the sexiest aircraft

I would guess it's whatever classified aircraft replaced the sr-71.

Dave, U-2's and SR-71's are still flying. The U-2 program is fully funded through 2011.

P51-D Mustang Randy

SR-71 is tops, but I've always had a thing for the B58 Hustler. Damn, and the voodoo. Shoot, and the Valkerie.

Dave

I knew U-2's were still going, but I thought they quit using the SR-71's. Regardless, my point is they aren't likely to let us know very many details about a spy plane unless they already have something better. Don't believe everything your government tells you.

You've got that right, but I have contracts to service replacement parts for both of these on site as well as the RF-4 and RF-134. I've a couple of pictures of my humble ( LOL ) self with an A-12 if your interested. Now those really are old.

Yeah! I'd have to go with the Mustang. Place I used to work, a guy there had a Mustang. The work place was fairly close to the airpport where he kept the Mustang. Occasionally we'd hear him fly over work -( buzzing us?), I'm not sure but we'd hear him anyway. Once I asked why we didn't hear him more often. He goes, "Hey! you'll only hear me around pay day because it takes a month to save up enough money to gas the thing up". That was back when you could get a Mustang for maybe 50 K. Now, I'll bet you couldn't touch one for under 300,000.

Bob Sw>

THe SR-71 got replaced by Satellites

Sattelites are NOT sexy

Hveem askes:

Me too. We were lucky to have a low fly-over at our local airshow one day...impressive. But my first love (for airplanes) in the early 50s was the Navy Cutlass, first jet I remember seeing without a tail. Seemed like it was right off the cover of Popular Science. Still looks good.

Thanks for the memories dredged up.

dennis in nca

I think the last active SR-71 is the NASA plane in the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field South of Seattle. Been quite a while since I was there, but seems like that is what the sign said.

Wish I could have seen it fly in!

Paul

If you've ever stood within 50 feet of a P-51D idling, it is an amazing experience. I've also heard them flying, and it is just a big buzz. But, the idling of the Merlin engine shakes the ground, and it is like being pounded in the chest with boxing gloves! Totally awesome!

Yes, a working engine will run $300K. The air racers burned up all the usable engines.

I've seen some pretty neat stuff, mostly when I was working for NASA at Wallops Station, VA.

I got to see the F-15 technology demonstrator (the prototype of the F-15) after the Air Force was done checking it out, they sent it over to NASA Langley for them to take a look at it. I had no idea what it was, but it took off on full afterburners and climbed until it passed the 747's on flights to Europe, in under 2 minutes.

I got to see some U-2s and RS-1s (those were NASAs) land and take off.

I got to see the reference test of the AEC rain erosion test vehicle. That was a Terrier-Recruit rocket that was fired at a low angle through the ice-filled tops of Atlantic storms to gauge the effects of atmospheric ice on the missile reentry vehicles. It flew at 6000 MPH, covered 19 miles and went from pad to splashdown in about 22 seconds.

I also was within 1000 feet or so of the pad when they launched a Exametnet Super Loki Datasonde, which is an ionospheric experimental vehicle. It develops 120 G of acceleration at the pad. I was just standing there watching it, and it simply disappeared. I jerked my head up, and it was a yellow dot at the top of a huge black cloud about 2 miles high at that point. It is at 100,000 feet about 6 senconds after first stage ignition.

I got to be in the blockhouse when we launched a Scout-II which is an

There's more, but I think those were the highlights.

As for sexy, just about anything connected to Burt Rutan is pretty sexy.

Jon

The P-51H is a little sleeker looking, but I don't thing there are any left in the original configuration. Unlimited racers gobbled them up.

Randy

The U2 Has been semi retired for 40 years though. But in civillian/scientific service

The only U2's i've heard of flying are doing photography or high altitude research but not doing true military recon work

But its NOT a sexy plane

John R. Carroll wrote:

I heard that some of the P51 engines ended up as pump motors for flooding rice farms.

I don't really know, but my understanding was that the SR-71 fleet was (mostly) closed down because the need has been significantly reduced by satellite technology and the demise of the Soviet Union.

Jim

P-38 Lightning!

Sexiest? IMHO, the one with the biggest balls is the XB-70:

Yup, I watched a U-2 fly over me as I drove down I-80 outside of Sacramento. On his way to Beal most likely.