AIRPOWER/Cold War - Its literally the first two lines of their hymn

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Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Flanker posted:

No it's an EW/ELINT aircraft. Do try and keep up?

It looks like it has some sort of... airplane rash.

# ¿ Feb 22, 2012 00:21

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 13:28

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

priznat posted:

Tungsten penetrators up the wazoo.

PHRASING!

Subject Related - Anyone have some good sources for information about the Berlin Wall and folks getting over/through/around/under it? These have always been some of my favorite Cold War stories. Like the two brothers with the ultralights painted like Soviet aircraft that video taped their whole trip.

# ¿ Feb 27, 2012 06:47

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

Please tell me those are old school skis from the 30s or something in a museum and that they aren't still manufacturing skis without quick-release bindings.

So, I take it you've never seen Telemark bindings?

# ¿ Feb 27, 2012 20:54

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

Yeeeeaaah. . .. I have, but the bindings there look more like "strap your feet to skis with leather straps" a la 30s "break your leg in five pieces" ski designs than modern telemark bindings that I've seen.

Then again, it's not the most up-close picture of the bindings so I could very well be missing something entirely.

It looks like they attach similar to Telemark. Toe of your boot goes into the front, and the strap goes around the back and holds it in place.

# ¿ Feb 27, 2012 21:12

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Styles Bitchley posted:

It looks so surprised!

# ¿ Mar 26, 2012 23:30

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

At least it's pretty...

# ¿ Jul 20, 2012 20:59

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

joat mon posted:

More
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn6N2iV2_os

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/296306.pdf pages 48-59

http://northgeorgiamountainramblings.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/when-the-cold-war-came-to-dawsonville/

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread230310/pg13
"Inside Dawson Forest; A History of the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory" is about halfway down.

Holy crap, I went to College and grew up right near this thing (College one county north, grew up one county south).

# ¿ Aug 3, 2012 21:56

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

I've always wondered this: how hosed are those airplanes?

Of course we're ignoring the instances of the things that are just hulks that were retired because they weren't flyable any more, but if you park an operational aircraft on a tarmac and just leave it there to slowly rot away how long does it take before it really becomes a write-off?

Now let's say you had something that had been mistreated like that. Say an F-14 that was retired while still in OK condition and just parked to be a display and left to slowly rot. At what point would it still be restorable and at what point would it more or less just be an F-14 shaped sculpture? I'm guessing that there's lots of wiring, seals, etc. that would need to be replaced, but past that is there anything that's just going to fall to poo poo from not seeing annual maintenance?

Are we talking like "Restored to Flyable" or "Restored to sit in a Museum and look pretty"?

I'd imagine it's a lot like cars. It's all a matter of what you want to do with it, and how much money you have. I feel like I've read some stories if old WWII planes that were restored from a pretty much wrecked hunk of metal to something that can fly, now.

E: On something modern like an F-14, I think it'd just depend on what parts are salvageable. Something simple like cockpit glass is probably not a huge (relatively speaking) issue. Flight computers/engines/radar on the other hand...

Akion fucked around with this message at 21:59 on Aug 27, 2012

# ¿ Aug 27, 2012 21:56

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

edit: ^^^^^^ yeah, computers and poo poo was part of what I'm getting at. Does leaving those airplanes on the tarmac for 20 years just gently caress the avionics straight to hell? Assuming it's in a desert or someplace so water damage isn't an issue, but part of me wonders if there might be problems with old cloth wrapped computer cables from the 60s or something decaying away and not having good replacements for them.

I'd expect at the least you'd have to replace a few miles of cables from things nesting in/eating them. But it's also worth keeping in mind that most of those systems weren't really designed to be left alone without maintenance/upkeep for a long time.

That said, electronics can be surprisingly resilient. One of our techs had a piece of DDR1 on his keychain for 2 years that he thought was dead. We got bored and plugged it into a test bench one day and it fired right up. This is after being handled all the time, going through the washer, etc... That's kind of the funny thing about a lot of solid-state stuff. You can beat the unholy poo poo out of it, and it'll still work... but if you hit it with just a bit of static in the wrong spot, it's hosed.

So I think it really comes down to whether the core "I can't replace this without the men in suits asking questions" systems are still viable. If they are, you could probably do it with the right combination of time/money. Cabling is pretty universal, and probably something you can work backwards from what you pull out. The radar/FCS... that's not really something you are going to have an easy time getting. I'd imagine most of the avionics systems could be restored with the proper knowledge (engines rebuilt, surfaces repaired, and the bits and pieces that make it all work together).

It'd be pretty neat to have the opportunity to try, though. I'm going to feel old as gently caress when I see some group of guys restore an F-14 they found buried in the desert like it's a P-51.

Akion fucked around with this message at 22:11 on Aug 27, 2012

# ¿ Aug 27, 2012 22:09

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

gently caress, you want to feel old right now? The Gen 1 Glock first came out in 1982 and started hitting it big with Euro militaries in 1983.

