Shown below are some of the jet planes which are on display at the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
Shown above is a reproduction of the 1942 Messerschmitt Me-262A-1 Schwalbe (Swallow). This is the aircraft that changed the nature of air warfare: it was the world’s first operational jet fighter. The Germans flew the world’s first jet airplane in 1939. It had a top speed of 559 miles per hour and could cruise at 165 miles per hour. Fortunately for the Allies in World War II, it had undependable engines, a limited range (652 miles) and poor performance at low speeds. Politics and technical difficulties prevented it from reaching its full potential. Only a small number actually saw combat.
Shown above is a 1966 de Haviland D.H. 100 Vampire. This was the second single-engine jet fighter to go into service with the Royal Air Force. The first production version of this aircraft was flown in 1945. It had a maximum speed of 531 miles per hour.
Shown above is a 1950 Republic F-84F Thunderstreak. This was an important Cold War jet and saw action in Korea. It had a maximum speed of 658 miles per hour. The F-84 was the first tactical aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Shown above is a 1955 North American FJ-3 Fury.
Military aircraft are designed to kill people. Shown above is one of the guns used in the Fury.
Shown above is a 1975 Soviet MIG—MiG 21MF Fishbed J. More than 10,000 of these aircraft have been built in various countries. According to one writer:
“Hard to spot and nimble, in the hands of a good pilot it was a match for much more sophisticated Western fighters.”
Shown above is a 1953 Soviet MIG—OKB Mikoyan I Guryevich MiG-17A Fresco. It has a top speed of 665 miles per hour and can cruise at 535 miles per hour. It has a cruising range of 1,355 miles with auxiliary fuel tanks. The most prominent use of this fighter was in Vietnam. According to one writer:
“…North Vietnamese Frescos often managed to get the better of both U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy aircraft, whose pilots were unable to use their long-range missiles due to rules of engagement requiring that they visually identify their targets before firing. This drew them into close combats where the MiGs had superior turning advantage.”
Shown above is a 1963 McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II. It has a top speed of 1,400 miles per hour and can cruise at 590 miles per hour. It has a cruising range of 1,750 miles. These aircraft were sold to numerous foreign countries, including Israel, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and South Korea. Israel’s Phantom’s saw the most combat actions. Iran’s saw extensive combat in the war against Iraq. Turkey’s have been used in ground attacks against Kurdish separatist forces.
Shown above is a 1963 Leerjet 24. This business jet has become synonymous with luxury and wealth. It can cruise at 481 miles per hour with a top speed of 545 miles per hour and a range of 1,695 miles.
....to be continued.