What is the oldest U.S. fighter jet?

The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II.

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What is the oldest fighter jet still in service?

Top 5: The Oldest Fighter Jets Still In Active Service
  1. 1 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. The oldest fighter jet you can see flying nowadays is most likely the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. ...
  2. 2 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19. ...
  3. 3 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. ...
  4. 4 Northrop F-5. ...
  5. 5 Chengdu J-7.

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Are there any original Me 262 still flying?

Around 100 Me 262s were claimed by Allied fighter pilots. There are no original Me 262s flying in the world today, but five reproduction 262s were built in the USA in the 1990s and early 2000s, of which four are currently airworthy.

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What is the longest serving military aircraft?

Top 5: The Oldest Military Transport Aircraft Still In Service
  • 5 de Havilland DHC-6-100.
  • 4 Boeing 707.
  • 3 The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
  • 2 Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
  • 1 Antonov An-2 Colt.

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What is the oldest airplane still flying?

14 – Bleriot XI airworthy at the Shuttleworth Collection in Old Warden, Bedfordshire. Built in 1909 and now with the British civil registration G-AANG, this is the world's oldest airworthy aircraft. It is powered by a three-cylinder "W form" Anzani engine.

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How Panic Created The Best Fighter Jet Ever: The F-15 Eagle

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What is the oldest 747 still in service?

The oldest active 747 aircraft today

The aircraft built on 13th June 1973 and is 49.81 years old at the time of writing. The oldest passenger aircraft in commercial operation is Boeing 747-400 EP-MEE (SN 24383) operated by Mahan Air, a privately owned Iranian airline.

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How old are planes before they are retired?

On average, an aircraft is operable for about 30 years before it has to be retired. A Boeing 747 can endure about 35,000 pressurization cycles and flights—roughly 135,000 to 165,000 flight hours—before metal fatigue sets in. 747s are retired after approximately 27 years of service.

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What is the hardest military jet to fly?

A second U-2 pilot normally "chases" each landing in a high-performance vehicle, assisting the pilot by providing radio inputs for altitude and runway alignment. These characteristics combine to earn the U-2 a widely accepted title as the most difficult aircraft in the world to fly.

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What is the strongest military plane ever?

1. Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. In 2006, the F-35 embodied the latest in combat aircraft development. With its advanced stealth features it can be declared the world's most powerful aircraft engine and the most advanced radar.

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What is the farthest flying fighter jet?

Rafale Fighter Jets Broke Their Record For The Longest Flight Without Landing | Rafale Fighter Jets: New Record Of Flying 17 Thousand Kilometers Non-stop.

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What are the rarest planes still flying?

North Korea is also one of the last bastions of rarer aircraft, with the national carrier Air Koryo still flying Antonov An-148, An-26, Ilyushin Il-18, IL-62, Tupolev Tu-134, Tu-154 and Tu-204 in its fleet. These are only available through organised tours, which have not been occurring since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

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Are there any WW2 planes still flying?

The Collings' two-seat TF-51D is only one the few Mustangs with flight controls for the passenger, and the Foundation's B-24J is the only one of its kind still flying. The Boeing B-17 is one of only about a 15 still flying. The aircraft will be stationed at the Museum's tarmac on Boeing Field.

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Can you buy an old war plane?

Yes. There are numerous examples of civilian-owned fighters in the U.S. One of the most famous examples was actor Michael Dorn, Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation, who at one point owned his own F-86 Sabre fighter.

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What happens to old US fighter jets?

Aircraft are often stored in large boneyards. An aircraft boneyard (also known as an aircraft graveyard) is a storage area for aircraft that are retired from service. Most aircraft at boneyards are either kept for storage with some maintenance or have their parts removed for reuse or resale and are then scrapped.

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What was the last American gunfighter jet?

The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) is a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Vought. It was the last American fighter that had guns as the primary weapon, earning it the title "The Last of the Gunfighters".

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Has the F-16 been retired?

The F-16 is still in demand today, and many air forces are looking to replace aging inventories with F-16s.

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What is the scariest military plane?

What is the scariest military plane? Meet the F-22 Raptor. It's the most dangerous combat plane in the world, designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground conflict. 20 years later, the jet fighter's prowess is unmatched.

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What is the most feared US fighter jet?

F-15 Eagle is still one of the most dangerous jets around

The F-15 is a legend. The F-15 Eagle and its variants are some of the most capable jet fighters ever.

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What is the deadliest Air Force in the world?

Contents hide
  • 2.1 United States Air Force (USAF)
  • 2.2 Russian Air Force (VVS)
  • 2.3 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)
  • 2.4 Indian Air Force (IAF)
  • 2.5 Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF)
  • 2.6 Israeli Air Force (IAF)
  • 2.7 French Air and Space Force (AAE)
  • 2.8 British Royal Air Force (RAF)

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What is the loudest military jet?

The XF-84H was almost certainly the loudest aircraft ever built, earning the nickname "Thunderscreech" as well as the "Mighty Ear Banger". On the ground "run ups", the prototypes could reportedly be heard 25 miles (40 km) away.

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What is the loudest jet in the US military?

The loudest aircraft ever flown was likely the Republic XF-84H "Thunderscreech", a turboprop-driven variant of the US Air Force's F-84 Thunderjet fighter.

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What is the fastest fighter jet ever made?

The fastest fighter jet ever created was the NASA/USAF X-15. It was an experimental aircraft that resembled more of a rocket with wings but managed to reach a record 4,520mph. The fastest fighter jet in the world today is the MiG-25 Foxbat, with a top speed of 2,190mph, half the speed of the X-15.

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Are 50 year old planes safe?

Aircraft age is not a safety factor. However, if the aircraft is older and hasn't been refurbished properly, it may cause flyers some inconvenience such as overheating, faulty air conditioning, or faulty plumbing in the lavatory.

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What age do most airline pilots retire?

"While commercial airline pilots are currently mandated to retire at 65, these same pilots that are forced to retire can still fly corporate and charter jets beyond the age of 65," said Representative Troy Nehls, a Republican, adding the change could help address a pilot shortage.

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Can I buy a decommissioned 747?

Sure, the 747 is a Type Certified and airworthy aircraft, the FAA does not really care who owns it so long as they play by the rules. Boeing even sells them directly to the private market via their BBJ line. There are even a few used ones listed for sale right now.

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