The gold standard, the iconic design of the modern era of handguns is 30 loving years old.

When I can finally buy a first gen glock as a C&R firearm, THEN I will feel truly, and forever, old. (of course it won't hurt that I'll be 50 that year too).

Wow, I never realized the Glock was born one year before me.

I was also born in the only year they didn't make a Corvette.

I turn 29 in exactly one month.

# ¿ Aug 27, 2012 22:23

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Shifting priorities. I think back then, we had a healthy mix of "We're America, so you're god-damned right we're going to build the fastest plane ever" combined with "We can also use this to fly over there and stick our dick in your eye before you blink".

I mean, we're still building crazy-fast stuff (or trying, if DARPA could stop blowing them up). It's just that the focus is shifting to un-manned stuff. Why spend all that extra money adding life support and whatnot when you can spend a lot less on an air-conditioned trailer in the desert for a roughly similar effect?

# ¿ Aug 28, 2012 12:23

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

AntiTank posted:

From Wikipedia M113 discussion page

<Autism.jpg>

Christ. Who gets that worked up over a stupid nickname for a piece of poo poo APC?

# ¿ Aug 31, 2012 15:58

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Russians.

# ¿ Oct 1, 2012 20:41

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Memento1979 posted:

Can someone explain how exactly this computer had working USB ports? I mean, I'm no penetration expert () but it seems like you would lock them off or deactivate them on this sort of sensitive system.

Probably the same reason a lot of this happens.

Someone made an oopsie.

# ¿ Oct 16, 2012 08:58

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Holy poo poo. Was that guy at the end hiding under the tank or something? No way he survived that inside of it, right?

# ¿ Jan 26, 2013 01:13

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

He's either really really lucky, or really really unlucky. I can't imagine that didn't end with massive burns to most of his body.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2013 01:17

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

It looked like the main gun either cooked off or was fired right as it got hit, as well.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2013 01:45

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

We need more black fighter jets. They look so sinister.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2013 02:53

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

mlmp08 posted:

It could also mean they desperately want the ability/option to make a nuke but haven't yet decided if they actually want to make one.

It could also mean OH GOD SHUT UP AND TAKE IT TO D&D JESUS CHRIST POST PLAAAAAAANNNNNNEEEEESSSSS!!!!

# ¿ Feb 22, 2013 21:12

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Admiral Bosch posted:

Post more Phantoms, thanks

Phantoms, you say?

Oh wait, not that kind...

Phantom + F5 awesomenessssssssss!

Click for gigantic.

Downs Tiger Phantom Thing.

One of these is an overpriced, janky plane that is a danger to it's pilot and shouldn't be flying anymore. The other is an F4 Phantom.

stackofawesome.jpg

# ¿ Feb 26, 2013 02:52

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

Kind of Cold War related, and totally sucky:

The biggest remaining chunk of the Berlin Wall got torn town a few days ago. It was known as the "East Side Gallery" and was used as a big open-air art exhibit. Lots of artists, both famous and not, put up some interesting stuff there over the years. I used to go by it every day on the way to one of my archives.

It got bulldozed for luxury condos.

The thing should have been a loving UNESCO site.

The company that was doing the construction used some kind of expedited process that I'm still not quite clear on (legal terms in German are pains in the rear end) to avoid the public comment phase that probably would have led to protests and injunctions to preserve it as a landmark. By the time anyone knew what was going on it had already been demolished.

Fuuuuck. I made the joke when I was in Berlin back in December that there wasn't going to be anything left of the wall soon if all the souvenir shops were really selling chunks of it.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2013 12:10

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Can you even launch an AGM-88 from a pylon like that? It looks like the top fins would strike the pylon on the way down.

EDIT: Is that even an AGM-88? The front fins look too small. It looks more like a Harpoon.

Akion fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Mar 6, 2013

# ¿ Mar 6, 2013 18:39

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

iyaayas01 posted:

Whoops, yeah 1 and 9. AARGM only if it's not a USAF jet (USAF isn't buying any, just one of our many extremely intelligent acquisition decisions). Actually I don't even know what the gently caress because no one with Strike Eagles uses them to employ HARMs.

My teenage self would like a word with you, sir! :colbert:

Bonus F-117 porn.

# ¿ Mar 9, 2013 15:26

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

FrozenVent posted:

Best 1990's sim.

Nothing will ever beat loading up that A-10 with every piece of ordnance known to man and bombing the poo poo out of Hamburg. Or that one mission where you could shoot down an Antonov, tanks would fall off and you could get extra points for shooting the tanks.

(I can't find any bigger screenshot pictures on GIS for some reason)

Still the graphics were a huge step ahead compared to the one flight sim I had previously, Chuck Yeager's Air Combat:

Oh, you want 90's graphics then?

Best part was the early DRM that meant you were hosed if you lost the manual. (The manual had technical specs for all the vehicles in the game, and it would periodically ask you for one of them on startup).

# ¿ Mar 10, 2013 23:27

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Thief posted:

i'm laughing really hard right now because I'm imagining nobody is flying that thing.

