Guest huf1234 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) Needing to buy a gift for a F-15e pilot.... I'm not looking for generic strike eagle stuff.Searching to find something with historical significance... Any ideas? Edited December 9, 2009 by KET1982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Davies Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 At the risk of being lambasted for shameless self promotion, you may want to consider this F-15E book. It's six years old now, but it tells the story of the Strike Eagle's development and history to a level that no other book has either before or since, and it has some combat related stories that may be of interest since many of them come from 'old timers' that are no longer in the F-15E community. Just an idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkDiggler Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 http://www.aviationarthangar.com/f15eagle.html This sight has some pretty cool paintings by Brit artisits, they really get into aviation over there, should give you a good start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Davies Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 http://www.aviationa...m/f15eagle.html This sight has some pretty cool paintings by Brit artisits, they really get into aviation over there, should give you a good start Just make sure you don't get him an F-15C print by accident! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest huf1234 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) Just make sure you don't get him an F-15C print by accident! At the risk of being lambasted for shameless self promotion, you may want to consider this F-15E book. It's six years old now, but it tells the story of the Strike Eagle's development and history to a level that no other book has either before or since, and it has some combat related stories that may be of interest since many of them come from 'old timers' that are no longer in the F-15E community. Just an idea. Thanks. I checked out your book.. looks nice! http://www.aviationarthangar.com/f15eagle.html This sight has some pretty cool paintings by Brit artisits, they really get into aviation over there, should give you a good start That is a great sight...and definately along the lines of something I'm looking for. Edited December 9, 2009 by KET1982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkDiggler Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) There's a couple E model prints on there, gotta click on them individually and it'll tell you, anything dropping GBU's is an E, Ronald Wong painted a couple "Panthers over Bosnia, Bolars over Belgrade, Dover Tour, Thunder from the North, and Nowhere to hide" are all E models Edited October 20, 2009 by DirkDiggler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 What base will he be assigned to? The Ron Wong F-15E prints are all for RAF Lakenheath, the Keith Ferris print is a 335th jet from Seymour Johnson. Here are a couple prints of some 336th FS (Seymour Johnson) jets: "No Fly Zone" by Mike Goettner, a print depicting an Operation Northern Watch mission. "Pressing West At Frisco" by Wade Meyers, a print depicting an Operation Iraqi Freedom mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsokimapilot Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 What base will he be assigned to? The Ron Wong F-15E prints are all for RAF Lakenheath, the Keith Ferris print is a 335th jet from Seymour Johnson. Here are a couple prints of some 336th FS (Seymour Johnson) jets: "No Fly Zone" by Mike Goettner, a print depicting an Operation Northern Watch mission. "Pressing West At Frisco" by Wade Meyers, a print depicting an Operation Iraqi Freedom mission. Hacker, how many of the "Pressing West at FRISCO" pics do you have hanging in your house? Do you give them out at Christmas? Seriously though, that's pretty cool to have a piece of art that you are flying in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Hacker, how many of the "Pressing West at FRISCO" pics do you have hanging in your house? None...but I have the original painting hanging over my fireplace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfargin Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 None...but I have the original painting hanging over my fireplace. Nice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Day Man Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Seriously though, that's pretty cool to have a piece of art that you are flying in. 2. straight up awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dupe Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Other ideas: -Frame or somehow display his first LGB lanyard (surely he got one at the FTU) Much like sex, that first one may not have been good but it was memorable -A set of "sticks". Esnacko link Someday he'll be briefing a chair. -An arts & crafts kit complete with the following: -string -white-out tape -large eraser -combat plotter (Google "PLU-6C") -Dry erase pens & eraser -Wet erase pens -Good mechanical pencils -Skillcraft pens The F-15E community seems to be the most arts & crafts intensive community out there. The C-model dudes don't know what the hell we're doing. The vipers don't get that complicated. Bomber dudes give mission planning a whole day so they have the perfect computerized products. Strike Eagle bubbas regularly pull a rabbit out of their hats in about two hours of mission planning time. -North Face Base