Zoom Climbs - The Highest Life and Death Jet Flights to the Edge of Space.

Comments · 551

• TH

  @thomasbell7033 · 2 years ago

  I am an aviation writer and I have had the good fortune to experience this in several tactical jet types, including the F-104 mentioned at the beginning, as well as the F-15 and F/A-18. I gotta say, it's pretty close to the most fun you can have with or without your pants on.

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• RA

  @randalscott7224 · 2 years ago (edited)

  F-104 Starfighter, the only airplane to attempt the interception of a Constitution Class Starship. (Albeit a crippled one limping along at a lower than usual altitude. ;) )<br>Bluejay 4: &quot;Whatever this thing is, it&apos;s big!&quot;

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• BL

  @bloqk16 · 2 years ago (edited)

  The F104 incident with Chuck Yeager reminded me that the guy truly had a <i>guardian angel</i> in his life.<br>Reading his autobiography, it was a miracle he lived into old age.<br>He survived being shot down in an aerial dogfight in WW II Europe, eluded capture, and flew again in combat missions.<br>Prior to that in stateside, while in combat aircraft training in the East, on weekends he&apos;d fly West to visit his wife, where he admitted that due to exhaustion, he dozed-off at the controls, with the aircraft maintaining a circular flight path while asleep.<br>Another time with sharing the flying duties with a fellow pilot in a transport plane, again to fly from East to West to visit his wife, they set the plane&apos;s controls to autopilot to get some shuteye, only to be fortunate enough to awaken in time to realize the plane was flying into a mountainside box canyon, whereupon they took control of the plane to advert a crash.

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• GL

  @GlutenEruption · 2 years ago

  The f-104 was never designed to be an air superiority fighter, it was purely designed as an interceptor

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• RC

  @RCAvhstape · 2 years ago (edited)

  Ever since I was a little kid I have loved the F-104 Starfighter. Everything about that jet is cool, even the name. Speed, power, futuristic 1950s space age looks. Pure Kelly Johnson badassery, the hell with utility, just make it fast as hell.

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• KE

  @KevinDC5 · 2 years ago

  I cant help but to think back to the ending scene of &quot;The Right Stuff&quot; where Yeager &quot;goes after that Ol&apos;Russian record&quot; in his F-104! &nbsp; &nbsp;Cheers from Texas!

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• US

  @user-cf1se1kk5x · 2 years ago

  123,000 ft from a MiG25 in 1977, a record that still stands is impressive.

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• BE

  @beefgoat80 · 2 years ago

  I recently read that an old German saying went as &quot;if you want your own F-104, just buy a small stretch of land, and will fall on it eventually&quot;. Given the Germans&apos; history with it, I wouldn&apos;t be surprised if it&apos;s true. 😂😂😂

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• MR

  @Mrjonblakely · 2 years ago

  Thank you for reporting Yeager&apos;s accident correctly. The link you provided has the correct information. He did not pay attention to learning the reaction control system and entered the atmosphere in the wrong orientation. Excuses about air temperature are bogus because the air temperature at that altitude is less than -42 Deg C. A variation of air temperature at the dry lake does not create a change at those altitudes. The link you provided has the complete story, he screwed the pooch on this flight.

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• GA

  @gabest4 · 2 years ago (edited)

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPdn_ftiqwA&amp;t=510">8:30</a> Every paper airplane I throw does this.

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• ST

  @stingray427man · 2 years ago

  You got any Beemans? Yeah I might have a stick or 2…

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• MA

  @MattH-wg7ou · 2 years ago

  High Altitude Zoom Climbs are so much more dangerous than most people realize!

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