Sure. It is well known that the Libyans has downgraded MiGs-23MS, with less capable radars, missiles and engines. That was the a/c which americans shoot down in 1989.
The Russian standard MiG-23MLD with all aspect R-60M and R-24 will give F-16 or F-15 a hard time.
The Tomcat F-14A is considered an easy meat, being underpowered with its 0.82 combat T/W ratio versus 1.01 T/W for MiG-23MLD.
Not to mention F-14’s relatively high by-pass ratio engines, totaly unacceptable for a fighter, as with higher altitudes it losses its thrust rapidly, so that at medium heights the difference in T/W ratio is even higher.
Really? Is that so? Please tell me how many F-15/14/16’s the Flogger has downed?
TF-30’s bypass ratio is 0.73, F-110’s is 0.85 that’s nowhere near to being considered as a high bypass turbofan.
Note the T/W ratio of an F-14B/D is unity.
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Originally Posted by TOMCAT TERRTORY
I’ve triple checked all my sources and asked some Tomcat drivers involved in GW2 – there was no Phoenix launch at a Mi-8. The only F-14 shot was an AIM-9 which shot down an Mi-8.
I posted an attachment earlier, where you can see that there was Phoenix shoot at Mi helicopter. The source: Wikipedia, 2004.
Quote:
Your source or lack of one regarding the 6 shot capability seems a little dubious. You are aware the Phoenix does not require the target to be constantly illuminated and only needs mid-course guidance and is a fire and forget missile when fire within 14 miles of the target.
Of course, but the active distance is far less than 14 miles. It depends of target size, altitude, aspect,etc,etc.
In practice it was shown that the Phoenix can not cope with the real targets in real enviroment.
Quote:
F-14A’s specified speed is Mach 2.34 in LEVEL flight, 2.4 was attained in testing however this was limited to 2.25 in service. F-14D is limited to 1.88 because of the dual chin pod.
Do you have F-14A Manual? You will see that it is limited to 1.9 Mach also, just as the F-14D Manual say.
This has nothing to do with pods. The Tomcats could pass Mach 2 only in shallow dive.
If you bothered to do any research you’d find that Boyd was in the AIR FORCE and was not a Topgun instructor.
You are right, but this doesnt change what I said. His oppinion as top American test pilot, concerning F-14, was very, very low.
Consider this F-14A and D vices:
-It can not pull more that 5 G in roll.
-It can not fire sidewinder with slats extended.
And that is not all.
You honestly expect me to take you seriously by quoting Wikepedia over hard printed info and from people who were actually there? Jeeeez…….
Phoenix and AWG-9/APG-71 uses time sharing with multiple Phoenix launches and can support 6 missiles in flight at once. Your statement of the missile not being able to cope in a real environment is laughable as evidenced by the Iran-Iraq war.
Mach 2.41 was reached by test pilot Joe Burke in aircraft 1X in the summer of 73 in level flight and the aircraft was still accelerating when the test was curtailed with the objective having been achieved.
Bill Gunston describes the F-14 as one of the most aerodynamically efficient aircraft ever built.
1.88 is the NATOPS limit because a ramp failure at that speed is dangerous, F-14D is limited because of unwelcome heating of the IRST at higher speeds.
John Boyd is part of the light fighter mafia much like Pierre Sprey – even said the F-15 was too big and he would probably hate the F-22 as well. So it’s no surprise he is not a fan of the F-14.
The F-14 does not use full slats in combat, instead the slats (and flaps) automatically deploy to the manoeuvre position – 7 degrees for the slats, 0-10 for the flaps. Sidewinders can still be fired.
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