[Llarry]

The F-15E Strike Eagle and its variants:

When the F-15 Eagle was designed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, some engineers were quoted as saying "Not a pound for air-to-ground" as a way of emphasizing the need to minimize weight. Less weight and more wing area equates to lower wing loading and greater agility. Nevertheless, the F-15 did have some potential for strike.

As usual, further details can be found in the Wikipedia article, but the origins of the strike variant go back to 1981 when the Air Force began planning for an F-111 replacement. McDonnell Douglas once again took home the gold, winning a contract to design and build the F-15E Strike Eagle.

The F-15E first flew in 1986 and the test program went smoothly, as the aircraft was so similar to the existing air superiority F-15C/D. The paint job on the F-15Es was different, but the primary external difference was the conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), which gave the E an extra 1,500 gallons of fuel. The aircraft was beefed up considerably to allow great ordnance and fuel; the takeoff weight increased to 81,000 pounds from the F-15C's 68,000. Empty weight increased, of course, and a loaded F-15E was no match in agility for the F-15C but that was not the mission. The CFTs when empty weigh over 2,000 pounds, but also can be fitted with bomb racks for extra carriage of weapons. The CFTs can also be detached to allow the E to be lighter, but they are almost always present.

In 1989, the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina, became the first operational F-15E unit. Wings in Alaska, Idaho and the UK followed and the USAF took delivery of 236 Strike Eagles. They got their baptism of fire in the Gulf War of 1991 and have seen action on a number of occasions since.

Other countries watched the development of the F-15E with interest. Two operators of the air superiority models, Israel and Saudi Arabia were the first to order Strike Eagles and took delivery from 2006-on. Other orders followed: Korea (F-15K) from 2005 and Singapore (F-15SG) from 2009. Qatar ordered aircraft from 2016 and I believe has already taken delivery of part of the order; their F-15QAs are the cream of the crop, with all upgrades included.

The latest export customer is Indonesia, which has ordered 24 F-15IDNs (just one small squadron?) for future delivery.

A number of customers have specified an alternate engine for their Strike Eagles. The GE F110 is the same size and has similar ratings to the P&W F100.

Just a few years ago, concerned about the overall state of the tactical air capability of the USAF, the Air Force proposed putting the F-15 back into production, incorporating all the latest features as in the F-15QA, as the F-15EX. The F-15EX was conceived as a lower-cost alternative to more modern stealthy fighters and was proposed as a replacement for older F-15s in existing squadrons. Some sources state that the F-15EX will be stationed only in the U.S., but recently I have learned that consideration is being given to providing F-15EXs to the former F-15C squadrons in Okinawa, Japan. It's not clear how that will play out. Projections are that several Air National Guard F-15C squadrons will get EXs, which have two seats but can be flown solo by one pilot. Again, the future is not clear. It is also unclear how many F-15EXs will be built; the original program was for 144 airplanes and 70 have been funded so far. Just four have been delivered to the Air Force to date.

The concept for the F-15EX is that it can be a dual-role aircraft: Without CFTs and flown solo it can be equivalent to the F-15C and with CFTs can be loaded up with bombs and function as an F-15E. The F-15EX is the first USAF F-15 to have GE F110 engines.

The production total for the Strike Eagle is likely to be well over 600 by the time the last one is delivered some years from now; an impressive total for an aircraft that first flew in 1972 when added to the 1,198 air superiority F-15s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonn...E_Strike_Eagle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_F-15EX_Eagle_II

[vreihen16]

Our regional news just announced the headline acts for the NY Air Show next summer. The USAF Thunderbirds will be appearing, along with a special appearance of Italy's Frecce Tricolori on their 2024 North America Tour!

https://www.newsairshow.com/headline...edule-released

(Press release picture)




.

[Llarry]

Last month the U.S. Space Command Boeing X-37B space plane landed back on earth after a record 908 days in orbit. The X-37 was originally contemplated to be launched by the Space Shuttle, but instead is boosted into orbit by rocket. It carries out various experiments and also conducts classified activities for Space Command.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37

[Lady Jane]

French built Nord Noratlas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nord_Noratlas#

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

French built Nord Noratlas.

A lot like a slightly smaller Fairchild C-119. A useful shape.

[vreihen16]

I've had "First Flights with Neil Armstrong" saved in my Amazon/FreeVee watch list since the summer, and am finally getting around to watching it during my holiday break from work.

