Hmmm..do you like low flying aircraft?....then here ya go!

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

HHHMMMM?? , 747SP -----SP, that stand for Sport or Short Puppy

"Speedy Pygmy"?

 

[M813rc]

The SP actually stood for Special Purpose.
The aircraft was designed for maximum range on long-haul routes. Very high seating capacity was not needed, so a major weight saving could be accomplished by doing away with unneeded fuselage length, which also had some aerodynamic benefits. This also proved an advantage at some destinations where the airport couldn't physically handle the full length 747.

Cheers

 

[waayfast]

Wondering if the short body would be a good choice for building fire fighting air tankers.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

The SP actually stood for Special Purpose.
The aircraft was designed for maximum range on long-haul routes. Very high seating capacity was not needed, so a major weight saving could be accomplished by doing away with unneeded fuselage length, which also had some aerodynamic benefits. This also proved an advantage at some destinations where the airport couldn't physically handle the full length 747.

Cheers

Thanks, Rory.
I new I could have GOOGLED that, but I was having too much fun mutating the initials into something satirical.

 

[Tracer]

The only 747SP I ever saw in person was a China Airlines jet at Honolulu International Airport about 1998. They flew them in from mainland China to Hawaii, quite a distance. The production line stopped at A/C #49. Sometime later a Middle Eastern Businessman ordered one as a private jet, so 747SP #50 was born.

 

[Tracer]

https://airlinegeeks.com/2018/05/25...ing-boeing-747sp-flown-to-retirement-in-iran/ The last Boeing 747SP is retired.

 

[Tracer]

Here are some good extra low passes done by several aircraft.

 

[frank8003]

NEED six M1A1 Bazooka for an aircraft restoration.

One time I posted about real low flying in WWll, but that was more about M1A1 attached to 65HP grasshopper. It was about bazookas as I was looking for "B" batteries.
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/m20a1b1-bazooka-question.187002/page-3#post-2205161

So anyhow, Charles Carpenter's L4 was found and rebuilt.
He did the lowest flying with bazookas.

Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II

The most famous small airplane of the war is about to fly again.

www.airspacemag.com

 

[Tracer]

Some very low passes here.

 

[Another Ahab]

Some very low passes here.

Well, yeah, that "super low" pass is just plain foolhardy.

It might be a handy skill in combat (maybe, I don't know), but for public display that's just courting disaster. Right?!

Suck a wayward bird into that cowling....I don't think the outcome would be real good.

 

[Another Ahab]

Well, yeah, that "super low" pass is just plain foolhardy.

It might be a handy skill in combat (maybe, I don't know), but for public display that's just courting disaster. Right?!

Suck a wayward bird into that cowling....I don't think the outcome would be real good.

But otherwise fun vid, Tracer, thanks!!

 

[Guyfang]

Back in the early 70's, I was on a field problem, in the summer. We were in a training area, outside Schweinfurt. Area M. We called it Area Mud. The Zoomies wanted to do some overflights, to train on low approach, over running of Air Defense sites. The First Shirt, two young LT's, a buddy, Garza and I were standing on a Berm, waiting for the Fast Movers, (F4 Phantoms) to come over. Out of nowhere, came 4 Fast movers, at several hundred knots, and about 200 feet above the ground. They were a tad off course. They compensated, and dropped some altitude and fired the afterburners. I have no idea how low, as my nose was in the grass. We were all flat as pancakes, except the First Shirt, and Garza. One of the LT's was cursing a storm about the "low" approach. The First Shirt and Garza laughed. Garza said, "Oh mannnnn. Low is when all your shi* that you aint holding on too, is gone". And off he went laughing his head off at the silly LT. Both the First Shirt and Garza had been with the 173rd in Viet Nam.

 

[Another Ahab]

Back in the early 70's, I was on a field problem, in the summer. We were in a training area, outside Schweinfurt. Area M. We called it Area Mud. The Zoomies wanted to do some overflights, to train on low approach, over running of Air Defense sites. The First Shirt, two young LT's, a buddy, Garza and I were standing on a Berm, waiting for the Fast Movers, (F4 Phantoms) to come over. Out of nowhere, came 4 Fast movers, at several hundred knots, and about 200 feet above the ground. They were a tad off course. They compensated, and dropped some altitude and fired the afterburners. I have no idea how low, as my nose was in the grass. We were all flat as pancakes, except the First Shirt, and Garza. One of the LT's was cursing a storm about the "low" approach. The First Shirt and Garza laughed. Garza said, "Oh mannnnn. Low is when all your shi* that you aint holding on too, is gone". And off he went laughing his head off at the silly LT. Both the First Shirt and Garza had been with the 173rd in Viet Nam.

Now THERE'S a story!

Great stuff, Guyfang. Thanks, Brother!!

 

[Tracer]

Guy and Ahab. There is a vid on you tube, of an A10 making a reeeaaal low pass over a base in Afghanistan, and dropping flares to boot. The only problem posting the vid is the excessive profanity voiced by the troops on the ground. I remember the steel soldiers rules of not posting anything of an obscene nature. Well, after 34 years on the shop floor in Commercial and Military aircraft manufacturing, I didn't find the language that odd or offensive. I mean we had women on the shop floor, who's language would make most truck drivers blush. But, rules are rules.

 

[Another Ahab]

Guy and Ahab. There is a vid on you tube, of an A10 making a reeeaaal low pass over a base in Afghanistan, and dropping flares to boot. The only problem posting the vid is the excessive profanity voiced by the troops on the ground.

Thanks for the thougt (of the vid), Tracer, that's what counts!

But, yeah, the world has too much ugliness in it already.

No need to add more ugliness, that's not helping. So you "done" good!!

 

[Tracer]

Thanks Ahab.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Your courtesy and consideration are duly noted.

 

[Guyfang]

Maybe we can figure out a way block the audio?

 

[Another Ahab]

Maybe we can figure out a way block the audio?

 

[Another Ahab]

The algorithm has my number now (I'm guessing), or maybe the Russian hack assigned to me got bored and sent it, who knows?!

Anyway, this showed up today: