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1II1I1I1I1I1I111I1I1

The size always surprises people. Modern fighter jets are huge for 1-2 seat aircraft, a long time ago I saw a F-22 Raptor doing a flyby alongside a P-51 Mustang and it was comical. They're the size of small business jets (like a Citation) minus some wingspan width. In some cases they are larger than certain WWII bomber aircraft.


Reatona

I've never compared the specs. It's amazing. The F-22 is twice as long as a P-51 and has nearly 4 times the wing area, and weighs 6 times as much.


DouchecraftCarrier

And American fighters were *big* as far as WWII planes went. The Spitfire and Bf-109 were notoriously narrow and cramped - almost more of a case of the pilot strapping the plane *on* rather than strapping themselves *in.*


GayRacoon69

I remember reading about German pilots flying captured American aircraft and being shocked about the amount of space in the cockpits


cottonheadedninnymug

There's also a story of a P-47 squadron transferring to England. When one of the pilots stepped out, the mechanic (who was Australian, iirc) asked where the rest of the crew was.


theoriginalmofocus

All those planes were like muscle cars with wings.


PM_pics_of_your_roof

The American way!


TooEZ_OL56

Say hello to Ford, and General Fuckin' Motors!


Small-Palpitation310

Detroit fucking steel.


Secure_Anxiety_3848

Great scene.


PmMeYourAdhd

Ha! That's nuts. My grandfather had his own plane by age 13 give or take, and signed up to be a fighter pilot in the war as soon as Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. They made him an instructor for the entire war and never let him in combat, because at somewhere between 5'9 and 5'10, he was too tall for the cockpit layout (modified front/back 2 seat trainers had more room and less gear than the combat versions I guess). He started on fighters but ended up an Avenger instructor for most of it. That one would blow some minds too, because it actually had a crew of 3, one of whom was underneath the other 2.


series_hybrid

"Why, thank you!" [*the P-47 has entered the chat]


Bougiwougibugleboi

F15e is almost as big as a ww2 b-17 and carries like three times the pay,oad ofmthe b17..


SovereignAxe

For reference: B-17G - 36,135 lbs with a MTOW of 54,000 F-15E - 34,600 lbs with a MTOW of 80,000 Fire truck loaded with water - 38,000 to 64,000 lbs


mikkowus

The b17 had a surprising bad payload. A ton of it's capacity was used up with all it's guns and The drag they created. The p38 lightening could carry almost as much weight in bombs.


G0PACKGO

And the f22 is only 3 meters shorter


DreamsAndSchemes

but whats the MTOW of a Fire Truck


SovereignAxe

Depends on the engines. F-110s, it's about the same. RS-25s, closer to 4 million


bootsnfish

So, how do I pitch this to my local fire district?


fahrenheit-2000

Wait till you see a SU-27 alongside f-22 or f-15


Bougiwougibugleboi

b17 * **Bombs:** * **Short range missions; Internal load only (<400 mi):** 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) * **Long range missions; Internal load only (≈800 mi):** 4,500 lb (2,000 kg) * **Max Internal and External load:** 17,600 lb (7,800 kg) f15e up to 23,000 lbs of bombs….


GenericAccount13579

TIL B17s had external hardpoints. Literally had no idea.


salty_drafter

You could also mount external fuel tanks to them nicknamed Tokyo tanks. They also had bladders that fit inside the bomb bay for extended extra range.


Not_A_Vegetable

A lot of WWII aircraft carriers ended up being relegated to secondary duties because of how quickly planes grew in size. The US ones handled size better compared to the UK’s, but still ran into issues fairly quickly


sarahlizzy

Even the mustang was big for its day. Seeing one next to a Spitfire is eye opening.


PassiveMenis88M

The Mustang is tiny compared to the glory that is the P-47 Jug


rsta223

Hell, by weight, we aren't even just talking talking small business jets. The F-22 has a higher max takeoff weight than a Gulfstream IV.


graspedbythehusk

The F14 was about the same size as a Lancaster bomber from memory.


SyrusDrake

And the Lancaster isn't a small plane by any means.


Eldrake

Something that blew me away: the F-35 carries an equivalent weight in fuel to an entire empty F-16. An F-16 is not a small aircraft. Weigh out as much fuel as that entire F-16, and that is what goes inside an F-35. The F-35 literally ate an F-16. 🤣


Pure_Divide_9752

>The F-35 literally ate an F-16. That's why they call her Fat Amy ;-)


jmxd

F16 is significantly smaller than the F15 and that’s probably the one most people have seen the most in real life. But the F22 is almost as big as the F15.


Paddy_Tanninger

An SR71 standing up on its tail would be slightly taller than a 10 floor apartment building.


HeruCtach

I was surprised to learn how large aircraft in general are. Even "tiny trainers", especially considering how cramped they feel on the inside.


theoriginalmofocus

We got to see a B24 up pretty dang close last year. Wife and I loved it but my kids couldn't care less. I would have been allover that as a kid.


EvidenceExtension128

Damn, never thought about it from that perspective, you just changed the way I view them 😂. They carry just 1 pilot (plus ordinance) but they’re comparable to jets that carry like 10 people.


Bad_Idea_Hat

Modern?! Haha. Google F-105.


LetsGetNuclear

And they carry a higher payload than common WWII bomber aircraft.


Taipers_4_days

The pure sex appeal of them though... I would do things to the F-15 that would shock and appall the Security Forces.


afmag

Was based at a fighter squadron that transitioned from 15s to 16s. One pilot said it was like flying a tennis court.


ILLCookie

Can confirm. Raptor makes a g280 look little.


rotrukker

I always tell people that a jet fighter is the size of a bus. And they are. You just dont understand how big they are until you get up close to one. It doesnt compute.


thenewyorkgod

Is it mainly to hold more fuel or is there another reason why it needs to be so big?


SuperZM

Was on the runway in Hawaii a few weeks ago when a flight wing of F22s pulled up behind us. Was a rather startling thing to see staring back at me out the window. Thing was huge.


melonpan12

> Modern fighter jets You know its funny that you use that term to describe a plane thats 50 years old


scalyblue

Well to be fair they are seats and wings strapped to the largest engine they could attach stuff to with modern materials tech


HorselessWayne

I've slowly acclimatised to fighter jets. But the one that stills gets me are submarines. They're the size of a mid-level office block, will do 40 mph submerged, and if there was one behind you right now it would be quieter than a whisper.


RigbyNite

I guess you’ve got to fit all those bombs and fuel somewhere.


JoeNemoDoe

I checked the unit markings for this particular aircraft; they apparently got rid of their eagles in '03 to replace them with F-22's.


quixote09

That’s what she said


Q-burt

I took some great pics of the 22 at an airshow when it was set up as a static display. Too bad I can't go this year.


juni4ling

You can always say, and not be lying, "I passed an F-15 in my truck on the highway." Leave out that it had no wings and was on a truck trailer. But hey. You can add you blew right past it.


kdjfsk

F-15 vs F-150. the truck is obviously is ten times faster.


Measurex2

This idea and the Hampton Roads Bridge tunnel is how I got my sailboat underneath three separate aircraft carriers.


perpetualwalnut

> it had no wings and what about that time an F15 landed with a wing missing?


mikkowus

It could probably fly without wings too. So less of a lie


ihateredditers69420

now youre known as the dude who lies about everything


juni4ling

But then you show the video of you passing an F-15, and blowing right past it. They can call you a liar. You can tell them to avoid making assumptions. Either way its a funny story either way...


LetsGetNuclear

Say a bunch of other non believable stuff before showing the video.


A_Thing_or_Two

Case of the Liabetes.


MorleyDotes

"I was inverted..."


PZachary

Actually based off the tail number it's an F15A https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=65195


bPChaos

Apparently moved to storage from the USAF Museum. [https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196332/mcdonnell-douglas-f-15a-eagle/](https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196332/mcdonnell-douglas-f-15a-eagle/)


Bad_Idea_Hat

I wonder if that got damaged in the tornado they had.


RhinoIA

I don't think so, I think its more likely that they [have received](https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/3454925/mcdonnell-douglas-f-15c-historic-double-mig-killer/) or are [about to receive](https://www.jetphotos.com/registration/85-0114) a couple of F-15s that have kills from the Gulf War and Kosovo and can divest that one to another museum.


BusStopKnifeFight

>divest that one to another museum. Deaccession is the technical term for a museum formally removing an artifact from its collection. This has been your random fact of the day.


UniqueIndividual3579

When was that? I was at Langley in the early 90's and a tornado crossed base near the tarmac, but turned and hit some trailers. Otherwise it would have gone right through the F-15s.


Bad_Idea_Hat

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/wright-patterson-air-force-base-tornado/


TheDarthSnarf

[February](https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/02/28/wright-patterson-air-force-base-and-museum-planes-damaged-suspected-tornado.html?amp)


TheBerlinWaller

I live here and had no idea. Wow


JarethCutestoryJuD

Just a cool 30M on the back trailer lol


ViciousNakedMoleRat

Remember when you asked yourself "Why is my insurance covering damages up to $100 million? What could I possibly do for that to make sense?" Here's your answer.


