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A snip - just add $150k of airworthiness inspection fees before you can fly it!
Cold War era interceptors are awesome, just stand it on it’s tail and aim for the moon
Bargain, especially when you consider a Spitfire will cost you $4,000,000.
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?s-type=aircraft&listing_id=2434858
Had a look at the Cessna Caravans... Seems odd seeing them with actual seats fitted instead of flame retardant carpet and a a O2 system. Very expensive though.
Trouble with modern aeroplanes, it will only take a few electronic components to no longer be supported by manufacturers and the aircraft cannot fly.
Whereas the mechanical WWII aeroplanes can keep flying as they are so simple.
I don’t think that’s necessarily a problem with Drakens though, which are WW2 tech with a reheated Avon.
Bigger issue from a flying old jets POV is that Martin Baker won’t sell ejection seat cartridges to civilians.
Bigger issue from a flying old jets POV is that Martin Baker won’t sell ejection seat cartridges to civilians.
Even bigger problem is that the CAA won’t allow you to fly it anyway! After the airshow disaster where a pilot crashed a Hawker Hunter into the crowd some years back, I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t more restrictions on subsonic aircraft; certainly transonic are not allowed. There are at least three Lightnings in a fully operational, airworthy condition, but they can’t be flown in the U.K.
Here’s one:
Here’s another, notice the sign on the steps…
Here’s a third, and there is a fourth, but I’m not sure if that one’s fully airworthy.
Shame there’s no Buccaneers still around, and that Draken is a lovely plane!
You wouldn’t want to try flying this, even if it had an engine and was actually airworthy, although that latter term is debatable anyway…
Even bigger problem is that the CAA won’t allow you to fly it anyway!
That's probably a very good decision. I'd love to see some of these jets at airshows and the like, but honestly. even with the support of the military and money that govts could throw at them, these early 1st and 2nd Gen jets crashed with horrific regularity. My dad would often point at old Sqn photos and list the dead pilots, engineers and line crew that had been killed flying and servicing them.
That's nothing to say about what mischief you could get up to with your own warplane...
Isn’t there a taxiable Buccaneer somewhere?
There were twice yearly open days at Bruntingthorpe, where a variety of jets would do fast runway runs. Sadly it was sold off to a car seller, and the runways are now car parks, some of the jets are still there, but in a much smaller area. Cant recall a Bucaneer though.
Damnit, thought this was going to be about the Sonett.
A friends dad has a couple in his garage... He'd be made up if they were going for quarter of a million!
BAC Strikemasters (Jet Provosts) are still flying, complete with ejector seats.
I'm having a go in one in April 😀
There are Buccaneers at York air museum (assuming they are the planes you're referring to!)
https://yorkshireairmuseum.org/explore/collections/
https://yorkshireairmuseum.org/blackburn-buccaneer-s2b/
There was a Draken at uk airshows this summer
And also seen Vampire and Meteor simce the Hunter crash. They are limited on what aerobatics they are allowed to do iirc
Damnit, thought this was going to be about the Sonett.
Mmmm, always thought these would be a fun classic. Not sure how many are in the UK though.
And for the record, wow those Lightnings really do look amazing....
There was a Draken at uk airshows this summer
I think that one is operated by the Swedish Airforce.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Air_Force_Historic_Flight
This limited edition 93 is named after a SAAB fighter:
[img] [/img]
Or a tufted duck, depending on your POV
Or a tufted duck
Because of the canard...