Quote:
Originally Posted by Skymaster337B
I don't think the old B-17s should be out flying around...those planes are of national historic significance. However, I've been saying for years that they should start building 2011 model B-17s. We won WWII faster than this war on terrorism using B-17s versus smart bombs. Don't get me wrong, we should use the latest technology in these new B-17s: glass cockpits, turbo-prop engines, GPS and INS navigation....but no smart bombs. Build 20,000 new B-17s and start the carpet bombing of the middle east and lets give them what the nazis got. Am I wrong?
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Well, look at the F-35
The contract for that was let in 1996, and again in 2000. It still isn't in service. By comparison, it took the good folks at North American less than 180 days to go from contract to first flight of the P-51.
The problem is all that glass cockpit stuff, and smart bombs.
Turbo Props are expensive to build and maintain, that's why we don't have them on Skymasters.
The B-17 was popular, but the better aircraft was the B-24. Often compared with the better-known B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 was a more modern design with a higher top speed, greater range, and a heavier bomb load. My favorite, is the A-26. Piston engines would do just fine, and less expensive to produce, not requiring expensive materials from China.
That's why we don't want Turbo Props on Skymasters. Give us the Aluminum and Steel. We'll do just fine.