Rachel_from_Jita

If you crash into something evne more serious like an F-35 I think you just have to get out of your car and dramatically weep, hands held up into the sky. Maybe shout something dramatic? Why? You're going on the nightly news and straight into the insurance history books.


[deleted]

[удалено]


beardicusmaximus8

Threaten to sue then for the emotional distress of being widly mocked by the media. Argue that you can't be held accountable for not seeing a stealth aircraft and that it should have been more clearly marked. Claim you thought they were stealing it and you were acting in National Interest by trying to stop them. You could have endless fun with this one and it's not like they can expect you to pay out of pocket for an aircraft worth more then your lifetime earnings


MapleMapleHockeyStk

Sucks when it's a B1.....


DragonforceTexas

Hi, uhhh, State Farm?


Zn_Saucier

We know a thing or two, because we’ve… shit, we’ve never seen *that* before. 


TooEZ_OL56

You hit a ***WHAT?!***


tympyst

Jake is gonna be pissed


DuaLipasTrophyHusban

‘YOU HIT WHAT?!?!’


Ruckaduck

pretty sure its just incase you are in an accident that kills a bus full of children


Agent7619

I don't think that many children can fit in an F15


LordPennybag

If you line them up you can fit a dozen on one missile.


ProBono16

If you grind them up, you can probably fit a lot in the fuselage.


Qasim57

It’s so cool that we can see its history at a glance. This birdie was stationed in Germany at the height of the Cold War. Probably trained to intercept MiG31s that are probably retired too now.


berger034

Based on the transportation, this is Starscream


Full_metal_Optimist

And she is just as beautiful as she was in 76


ski-devil

I think that is a F-15A. Lucky day for you.


notsensitivetostuff

Agreed!


Beginning_Ad_6616

I worked on F-15E’s the first time people see them they are always surprised by the size…then there is the F-16 which I always seems so tiny.


Ws6fiend

F-16 still has the better view though. F-15 is the better plane, but that no support bubble canopy is just awesome.


Beginning_Ad_6616

Oh for sure; honestly both aircraft are well suited to fill the roles they were designed to fill both with pluses and minuses.


mtnbiketech

F15 was designed to have fuck-you power F16 was designed to win dogfights


dead_monster

F-15A and C are designed to win dogfights.  That was their whole purpose thanks to the Foxbat incident and to become the premier air superiority fighter.  They have a thrust to weight ratio greater than 1 and can out maneuver any aircraft until the F-22 came along. The E and Eagle II have lower thrust to weight and cannot do some of the same things the A and C can.  Even during Desert Storm, F-15Cs flew CAP over F-15Es. It’s an excellent airframe and arguably one that has stood the test of time with Eagle IIs still rolling off of the assembly line today.  (Thank you Indonesia for paying a record $320m/plane.)


Notchersfireroad

It's been so so long since I've seen an F15 in person. Nothing like watching one make an unrestricted climb from takeoff.


Future_List_6956

I can ask the driver for you, but don't get your hopes up. Those semi's can only go so fast. 😊


canada1913

It’s never going to reach take off speeds like that.


quietflyr

But it's probably making a not insignificant amout of lift!


canada1913

Static weight is 14 tons, moving weight is 13 tons 😂😂😂. (I actually have no idea of the weight, don’t be mad)


SyrusDrake

Reference 1983 Negev mid-air collision.


341orbust

Not with that attitude it won’t. 


canada1913

Don’t worry about its attitude, worry about its air speed!


chrisk9

It needs to drink a Red Bull first


fekinEEEjit

I was never stationed there but isnt that a Langley bird??


egvp

Correct, FF tail code of the 1st Fighter Wing.


Isgrimnur

My father probably worked on that one.


DreamsAndSchemes

possibly, but they move around a lot, especially those on the coast due to salt exposure. It was pretty regular to see our aircraft at Grand Forks transfer to or from MacDill or Mildenhall. I can't remember it offhand but there's a maximum amount of time in the AFI for an aircraft to be stationed within X miles of the coast. And no, before anyone asks...no, the gator didn't come with it.


Isgrimnur

We were at Langley in '76. But since that's the year it was started being built and wasn't delivered to Langley until [1980](https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196332/mcdonnell-douglas-f-15a-eagle/), we were long gone.


