A little help here

[GodSaveTheUSA73 0]

i have to write a paper about one aircraft that has changed the face of war. It must be military and post WWII. I was thinking about maybe the B-70,....but it didn't really change too much...anyone have any good ideas...and if it comes down to it I'll just do the B-52...but i'd like to do something less well known.

 

any help would be appreciated..

 

tony

Edited October 24, 2008 by GodSaveTheUSA73

[TX3RN0BILL 3]

The F-4 Phantom? A multi-service international aircraft whose perhaps best accomplishment was to show that all the hopes of turning the pilot into a simple button-pusher that was just there to get a lock-on and press fire to let rip a missile is pure nonsense... After the F-4 all airforces worldwide recognized that pilots needed mastery of ACM - and that A2A planes needed a cannon as standard, built-in armament!

Edited October 24, 2008 by TX3RN0BILL

[Nesher 629]

you have a lot of jets for your work

the F-86 Sabre, F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle, F-117 Nighthawk etc..

[gbnavy61 1]

I don't know about less well known, but here are some that come to mind for me:

 

F-4 - first all missile armament, and multi-role big jet fighter

EA-6B/EF-111 - modern jamming/SEAD aircraft

F-14 - first long-range missle/radar system on a big fighter (some good info during the Iran-Iraq War)

F-117 - first stealth aircraft

AV-8 - Harrier, first operational VTOL jet (debut in Argentina)

F-86 - first US swept wing jet fighter (counter to the MiG-15)

UH-1 - Huey, first mass-use helicopter (esp. in Vietnam) w/ many missions and modifications (led to the AH-1)

AH-1 - first dedicated attack helicopter

SR-71 or U-2 - high-speed/altitude recce platforms

B-52 - lots of years of service w/ lots of missions to look at

 

MiG-15 - first operational interceptor over Korea, swept wings, etc.

MiG-25 - Mach 3+ interceptor, was untouchable for a while

Mi-24 - first helicopter built like a tank

 

There's many more options out there. I don't know as much about Soviet or European (western) aircraft, as I do the US, so I'm sure there are a lot more interesting aircraft out there.

 

You could make the argument that many aircraft changed the face of war, this even applies to testbed aircraft or X-planes (like the XB-70). In general, a new aircraft has capabilities that surpass its predecessors and probably give it an advantage over its contemporary enemies (real or projected). These new capabilities encourage the other side to counter them with new tactics and/or weapon systems - which also "changes the face of war." Heck, you could probably even start talking about UAVs.

[GodSaveTheUSA73 0]

honestly i tihnk i'm going to do the F-4....i don't know why i over looked it...but this is the first of 3 i have to write for my History class so i'm sure i will some back and use some other ideas...thank you for your help...i really appreciate it...i was having a major brain fart

[+Typhoid 231]

E-2/E-3?

 

the advent of airborne early warning is certainly a major advance.

 

not to mention electronic warfare

[JediMaster 451]

The F-117 is undeniable, but it's also very obvious and still a lot is "black" and inaccessible.

 

The F-4 is a good choice, although proving it "changed the face" will be harder because it's not so blatant.

 

The UH-1 certainly ranks up there, if anything higher than the F-4.

[gbnavy61 1]

Oh, I was thinking about this but forgot to mention it before: tankers. Turn a 2-hour mission into as long as the pilots can stand it.

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

I think the F-4 is the best choice, it was really the first multi-role jet fighter.

 

UH-1 BIG Choice as well, it changed the way we move troops around the battlefield, maid COIN operations and medivac operations so much easier.

 

AWACS - pretty much has changed A2A combat completely

 

The First Jets - pretty much speaks for it's self.

 

Tankers - Pretty big deal, how many missions would not happen if not for air refueling?

 

F-117 Actually this is iffy in my opinion. As of now. Right now non-stealth a/c are still being designed and produced and operated. War hasn't changed yet because of stealth a/c. Eventually I think it will, but it is going to take a long time.

 

UAV - Unmanned A/C finding targets and striking targets. This is a pretty big deal, but as with stealth, it hasn't truly reached its potential as of yet, but I think it will have a bigger and quicker effect on warfare than stealth a/c.

 

Jamming A/C -While important, they didn't change the face of warfare as much as they were created as a necessity to something not airborne that actually did change the face of air warfare, the radar and the SAM. I see their importance going away with an aging fleet of EA-6s as the only dedicated jamming A/C in all of the US Armed forces with no replacement on the horizon.(that i know of)

 

As much as I love the BUFF, I really don't think it "changed the face" of air warfare. It had a lot of innovations that made is do a mission that had been done for quite some time better than anyone else. Other than launching cruise missiles it really hasn't done anything different than earlier bombers did just done it better. And the innovation cruise missiles brought was more of the missile not the platform.

