The current challenge is just too cool...

When I heard of this subject, I began immediately to swirl around with concepts and sketches in mind...
A couple of movies popped out in mind; "the right stuff" on test pilots, directed by Philip Kaufman some time ago, and the 1982 blockbuster movie "Firefox".  I like very much the design of the stealth aircraft seen in ... "Stealth"

I definely will caarry on something out of these threads...
At first I just wanted to picture a modern dogfight with missile fired and smoke and fireballs... but then I got caught with peaceful considerations... maybe I should have opted for something like; a resignation letter on an high officer desk , and out of the windows you see a grounded bomber...  but this was all the way too peaceful even for me, so I think I' ll work on a different theme.

On the movie The right stuff" I have seen Chuck Yaeger story (a NASA test pilot) , and been struck by his flight high altitude/high speed on a F 104 Starfighter, ending up with stress failure on plane and he being jettisoned out and parachuting down. Hell, this is something I should do... On a side note I must add F 104 were used by the Italian Air Force til not much ago (yes, I am Italian) and they were nicknamed "flying coffins" by the pilots cause their extremely low portancy.

If you admire test pilots, those at NASA deserve our maximum respect. If you want to read detailed stories about the Apollo team test pilots you should read Oriana Fallaci "If the Sun Dies"

Can I insert a bit of salt in the thread ... ?

What's your favourite aircraft !!!!

I loved that aborted YF 23 project, that plane looked way much cooler than the F 22 Raptor series...

But I have a fascination for the russian  Sukhoi  SU 27.
Here, have a look at some pic of it at their site:

http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/gallery/?gallery_id=56&cur_gallery_id=56

And I just found a rather pretty SU 27 3d model in a Taschen CD I had... so I have the chance to remap it and refurbish it for the task....

Well, people, what's your fav plane anyway... ?