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From: aconte@EBay.Sun.COM (Al Conte)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Miramar Air Show
Keywords: No F-117
Message-ID: <1990Aug3.031154.20018@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 3 Aug 90 03:11:54 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 80
Approved: military@att.att.com



From: aconte@EBay.Sun.COM (Al Conte)

	I'm back from the Miramar Air Show in southern Calif.
This years show had a few new things but, all in all, it was
not as impressive as former shows of the last few years.
First let me say that the F-117 was nowhere near Miramar on those 
two days. (I asked some pilots, both air force and Navy, and neither
knew why.) The show started off as usual with some Army sky jumpers
comming down as the national anthem was being played, Then an F-14+
took off. The acceleration of the 14+ upgrade ( GE 1130s vs TF-30s)
was dramatic. The f-14 is now what it was meant to be in the performance
envelope. (The TF-30 engine made the 14 somewhat underpowered.)
Later on, the F-14 crept up on the crowd from the East while they
were watching something going on in the west, I figure that he was doing
about mach .8 or .9. Needless to say, he startled the you know what out
of everybody.

Budwiser had a plane sponsored that truly was the most intense airobatic
display I have ever seen. This pilot was never wings level for more than
three seconds. His total air time for his spot was around 15 minutes.
Two years ago, Miramar staged a mock air to air battle with two
agressors and an F-14, the crowd loved it. This year they somehow dropped
it from the show, a mistake in my opinion. The F-14 displayed a very
nice air to air refuel not more than 2 or 3 hundred feet above the crowd
in front of the grandstands.  An F-18 went through some manuevers which
the crowd liked, ( I was amazed at the roll rate the F-18 displayed in
some manuevers.) In past shows, it never showed this capability to
a great extent. The harrier went into its program, which was a crowd
pleaser. ( I wondered how much FOD this plane chalks up when they land
on dirt areas.) A welcome addition to the show this year was the F-15
Eagle. Typically, the Air Force does not fly in the Miramar show, though,
they do display there every year. Overall, the F-15 part of the program
was very nice, the pilot went through typical four piont rolls, a double
Imelman, a hard 180 (looked to be within 1200ft) and a manuever that
might not have impressed the crowd but, caused me to  drop my jaw.
The manuever was as such, from a wings level position, the Eagle
dropped a wing to about 30 degrees. He then through the plane into
a tight turn and proceeded to accelerate upward in a tight corkscrew!
As I watched I said to myself, " what an excellent tactical manuever 
this would be". The F-15 then finished with stand on tail and light
it up ballistic climb. Greater than parity thrust to weight ratio 
planes are impressive to say the least. The F-14 came back to do it's
manuevering program, as I said before, it is now the plane that it was meant
to be. ( its amazing what a good shot of thrust can do for plane.)
Visually, it looks to be in the same performance arena with the F-15/16
now, it wasn't before (in my opinion).
My favorite plane, the F-16 Falcon, which is now being purchased by the
Navy for aggressor usage did not fly. I had the  pleasure of talking
to an F-18 pilot from Lemoor about the differences in performance between
the F-16 and the F-18. (He was checked out in both) He said that as good
as the Falcon was, he felt that the AOA restriction on the F-16 limited
what a pilot could do with it. ( F-16 is limited to 25 degrees AOA)
He said that the Hornet is not limited at all, and was very forgiving.
Would somebody like to comment on this one, It seems odd that the F-16
would have such a restriction imposed on it.
Anyway, he also told me that Lemoor will be putting on their own air
show in the Aug./Sept. timeframe. Lemoor is approx. 2.5 hours south
of San Jose Calif. off highway 5.
One more note, the people who have booths that sell items in and around
the Hanger areas were first rate this year. Items that you would never
ever find around were available, eg. hand carved mahogany replicas of 
F-18s,F-14s, F-16XLs,etc. Hand painted too.
All in all, a pretty fair show,but, not their best.


Take care for now,            (checksix@flyboy.sun.com)                      
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