Camp duffel bag This bag is extremely durable, yet fits perfectly in a travel pod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinny Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Maybe a bit extreme but an old neighbor of mine got his hands on a barrel from the M61, had it chromed and mounted it on a plaque for hanging as a going away gift. Thing looked pretty badass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest huf1234 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) What base will he be assigned to? The Ron Wong F-15E prints are all for RAF Lakenheath, the Keith Ferris print is a 335th jet from Seymour Johnson. Here are a couple prints of some 336th FS (Seymour Johnson) jets: "No Fly Zone" by Mike Goettner, a print depicting an Operation Northern Watch mission. "Pressing West At Frisco" by Wade Meyers, a print depicting an Operation Iraqi Freedom mission. He is at Seymour Johnson Edited December 9, 2009 by KET1982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) He is at Seymour Johnson with the 335th... so that sounds enticing. I'll check out the Keith Ferris prints. Do you know of any prints from the 335th other than Keith Ferris. Forgive me for this laughable question... (I'm somewhat ignorant when it comes to military stuff)...what's the difference between the 335th and 336th squadrons... would it be a bad idea to get a 336th? Yes, it would be a bad idea. They are different squadrons with basically the same mission. There has always been a rivalry between the Chiefs and the Rockets, sometimes friendly and sometimes unfriendly. It's like a "State U vs U" type rivalry. If it's your man's first fighter squadron, he's probably pretty attached to it -- it's a little but like your first love, first kiss, or the first girl you slept with. Buying him a print that depicts the 'rival' squadron probably wouldn't make him all that happy. The only other commercially-available 335th print that I can think of is "On The Warpath" by Jerry Bean, which was done in 2002 after the Chiefs came back from Operation ANACONDA in Afghanistan. It depicts the Battle of Roberts Ridge, and has depictions of some of the Chief's noseart that their jets had on that deployment. I don't have a copy of the print, but I think it's this jet (at the time, the Chief's flagship) that is depicted in the painting: One final note: most squadrons have a supply of art prints that they internally sell through their Snacko, and usually at prices that are significantly less than what you can buy them for commercially. I recommend you check with someone in the squadron to see what the Snacko store has, and don't "waste" your $$ buying him something that he can get in the squadron. Edited October 21, 2009 by Hacker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraildash Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Maybe a bit extreme but an old neighbor of mine got his hands on a barrel from the M61, had it chromed and mounted it on a plaque for hanging as a going away gift. Thing looked pretty badass. Those are badass. I'm having my wedding ceremony next summer and my brother is going to be my best man. For his gift, I am using some spent 20mm shells from one of his B-course flights that he gave me. I'm going to have those chromed (if possible) or highly polished, and then engraved to be used as shot glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Those are badass. I'm going to have those chromed (if possible) or highly polished, and then engraved to be used as shot glasses. THE FOLLOWING IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Get brass, punchout the primer, insert a long bolt with the head on the inside, shank outside (sts) , use a nut and tightly clamp down on the "outside" side. Insert bolt in drill press, turn on machine (sts), brass spins at whatever RPMs the machine is set for allowing hands free ops, polish away as req'd. Use varying degrees of "sand" paper from rough to very fine (rumor control says the Micro-somethng-or-other-kit that they use to repair scratches on Viper canopys works great, or so I've been told). Since you've got a hole in the bottom of your brass (sts) insert a really skinny glass shotglass into the now polished brass. 100X easier to clean with no corrision control requrements. That's how we did it with the 30mm aluminum "brass" for going away plaques back in my hog days, don't know how it would work for actual brass brass that the M-61 uses, never bothered to try. Works awesome for the 30 mil though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest huf1234 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Maybe a bit extreme but an old neighbor of mine got his hands on a barrel from the M61, had it chromed and mounted it on a plaque for hanging as a going away gift. Thing looked pretty badass. Awesome idea! Any idea where I should start looking for a M61 barrel? Are those even obtainable to your knowledge? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest huf1234 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) Yes, it would be a bad idea. They are different squadrons with basically the same mission. There has always been a rivalry between the Chiefs and the Rockets, sometimes friendly and sometimes unfriendly. It's like a "State U vs U" type rivalry. If it's your man's first fighter squadron, he's probably pretty attached to it -- it's a little but like your first love, first kiss, or the first girl you slept with. Buying him a print that depicts the 'rival' squadron probably wouldn't make him all that happy. The only other commercially-available 335th print that I can think of is "On The Warpath" by Jerry Bean, which was done in 2002 after the Chiefs came back from Operation ANACONDA in Afghanistan. It depicts the Battle of Roberts Ridge, and has depictions of some of the Chief's noseart that their jets had on that deployment. I don't have a copy of the print, but I think it's this jet (at the time, the Chief's flagship) that is depicted in the painting: One final note: most squadrons have a supply of art prints that they internally sell through their Snacko, and usually at prices that are significantly less than what you can buy them for commercially. I recommend you check with someone in the squadron to see what the Snacko store has, and don't "waste" your $$ buying him something that he can get in the squadron. Edited October 27, 2009 by KET1982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest huf1234 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 (edited) Those are badass. I'm having my wedding ceremony next summer and my brother is going to be my best man. For his gift, I am using some spent 20mm shells from one of his B-course flights that he gave me. I'm going to have those chromed (if possible) or highly polished, and then engraved to be used as shot glasses. Any idea where to find some used ones? Edited October 27, 2009 by KET1982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Another sweet idea. What kind of shells does the F15e use? Any idea where to find some used ones? The F-15E shoots 20mm. The spent casings are relatively tough to come by, as they're 'controlled' by the ammunition folks on base. Not sure exactly what they do with all of the spent casings, but they're accountable items that the ammo dudes have to 'turn in' when done. That being said, the ammo guys will horsetrade for spent casings -- a case of beer is always a good place to start. The real problem for you, as a spouse, will be simply finding a point of contact in the Ammo squadron that you can work with. I'd start by talking with your husband's Flight Commander in the Rockets. He will probably be able to work opening the doors better than you can alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinny Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Awesome idea! Any idea where I should start looking for a M61 barrel? Are those even obtainable to your knowledge? Thank you. No idea dude, sorry. AMARC at D-M wouldn't be a bad place to start. The nice thing is the M61 was used on many different airframes so broaden your search to 16s, 15C's etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraildash Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 THE FOLLOWING IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Get brass, punchout the primer, insert a long bolt with the head on the inside, shank outside (sts) , use a nut and tightly clamp down on the "outside" side. Insert bolt in drill press, turn on machine (sts), brass spins at whatever RPMs the machine is set for allowing hands free ops, polish away as req'd. Use varying degrees of "sand" paper from rough to very fine (rumor control says the Micro-somethng-or-other-kit that they use to repair scratches on Viper canopys works great, or so I've been told). Since you've got a hole in the bottom of your brass (sts) insert a really skinny glass shotglass into the now polished brass. 100X easier to clean with no corrision control requrements. That's how we did it with the 30mm aluminum "brass" for going away plaques back in my hog days, don't know how it would work for actual brass brass that the M-61 uses, never bothered to try. Works awesome for the 30 mil though. Sounds like I have a fun arts and crafts project awaiting me! I dunno if any shot glasses will fit the 20mm though, the shells are about the same diameter as my wedding ring. Unless I cut the casing down to where it starts to taper in, that might work. Do you think getting them chromed would be worth it? I think they'd look pretty awesome, plus it's rather corrosion resistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest huf1234 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Sounds like I have a fun arts and crafts project awaiting me! I dunno if any shot glasses will fit the 20mm though, the shells are about the same diameter as my wedding ring. Unless I cut the casing down to where it starts to taper in, that might work. Do you think getting them chromed would be worth it? I think they'd look pretty awesome, plus it's rather corrosion resistant. Thanks. SO basically you are saying the 20mm are too small around? And you think I should try to find 30 mm instead? I was going to go on a mad hunt for 20mm PGU-27 bullet shells which is what someone in his squadron says they use for training. Obviously don't want to go searching if its too small around though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Davies Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Thanks. SO basically you are saying the 20mm are too small around? And you think I should try to find 30 mm instead? I was going to go on a mad hunt for 20mm PGU-27 bullet shells which is what someone in his squadron says they use for training. Obviously don't want to go searching if its too small around though? You want the 20mm case, not the 30mm one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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