Originally Posted by
gr4techie
I thought the MiG29 and SU27 were two completely different concepts.
The MiG being designed as a cheap mass produced aircraft and the SU27 being much much bigger, powerful, cost-not-as-much-an-issue air superiority fighter. Like comparing F-16 to F-15.
Completely incorrect I'm afraid.
The guys who designed the MiG-29, basically designed a fantastic wing and then worked out how to add on extras like engines, fuselage etc which disturbed the airflow over that wing as little as possible. Mikoyan didn't think much of the idea so those designers felt unloved and went to work for Sukhoi. Who did go for the idea.
Models of their design duly popped up in the centralised Soviet testing facilities, whereupon Mikoyan said "hang on a mo, we recognise that!"
The decision was taken that Sukhoi would proceed with a larger, longer range version of the design, which would become the Su-27 while Mikoyan would concentrate on a smaller shorter range version of the aircraft, the MiG-29.
I'm sure John Farley will happily confirm all of that (as well as mentioning that he was the first westerner to fly a Mig-29. Lucky bu
er!)
As an aside, the reaction to the capabilities of the Su-35S now is not very dissimilar to that of the West when the peskie Ruskies displayed their wares / gave NATO a horrible wake-up call at Le Bourget 20 years ago with their ability to turn tightly and do what were dismissed then by some as 'party tricks'. Tricks like Pugachev's Cobra which the Sovs have clearly now evolved into something rather special and is a very clever trick indeed.
As someone mentioned in this thread, getting the pipper on the Su-35S might be a tad difficult. I would say that the writing was on the wall, plain and clear for all to see, back in 1993.
A rather nice quote from John Farley is that when, in 1993 at Le Bourget, an F-16 pilot who had just witnessed the display by the Su-27, including a 10 second 360 degree turn and a cobra, was asked by a reporter what he would do if he found himself in close combat with the Su-27?
The F-16 pilot's reply?
"I'd eject!"
CS