Episodes 1 and 2 were set at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome across the river from me, and showcased several of their pre-WW-! aircraft collection in flight. (Surprisingly, I have never been to the Aerodrome or one of their weekend performances.)

Anyway, just throwing out the suggestion for anyone else who is stuck at home for the holidays looking for something to watch.....

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

I've had "First Flights with Neil Armstrong" saved in my Amazon/FreeVee watch list since the summer, and am finally getting around to watching it during my holiday break from work.

Episodes 1 and 2 were set at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome across the river from me, and showcased several of their pre-WW-! aircraft collection in flight. (Surprisingly, I have never been to the Aerodrome or one of their weekend performances.)

Anyway, just throwing out the suggestion for anyone else who is stuck at home for the holidays looking for something to watch.....

I recorded that series on a VCR back in the day. It was great!

[Llarry]

In my opinion, the Panavia Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant) was the most attractive of the type: Lengthened a bit and a long nose, too. Not to mention more powerful engines. In common with the other Tornado variants, an unusual feature for a fighter was the inclusion of thrust reversers for shorter landing distances.

While some Tornado IDS (attack) and ECR (suppression of enemy air defence) variants remain in service, the ADVs are all gone to the boneyard.

They were flown by the RAF, the Italian Air Force and the Royal Saudi Air Force.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panavia_Tornado_ADV

[Llarry]

After a two year gap, Boeing has finally delivered F-15EXs numbers three and four to the Air Force. The first two were not exactly as the production aircraft will be, but these two are. They've been flown to Eglin AFB, Florida.

Here's a photo of one of them without paint. (It's now painted.)

And a photo of the 4th F-15EX wearing air superiority colors rather than the darker F-15E paint. This aircraft also does not have conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) installed, lending credence that some of the F-15EX IIs will be used for air-to-air tasks rather than the F-15E's air-to-ground mission. The Air National Guard F-15Cs that are awaiting replacement are air defense-oriented.

There is no reason that an air superiority F-15 cannot use CFTs. During the latter period of the Cold War, the Iceland-based F-15C/D Eagles routinely used CFTs as there were few alternate airfields in case the weather at Keflavik was poor. In fact, I think that the drag of the CFTs is less than that of the external 600-gallon fuel tanks frequently seen on the centerline and under the wings of all types of F-15s, making the CFTs a potentially attractive alternative.

An F-15C has internal fuel tanks carrying 2,070 gallons (13,455 pounds) of jet fuel -- and an F-15E has slightly less. With CFTs AND three external 600-gallon fuel tanks, an F-15C could theoretically take off with 5,355 gallons (34,810 pounds) of fuel but would be over its max allowed gross weight.

The F-15C is restricted to a max weight of 68,000 pounds, whereas an F-15E can go up to 81,000. The F-15EX is strengthened for the higher weight.

Now if you load a single-piloted F-15 up with 5,355 gallons and don't use the afterburners, you could fly for a very long time indeed. (It's probably a good thing there's a second seat for a very long duration mission!)

[M4Tejas]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

I flew to Vietnam on a C-141A Starlifter on April 1, 1969. We had 3 trucks and our ground surveillance radar on board. Not much room left. Or range. We had to stop in Alaska and Japan to refuel before landing at Ben Hoa AFB. Quite an airplane. Got sit in the flight deck a bit during the trip. That was the smoking section.

I was at McChord AFB in 1962. My dad was Air Force. This was the cats daddy jet. They were flying them back from Japan, Honda Street Scramblers, CB77 Super Hawks etc. street bikes when Honda did not have a dealer network. The bikes were brought back in about 65. It was all new, a big upgrade, we were running around on a Cushman scooter & mini bikes. Bikes have always been big around the military. C141 Starlifters, the new jet on the tarmac. There was a Flying Cigar B36 Peacemaker on the tarmac as well. Everyone had a green ceramic hibachi. Now they call them big green egg like it is something new. Not new at all. 62 is far from new. On the jet back from Japan.


edit - We started out at McChord in about 62. We all went up the Space Needle as it was brand new and quite the gig back then. We left in about late 67, early 68 and moved to VAFB......then Hahn AB. I got a good history lesson. I really miss the hydroplane races on the Puget Sound as well as the whale watching when we went out in the boats.

https://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives...he-worlds-fair

[Llarry]

Back in 1976, on the occasion of the USA's bicentennial, there were some great aircraft paint jobs. Here's a really good one on a Lockheed S-3A Viking carrier ASW aircraft.

