Wonders of Destruction, 2004 Edition

[Laughing Gull]

how about:

 

[polymath]

Here's a plane that really made me sit up - the Soviet Ekranoplan. This plane utilises ground effect compression to literally ride the wave of compressed air between itself and the water - imagine a ship being faced with this beast!

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

The enduring symbol of the Battle of Britain, the legendary Spitfire!

 

[Mikoyan]

Neat JASDF F-15J nose art.

 

[stormbind]

If this is a competition, I think Polymath just won it!

 

[Civrules]

The Guided Bomb Unit-28 (GBU-28), 4,414 pounds.

 

[crystal]

This must the weirdest tank ever posted in these forums!

It's name is KV-VI Behemoth or "Die Russischen Geheimnisseschwererpanzerkampfwagon" in German, probably.

If you read the story, you will notice how incredible a failure it was.

 

[stormbind]

Can't view pic at all. Even on their own site..

 

[Civrules]

And, of course, the X-31. This is the first X plane to be flown by a person from a different nation outside the USA (Germany).
It uses "thrust vectoring" (directing engine exhaust flow) which makes for some crazy maneuverability and/at very slow speeds. It is also capable of landing very slowly, so runways do not need to be as long.

No doubt these are going to be the future aircraft after the F-22 (which already can direct it's thrust at directions, but nothing as extreme as the X-31).

 

[Mikoyan]

@crystal
Like a small warship on tracks...

Edit: here's the pic

Edit2: @ the specs

KV-VI Specifications

Crew: 15 men and one Commissar Length: 51 feet, 4 inches
Height: 15 feet, 3 inches Width: 10 feet, 10 inches
Height/tower raised: 37 feet, 8 inches Weight: 138 tons
Engine: 3 X V-2 at 600 horsepower each Max Speed: 13 mph
Max Range: 98 miles road; 43 miles cross country
Armor: 160mm maximum; 7mm minimum
Armament: 2 X 152mm; 2 X 76.2mm; 1 X 45mm; 2 X 12.7mm DShK; 2 X 7.62mm Maxim; 14 X 7.62mm DT; 16 X BM-13 Rockets; 2 X Model 1933 Flamethrowers

 

[Esckey]

Don't got any pics but here are some that havn't been mentioned yet;

FN P90
FN 2000
B-25J
Hawker Hurricane mk IIc
That 88mm AA from WW2 that the Germans used for everything
USS Enterprize (WW2 Era)
P-40M
Tiger 2
Jagdpanzer

 

[Civrules]

Also check this short, cool movie of an F-14.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/jet.mpeg


(It is going past the sound barrier at very low altitude)

 

[CurtSibling]

Mikoyan!

Holy cremole!
That is like a tank from a HG Wells novel!

 

[CurtSibling]

Behold the Anzio Annie Leopold !

The German rail gun used against the Allies at Anzio in 1944!

 

[CurtSibling]

Giant transport alert!

Although not quite as big as the American C5 Galaxy or Super Guppy, the AN22 is an impressive crate!

 

[polymath]

Heh! I was just looking at one of those in a quest for a pic for this thread. Funky propellors!

 

[Civrules]

Here is the An-124 CONDOR: The largest transport aircraft in the world.

Look how large it is compared to the B-52.

 

[CurtSibling]

Heh! I was just looking at one of those in a quest for a pic for this thread. Funky propellors!

One of my favourite planes!

The AN22's shape makes it look reliable and sort of comfy!

 

[CurtSibling]

Here is the An-124 CONDOR: The largest transport aircraft in the world.

Look how large it is compared to the B-52.

When the Russians pay extra and 'go large' - They mean it!

 

[Civrules]

@Curt: indeed!
And here is the smaller (but yet huge) C5 Galaxy:

Here are the specs of the C-5 and An-124:

An-124:
http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/an-124.htm

C-5:
http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-5.htm