Aircraft Super Thread Mk.VII

[Sildani]

Um, that was entirely tongue-in-cheek. But hey, imagine the radio call-sign possibilities!

”Tower, this is Cool Ranch requesting vectors to the initial!”

[Shadow]

On 5/24/2018 at 5:40 PM, Petrov27 said:

Bring back the A-6

Shoot most got brand new composite wings and upgraded avionics then were promptly retired to the desert

As I recall reading, the composite wings were a double-edged sword as they increased fatigue on the airframes of an already very old aircraft. I would have only favored keeping the Intruder in service if the Navy had purchased the A-6F Intruder II. The F404 engines would have provided a reasonable power bump and increased loiter time.

[kalvasflam]

16 hours ago, Shadow said:

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/21755/f-15sa-bristles-with-a-dozen-aim-120s-missiles-during-star-wars-canyon-run

Them SPAMRAAMs.

 

 

What a waste, the centerline has nothing on it, can't they slap on a pod with four more AMRAAMs?  12 AMMRAAMs seem to be not nearly enough for an itano circus.

But I suppose, they could have a fuel tank there and make the idea of a linked missile truck to an F-35 a reality.

 

Wait, is that a tailhook on the F-15?  Didn't know the 15s had one.

Edited June 26, 2018 by kalvasflam

[Vifam7]

8 minutes ago, kalvasflam said:

What a waste, the centerline has nothing on it, can't they slap on a pod with four more AMRAAMs?  12 AMMRAAMs seem to be not nearly enough for an itano circus.

But I suppose, they could have a fuel tank there and make the idea of a linked missile truck to an F-35 a reality.

 

Wait, is that a tailhook on the F-15?  Didn't know the 15s had one.

 

Many land-based fighter jets have tailhooks for emergency use. They're not as robust as those on naval fighters though.

[Shadow]

On 6/26/2018 at 12:32 PM, kalvasflam said:

What a waste, the centerline has nothing on it, can't they slap on a pod with four more AMRAAMs?  12 AMMRAAMs seem to be not nearly enough for an itano circus.

But I suppose, they could have a fuel tank there and make the idea of a linked missile truck to an F-35 a reality.

 

Wait, is that a tailhook on the F-15?  Didn't know the 15s had one.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Shadow
original image removed

[kalvasflam]

I'll be more impressed when they slap a fast pack on the F-15s, ala VF-1; may be put equivalent weapon pods like the CFT style takes they have for F-16 and F-18.  Those could add at least another four missiles.  The topside of the F-15 is incredibly underutilized.  I figure as a missile truck, you don't need as good a rearward visibility.  

[Scyla]

The F-15C has the ability to mount FAST Packs (Fuel And Sensor Tacitcal): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformal_fuel_tank

 

But you probably want a something along the lines of a Strike Cannon or a space flight booster.

[Shadow]

4 hours ago, kalvasflam said:

I'll be more impressed when they slap a fast pack on the F-15s, ala VF-1; may be put equivalent weapon pods like the CFT style takes they have for F-16 and F-18.  Those could add at least another four missiles.  The topside of the F-15 is incredibly underutilized.  I figure as a missile truck, you don't need as good a rearward visibility.  

Doesn't the AIM-120 have to drop off the rail initially before the rocket motor ignites? I know the Jaguar could mount Sidewinders ontop the wing. Not sure the AMRAAM can fire right off the rail as the AIM-9.

It would be interesting to see the AMRAAM get a long range conversion kit involving a 1st-stage booster. Only downside is it all but certain would have to be carried externally for aircraft like the F-22 and F-35.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Shadow

[Knight26]

46 minutes ago, Shadow said:

Doesn't the AIM-120 have to drop off the rail initially before the rocket motor ignites? I know the Jaguar could mount Sidewinders ontop the wing. Not sure the AMRAAM can fire right off the rail as the AIM-9.

It would be interesting to see the AMRAAM get a long range conversion kit involving a 1st-stage booster. Only downside is it all but certain would have to be carried externally for aircraft like the F-22 and F-35.

AMRAAMs can rail or drop launch, one of the few missiles that can.

[kalvasflam]

1 hour ago, Scyla said:

But you probably want a something along the lines of a Strike Cannon or a space flight booster.

Not anything that fancy, remember some of the AMRAAMs on the F-22 have ejector racks or something like that, right?  So why not add a top layer on the F-15, thickness wouldn't be more than 30 inches, have ejector racks that can push the AMRAAM up and away before launching.  Two large pods resting on the of the jet intakes and extended back to where the tail is.  Then add in some ejector rack so that those pods can be jettisoned to either side in an emergency.... ok, sorry, too much Macross and too little reality.  Next I'll probably want armor along the wing root structure.

Edited June 27, 2018 by kalvasflam

[slide]

Just now, kalvasflam said:

Not anything that fancy, remember some of the AMRAAMs on the F-22 have ejector racks or something like that, right?  So why not add a top layer on the F-15, thickness wouldn't be more than 30 inches, have ejector racks that can push the AMRAAM up and away before launching.  Two large pods resting on the of the jet intakes and extended back to where the tail is.  Then add in some ejector rack so that those pods can be jettisoned to either side in an emergency.... ok, sorry, too much Macross and too little reality.  Next I'll probably want armor along the wing root structure.

because of the detrimental 'spoiler' effect they may induce to the '15's aerodynamic profile, I would assume, but I'm not an aero-scientist, there must be a reason that nobody does it...

