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P.S. With the A-10s possibly going away, and the F-35 never able to fill the A-10s role--sounds like a great time to dream a bit and get a better medium-attack, medium ISR platform like the A-1K model!
OMP
Not a fan of the conventional gear? But they're so beautiful, majestic, and rare these days...much like quality leaders, both in politics and the military--but I digress.
Are tail draggers that much less desirable to everyone?
I could tell you that the USAF (and probably the USN) wants nothing to do with them - more training and higher probability of accidents. When was the last time a modern combat tail dragger was produced and operated by a modern air force?Regarding tail-draggers...
There's nothing wrong with 'em, nearly every legendary fighter of WWII was a T/D and nearly every legendary pilot of that war flew one.
If they brought back the Skyraider, the training routing would certainly cover the aspects of hauling yourself across the ramp by your arse, just like they taught them "back in the day"
Is that the fault of the aircraft or a pilot who is not as good as he thinks he is.I'm not at liberty to go into details but a "tail dragger type aircraft" was operated by a branch of our military in a training capacity for a short period of time. After a few ground loops and runway departures, these aircraft disappeared very quickly.
My thoughts were along the lines that if a global war was once fought with virtually all trail-draggers (there were several fighter types with a nosegear assembly, yes...but a small percentage in contrast to the majority of tailwheel equipped types), then it would be safe to assume this is not a lost art. As mentioned, it would take additional training and even back in the war years, there were accidents with tail-gear qualified pilots.I could tell you that the USAF (and probably the USN) wants nothing to do with them - more training and higher probability of accidents ... After a few ground loops and runway departures, these aircraft disappeared very quickly.
Even a radial would come apart if hit in the right area or with a large enough shell. The P-47 was able to make it back home with half the engine blown apart once in a while, but many more did not....but if a turbine take a hit, it usually stops working just as a water-cooled engine taking a hit to its coolant was running on borrowed time.
Pilot who never received proper tail wheel training.Is that the fault of the aircraft or a pilot who is not as good as he thinks he is.