Streak Eagle Outclimbs Saturn V
Posted by BlacksheepF4U@reddit | WeirdWings | View on Reddit | 41 comments
1975 a lone F-15A was stripped of its paint, speed brake, flap actuators, radar and fire control systems, unneeded cockpit instrumentation, generators, redundant radios and anything that could be left on the ground. Engineers even removed her Vulcan 20 mm cannon and all external pylons, leaving a super clean, slick, light and powerful F-15A Eagle that had only one place to go...UP https://sierrahotel.net/blogs/news/streak-eagle
psunavy03@reddit
And then the Russians took some of those records back by doing similar to a Su-27.
Not saying that to simp for the Russians, just noting the degree to which international pissing contests will go.
osageviper138@reddit
Before the Raptor gets sent off into the sunset, it needs to bring back those records to the good ol’ USA.
gussyhomedog@reddit
The F-22 at Mach 2.2 isn't quite the speed demon that the F-15 is at Mach 2.5. Of course those are just the released numbers, but the Raptor is all about stealth, even if the engines are supposedly more powerful. but again, that's just what we know as the public, maybe the Raptor can hit Mach 3+
mz_groups@reddit
The Raptor is partially limited by having fixed geometry inlets. Great for stealth, not great to go Mach 2+. But that doesn't matter because the only time most of these airplanes hit speeds anywhere near that is when they come out of the shop during their functional test flights. Tactically useless otherwise.
The Streak Eagle time to climb profile shows that they didn't exceed Mach 2.2, even on their climb to 30,000 meters, so maybe the F-22 has a shot anyway.
ShibaKarate@reddit
The raptors composite skin parts also can't handle the external strain of flying faster. If they re-did one with metal skin and variable geometry inlets, it would smoke a regular raptor, but would no longer be remotely stealthy.
P1xelHunter78@reddit
I’d guess (assuming they fit) the F-15 might get the raptor engines at some point of the Air Force wants an ultimate go fast machine.
ShibaKarate@reddit
The next production run of F15's has more power
mz_groups@reddit
I wonder if that’s the limiting factor, or the polycarbonate canopy.
ShibaKarate@reddit
Back when it was coming out (iirc) pop-sci did a big spread on it and the composite materials are what it cited as the speed limiter, could also be the canopy.
psunavy03@reddit
Combat capability > nerdy records.
NSYK@reddit
I have a feeling the 6th gen is a better plane for that
syringistic@reddit
Raptor doesn't have anything to prove. It's been around for 25 years, and still undeniably the best 5th Gen Air Dominance Fighter around.
DOOM_INTENSIFIES@reddit
UNDEFEATED 3x0 BALLON KILLSTREAK.
osageviper138@reddit
You’re not wrong, but you can’t deny that it would just be so friggin badass to actually have the stats on paper (and not classified) to compare to everything else.
syringistic@reddit
Unfortunately that's never gonna happen. Much like the F117, they're gonna keep flying way past their retirement. Gonna be used for many years from now, probably to simulate less advanced aircraft as 6th gen comes around.
nuts4sale@reddit
Streak eagle? Yeet eagle.
phalcon64@reddit
Doesn't matter a whole lot... but did the timer start when the plane started rolling on the ground? Or when its wheels left the ground?
I've read multiple articles about this and they never clarify exactly. Pisses me off a little.
And was the Saturn V timed from engine ignition or liftoff?
BlacksheepF4U@reddit (OP)
I believe the time was started when the explosive bolt blew
phalcon64@reddit
Yeah, thanks. I read that but I like a very concise timeline when it comes to plane vs rocket. I'm a simple man and maybe undiagnosed autistic so I would like the article to say... "The timer began at the exact moment the explosive bolt was blown and the aircraft started accelerating from a standstill."
BlacksheepF4U@reddit (OP)
It's a good question if you are looking to really crunch the numbers...I like the fact that the climb rate is even comparable to the Saturn V
demzrdumez@reddit
If we put an explosive bolt on the hook to release it that would be way cool
XenoRyet@reddit
I kind of like how the write-up implies that the cannon is more critical to the aircraft than secondary cockpit instrumentation or unused pylons.
Still, really cool concept and flight.
skucera@reddit
It was probably much harder to remove the cannon, since it’s buried in the airframe.
Hoagieburger@reddit
Well the cannon is a significant weight so it should affect flight characteristics. The secondary instruments and pylons are relatively light weight and the latter are removable.
XenoRyet@reddit
That's what I'm saying though. They said "they even removed the cannon" as if that was a hard decision, when realistically for this kind of mission, the cannon is the first thing you'd take off.
The way it's worded is kind of like "Well, we wanted to go really high really fast, so reduction in nonessential weight was key. So we got rid of all our backups, emptied the ashtrays, threw out all the toothpicks, stripped the paint, and even got rid of the in-flight beverages, but we still weren't quite there yet. It was at that point we decided to throw out the two ton bag of sand that was doing nothing useful at all for the mission, and that's what really made it come together."
Nein-Knives@reddit
Maybe it's worded that way because taking the cannon out could've potentially affected the aircraft's aerodynamics negatively?
I imagine that since the cannon is pretty heavy, some sort of counter weight on the other side of the plane would exist to counteract the possibility of yawing/rolling towards 1 side when trying to fly the plane in a straight line so by removing the cannon, the weight might end up shifting the cog of the plane enough that it produces weird flight characteristics. I know nothing about aerodynamics so don't quote me on that lol.
j5kDM3akVnhv@reddit
2:1 thrust ratio allowing acceleration going straight up will do that.
TacTurtle@reddit
More like 1.5-1 according to the PDF doc I found once you include fuel.
skucera@reddit
The tyranny of the ~~rocket~~ jet equation.
DolphinPunkCyber@reddit
2:1 trust ratio is... like falling up.
flacoman954@reddit
That had to be a handful on landing, no flaps
graspedbythehusk@reddit
Keeps floating in the video posted above.
DarkArcher__@reddit
No flaps, but it also weighed almost nothing
HAL9001-96@reddit
well, initially thats fairly easy
osageviper138@reddit
She finally got put on display at the National Museum of the USAF, about a month ago.
TXGuns79@reddit
Yeah, just a couple months after I made my visit.
Well, I guess I need to go back...
DarkArcher__@reddit
I would give anything to be the guy in that seat
TacTurtle@reddit
PDF with flight descriptions and profiles...apparently the fast time to climb profile included Mach-speed Immelmanns for a brief leveling-offs at mid altitude to gain speed before a second zoom climb:
https://www3.nd.edu/~ame40431/AME20211_2021/Notes_2021/AME%2020211%20Day%2027-37PartIII.pdf
xerberos@reddit
Here's a video of the flight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_akMhjIdCoU
TacTurtle@reddit
Looks like it lifted off in about 6 plane lengths?
I wonder if it could take off unassisted from the normal position on an aircraft carrier.
LOLBaltSS@reddit
https://i.postimg.cc/WbbBKCYc/IMG-20241113-152733.jpg