Enough fuel…?
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If these had 75 more horsepower I would put these on that list. Best bed in any truck though. You win that round at least
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While looking for pix to box @stavka 'round the ears with in the msgs adding thread, I came across this. How cool is that:
Never. But that’s no reason to completely spoil a hotrod air superiority fighter into a lumbering strike pig.
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That cccp line up is AWESOME
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Which begs the question, if you were allowed to take one in flying condition, which would it be?
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Ooh, hard question. I gave it some thought and decided on the -17. It has probably lower and simpler maintenance needs than the later bigger ones, making it more feasible to operate as a sports plane. Yet it also has an afterburner and a reputation for being a formidable opponent. You?
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For a quick joyride the mig 31.
To own and operate, the mig 19.
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Yep.
The MiG 25, 31 and to a lesser degree the 23 are nightmares to maintain IIRC.
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iirc early MiGs (up to -21) had a tendency for imploding fuel tanks…
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Notice the dummy store on the centerline. Yes that is a B61 nuke.
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The ultimate expression of risk vs reward
Heh, that made me think of how the guys flying them (and other’s of the era), way back then, were just providing the guidance for the booster stage of a nuke missile. Crazy times.
IIRC the Zippers couldn’t land back with the bomb hanging- they either had to drop it or ditch it.
Fun times! 
A US.Navy Grumman F9F-2 Panther of Fighter Squadron 24 (VF-24) with its arresting hook extended, prior to landing the aircraft carrier USS Boxer (CV-21) during operations off North Korea on 4 July 1952.
Grumman’s F9F Cougar ad from the 50s:
© R. Hugault
The F9F Cougar, no longer in “F9F Panther blue”:
Cougar art:
© Francis Bergèse, 80s
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Not an amazing aircraft but very beautiful design, i think one of the last us navy aircraft to be painted in blue like the ww2 carrier fighters.