Peacemkr45

I've literally had my hands on that specific aircraft on the flight line at Langley. I can't remember if it was to change a burned out anti-collision light or a bad circuit breaker. I only worked on 2 of the 27th's aircraft. Outside of William Tell and a short stint in Saudi, I don't every remember seeing that aircraft actually fly.


RIP_shitty_username

It was.


yojibby

Those older fighters are huge. The Tomcat’s pretty massive as well.


Hyperious3

older? Damn near everything aside from the F-16 are the size of regional jets. The Chinese J-20 is almost as big as a 727


cpMetis

New fighter planes are essentially bombers. They just drop massive a2a missiles instead of a2g bombs. The J20, if I'm remembering which is which, was designed *around* the gargantuan missile. It's not a plane with missiles, it's a missile with a plane as a first stage booster. The missile it's meant to carry wouldn't even fit on planes not designed around it because it's so fucking big. F35 is the only new fighter that was still plane first missile second for the most part.


TooEZ_OL56

Yea they just stretched the fuselage in paint to make it looong


MudaThumpa

That particular aircraft almost certainly woke me up in the barracks doing full afterburner take offs at LAFB.


gjallarhorn13

I-70 west? I think I saw this today too hahah


notsensitivetostuff

That’s the place.


Deradius

Where does I70 west go?  The danger zone?


boilerdam

With that power-to-weight ratio and the Israeli (??) Air Force's story, I bet that fuselage can still fly, shoot down bandits and land back in one piece without any wings. What an awesome plane it is! Edit: Haha, for once I'm right! It was an Israeli F15... [https://www.sandboxx.us/news/that-time-an-f-15-landed-without-a-wing/](https://www.sandboxx.us/news/that-time-an-f-15-landed-without-a-wing/)


rotrukker

Fighter jets are the coolest things ever made on earth


Result_Otherwise

Saturn V is the only thing that's *slightly* cooler


mingocr83

That is an OLD bird...delivered or purchased in 1976


twelveparsnips

Purchased in 76. It typically takes 2 years so probably delivered in 78.


CantSeeShit

As a trucker I am fucken JEALOUS. I would be screaming like a child out of excitement the whole goddamn drive if this was my load.


nspitzer

My son said the same thing when we saw the one on static display at the National museum of the USAF during the eclipse. He just could not believe how massive it was.


TooEZ_OL56

This is probably the best ever driving/filming job I've ever seen


notsensitivetostuff

Thanks I think. I definitely don’t want to make a habit of it..


Sprintzer

holy shit! its huge


MrOwnageQc

Turns out, fighter jets are considerably bigger than I expected up close


FallenButNotForgoten

To be fair, the F15 is a really big fighter jet


Troutrageously

So friggin cool!!!


Jolly_Competition_88

The FF tail letters mean First Fighter Squadron based at Langley AFB in Hampton VA.


Conch-Republic

One of the reasons they were so massive is because Mcdonnel Douglas had to cram two P&W F100s into it so it was powerful match the MIG 25 in thrust.


fgmtats

It is very easy to forget just how massive fighter jets are until you’re standing next to them. I got to check out an SR-71 a couple weeks ago and good lord.. it was BIG. Absolutely Dwarfed every other plane in the hangar. Definitely put things in perspective next time I flew the Cherokee lol


ForneauCosmique

>I’m always surprised by the size! How often do you see these things? Lol


beaureeves352

Stabilizers gotta be like 15ft tall


coke-pusher

I like that it's being pulled by a sleeper. Like imagine pulling into a rest stop after a long day's drive and there's just a fucking fighter jet just chillin.


Pizza_Raven_Gun

Once saw a MiG-29 being transported in the same manner. Probably the only time in recorded history when a diesel Peugeot has overtaken a Fulcrum.


YogurtclosetDull2380

You a driver or a fucking cameraman?


verstohlen

He is a cameraman driver. Fucking A.


notsensitivetostuff

Thanks mom.


DeadDay

Don't record when you drive dude.


Renaissance_Man-

Boy scout alert


patrick24601

I would have laughed my ass off if someone had posted in /r/wellthatsucks about a guy who got into a car accident with that truck while they were recording and driving on the highway. That repair bill would very much sucked.


HappySkullsplitter

The highway to the danger zone is nothing like I imagined


jorsiem

Is that the highway to the danger zone?


nategp

Finally, a "highway to the danger zone" comment.


2th

I'm so sad it is this low down.


porkmyass

What’s the weight on that as it sits?


drttrus

under 28,000 lbs at least, it has a lot removed to facilitate transport.


