Just sent to me by email, can't believe it took 2 weeks to filter down to me...

http://www.boeing.com/Features/2011/05/ ... 04_11.html

That thing is spooky.

The last fighter pilot has already been born.

If you add enough power anything will fly.

There's a story in there. My sixth grade teacher held an airplane buidling contest. The challenge was to build a hand launched model airplane that flew the farthest. My buddy Kevin and I were into RC planes at the time and thought for sure one of us would win. Kevin built a cool delta wing design that he could throw hard and straight. I went with a glider design.

On the day of the competition our teacher stood on the roof of the school and launched the airplanes. Us students had to stay on the ground and watch. We were near the end of the contest and Kevin's delta wing was in first place. My glider was in second. The rest of the student's airplanes pretty much stalled and crashed against the school foundation.

It was time for the last airplane to fly. Kevin and I were sure we had 1st and 2nd place locked up. The last airplane was built by a kid with Down's Syndrome. Kevin and I had not seen the airplane and were astounded when the teacher picked it up. It was a dowel rod with a hook on the nose. The teacher then produced a big office rubber band and made like a slingshot with his thumb and index finger. With that he fired that stupid dowel rod across the school yard and declared it the winner. Kevin and I were dejected.

There's a story in there. My sixth grade teacher held an airplane buidling contest. The challenge was to build a hand launched model airplane that flew the farthest. My buddy Kevin and I were into RC planes at the time and thought for sure one of us would win. Kevin built a cool delta wing design that he could throw hard and straight. I went with a glider design.

On the day of the competition our teacher stood on the roof of the school and launched the airplanes. Us students had to stay on the ground and watch. We were near the end of the contest and Kevin's delta wing was in first place. My glider was in second. The rest of the student's airplanes pretty much stalled and crashed against the school foundation.

It was time for the last airplane to fly. Kevin and I were sure we had 1st and 2nd place locked up. The last airplane was built by a kid with Down's Syndrome. Kevin and I had not seen the airplane and were astounded when the teacher picked it up. It was a dowel rod with a hook on the nose. The teacher then produced a big office rubber band and made like a slingshot with his thumb and index finger. With that he fired that stupid dowel rod across the school yard and declared it the winner. Kevin and I were dejected.

I was a bit more successful in a paper airplane contest for a bunch of us 10-year-old boys.

The grown-ups passed out a piece of paper to each of us, and I was the only one who asked what the goal was-

Fastest paper airplane.

So I made a paper airplane with lots of folds and sharp, stubby wings, and won.

Then came round two, slowest airplane.

Everybody else picked up their airplane, while I waked away from mine and asked for another sheet of paper.

Huh?

"That was my fast airplane. I need a different one to go slow".

With very few folds, and the widest wings possible, I won event number two.

Last catagory, most loops. Once again, I needed another sheet of paper, while all the other boys used the same, some bending their trailing edges up.

Three catagories, three wins for me!

I guess that even at 10 years old, I was kind of an airplane nut. Ya think?

The last AIR FORCE fighter pilot, maybe... there is no way a skipper of a carrier is going to let a UCAV near their precious boat.