Heads up for the UK members

Guessing maybe they moved up the scheduled arrival so they can take part in the planned mass flypast over London as part of the 100th anniversary events.
I think it’s scheduled for July 10th, have to check as elements of these flypasts often pass over RAF Halton just down the road from me.

a reply to: Britguy

That was my assumption as well. I haven't been able to find anything that shows what's involved though.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

As I remember it the economic benefits will be beneficial to South America, Argentina included.

They'd lose their spot at the dinner table if they're dumb enough to try anything. Plus Argentina hasn't made any strides in regards to militaristic progress, that I'm aware of.

With the technology, hardware and experience we have I can only say it'd be a one sided affair.

IMHO anyways. I mean think about it, Western nations have been building towards specialized warfare on a small scale. Upmost cohesion between units, it's what the F-35 is all about. Communication has always been the downfall of warfare.

a reply to: RAY1990

Argentina was offered a joint deal for the oil around the Falklands and they refused so Britain/Falkland Island govt basically said cool, sling yer hook then.
...sorry off-topic Zaph

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Please. Show me a thread in this forum, not dealing with an accident, that doesn't cover about six different topics. And it's not like I didn't light the sign up on the Falkland Islands discussion.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Haha cheers man
I love it when threads flow between related issues to be honest, it feels more natural like a conversation at the pub.
...the Falklands was always about oil in my opinion, not saving a couple of thousand sheep farmers and a zillion penguins. And now with shiny new carriers with F35b's Argentina can only dream of getting their hands on that black gold.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

If you read some of the other threads, those digressions tend to spur ideas that relate to the original topic, so I prefer to let them go wandering down dark hallways.

a reply to: CornishCeltGuy

Yeah... I forgot that, maybe they will have another pop at it. It'd be a pointless waste of life though and I don't find that cool.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I had a post removed in the Jerusalem embassy thread for pointing out that Iranians are not Arabs, they're Persians.

To be fair though the original post was removed too. Moderating isn't always an easy job.

Sunderland International Airshow
Date: 27/07/2018 to 29/07/2018

No confirmed F-35b but it's looking like it'll be a good show, mig-15 confirmed on a Sunday so that's pretty cool.

Red Arrows, always good to see and those Freefall Tigers are always fun to watch.

Always free too, tbh every time I've went I've had more fun interacting with service personnel. It's a huge event, rides, fairs, food and a lot of stuff to keep you entertained. They always have flight simulators dotted around, those things are fun

a reply to: RAY1990

Generally if one is removed, the other is. It's like herding ferrets on crack some days.

When I was younger I'd go to the open house and spend more time talking to the crew guys than looking at the planes. Most of the time, I had been out there helping set them up for the display so had seen more of them than you would at the show.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Why would you be near a hung AGM 84?! LOL AS a weapons expediter I would have politely shooed you away! I never got to load a real one, we had them in Kunsan, and I swear i though it would tear the wing of a lawn dart.


I think a loaf of bread costs a year salary in Argentina at the mo, so doubt they could afford fuel for anything more than a speedboat. Peeps be hatin on superpowers, but the second you let off you can guarantee another country will try and step in. I aint sayin I agree with our ME policy, BUT, I'd rather be holdin the spear as opposed to facing the pointy end.

a reply to: lakenheath24

Group of B-52s came over for a SinkEx. The plan was they'd launch their Harpoons (one of the first times ever for them), hit tankers and return home. We got word he was IFEing with a hung missile.

We met up with Base Ops (they had to talk them in to make sure they didn't hit the taxi lights) and headed out to recover the chute from the runway. We had a staging area we'd wait at, at the far end of the runway, at the high speed turnoff, so we were all parked there, waiting for him.

