But a question remains : are there still flyable F-15A/B among some obscure units or NASA or Boeing ?

Not with NASA apparently, their Bs have been replaced with D models:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DURHPh6MVo

Israel is still flying the F-15A/B and plans to upgrade them along with the C/D, with the exception of the oldest jets.

If I might add the Tornado GR1B. This was the anti-shipping variant that replaced the Buccaneer and was based at RAF Lossiemouth & operated the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile. Although this variant still had a radar, it relied on Sea Eagle’s seeker to aquire surface ships. When the GR1s were updated to GR4s there was no need to have a GR4B due to the lack threats from the sea.

Were there any differences, visible or not, between the GR1 and GR1B?
Apart from being based at Lossiemouth and having operated the Sea Eagle.
If not, that would make the GR4 capable of using the Sea Eagle in theory. I ask because german wiki states GR4 Tornados retained Sea Eagle capability.

This is probably attributable to the intended role as well, it would spend more time at low altitude and hence the canopy has to put increased emphasis on bird strike (by sizeable sea birds, no less) resistance. That’s easier to achieve when you have a separate, thick wind screen, as a single piece canopy with variable thickness is prone to optical distortions and a constant thickness would obviously mean a heavier part.

Correct, thats also another reason why they increased wing area. The F-2 is able to carry 2 600gal fuel tanks, 4 anti ship missiles and 4 AAMs. So they had to add another 2 hardpoints which is only possible with an increased (span) wing.

While all Rafale models come with hooks, the ones on B and C models certainly will not allow a carrier landing. One crash “landing” maybe. 😀

I don’t think Brahmos on Rafale works. Simply too long for either center line and underwing stations. But thats no problem, thats what the Su-30 is there for.

I hardly can imagine F-22 ever be sent to Russia for airshow

Why not, afterall the USAF is sending their most modern fighter that isn’t grounded. Some day, that might be the F-22 😀

funny part (un-traslated) is the ‘Americans decided to take formal participation in the airshow just to have ability to see T-50, according to opinion of sources in Russian aerospace industry’

of course one need to send 12 military aircrafts, Dreamliner (that’s, of course, ‘formal’) and bunch of staff to have ability to access the same area that other can enter for twenty bucks:D

That would look suspicious 😉

Back to the PAK-FA, I hope they don’t change the engine arrangement/nozzles because its perfectly fine the way it is now. At least from an aesthetical point of view.

Sure, very limited A-G ability. But it was an ability specifically designed into both aircraft from the beginning.

Not that limited compared to its predecessors. The radar even had some A/G modes. 😀

Both the YF-16 Viper and YF-17 Venom were build according to same requirements. USAF chose YF-16 because it was as capable but cheaper.

The YF-17 was named Cobra. Close call. 😉

does anyone know why the USAF or any other operator haven’t used the outer under wing hard points for maybe the harms

F-15s?
I guess because there was no requirement. Well, there would have been for the wild weasel F-15G version, but that was cancelled.
The F-15E and its versions can in theory exceed maximum take-off weight using existing pylons, so no need there.
Would be an interesting solution for South Koreas Eagles to carry the SLAMs as they currently need to be carried where the fuel tanks usually go. But the outer wing hard points were only rated for 1000lbs iirc and the SLAM is 1500lbs class…

3. The external fuel load of Rafale and Eurofighter with heavy A2G striking configurations (with two Storm Shadow / Sclap-EG or two 2,000 Ib class A2G weapons) today:
* Rafale: 2,000L tank*3 + two Scalp-EG –> 6,000 L external fuel.
* EF2000: 1,000L tank*1 + two heavy A2G weapons –> 1,000 L external fuel.

4. The maximal possible external fuel load of Rafale and Eurofighter with heavy A2G striking configurations (with two Storm Shadow / Sclap-EG or two 2,000 Ib class A2G weapons) in the future:
* Rafale: 2,000L tank*3 + 1,250L CFT*2 + two Scalp-EG –> 8,500 L external fuel.
* EF2000: 1,000L tank*1 + 1,500L CFT*2 + two Storm Shadow –> 4,000 L. (no 2,000l tanks)

Fixed that for you. 😉

There are 2 heavy stores on the EF, hence the need for CFTs.