"Jens?"
"Ja Alex?"
"Who did you find to fly the helicopter, anyway?"
"Wait... I thought YOU were going to find someone..."

*Airwolf Theme plays in the background*

# ¿ Dec 10, 2013 14:45

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

So apparently this existed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_210

It was a scaled down version (sort of) of the Draken used to test the initial design.

Also, it's adorable. :3:

# ¿ Dec 12, 2013 11:15

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

I had my hopes and dreams of flying helicopters dashed by color blindness. Thanks, jerks.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2014 14:16

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

My Grandpa (Dad's side) was a member of the Greek Resistance, but he died when I was little so I never heard cool stories.

My Grandpa (Mom's side) was in the Navy. The only story I know of his was the one where he apparently shot the tow-cable for the target in tail gunnery practice.

# ¿ Jan 15, 2014 23:23

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

iyaayas01 posted:

So basically the CIA, then.

That depends. They seemed to be pretty good drug smugglers.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2014 13:11

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Flux Wildly posted:

I'm curious about how ejecting from that was supposed to work.

Comedy option: Back seat ejects first, takes out the radar dish thingy allowing the pilot to eject safely.

# ¿ Jan 25, 2014 12:26

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

madeintaipei posted:

Come on now, folks. This is grover you're "discussing" with. Y'all spend more time trying to untangle his inane horse-poo poo than anything.

Best beware them 13 foot high Mujahadeen.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2014 21:26

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Wild EEPROM posted:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/01/29/the_littlest_boy_cold_war_backpack_nuke

Here's an article about cold war SADM teams.

How do I get past their stupid paywall poo poo?

# ¿ Jan 30, 2014 12:51

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

50 Foot Ant posted:

EDIT: I could get into some of the weirder Cold War poo poo that went on at the end and following, but then I'll sound like that crazy guy who hangs around outside 7-11 with a tinfoil hat on his head waving a badly Xeroxed copy of his manifesto.

I thought that was what you did on Sundays?

_{Seriously though. Your stories about Cold War Bullshit are the best.}

# ¿ Jan 31, 2014 21:57

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

fat

Don't kinkshame, bro.

Though, I am partial to the Redhead(ed stepchildren) myself.

# ¿ Feb 3, 2014 11:43

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Breaky posted:

With no rear fins?

Looks like there is one hanging off that Eurofighter, as well. Could be some sort of training dummy.

EDIT: F-18's also have on on their wingtip pylon.

# ¿ Feb 14, 2014 17:25

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Mortabis posted:

In exercises, how are missile kills determined? Is an actual missile fired at an actual plane but without a warhead or something? I would think not but I really have no idea. I just can't think of another reason the F-16 would be carrying a missile, unless it's shooting a drone.

Pretty sure a missile without a warhead would still gently caress you up. Probably just computer stuff.

# ¿ Feb 14, 2014 17:31

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Blistex posted:

Beijing Military Museum dump from 2009 I think. Backing up photos to my OneDrive and thought that I would post some here.
(excuse the dark photos, they had lovely lighting in the wings of the museum)

Taiwan Saber:

This made me read up on the Taiwan Strait Crisis and holy poo poo I didn't know the AIM-9 was that old.

# ¿ Feb 28, 2014 17:33

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Scratch Monkey posted:

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2013/10/31/Pentagon-s-15-Trillion-Jet-Punches-Back

Watch out, world! The F-35 managed to hit a stationary target for once!

Oh poo poo! Did the pilot eject safely?

# ¿ Mar 2, 2014 17:27

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Alaan posted:

The whole thing has been a total poo poo show since it started. Not been handled well by any of the major players involved which leads to jumping at anything possibly. It doesn't help with the two stolen passport people on there.

Look man, we all know the USAF used AWAC to hijack the plane so they could use the passengers in their secret lizard-people ceremonies.

# ¿ Mar 14, 2014 14:30

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 13:28

Akion: May 7, 2006; Grimey Drawer

Cyrano4747 posted:

For a general German history musuem, running from the Roman era through Reunification and beyond you can't beat the Deutsches Historisches Museum in Berlin. Hands down my favorite German history museum. It covers every era really well. If you like Napoleonic poo poo you'll enjoy seeing his hat and sword captured among his baggage at Waterloo. If you do go to Berlin skip Checkpoint Charlie. The thing you want to see doesn't exist any more and the museum is a privately owned mess.

That's a super short list. Give me some specifics and I can probably give you some more.

I'll back this up. The Deutsches Historisches Museum is awesome, and Checkpoint Charlie is meh. I lived like... 5 minutes from it and the only time I went down there was because there was a good D�ner stand right there that was open late.

Akion fucked around with this message at 20:36 on Apr 1, 2014

# ¿ Apr 1, 2014 20:33

The Something Awful Forums > Archives > Comedy Goldmine > The Goodmine > AIRPOWER/Cold War - Its literally the first two lines of their hymn

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