Which western aircraft designs would you copy ?

marathag

Banned
F-16 w/o the "fly by wire " controls ? F-5E will do the same job right ?

I feel maybe the soviets should copy the western AAMs might be more cost effective
Without fly-by-wire, the Soviet example would be slightly heavier, tiny bit less responsive, but also won't have the nickname 'Yard-Dart' either like when the A Block Falcons were frequently crashing from early bugs
 
Depends on how you describe "really successful"
F-4 can be the answer for a lot of things but question is how many can soviets produce ? at what cost ? and what other soviet programs in OTL get slashed because of the soviet phantom
You've asked simple question; what 3 aircraft from the West Soviets will be well advised to copy, so people gave their opinions. How many Soviets can make, at what cost - nobody knows.
What Soviet don't make? F-4 can 'kill' all Sukhoi fighter jet production between Su-7 (not much of a fighter) and Su-27, ditto Tu 28/128. There is no great need for MiG-25, though the bomber/recon versions are still interesting. F-14 removes the need for MiG-25 completely, MiG-31, and good deal of Su-27, if not completely.
F-16 removes MiG-29, Mirage F-1 same for MiG-23.

A 'really successful' fighter is a type that is commercially at least as successful as the predecessor, with a deal of success in combat. MiG-23 was neither.
 
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Combat radius is one thing - eg. fly 500 km, fight there, return, for combat radius of 500 km. Combat range is another thing - armed aircraft flies 500 km, fights there, return, for range of 1000 km. Ferry range might be yet a third thing - not having any missiles attached + max possible drop tanks (if any for Tu 128?) + no fuel burn in combat = 2000 km?
F-4J, with 4 Sparrows + 600 gal drop tank have had combat range of 1308 nautical miles (2422 km) per USN 'standard aircraft characteristic' sheet. Or 518 nmi (959 km) of combat radius.
I am aware of the difference between radius and range, which is why I took pains to exactly quote Wikipedia's verbiage. If they incorrectly list the F-4's combat radius as its combat range, take it up with them, not me.

Your turn for actual & easily checkable Tu 128 data.
I have zero obligation to you to go digging around for something which is most definitely going to be hard to find (the primary sources are both in Russian and probably classified...no helpful people going around and scanning Tupolev or PVO documents and uploading them...) when you started this by aggressively attacking my statements based on a misinterpretation of what Wikipedia says. If you don't think that Wikipedia's numbers are good enough, why did you use them to claim that the F-4 has a combat range comparable to the Tu-128 to begin with?
 
I am aware of the difference between radius and range, which is why I took pains to exactly quote Wikipedia's verbiage. If they incorrectly list the F-4's combat radius as its combat range, take it up with them, not me.


I have zero obligation to you to go digging around for something which is most definitely going to be hard to find (the primary sources are both in Russian and probably classified...no helpful people going around and scanning Tupolev or PVO documents and uploading them...) when you started this by aggressively attacking my statements based on a misinterpretation of what Wikipedia says. If you don't think that Wikipedia's numbers are good enough, why did you use them to claim that the F-4 has a combat range comparable to the Tu-128 to begin with?
I've indeed went in without respect, and I apologize for that.
On the other hand - Russian language Wikipedia does list the range of Tu-128 as having a tad shorter range than what English-language Wikipedia states for the F-4 version. Like another few billion people, I've went 1st to Wikipedia, and then tried to find better data to cross-check.
 
The Canadair CF-116 Freedom Fighter, the Saunders-Roe SR.A/1, and the Grumman F-11 Tiger. Having sabotaged the Soviet Air Force I defect to the west with the blueprints for the T-64.
 
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You've asked simple question; what 3 aircraft from the West Soviets will be well advised to copy, so people gave their opinions. How many Soviets can make, at what cost - nobody knows.


A 'really successful' fighter is a type that is commercially at least as successful as the predecessor, with a deal of success in combat. MiG-23 was neither.
Commercial success is not necessarily the mark of a great fighter nor is success in roles it was not designed for otherwise F-14 is lousy by the 1st parameter and Mig-21 is phenomenal.

But what are you trying to prove by " I rest my case" I said it repeatedly that mirage f1 is a great option as you suggested

I would assume that you would take into consideration cost , tactical needs of soviets and the capability of their designers/state of electronics .Otherwise we move this to ASB.
 
