Friday pictures: Blaze of Glory

The Portland Airport is home to the 142nd Fighter Wing, which is part of the Oregon Air National Guard. Equipped with McDonnell Douglas, er, Boeing F-15 Eagles, the Redhawks provide air defense for the Pacific Northwest. They also attract a dedicated group of photographers on Flickr, who chronicle the unit’s operations in wonderful detail. Chief

Further serious Lego planes

366thWG (1) Originally uploaded by Mad physicist Follow the link to see an amazing brick homage to the former residents of Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. Note that all three planes in this shot are built to the same scale (1:36). What dedication to execute these so perfectly. These creations build on the earlier planes found

Bears buzz Nimitz

In the past few months, I’ve had a few posts about Russia’s stepped up Tu-95 patrols – first near Norway and the UK, and then more recently when they met up with Alaskan F-22’s for the first time. Such interaction among the world’s air forces was a routine occurrence during the Cold War, but the

Lego F-15

F-15E12 Originally uploaded by Mad physicist I nearly overlooked the Mad Physicist’s fourth magnificent creation – a scale Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F-15E Strike Eagle. I love Eagle’s speed brake and it’s recreated perfectly here. Amazing detail. Other works by the same builder here (B-1B), here (Su-27), and here (E-2C). More scale Lego planes here

USAF F-15 in-flight breakup animation

Text from Recreating the Eagle’s final moments By Graham Warwick Using eyewitness reports, HUD camera video, debris analysis and the pilot’s own testimony, Boeing’s Phantom Works research organisation has recreated the break-up of the US Air National Guard F-15C in the skies of Missouri on 2 November. “This is as close as science can get