• Mac@mander.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    2 months ago

    “the F-15 landed at twice the normal speed to maintain the necessary lift, and its tailhook was torn off completely during the landing.”

    • DontMakeMoreBabies@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      ·
      2 months ago

      I like this part even better:

      He added, “Only when McDonnell Douglas later went to analyze it, they said, OK, the F-15 has a very wide [lifting] body; you fly fast enough and you’re like a rocket. You don’t need wings.”

      • AA5B@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        2 months ago

        But the pilots quote was best of all

        “it’s highly likely that if I had seen it clearly I would have ejected, because it was obvious you couldn’t really fly an airplane like that.”

        • PugJesus@lemmy.worldOPM
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          2 months ago

          because it was obvious you couldn’t really fly an airplane like that.

          Looney Tunes “Don’t look down” level achievement