[AN/ALQ128]

If we're on the topic of cramming as many missiles on the Eagle as possible, Boeing has introduced a new hardpoint system called AMBER, which can enable the F-15 to carry up to 22 air to air missiles.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/new-wings-on-qatar-f-15s-pave-upgrade-path-for-usaf-446189/

[Shadow]

Can't help but be curious if the F-14 had gotten the software upgrade to carry AIM-120s if similar systems would have been made to test how many AMRAAMS the Tomcat could carry.

[F-ZeroOne]

IIRC, the English Electric Lightning could mount unguided rocket pods above the wings.

[David Hingtgen]

Jaguar mounts AIM-9’s above the wings as the normal procedure:

 

[mickyg]

And the Corsair II mounted them along the sides of the forward fuselage.

https://goo.gl/images/DTrj3H

Can't seem to link images anymore so that URL will show an image search result.  "Forward" is a misleading term here I now think.  It's technically still under the wing.  But my point is that here have been some novel approaches to mounting missiles in more than a handful of aircraft over the years.

Agreed, the Jaguar and Lightening over-the-wing options are especially unique.

Edited June 29, 2018 by mickyg

[AN/ALQ128]

Some later variants of the F-89 Scorpion could mount missiles on the wingtip mounted fuel tanks.

[Shadow]

Interesting news story from the 80s on a portion of the Autobahn being converted into a runway for NATO aircraft.

 

[David Hingtgen]

Sweden has "highway capability" as a requirement for all their planes---Viggen/Gripen etc are designed to use "straight stretches of road" as temporary bases.  

[Shadow]

True but doesn't the Draken/Viggen and Gripen have sturdier landing gears to do that on a regular basis compared to an F-16 or Tornado? The Viggen also benefited from it's STOL capability.

Edited July 9, 2018 by Shadow

[F-ZeroOne]

This isn't quite the right date, but seeing as theres a centenary flypast in London shortly... Happy 100th Birthday, the Royal Air Force!

Per ardua ad astra.

[AN/ALQ128]

RIP in pieces, we hardly knew ye.

http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-admits-defeat-su-57-not-going-into-mass-production-2018-7

[electric indigo]

Judging by other sources, the program will remain in development, it's just that mass production is postponed. One leg in the grave, one wing in the air.

[F-ZeroOne]

As you probably know, a certain someone is visiting my side of the pond at the moment and as a result, a number of Marine (M?)V-22s have been seen over London. I'm curious, how did they get here? Did they fly over with aerial refuelling, get shipped over in another aircraft or are they kept stored here in good old Blightly just in case of such visits?

[kalvasflam]

can the MV-22 fit into a C-5?

I assume there is probably an amphibious assault ship or a base somewhere in Europe with Osprey in place.  By the way, you guys did just have the 100 anniversary of the RAF, congratulations.  I was over on your side of the pond as well this week, in France actually, and I commented to one of my British colleagues about whether they should've considered borrowing some Junkers, Heinkels, Stukas and Messerschmitts flying alongside the Spitfires to commemorate the finest hours of the RAF.  May be have a mock dogfighter over Buckingham palace.

[F-ZeroOne]

Well, the Battle of Britain is perhaps one of the reasons why those particular aircraft models are hard to find now...

On the same note, the second-to-last surviving Battle of Britain veteran (at least on the RAF side), Wing Commander Tom Neil has died at the age of 98.

[F-ZeroOne]

The UK (uh, that is, er, us) has revealed its next generation fighter proposal. Fast enough to put a girdle around the Earth in 40 minutes?

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-unveils-new-next-generation-fighter-jet-called-tempest/

Interesting that if the model and computer image are accurate, it appears to be a cranked delta with what appears to be one heck of a chine around the nose.

[kalvasflam]

Ok, that looked like Firefox repainted from the front.  Do you have to think Russian to fly it?

Their power point looked entertaining, although I like the idea that they built this thing with FAST packs in mind.  Still waiting for overwing mounted FAST packs, guys.  That's the only thing about the power point which might get me excited.

[Dobber]

She’s a pretty aircraft for sure. 

Chris

[AN/ALQ128]

3 hours ago, F-ZeroOne said:

The UK (uh, that is, er, us) has revealed its next generation fighter proposal. Fast enough to put a girdle around the Earth in 40 minutes?

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/uk-unveils-new-next-generation-fighter-jet-called-tempest/

Interesting that if the model and computer image are accurate, it appears to be a cranked delta with what appears to be one heck of a chine around the nose.

Look at that, a miniature drone payload system. Just like the VF-31.

[David Hingtgen]

Is your F-16's canopy scratched/nicked, and no longer rated for Mach 2+?   Just buff it out with some Tex-whiz!

 

[Knight26]

Maybe it's just the angle on the mockup, but the intakes looks tiny, way too small to feed any substantial engine.

[GMK]

33 minutes ago, Knight26 said:

Maybe it's just the angle on the mockup, but the intakes looks tiny, way too small to feed any substantial engine.

Intakes look similar in size to those on the current Japanese stealthy prototype flying. 

[Knight26]

47 minutes ago, GMK said:

Intakes look similar in size to those on the current Japanese stealthy prototype flying. 

Like I said, it might be the angle, because the CG Images look like he intakes are large enough.  Still not huge intakes, which makes me think this is a max 1.5Mach aircraft.

[F-ZeroOne]

If you look at the computer image in the article, a bit further down, the intakes appear to be somewhat bigger and - I'm not sure what the term is - appear to have some kind of reverse slant going on, like the intake on a Super Crusader.

I understand however that these are concepts, the exact configuration has not been decided on and there are several possibilities.