[Llarry]

Four generations of Royal Australian Air Force patrol aircraft spanning 80 years: Catalina, Neptune, Orion and Poseidon.

It's a shame that the U.S. Navy or Air Force do not have heritage squadrons flying some of the great aircraft in aviation history. Good on ya, Australia (and the UK, I believe) for doing so.

[Llarry]

Pop quiz for airplane people: What nation does this aircraft belong to? And what province/state?

So far two Air National Guard units have KC-46As: New Hampshire and New Jersey. More to come.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Pop quiz for airplane people: What nation does this aircraft belong to? And what province/state?

It' a toughie this early in the morning. I'll wait until my 2nd coffee....

[Llarry]

The clever Chinese have come up with an aircraft carrier-based airborne warning and control aircraft: The Xi'an KJ-600. How innovative!

(They should be sending a check for a million or two per aircraft to Northrop Grumman. And maybe an extra 100,000 each for the 1940 era Grumman Sto-wing folding system.)

[Llarry]

In the 1950s, the U.S. Navy was attempting to hold its own in the interservice struggles for resources. The Air Force seemed to have a lock on the important nuclear weapon delivery mission against the Evil Empire of the USSR.

Somebody in the Navy thought: Well, let's concentrate on a mission where we are ostensibly not competing with the Air Force. How about seaplanes? The Air Force doesn't have those, does it? (Minor note: The Air Force DID have (a few) seaplanes: The Grumman SA-16 -- later HU-16 -- Albatross amphibian used for search and rescue.)

Thus the origin of the Navy's strategic bomber seaplane in the form of the Martin P6M SeaMaster. A high-performance long-range jet flying boat that could take off from protected harbors and attack an adversary from an unexpected direction. So as to avoid a direct confrontation with the Air Force, the stated mission of the P6M was minelaying, but that was a bit of a subterfuge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_P6M_SeaMaster

The P6M program also included special seaplane tenders that would support the aircraft and there was also the thought that those island or harbor bases would require air defenses. Which naturally led to the Convair F2Y ski-equipped floatplane fighter, which had first flown earlier.

Both aircraft faced technical challenges -- operating transonic or supersonic aircraft from water was not easy. Neither airplane was fully developed, but the XF2Y-1 has the distinction of being the only supersonic seaplane to date, though only in a shallow dive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_F2Y_Sea_Dart

The whole scheme fell apart in 1959. Too expensive and too many technical challenges. The Navy's contribution to the strategic mission would come in the form of Polaris ballistic missile submarines.

[vreihen16]

FWIW, there is movie footage of the Sea Dart in the Neil Armstrong "First Flights" TV show that I just watched today.....

[Llarry]

If you're going to fly that fast, you'd better have some good paint on your airplane.

Third test flight of XB-70, 1964.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Third test flight of XB-70, 1964.

Still my favorite airplane of all time!!!!!

[flybigjet]

I took my best friend to the USAF Museum in Dayton, OH this past October.

It's (probably) the best aviation museum on the planet.

And the Last of the Valkyries is there.....

[Llarry]

The Supermarine S.6B racing seaplane set a new world record speed of 407.5 miles per hour -- awfully fast for 1931!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_S.6B

[Llarry]

The Bell P-39 Airacobra first flew in 1938 and was numerous in the Pacific theatre in the first half of World War II. Its record was not very distinguished, and it was kept out of the European theatre due to poor performance at the higher altitudes common there. But the large number of P-39s built reflects the truism that wars are fought with what you have, not what you wish you had or will have in the future. By mid-1944, the P-39 was out of production.

The P-39's layout was unusual: The engine was right behind the pilot seat with a driveshaft going forward to drive the propellor.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_P-38_Airacobra

While the P-39 was unloved, it led to an improved design, the Bell P-63 King Cobra. The P-63 was better in most respects, but still lacked the high-altitude capability desired for combat over Europe. Most P-63s -- over 2,000 -- were transferred to the USSR under Lend-Lease. Some were retained by the U.S. as so-called "Pinball" aircraft: given extra armor and vivid paint jobs and used as manned targets for aerial gunnery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_P-63_Kingcobra