MIG-29 OVT - My favourite jet fighter. What's yours?

[Lopéz]

Anybody who was at the recent Farnborough or Fairford airshows will undoubtedly have seen the very impressive MIG-29 OVT with thrust vectoring engine nozzles. What this basically means is that the engine nozzles at the rear of the plane can turn in such a way that it dramatically improves the maneuverability of the plane - particularly in low-speed flight from what I could see in the demo.
It means the plane can perform forward-rolls, tailslides, endo's D) and other similar acrobatic stunts.

But in modern combat is there any real need for this? We are in an age where warfare is increasingly done from long-distance missile firing and so on. Is there still enough demand for a jet with good dogfighting ability? Is stealth technology, as seen on the F-22 Raptor, more important than being able to showboat?

Anyway, enough ramling. The jet itself is bloody gorgeous IMO - here's a couple of pics from Airliners.net:

Picture © Marcus Jellyman/Airliners.net
MIG-29 OVT
MIG-29 OVT
Demonstrating it's ability

Aviapedia has a 21mb video on the jet - in Russian but with a written English synopsis, so it's worth a watch

MIG-29 OVT Video and Translation

So, this thread can run a parallel discussion. Is there a future for jet fighters such as the MIG-29 OVT? Are they producing a jet that has no market?

And what are your favourite jet fighters? Pics, links and technical information welcomed.

 

[Visage]

The Spitfire.

 

[AJUK]

It is nowhere near as fast or as capable as the MIG but I will always hold the Harrier as my all time favourite.

 

[William]

But in modern combat is there any real need for this? We are in an age where warfare is increasingly done from long-distance missile firing and so on. Is there still enough demand for a jet with good dogfighting ability?

Pilots and Airforce will probably argue that they want it there just so its there when/if they get into a situation where it would help. The question is, what will we want in a war when both sides have radar invisible aircraft? Also, stealth aircraft are expensive to make and maintain, in a war you want somthing that is cheap and effective, not somthing that requires 24 hours of downtime every flight to check that it is still radar invisible.

The MiG-29 is a sexy beast but me favourite jet would be the SR-71 or the B-52, designed starting in the 1950s using bits of paper, a pencil and a ruler they are still the best at what they do and are still going to stick around for years. The B-52 is going to be an antique when it is retired, basically imagine us still using Sopwith Camels in combat in about 10 years time.


The SR-71s nose gets so hot that when it lands the whole airframe is wrinkled and it needs to be ironed smooth.

 

[Mat]

F-14 Tomcat. Sadly, to be completely decomissioned in Sept after the last squadron is disbanded.

 

[JRS]

The Spitfire.

favourite jet fighter

As for mine - F-14 Tomcat. No real reason, just like 'em.

 

[Lopéz]

The Spitfire.

I've noticed that your replies to posts are normally the first to come in, generally have little to do with the original thread, are sarcastic, "ironic" or sometimes all of the above.

As you well know, the Spitfire was generally propelled by a conventional supercharged Rolls Royce Merlin or Griffon internal combustion engine, so they are not jet fighters.

Do you have an on-topic reply or is it beneath you to attempt a non-controversial post for once?

 

[fullspizz]

Much along the lines of the Mig29, the SU27 Flanker or later derivatives I find pleasing to look at and their aerobatic abilty is second to none.

 

[Lopéz]

It is nowhere near as fast or as capable as the MIG but I will always hold the Harrier as my all time favourite.

The Harrier may be old but it gave a bloody impressive display at Farnborough. It always tickles me to see a jet flying up and down the runway sideways like a crab.

 

[TaKeN]

Lopez, your choice of jet is probably my favorite,

Its a stunning looking plane, arn't these the ones that can stop in mid air then fly in the other direction ?

EDIT : The adjustable nozzle thing is called " Thrust Vectoring IIRC "

 

[G-MAN2004]

May not be a jet fighter but I still like it.

F-117 Nighthawk

I just really like the shape and design of it.

 

[AJUK]

Awesome and deadly.

 

[MNuTz]

The SR-71s nose gets so hot that when it lands the whole airframe is wrinkled and it needs to be ironed smooth.

Ironed with a hammer and a blow torch.

Just read Clarksons book about machines with souls, great book, and the SR-71 is in there. Amazing craft.

Like many people, the first jet you see as a child usually sticks in your mind for life, so for me, its the harrier as well.

 

[WillyNelson]

Its a stunning looking plane, arn't these the ones that can stop in mid air then fly in the other direction ?

First one to do that was the Harrier, they call it VIFFing (Vectoring In Forward Flight) and it seriously made up for the Harrier's comparative lack of speed.

VIFFing was the scourge of the Argentines during the Falklands. During a dogfight, with the enemy plane behind them, the Harrier pilot would point the thrusters downwards, decellerating the plane and moving it upwards. The enemy would fly past and underneath, soon becoming the hunted as opposed to the hunter.*

*that's how I understood it anyway - feel free to correct me

 

[VaderDSL]

No contest ... the B1B - Lancer (for a Jet aircraft)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11R7vS5QcPw&search=b1b lancer

I absolutely love it, a plane that size doing a low altitude run at 500 feet at nearly mach .9 without the pilot having control ... awesome

 

[Mr_L]

I've always liked the Harrier. When I lived up north in a little village they use to do low level flying over us, which is pretty impressive to a little 6 year old boy.

Other than that I quite like the Eurofighter Typhoon. Not seen it in action in person yet though.

 

[Bill101]

I've always had a bit of a softspot for the Phantom

 

[Fusion]

A missile with wings. Capable of a fantastic rate of climb, 50,000ft/minute, and had an operating celing of over 80,000ft.

Not sure why we're discussing SR-71's and B-52's when the topic is jet fighters.

 

[Rich_L]

First one to do that was the Harrier, they call it VIFFing (Vectoring In Forward Flight) and it seriously made up for the Harrier's comparative lack of speed.

VIFFing was the scourge of the Argentines during the Falklands. During a dogfight, with the enemy plane behind them, the Harrier pilot would point the thrusters downwards, decellerating the plane and moving it upwards. The enemy would fly past and underneath, soon becoming the hunted as opposed to the hunter.*

*that's how I understood it anyway - feel free to correct me

Hehe that sounds like a better version of 'I'll hit the brakes, he'll fly right by'

 

[Roduga]

Pah, fighters are for girls. CAS is where the real men are.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7557745&postcount=5813