He lands, stops halfway down the runway, as usual, and taxis down to us. Instead of stopping on the runway and letting EOD do their thing, he turns onto the turnoff, and points the nose of the missile right at the truck I was sitting in. If it had gone off, it would have gone right through the can without noticing, and on into the Honolulu control tower.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Ahhh, i figured lawn dart, so yeah, B-52's don't fit onto normal hot gun pads! haha

a reply to: lakenheath24

We sat there for a couple minutes like nothing was wrong. I finally looked over and said, "You know if that goes off it's going right between us."

"That make you nervous?"

"No, just wanted to make sure you realized that."

a reply to: Zaphod58

HAHA... my crew was loading real world missiles(itty bitty 9's and 120's) in Aviano(Bosnia conflict) when an SP comes up to ask for ID. OMG, I lit into that fool for ten minutes. Guy parked his car right in front of the HAS which clearly had 1.1 signs everywhere.
Anyway, yeah, those things aint little and would probably sting a little.

a reply to: lakenheath24

That was definitely one of the more interesting adventures on the ramp. Sadly I missed out on the HiANG ORI debacle.

They were in the middle of their ORI, and it came time for the IG ride along (they had Eagles and Hercs at the time, before they got the tankers and composite C-17 unit). So the IG has an ex Warthog guy on the team, still good on his seat quals, so he's elected.

Ridealong day comes, they get them all strapped in, engines started and they're doing alignment and other checks. Suddenly there's this godawful *BOOM*, and an Eagle canopy is going majestically up in the air, before it tumbles back to smash on the back of the Eagle.

Pilot jams the throttles to cutoff, crew chief grabs a stand and seat pins and scrambles up to safe the seats. He said he got up there, and couldn't even tell that either guy was even breathing, they were sitting so still.

Oh man thats a couple pant loads of poo! I am guessing that was a fail then. Nothing like a class a mishap to ruin an inspection!

a reply to: Zaphod58

a reply to: lakenheath24

Oh no, it was the inspectors fault. Apparently in the Hog, you arm the seat by pulling the handle to the first stop. He followed his training.

a reply to: Zaphod58

OH SNAP, I reread that and see what you were talking about now. I hope he went out and gave the Egress boys a hand!

I worked for the UAE on their block 60 lawn darts and OMG, they should not be allowed to own airplanes. The Aim 9 on the wing came flying off on takeoff because their weapons guys had loaded it on the rail but hadn't latched any of the snubbers which made mad sparks flying down the runway. Tower relayed fire and the pilot locked up the brakes.....waaaaaay past safe speeds. Ergo, he blew both tires and ground both wheels to the axles. Which started a hydro fire. Their fire dept showed up, but were so far away that it was completely ineffective. Imagine if you will, holding a hose in the air at a 60 degree angle in the hopes the wind will carry the spray to the fire some 500 feet away. Total clown show. Thing is, the same dude flew a couple days later and got a caution light at EOR. He panics, shuts it down, blows the hydrazine, and leaps out of the cockpit. Thing is, he didnt put the brakes on and it rolled into the sand!!!!!!

I would bet on Argentina if such a fight broke out! lol

a reply to: lakenheath24

We had an Alaska Eagle driver announce he was leaving that day even if he lost an engine on takeoff (they had returned the day before after an IFR issue with the externals on the other jet). Hits V1, and oh look, oil light on #1. He's on the Reef Runway at the time (this plays a role later).

He decides to abort and pulls the throttles back. Right engine immediately drops to idle, left engine drops out of afterburner to 100%, and decides it likes it there. Guy melts all three brakes, blows all three tires, FODs out both engines. In the middle of trying to stop, he drops the hook. He hit the far end cable at some insane speed, like close to 200 knots.

They were standing out on the runway, and the pilot says, "I thought about ejecting, but wasn't sure who would shut the engine down when it stopped". My father takes him by the arm, turns him towards downtown, points at the ocean off the end of the runway, and says, "See that ocean out there? It would have done a pretty good job at stopping it".

originally posted by: lakenheath24
I would bet on Argentina if such a fight broke out! lol

Hahaha! OMG that has to be a good insult for any military force!
Actually did laugh out loud!