Warbird Information Exchange

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQyXQOe7 ... re=related

Bit of behind the scenes on CF-18 graduates.

Query - what is to happen to F-18s when they get retired in next 5-10 yrs across the world - will any become warbirds we hope? We know there the famous escapee Blue Angels F-18 in US but with so many F-18s retiring... what hope?

Probably won't happen in the USA. The government does not want fighter jets in civilian hands. They had ten thousand fits over the Blue Angels F/A-18 that "escaped", but the paperwork trail was legal so they couldn't do anything about it. Look at the trouble Collings Foundation is having trying to acquire an F-105. Maybe it'll be different in other countries?

It would be difficult (but not impossible) to support an F/A-18 in the civilian world. (but how cool would that be?!?!?!)

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Tough question when it comes to allowing F-18's into civilian hands.

Obviously people like us would only use them to show off at airshows, but, there are bad people out there, and the F-18 is a tremendously capable airplane still. We're not talking WWII warbird, we're talking supersonic strike aircraft. How would you stop a terrorist/nutbar in one of those cruising towards a city at mach 2 with some sort of payload?

As much as I'd be impressed to see civilian owned F-18's, I think it's a can of worms.

Hmm..... as I write this, I'm thinking about the F-104's that are being operated by civilians... those are even faster... hmm.... that kinda destroys my original argument, now doesn't it?

Peace,

David M

....as opposed to someone packing a CHALLENGER or other biz jet full of nasty? Or a 737??

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-