ahhhh seahawk, supermaneuverability is a concept to medium-low-very low speeds, you can only increase the turn at higher speeds increasing the g limit.

now, both russian and american planes have the same turn performance at medium high subsonic, the diference is at high transonic (above M0.9), but such speeds arent considered important in dogfights (because to reach those corner speeds, you must start at supersonic) at supersonic both team designs are equal good, also you must consider the heigh performance, energy saves etc…

Who says supermanouverability is a sound concept in the first place.

And I wonder were you did find the data for the tunrperformances at given speeds for F-22,EF or Rafale compared to any russian fighter.

EF for example claims to have an substained supersonic turn capability second only to the Raptor. EF also claims to have an instantaneous turn rate superior to the F-22.

Well, I agree that the usefulness of Cobra in the real fight is somehow unconfirmed by now, yet alone the capability of an aircraft to perform such maneuvers without TVC says MUCH about the level of skills in aerodynamics of its designers.

Or the courage of the pilots, as the Cobra can only be performed with all safety measures in the flight controls turned off. 🙂

very nice pics

I think the F8U-3 Super Crusader actually had a fixed intake, the speed of this aircraft being pretty much remarkable for it’s time. I’m totally oblivious as to how they achieved this.

AFAIK they had some serious problems at the beginning, with vibration coming from the intake section and feeling like “a 40mm firing between your legs”. The problem however was solved quickly during the testing. Afaik, the used some doors in the inlet.

I prefer the old one :

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=404507

The final Onur flight to DUS just yesterday had a problem with the thrustreversers on the left engine. Quite ironic…

Please specify your problem.
In the press-conference Maj.Gen. Bruce Carlson, USAF Director of Operational Requiments, about the loss of the F-117A stated:
‘It is not invisible… We know about radars, which can track our Stealth aircraft. Sometimes that can find it…..But it is important to note, that the detection and fire-zones are considerably reduced.’
The published RCS of the F-117A gives a factor of 10 against an alerted SA-3 site. It is just a simulation of the situation from known data, if that could be done that way. The forensic way like in every criminal investigation.

Which ignores the fact, that the crash report noted that the pilot had no indication of being locked before the plane was hit. Given the RWR on the F-117A was functioning, it makes the idea of a radar lock-on unlikely.