Author Topic: 2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast  (Read 636 times)

Offline midnight Target

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« on: October 18, 2002, 03:10:01 PM »
Here is the story

Still looking for survivors.

Offline wulfie

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2002, 03:16:13 PM »
Cross your fingers.

Anyone working in SAR North of SLO all the way up thru Washington has plenty of 'intense OJT'. Not an incompetent guy on the job in that entire area from my experience (disclaimer: not saying guys in other regions aren't good as well, just commenting on my personal experience in that area).

If they ejected/deployed successfully their chances are pretty good as the accident occured in the morning, so there's alot of daylight search time left.

Mike/wulfie

Offline Innominate

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2002, 03:21:20 PM »
Sad.  The F/A-18F is a beautiful aircraft.

Offline fdiron

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2002, 03:31:02 PM »
Mid-air collision I bet.

Offline GtoRA2

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The F-18 is replacing the F-14,
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2002, 04:25:21 PM »
Did you know Dick Chenney forced this on the navy by ordering the tooling for the F-14 destroyed?

Offline JoeDirt

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Re: The F-18 is replacing the F-14,
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2002, 04:26:12 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by GtoRA2
Did you know Dick Chenney forced this on the navy by ordering the tooling for the F-14 destroyed?



WTF?

Offline GtoRA2

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2002, 04:31:56 PM »
Its true! I read it in a book on the F-14, part of the navy wanted the f-14 and the other wanted the f-18, and they fought so much Chenney ended it by killing the tooling for the F-14.


Compare the numbers on the two planes

The F-18 super hornet is not even close to as capable as the F-14 in some key areas like range and bring home weight.

It also can not carry the phoenix.

Offline Chairboy

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2002, 04:33:08 PM »
Does everyone agree that the most likely cause was collision during formation flying?  From Aces High, it seems that formation flying carries with it a big risk because even though holding position is doable, it takes some real effort.

I ride motorcycles, and I have a friend who used to insist on CHIPs-style side-by-side riding (sharing a lane) until I firmly told him that I'd trade away looking cool in exchange for more maneuvering room in an emergency any day.
"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis

Offline midnight Target

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2002, 04:36:25 PM »
I dunno about the formation thing. My bud here at work was an A-4 Marine pilot in Nam. He is simply not impressed at all with close formation flying (such as the T-birds or Blue Angels). He says that if you couldn't do it you didn't get the wings. It is SOP so that visual contact is always maintained in clouds or poor visibility.

Offline Innominate

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2002, 04:57:07 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by GtoRA2

Compare the numbers on the two planes

The F-18 super hornet is not even close to as capable as the F-14 in some key areas like range and bring home weight.

It also can not carry the phoenix.


The F/A-18 is smaller, cheaper, more maneuverable, and more versatile.  The phoenix missile, while of impressive size, is really quite old.  The AMRAAM is a better weapon overall.

The F-14 does have a longer range than the F/A-18 C and D.  (By about 50 nm)  The E/F models reverse it, coming out about 50nm ahead.  

The tomcat is designed for another era, to combat a threat that doesn't exist.

Offline JoeDirt

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2002, 05:06:31 PM »
what do you mean the tooling??

Offline GtoRA2

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2002, 05:22:40 PM »
All the Jigs, dies paterns etc to built the plane and parts.

Offline Hangtime

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #12 on: October 18, 2002, 05:28:47 PM »
Jig, frames, patterns.

While the F14D is a 'dated' aircraft, it is not incompetent. The Navy needs more than ONE damn plane to do the air superiority mission.. the Hornet's a good bird, but it ain't the Tomcat.

I'da been happier if the Navy got somethin other than the Intruders replacement in the Fleet defense role. From the sounds commin from the navy brass, they think so too.
The price of Freedom is the willingness to do sudden battle, anywhere, any time and with utter recklessness...

...at home, or abroad.

Offline GtoRA2

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Innominate
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2002, 05:33:22 PM »
I am checking the numbers now.

But I would not say the F-18 is more versatile. Cheaper yes, smaller sure.

I believe the F-14 can take off with more ordinance and land with more.

The F-14D was a big change it is only like 80% common with the F-14A.

I can fire AMRAAMs also I think.

I will post back with more info if I can find it. lol three web sites and no combat radius on the F-14d.

Offline Innominate

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2 F-18's Crash off California Central Coast
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2002, 05:38:04 PM »
Looks like I was wrong about the range on the hornet.  The E/F beat the f14 by several hundred nm.

http://www.iss.northropgrumman.com/products/navy_products/f14/f14.html
http://www.iss.northropgrumman.com/products/navy_products/superhornet/superhornet.html

The strike ability of the F-14 exists, but is quite limited, nowhere near that of the F/A-18.  
« Last Edit: October 18, 2002, 05:40:37 PM by Innominate »