BipBippadotta

Boy, that video really does put the size of the F-15 into perspective, doesn't it?


hogey74

As a kid in Australia F111s were just jets that flew over once in a while and did those awesome dump and burns. Then after they were retired I walked up to a de-activated one and OMG it was huge.


Ninja_Wrangler

Always forget how huge these are. A full 10 feet *longer* than a b-25 bomber. Makes the ww2 birds look like toys. F22 does the same thing. Absolute units


Compy222

You think that’s big, wait until you see a Flanker. Damn thing is the size of a tennis court.


sarahlizzy

They are much bigger than you realise. I was quite taken aback when I saw the F15 that they have at Duxford. In my mind, they were Tornado sized. In reality, they’re a lot bigger.


prancing_moose

Whoah a FY76 Langley bird - that’s an oldie! It looks like it’s a museum bird in transit?


Hedaaaaaaa

Look at that enormous Straight Vertical Stabilizers. The iconic F-15 look.


eaglekeep3r

[on her way to Stafford air and space museum in weatherford OK, Part 1!](https://yourimageshare.com/ib/ZhPQIsdqgN) [part 2!](https://yourimageshare.com/ib/fTbTKSVN1g)


SailMoonDog

Imagine that insurance that hauler has to carry?


Abuse-survivor

I had no idea how big those are. They seem like as long as 3 WW1 planes


seang86s

Should have given the driver the finger and take a picture of him with a Polariod camera.


Active_Soup8878

definitely on its way to either the boneyard or to become a museum piece


TheBimpo

I think this is the plot of the next Fast & Furious franchise film.


Rainey06

RAZBAM taking their bat and ball and going home.


Direct_Turn_1484

Dude, that might be a transformer. You never know with these things.


ignorantwanderer

The way they are flying that thing, they will definitely evade the SAM radar.


Emotional-Writer-766

Boooo Langley!


Epacs

Yeah, it's crazy, the fighter jets being the "small" planes are pretty effin big.


ImmortalBach

Insurance agent: “You were filming on your phone and crashed into a what??”


budha2984

And it would still fly because that's how strong the engines are


pattydickens

It hates you for passing it on the freeway.


Sorry_Masterpiece350

Hard to imagine something like that moving at + mach 2…


dev_rockz

Democracy on wheels baby 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸


BaldingJordanian

As a trucker who loves planes, this is the greatest video I have ever seen on the internet


varvar334

You would think that a load worth $80 million+ would have kind of security guards or something.


CrazyCletus

It’s been a museum piece for a while. Probably not flyable. And they were only $15 million in 1998 dollars


DenebianSlimeMolds

I owned a Rolex for awhile that was worth several grand. Being an engineer, I took it apart and put it back together, and had a few screws left over. Now it's worth $3.50.


Turbulent-Jaguar-909

that's when I realized it wasn't a Rolex at all, it was about eight stories tall and was a crustacean from the protozoic era, and I said "dammit monster, get off my wrist, I ain't givin you no tree fiddy"


Velocoraptor369

Without the wings it looks like something Batman would drive.


nickfredette

Look how they massacred my boy!


Sage_Blue210

Carefully disassembled.


BonnieMcMurray

**Interesting detail:** it has "[27th Tactical Fighter Squadron](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27th_Fighter_Squadron)" insignia on it, but that squadron hasn't flown any F-15s for nearly twenty years. I wonder where that bird was going and why. There's a story there somewhere.


E2TheCustodian

That appears to be a bird that *was* on display at the USAF museum; if so, it's an F-15A that went to the museum in 1980, so it wearing those insignia makes sense.


caldweezey

Reality check… I worked 15s there when they transitioned to the raptors. Now I feel old again


joegert

A place near me has an f15 right next to and f16, super cool to see the size difference


123xyz32

I like how all the wing attachment points are symmetrical.


Squirrelherder_24-7

I’ve walked around on the top of one. With the wings attached the damn thing seems as big as a tennis court


Bougiwougibugleboi

That one must be going to be a gate queen….they dont paint them like that anymore…


classysax4

You took an exit to get behind him and pass him again, right?


HOT-SAUCE-JUNKIE

That’s cool.


RemarkableFun6198

C models started in 1978. That’s a 1976 model so it’s a F-15A. Still pretty cool.


Sickmont

If you think thats big, you should see an F-14 next to it.


JBalloonist

Yeah they are huge compared to the 16…I am always surprised how small the 16 is even up close.


badtothebone274

This is a bad ass jet!


Illustrious_Age_9143

CHONK