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Without fly-by-wire, the Soviet example would be slightly heavier, tiny bit less responsive, but also won't have the nickname 'Yard-Dart' either like when the A Block Falcons were frequently crashing from early bugs
But the soviets got a better plane in Mig-29 9.12 for it ,so not sure how it enhances their capability, they are better off with F-4.Unless you are suggesting they get hold of F-16A in mid 70s then it would have been fielded in numbers atleast 5 yrs earlier than fulcrum was in OTL
 
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How will the F-101 be as a replacement for su-9/11 , yak28p, su15, tu-128
Would it be better than F-106 ? esp if copied and developed in the 60s
 
Does the F5 offer any significant inherent benefits over it's Soviet competitor the Mig 21? It'd be the easiest to reverse engineer but seems to not offer a whole lot (I guess depending on the variant) over the Mig 21. I mean I could understand having a time traveler give the Soviets of say 1949/1950 one of the later model F5's equipped with a functional example of one of the more advanced variants of the Sidewinder would offer the Soviets a massive leg up. But by the time the F5 has been developed, is in production, and has seen combat it doesn't seem to offer a massive inherent advantage to it's equivalent of the era the Mig 21.

The F4 and F14 would obviously be much more expensive and complex to reverse engineer but would seem to offer more significant leg's up.


But I'm not exactly an expert.
The Soviets obtained some F-5As from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon and were most impressed with it's capabilities. Indeed, the "Top Gun" use of the F-5 in the movie isn't really all that removed. They seriously considered copying it themselves. Seems it was a lot easier to work with than the MiG21.
 
But the soviets got a better plane in Mig-29 9.12 for it ,so not sure how it enhances their capability, they are better off with F-4.Unless you are suggesting they get hold of F-16A in mid 70s then it would have been fielded in numbers atleast 5 yrs earlier than fulcrum was in OTL
A single-engine fighter with a pure focus on A2A combat would be significantly cheaper than the Mig-29.
And I don't see any reason the Soviets couldn't copy the F-16s fly-by-wire design.
 
MiG-19 had a 1400 mile ferry range with drop tanks, 1300 for the F.6, but unlike the Convair Delta and MiG 19, F.6 couldn't do doublesonic when fitted with those goofy overwing tanks
I wish people wouldn't use terms like "goofy". It simply demonstrates their naivity. The overwing tanks like overwing missiles on the Jaguar were adopted for a reason. There wasn't any room underwing for them. They worked. Which was all that was required of them.

Speaking of the Frightening, it was the only western fighter apart from the Swedish Viggen that was capable of intercepting the SR-71. the Frightening did it from overhead, as well. The SR-71's "invincibility" was only in the imagination of it's pilots.
 
F-4 Phantom
F-105 Thunderchief
AC-130

The F-4 because was better than anything the Soviets had at the time
The F-105 because it would cost NATO a whole lot more to put defenses against a Soviet F-105 then it would cost the Soviets to deploy their F-105 copy
The AC-130 for practical reasons ,namely Afghanistan
The AC-130 is like most "gun ship" variants of a transport aircraft not terribly useful in any environment where the enemy can shoot back. The aircraft is required to fly a circular pattern, usually well within AAA range. Anywhere other than Afghanistan and even there, it is dead meat. Which is why the latest versions now rely on missiles, rather than guns to achieve their hits.
 

McPherson

Banned
I wish people wouldn't use terms like "goofy". It simply demonstrates their naivity. The overwing tanks like overwing missiles on the Jaguar were adopted for a reason. There wasn't any room underwing for them. They worked. Which was all that was required of them.

Speaking of the Frightening, it was the only western fighter apart from the Swedish Viggen that was capable of intercepting the SR-71. the Frightening did it from overhead, as well. The SR-71's "invincibility" was only in the imagination of it's pilots.
HERE.

The next step was to establish it between fighters and we achieved this in 1981. Integrating this with the PS-46 air-to-air pulse-Doppler radar and the Skyflash missile provided the JA-37 with a significantly enhanced capability.

Looking at the map display on the MFD, the pilot could see other friendlies, the enemy, SAM sites, etc, and this information was constantly updated via the data link by fighter controllers and other JA-37s, giving the pilot unprecedented levels of situational awareness.

