Recent content by Fighterguy

Yes, it was an Israeli F-15B on a training exercise. The only F-15's lost in combat were "E" models shot down by SAM's. Also, there was an F-15C damaged by a Sidewinder (pictured). I was in this unit (54th Fighter Squadron) when this mishap occurred.

As a correction (and no, I didn't read through all 50 pages of this thread), the one F-15 that lost it's wing and returned, was during a training exercise, not combat. It collided with an A-4 Skyhawk. I'm biased here, being a mechanic on both F-15's (A through D) and F-4G's, my nod goes to the...

100% agree. This became an issue during the 1991 Gulf War. Pilots would report a hit on a hardened aircraft shelter, but reconnaissance analysis wouldn't see a flattened structure, just a hole where the bomb went in, so they'd order a re-strike of the target. Little did they realize, that the...

Agreed. These things are hard to measure through statistical analysis after the fact. Like something N. Moran pointed out, even though the air attack may net little lasting effect, its immediate effect for the German and allied troops on the ground was enough to sway the outcome. More to my...

One thing I had seen awhile back, was a talk by Nicholas Moran on the subject of the effectiveness of CAS in destroying armor during WWII. 1) Most fighter pilots found it to be loathsome duty when they preferred engaging German fighters. 2) Flying low, trying to control the aircraft, head on a...

I'm guessing that many of those abandonments were the result of mechanical breakdowns. This leads to the attrition effects of the strategic bombing campaign. Though German war production numbers may have remained stable, they did so at a loss of quality levels. Kind of a latent interdiction. It...

If anyone has seen "The Chieftain" (Nicholas Moran) on YouTube discuss this, he puts forth an interesting set of information. Basically, the effects of tactical air support against armored targets was physically nearly insignificant. Very few tanks were hit, much less destroyed, compared to...

Well, sitting in front of a game console, and having to pump multiple rounds into an "enemy" tank until it obliterates, removing it from being combat effective, is a far cry from reality. It really doesn't matter if a 23mm or 37mm projectile will or will not penetrate the rear deck engine cover...

One of the essential benefits of air power, is it's impact on the moral of those being attacked by it. The attack itself may not do much physical damage, but the psychological effects more than make up for it. It's a very disheartening feeling to know that enemy aircraft can attack with near...

The Mosquito is significant in the innovative repurposing of available materials and processes to manufacture a weapons platform that was highly effective and successful, while at the same time, reducing demand on scarce strategic resources. It's a means to an end. The fact that it doesn't last...

Well, from my understanding, the Mosquito used plywood (which is a composite, the grandfather of modern carbon fiber) so it wouldn't stress strategic resources. The British air ministry wasn't keen on the idea, so De Havilland had to think outside the box to develop the aircraft on their own...

Could these programs have been scrapped because there was others in the pipeline that demonstrated greater potential, like AGM-45 Shrike?

So, what about the North American T-6 Texan? 15,495 produced, and saw limited combat use after WWII.

In all actuality, there's no one aircraft that can assume this title. It's a combination of the various aspects they all brought to the table, coupled with operational doctrine and proper application. Where one airframe did particularly well at some missions, it may not be suited for other...

Another candidate, if we're considering combat aircraft, is the P-47 Thunderbolt.