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The recent brouhaha about Bush’s ANG experience has made me realize his talents. The military didn’t just let anyone strap on an F-102. The F-102 Delta Dagger entered service in 1956 with a price tag of $1,184,000. That is over $7,650,000 in 2002 dollars.
On top of that, the F-102 was a difficult airplane to fly. With a gross weight of 32,000 Lbs and an engine developing only 16,000 Lbs of thrust, the aircraft was underpowered. This reduces your margin of error and makes if much more likely that a mistake with cost you dearly.
A few years later the aircraft was redesigned, given a bigger engine and called the F-106. The F-106 grossed out at 38,000 Lbs and its engine provided 24,500 Lbs of thrust. That gave a much better power to weight ratio.
For those poor deluded souls that think the President’s brain is not up to snuff, look at the facts. The man was a fighter jock in a difficult to fly aircraft and he never bent an airframe. The man is also a Harvard graduate with an MBA. Both achievements require no small amount of brainpower.
But you are free to ignore the evidence and believe differently.
Posted by Ted at February 14, 2004 8:34 PM