Off Topic... F-15 records

[Coyote Chris]

Sometimes with all that is going on around us, we need a "Feel good video of the day" God Bless the USAF.

I have a friend who was at Grand Forks AFB when the F-15 Streak Eagle set all those time to climb records.
Here is a great video of those records. Watch the Aircraft's altimeter about the seven minute point in the
video.....yeah ha!!!! Not even the Saturn 5 can top this record!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLka4GoUbLo

[boom3]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

Cool Video!

It's amazing how old those F-15's really are.

[Coyote Chris]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

F-15s are kinda like us old farts....old but still going strong!

I think this F-15 was especially built for this task. I havent researched it yet but it may have had some special prep and weight left out.

USAF, worlds largest distributor of MIG parts.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

F-15s are kinda like us old farts....old but still going strong!

I think this F-15 was especially built for this task. I havent researched it yet but it may have had some special prep and weight left out.

USAF, worlds largest distributor of MIG parts.

Im pretty sure Streak Eagle was unpainted and was only missing weapon pylons, it didnt have too many modifications for the project

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

It was missing a bunch of stuff...like a radar, and other weapon systems that are integral to the airplane being a fighter.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

It was missing a bunch of stuff...like a radar, and other weapon systems that are integral to the airplane being a fighter.

How about the guy carrying the helmet bag in the backseat? Does that count as dead-weight?

[Coyote Chris]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

The museum's single-seat F15A, nicknamed "Streak Eagle," broke eight time-to-climb world records between Jan. 16 and Feb. 1, 1975. In setting the last of the eight records, it reached an altitude of 98,425 feet just 3 minutes, 27.8 seconds from brake release at takeoff and "coasted" to nearly 103,000 feet before descending. It was flown in its natural metal finish to reduce weight for the record-setting flights. To protect it from corrosion, McDonnell Douglas Corp. has since painted it in the gray color scheme of most operational F-15s.

"Streak Eagle" is an early preproduction aircraft. Differences in internal structure and systems operation made it too costly to return to operational service. It was delivered to the museum in December 1980 after it was no longer useful as a flight test vehicle."

The Streak Eagle weighed 815 kilograms (1,800 pounds) less than a production F-15A and flew with no more fuel than was safely required to perform a particular flight exercise.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

all this info to a question is a big reason why i keep coming back here, i knew streak eagle was unpainted and didnt have things like pylons and canon, I didnt know streak eagle was lacking a radar too.. i would have thought the radar would be important with its relevant boxes for c of g

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

The airplane has an extremely large CG envelope across a wide range of weights.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

The airplane has an extremely large CG envelope across a wide range of weights.

Wow.. i remember working as a freight handler and loadmaster on Metroliners and their CG envelope is pretty narrow... from memory there wasn't alot of wiggle room if they were fully loaded

But Thanks a heap for that little nugget of info Randy.

[First time Juke]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

Cool vids.

I once had a "discussion" with a gentleman who actually was designing the F-15.

I watched the RIGHT STUFF today and looks to me as if Chuck did not use the Immelmann tactics to go high...and burned his whiskers a bit.

How have the latest Sukhoi fighter done in similar tests..are those still valid ?

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

I watched the RIGHT STUFF today and looks to me as if Chuck did not use the Immelmann tactics to go high...and burned his whiskers a bit.

As the General said numerous times back in the '80s, "The Right Stuff is entertainment, not a documentary..."

[Coyote Chris]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

While Randy and the General are right, I still say that if you read Gen. Yeager's autobiography and then see the movie, its still way cool. I think he and Hoover had and have pretty amazing lives.......I always enjoy listening to them at Oshkosh.

[First time Juke]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

As the General said numerous times back in the '80s, "The Right Stuff is entertainment, not a documentary..."

Ok Randy.....and TOP GUN is even less "document".

I have to read the The General memoirs once more.

The Right Stuff does mix the fact and fiction quite well.

I met the F-15 designer on the RC Groups ( or similar ) model site....he said the original model was really small they made of the F-15. Also very little correction was made to the real thing in aerodynamic sense ( I cannot be 100% sure of his identity of course ).

[rampking]

Re: Off Topic... F-15 records

So, bottom line..
is there any deployed combat fighter aircraft in the world that can outclimb an F-15 today?
Also, with the multiple issues with the F-35 and the end of F-22 production...is the F-15S Silent Eagle a viable option?
Forced retirement of legacy fighters is looming LARGE on the horizon.