And interesting note, for fighter aircraft, the boom has enough power to push them around as needed. I was told that a common practice in Vietnam for damaged aircraft that couldn't make it home, the boom operator would hook in and drag the damaged aircraft and fly it back across friendly lines! Amazing huh?:

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/94/cimg0766wc9.jpg

Can't leave out some good pics of the engines!:

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7307/cimg0770mr1.jpg

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/1376/cimg0771wj5.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Who owns all those Japanese planes? They look pretty cool. that must have been an awesome show.

I'm still a bit sunburned! :D

-S

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASWnut101

Dunno! I assume they are constantly getting upgrades. These planes are more important than most people realize!

-S

Hey, are you in any of these pictures?

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Hey, are you in any of these pictures?

I don't think so. I'm the one taking all of them!

-S

Not sure what this guy is. Probably a comm officer?

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/9744/cimg0805pr6.jpg

http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/3886/cimg0806bm9.jpg

Old steam guage cockpit. I'm sure the newer AWACS have probably gone glass cockpit:

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/963/cimg0807zr6.jpg

I didn't go on a C-17 due to lack of time, but I got some shots of them. I've been on them many times before though.

-S

One thing I find amazing - not one single C-141 is to be found on this airfield. There used to always be a mixture at McChord:

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/7403/cimg0754bm5.jpg

One thing a C-17 tail is good for! Shade! :D

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/5434/cimg0792eq3.jpg

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/4803/cimg0623ar3.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5593/cimg0624hp6.jpg

Keep em coming mate....my lad is really impressed http://www.psionguild.org/forums/ima...s/thumbsup.gif

Figured I'd finish off what I have left here. This will finish 80% of all the pics I took. I should have taken more, but you know, I'm playing with all the controls and stuff and forget!

-S

I never did find out how much a B-25 ride costs! i'd like to take a look if I could! Never did get around to it:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4898/cimg0667gd7.jpg

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5277/cimg0774lc4.jpg

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/5218/cimg0775ef9.jpg

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5878/cimg0733mz8.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3240/cimg0789to5.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8068/cimg0790vz8.jpg

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/651/cimg0791ff1.jpg

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/8034/cimg0625sy5.jpg