Knight26

If you compare the engine face with the engine face of the 117C engine, which I believe is mislabeled, the radar blockers are quite similar in appearance, which makes we wonder if the blockers are variable in pitch. BLockers no matter how they are shaped will affect airflow into the engine, and at low altitudes or takeoffs and landings that could be a serious issue. SO what if you adjust their position during those key periods where stealth is not a requirement, and adjust them to be more covering when doing a stealthy penetration? Also we could just be looking at the test engines without radar blockers in place.

Actually Neid, if you look at that picture, look closely, that first stage blade you are seeing is the radar blocker. THe X-32 has something similar, as does the super bug. It is fairly effective at blocking radar.

Proof right there that you could make a movie with realistic robot designs that still looks good. I'm staring right at you Micheal Bay and your crapformers.

Nice podcast, thank god it wasn't another power ranger podcast. I wonder if anyone has ever done a frame by frame of those to point out all the different anime and sci-fi it draws from, it was too quick for me to pick it all up.

I really hate these designs they are very lazy and basically just digital kitbashes. Like Dh said they are mostly F-18s with F-4 intakes and windscreen, and a nose off the P-40 warhawk with the blade removed, that intake is the same. Someone on another board said it was the intake off an F-86 D or L, but the nose is too pointed and the F-86 doesn't have those bars in the intake. Even the wings are off of a hornet, just pulled into a forward sweep with an anhedral. The whole design is really bad aerodynamically. Heck the X-30 conquest was a better aerodynamic design. If these are suppossed to be "real" fighters in the BSG verse then I hope they all get wiped out by the first wave of cylons.

About dang time, probably happen after Caprica finishes

You mean the 1:48 didn't come with any missiles, I guess they are waiting to release them in the inevitable weapons pack.

so how much are you going to ask for these Jason?

Nied, I work with the AirBorne Laser (ABL) guys, we are talking decades before an ABL small enough to fit an F-35 could be fielded, and even then it would be the ONLY armament on the aircraft due to space and energy requirements.

And they are talking about bringing back COIN aircraft, and the two top competitors are the AT-6B and a new OV-10X. As much neither one, nor the F-35, can really do the job of the A-10 as well as the A-10, I would much prefere to see the OV-10X in the role if they can't, by some miracle, find a way to start building a new model A-10.

Of course it is, it's just a concept of the production scheme

I need to be alone with that picture for a while

My last line wasn't a big enough hint, oh and the way the YF-23 carried was interesting as well...

Oh, and my YF-23 guy showed me something yesterday, but we don't have a flatbed scanner at work so I can't share yet, especially since he still has to find out if he can legally release the pictures. Let's just say if DH saw these photos he would probably give up his first few born children. Let's just say that it would have been a nice ride to sit in.

Regarding the YF-23 speed. I work with one of the FLight Test Engineers assigned to the YF-23 program, and he has given me access to some impressive stuff regarding that beauty. I related about a video on here before, which we are trying to get him to bring over to a digital format from VHS, and it shows the YF-23 with the more powerful engines at mil power easily pulling away from an F-15 at full burn. The video is great as the F-15 pilot realizes that there is no way in hades he can catch the YF-23 he starts doing rolls around its contrail saying, "I've always wanted to do this." SO yes the YF-23 really did out accelerate everything else out there, as for the top speed all I could get from him was wink and nudge.

Interesting, the X-9 was one big mama then. I always thoughts those missiles were smaller though, like shorter ranged versions, maybe someone is wrong about what it carries.

crazy as this sounds I want a set

It's a firefox reference, since some are hoping it will be callsigned that by NATO.

:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D I may have something for you here soon, my source needs to see if THESE (plural) are cleared for release.

Nice to see another wildcat doing well for themselves.

Wow, your girlfriends must be sooo impressed.

AMARC is a cool place to visit, but unless you are there on official business you will be on a tour bus the entire time. The Pima Air Museum right next door gets a lot of its planes from there though and is probably the closest you will get to walking through the boneyard itself.

Actually I have run those pictures past one of the northrup guys here I work with, who worked on the ATF-23 test program, and he confirms that they are legit "concept" drawings, for what a production F-23 would have looked like. They were produced as part of the submission package to the air force during the ATF competition in order to illustrate the difference between the prototype and production unit, and to show how long it would take to get to a production standard configuration. He likes to joke that Lockheed lied out their rectums on their drawings, based on how long it took them to get to production.

Yeah Carlo hates the F-35, but he does raise some valid points. I still love his comparison of the F-35 to the THUD.

I'll show it to my northrup guys at work who worked on the ATF-23 program and see what they have to say about it. As for the bike chain launcher, er, I'm not so sure about that, electrical, pyros, etc... would be a pain to hook up in that configuration, not to mention the kick out lugs.