In fact, the system was so good that we could employ the same tactics – line abreast, box formations or scissors manoeuvres – day or night in VFR or IFR conditions.

When I conducted the first Swedish Air Force intercept of an SR-71, the target had completed its north-bound pass of the Soviet coastline, and had turned west, south of the Finnish island of Aland, and was tracking south of a heading that would take it between Gotland and Öland. The data link from the fighter controller was on, and I lined up for a head-on attack with a target angle of 180°.

From my altitude of 8.000m, I accelerated to Mach 1.35 then pulled up, very gently, continuing to accelerate to between Mach 1.7 and Mach 2.0, topping out at between 18.500 and 20.000m.

All the target data was on my map display, including radar detection of the target at maximum range, which then locked on immediately afterwards. I simulated missile launches – the closing velocity was very high, between Mach 4.5 and 5.0; the SR-71 was flying at Mach 2.98 and 21.500m.

I had visual contact.

In total, I have five hot intercepts against the SR-71 to my credit. All can be described as successful. I was visual three times; on a couple of occasions, the SR-71 was controlling, which was very useful because you could do a visual check to ensure you ended up in the right spot!

When we began conducting these SR-71 intercepts, the squadron began a special air safety program and we all underwent an intense series of emergency procedure checks in the simulator because we were flying at the outer edges of the envelope and at higher risk.

On January 1986, while leading a JA-37 three-ship in aircraft tail number “38”, we received target data immediately after take-off from Bravalla. We flew in the trail, receiving updated target information over the link from both the fighter controller and the other fighters in the formation.

All three of us carried out successful intercepts between 13:14 hours and 13:25 hours, about 50km west of the town of Visby, on the island of Gotland. Major Moller was number two, in tail number “60”, and Captain Ulf Johansson number three in tail number “53”.

I remember that the SR-71 was flying at an altitude of 22.000m and a speed of Mach 2.9. Ulf had some difficulties coming back to earth – he actually reached the target’s altitude and passed the SR-71 head-on at the same altitude with some side separation, but suffered a high-temperature engine stall! A cartoon drawn by SAS Captain Stefan Lofren to commemorate this event was used as a poster in our briefing room.”

The article appeared on The aviation Geek club

There is some question about SKYFLASH's ability to give chase in an SR 71 turnout. Zooming up to heat stall condition in a Viggen is NOT a successful intercept by any means.

So take claims with a ton of salt. I would say the Lightning is in the same ballpark.
 
HERE.



There is some question about SKYFLASH's ability to give chase in an SR 71 turnout. Zooming up to heat stall condition in a Viggen is NOT a successful intercept by any means.

So take claims with a ton of salt. I would say the Lightning is in the same ballpark.
lightening was quite capable of operating at 100,000 ft. It was quite capable of operating at Mach 2.5. It succeessfully intercepted SR-71s. The SR-71 was an amazing design, without a doubt but it was intercepterable. Americans have a bizarre idea that they are only ones who can design a plane that good for some unfathomable reason.

The MiG25 was designed expressly to intercept aircraft flying that fast and that high. It is just a shame it was never tried. It would wreck the engines if it was.
 

McPherson

Banned
It, the Lightning, could zoom to 33,000 meters in a pop up head on pass. It could not stay and fight there. Also, it tops out at Mach 2.25 at ~ 12,000 meters. Its missiles were CRAP with no ability to turn with manned aircraft above 25,000 meters.

Americans designed the SR-71 for sustained Mach 3.2 at 24,000+ meters. SUSTAINED. That means a superiority of endurance at cruise of .7 Mach over the Lightning. And the Russians did try with Mig 25 and 31. They failed in their actual combat attempts. Their missiles were CRAP, too.

Radar paints do not = successful intercepts. Let me write that again, radar paints do not = successful intercepts.

The only "success" is a splash and that has never happened to an SR 71. Mission aborts have been mechanicals.

Americans have a bizarre idea that they are only ones who can design a plane that good for some unfathomable reason.

Because they did. Even stole the means from the Russians, who could not figure out they had the sole means in their hands.
 
The SR-71 was still intercepted. QED.

The Corncorde was still intercepted. QED.

The U-2 was still intercepted. QED.

Therefore the claims against the Frightening's abilities are not true.
 
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