 

Harrier - Has this aircraft really "changed the face" of air warfare? If it truly had there would be far more aircraft designed since it with VTOL capabilities.

 

 

I'm sure some people will disagree with me, but these are just my opinions. I think there is a difference between an a/c having a new innovation and completely changing the face of fighting.

[johnrey 0]

Im gonna go for the F-86,because it revolutionized jet warfare in the modern world.

[rovert97 1]

go with the A-10, the first and only aircraft in the US to be solely designed for and used for Close Air Support. the men on the ground depend on them.

 

or perhaps the F-4 because it was so versatile.

[+Gocad 26]

Im gonna go for the F-86,because it revolutionized jet warfare in the modern world.

 

Huh? How? Now that's an explanation I would like to hear.

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

go with the A-10, the first and only aircraft in the US to be solely designed for and used for Close Air Support. the men on the ground depend on them.

 

This didn't really "change the face" of air warfare though. Just because something was innovative or the "first and only" doesn't mean it changed the way war was fought. Aircraft were already doing CAS before the A-10 was introduced.

[GodSaveTheUSA73 0]

you all bring up very good points...right now i'm about 10 pages into this paper...with much more to go...for my next paper ( i think i'm going in reverse order here) 90% sure i'm going to do the F-86...you all are right...the MiG-15/F-86 rivalry changed everything...the first AIM-9 appeared while it was still a turning dogfight...

 

i have been doing lots of research about the F-4 though...holy cow....it seemed like after every plane was assembled the next one had some form of an improvement. it was like evolution on a rapid scale.

 

if you care to read when i get it finished i can post it...just...it's for my Honors History class so i had to dumb down a lot of things so my teacher would understand it...so some of you may laugh...

 

thank you again

[MigBuster 2,860]

I think the F-4 is the best choice, it was really the first multi-role jet fighter.

 

UH-1 BIG Choice as well, it changed the way we move troops around the battlefield, maid COIN operations and medivac operations so much easier.

 

AWACS - pretty much has changed A2A combat completely

 

The First Jets - pretty much speaks for it's self.

 

Tankers - Pretty big deal, how many missions would not happen if not for air refueling?

 

F-117 Actually this is iffy in my opinion. As of now. Right now non-stealth a/c are still being designed and produced and operated. War hasn't changed yet because of stealth a/c. Eventually I think it will, but it is going to take a long time.

 

UAV - Unmanned A/C finding targets and striking targets. This is a pretty big deal, but as with stealth, it hasn't truly reached its potential as of yet, but I think it will have a bigger and quicker effect on warfare than stealth a/c.

 

Jamming A/C -While important, they didn't change the face of warfare as much as they were created as a necessity to something not airborne that actually did change the face of air warfare, the radar and the SAM. I see their importance going away with an aging fleet of EA-6s as the only dedicated jamming A/C in all of the US Armed forces with no replacement on the horizon.(that i know of)

 

On the last point ......EA-18G Growler

 

Agree on some other points - apart from the F-117A which although dependant on fly by wire (like the F-16) did change the face of warfare in 1991 not least replacing a mass conventional strike force with tiny force of F-117s and tankers to hit high value targets. The fact the only 5th gen a/c are stealth says it all. - all 4th gen a/c being produced are for countries without the cash for Stealth - Pretty sure they would take an F-22 if they could

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

The greatest post-WW2 operational face change was designed into the B-52. With minimal air refueling compared to other bombers, B-52 range allowed SAC to close overseas bases, operate from bases inside Ussia, yet strike anywhere in Russia.

 

Strategic Frontier: American Bomber Bases Overseas, 1950-1960, by Kurt Schake....massive PDF file.

 

here, link #13 ~> http://www.theblackvault.com/modules.php?n...e&pageID=13

 

 

For reading large PDF files, I suggest the free FOXIT PDF reader http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php ... I have the earlier 2.0 without the new fancy features...it may be gettable there still.

 

Much faster than the slow and bloated standard PDF reader.

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

butt...even home brew B-52s still depended on air refueling. Maybe air refueling was the greatest face change OF ALL TIME.

 

What was the first widely used air refueler. KB-29?

[JediMaster 451]

Actually I think the KB-50 (the derivative of the 29) was the first one used en masse. However, its slow speed meant refueling problems until the 135s were introduced.

[GodSaveTheUSA73 0]

the air refueler is going to be the 3rd one. your right...it alone had changed air warfare. nothing would be the same with out it. now i got it all planned out.

 

that's why i asked you guys. my little aviation guru haven. i knew you would have some good ideas. thank you very much...i hope you don't mind if i use your suggestions?