Chuck Yeager gave this F-15 Eagle one last ride Oct. 26, bringing to a close his 60-year career flying military aircraft. Yeager, with test pilot Lt.Col.Troy Fontaine in the back seat, burst the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom.

The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed by McDonnell Douglas, its mission was to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. The Eagle began as an Air Force study in the early 1960s, known as the Fighter Experimental (FX). Using lessons learned in Vietnam, the USAF sought to develop and procure a new, dedicated air superiority fighter. The F-15 was the first air-to-air fighter requested by the USAF since the F-86 Sabre. It posesses an unequaled combination of performance, firepower and avionics.

Fairchild Republic, North American Rockwell and McDonnell Douglas all submitted proposals to the competition. The winning design of McDonnell Douglas resembled the F-14 Tomcat, but with fixed wings. The initial version was designated F-15A for the single-seat configuration and F-15B for the twin-seat. The Eagle has a look-down/shoot-down radar that is able to distinguish low-flying moving targets from ground clutter. The weapons and flight control systems were designed so that one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. The aircraft can be armed with combinations of four different air-to-air weapons, and its maneuverability allows it to turn tightly without losing airspeed.

Get this F15 Eagle model today for only $175.00!

The Convair XF-92 was the first American delta wing aircraft. Originally conceived as a point-defense interceptor, it was later made purely experimental. Its design would lead Convair to use the delta wing on a number of planes including the F-102 Delta Dagger, F-106 Delta Dart, and B-58 Hustler. The XF-92 was not the aircraft originally assigned the designation, rather a hybrid, hastily-built machine designed solely to test the delta wing planform.

In August 1945, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) requested for a supersonic interceptor capable of 700 mph speeds and reaching an altitude of 50,000 feet in four minutes. Several companies responded, and in May 1946, Convair won with their proposal for a ramjet-powered aircraft with a 45 degree swept wing. The delta wing’s thin airfoil cross section, low weight and good structural strength made a good combination for a supersonic airplane. Although the XF-92 itself might not have been well liked, the design concept clearly had promise, and the delta wing layout went on to be a standard on Convair designs through the 1950s and 60s.

In April 1948, the XF-92 was shipped to Muroc Dry Lake. Early tests were limited to taxiing, although a short hop was made on June 9, 1948. After company testing, the aircraft was turned over to the USAAF on August 26, 1949, with the testing assigned to Frank Everest and Charles “Chuck” Yeager. Yeager was the first Air Force pilot to fly the XF-92. On his first attempt, he rolled the plane off to the right on landing, with the aircraft coming to rest in a somewhat comical pose, balanced on the nose and the leading edge of the right wing. Damage was minimal and the aircraft was able to resume flight almost immediately.

Get this Convair model today for only $175.00!

“LH7-0959 Stearman N2S”

We have another satisfied customer here at Warplanes.com! Here is Tom Gary’s reaction to the Stearman custom model we made for him,

Received the Stearman model and it is very handsome and crafted well. I thank you for your interest and help. It now sits on a shelf in the den and as I gaze at it, I am taken back in time some 65 years. I choose to forget the ground loops etc and again thank you.

Thank you, Tom, for trusting Warplanes.com. It has been a delight working with you.

Do you have a made-to-order replica that you’d like to share as well? Please let us know! You might see your custom model in this spot next time.

Learn more about the Custom Models we offer, order yours today!

See more photos..
Read the rest of this entry »