Haha, LOL.

Good idea about the paint, imagine if the Mig still had red stars everywhere.

That would be awesome to own one..just one problem...

What the hell do you do when you blow a vacumn tube and can't find a replacement west of St. Petersburg?

I'll take a Cessna any day..

Sure, you can't go as fast, but if something breaks, the catalogs to order parts are in English.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
That would be awesome to own one..just one problem...

What the hell do you do when you blow a vacumn tube and can't find a replacement west of St. Petersburg?

I know you are joking, but vacuum tubes are still in production at the moment because there are quite a few things that demand them. You would be surprised at the number of Banks main computer systems that still run on vacuum tubes - many of them havent changed since the 1960s when they were first commissioned and they need spares etc. Also vacuum tubes are used in the recording industry.

Yup, can't get that sweet sound from a solid state guitar amplifier.... Tubes all the way

I don't think finding parts, or doing maintenance would be an issue as long as you have $$$$. I can’t imagine getting parts would be much harder than finding parts for a rare care etc…. and a highly competent jet mechanic could probably wrench on it.

At out airport in our city someone owns a L-39 Albatross or 2, I never see them fly, or very rarely at most.

As far as I know, the person who owns them is a mechanic and isn't extremely wealthy, but wealthy none-the-less...

You gotta have some seriously deep pockets to operate a warbird. Insurance alone for a WW2 era DC3 will run 150,000 dollars a year. Add in the 400 dollars an hour it takes to operate it and you will need to work some overtime to afford it.

On the other hand,

Microsoft flight simulator costs about $60.

From what I understand there are several companies that do liase with the russians when you need parts for your communist block fighter, trainer, etc.
Russian planes are cheap, but I don't know that I would trust my life with a surplused fighter jet which in all likelihood has falsified airframe hours.

As the man said earlier, cessnas all the way!
I bet it could take down the F22.....anyday

But a Cesna isn't pretty why couldn't that Stavattie plane be real and afforable, HOWEVER, Scaled makes some great looking planes too

I've seen plenty of warbirds flying in private ownership here in Michigan.

From an L-39 Albatross at Willow Run Airport, to a MiG-15 at Pontiac Airport, to a MiG-17 just flying through. Not to mention at Willow Run is the Yankee Air Force Museum, which owns a B-17, B-25, DC-3, and a couple other WWII era planes in flying condition.

EDIT: Not to mention Huey helicopters... After Vietnam they were 500 dollars each. I know someone that bought three and made one working version from the parts.

Also, there are a couple companies here in the States (in the southwest, I believe) that sell L-39s. They paint them to suit, and come with various options.

[edit on 3/12/2005 by cmdrkeenkid]

Most of the privately owned military jets I've seen were T-38/F-5's, F-104 Starfighters and some Czech trainer - I forget what it's called.

Also anytime a jet is as cheap as 90k you can pretty much be assured it needs a major overhaul on it's turbine.



[edit on 12-3-2005 by intelgurl]

Originally posted by intelgurl
some Czech trainer - I forget what it's called.

That's the L-39 Albatross.