Fastest Jet at Low Level?

[Magic Mushroom]

Chaps,
I understand that the MIG-23 has a fairly respectable turn of speed on the deck.
Additionally, whilst the B-1B was a useful noise generator option to the dropping of live ordanace over Afghanistan, certainly at medium level it's not a patch on the Mirage IV.
Nevertheless, I suspect that for dash, the F-111 would still take some beating today.
Regards
M2

[kmagyoyo]

The F-111C v 'Electric Flick Knife' no contest.

Not only can the Pig do M1.2 on the deck WITH stuff hanging off the wing, it can do it for more than one nano-fart before having to Bingo home at flight level moon.

[timzsta]

Anyone seen that photo of two German F-4's that hangs in the corridor at the ACMI at RAF Waddington. The one where they are flying about 50ft above a river with big conifer trees either side of them. Probably not going as fast as a 111, but its bloody impressive.

Being an ex Fighter Controller I have been lucky enough to see an F3 go supersonice across the Bristol Channel during an exerise, radar showed him down at about 500 - 1000 ft. He was chasing down and Etendard, one won easily!

[tony draper]

I have that on me hard disc Timzsta, don't recall where I got it from now though, plus a couple of others of F4 cuttin the grass, one of them looks so impossible I suspect a paint shop job though.
Ah sorry, should have looked at it again before I posted, this is a single F4 flying up a river well below the treetops,I can't tell who it belongs to though.

[Danza]

Drapes - could you e-mail me the pic if you've got a few minutes to spare?

Getting back on subject, well sort of, although I guess it doesn't count as it's not on squadron service yet, but looking at the stats the Eurofighter Typhoon shoud smash lots of record Mach 2.0 capable

[rivetjoint]

Mach 2 capable? Shurely someone in the Ministry will spot that soon, decide that isn't really needed anymore and replace the jets with a prop on the nose. Should save them about £10.50.

[tony draper]

Certainly Timzsta, send me yer email addy at

[email protected]

Don't think the pprune email allows the attachment of stuff.

[RPH]

May not have been the fastest but the stripped down Hunters at Valley in the early 70s were certainly capable. I remember seeing just under 600kts during one of the low level missions. As I said, certainly not the quickest but, as a 20 year old in his first single seat, definetly a memory that is still fresh. As an old mentor once told me "No cats, rats, dogs, frogs or 2seat fighter pilots allowed" Cheers all.

[freddoir]

Fastest Jet at Any Level

Surely the fastest jet at any level is an F3 obeying DAPS. I have never seen anything pump or abort faster than an F3. O am I being cynical?

[RRAAMJET]

Spoke to one of our 'Nam vets today ref F-105: more than 800 by a substantial margin, whilst dodging a bit, but not really sure 'cos he was too scared and the ASI scale got compacted at the upper end if the pitot probes hadn't been shot off as far as he could recall.
He seemed to recall that the B-58 Hustler was no slouch, either. The knackered old T-38 will reach its Vne of 710, still accelerating (limited by rear canopy lift). Not much drag there, either.

[Chimbu chuckles]

Someone mentioned Eurofighter...I flew the Simulator at Asian Aerospace 2002. M1.2 @ < 50'...and it didn't seem ta wanna go faster

I can't remember the IAS...When asked how accurately the Sim represented the aircraft the TP allowed as how he practiced in that Sim for his Farnborough Demos.

This Airline Pilot certainly wishes he was 20 years younger

Chuck.

[John Eacott]

Don't know how fast they were, but the Buccaneer low passes always left quite an impression:

[escapee]

Looking at those pics of Bucs reminds me of when I was at Ice Station Kilo; on there last day of their service the Bucs from Lossie did a simulated airfield attack at Kinloss. F**k Me! V low V fast V impressive!

[Plastic Penguin]

Buccs were good for low over Oggsplosh... put them in OLF overland and see wot they were like................ actually dont know cos I was on their side running away from the F3 hairdressers.


Back to original thread ............ M1.1 at 100 in Goose in the flickknife ( wasn't gonna try star wars valley either).... definately not the fastest thing on the planet but it felt like it when I was 22 years old...... wish I could swap it for my Boeing now.

[dudly]

I never flew the F-111, but in talking with some of the crews, the later models would keep accelerating until they melted. I think they had a light that came on that said "hot" or "slow down" or something to that affect. I flew the F-105 and had it up to 825 to 850 (memory is slipping) which was the limit as far as the book said, I am sure it has seen faster. I was going downhill in full burner, not level.

While based in Europe back in the very early 1970's, I was driving an F4E and spotted an F-111 (don't know which model it was). We were down around 500 feet or so. I pulled up on its wing and he began to bump it up. I thought I was hanging in fairly well when he bumped it up again. I lit the burners and hung in there, and then he lit the burners and just became a dot disappearing on the horizon.

[STANDTO]

mentioned it before, but Buccs virtually belly sliding up the runway at St Ath on a balmy summers evening was a sight to behold

[Chimbu chuckles]

dudly I used to fly F28s with two ex RAAF Wing Commanders, both of whom had flown F111s and at least one of whom had been involved in their intro into RAAF service, having been on Mirage 111 and CAC27 (F86 with cannon and bigger engine) before that. Not sure whether he flew the F4s during the interim, probably did.

They both still fly a few hours a year active reserve...or what passes for it in the RAAF.

Lindsay had always been fast jet/fighter streem while the other had been a trashy at one stage and I think both, but certainly Lindsay, initially looked down their noses at 'this bomber'.

I think it's fair to say that attitudes changed once they started flying 'the bomber' and both definately mentioned that max speed was only limited by skin temperature.

From what they told me the 'Pig' was, in earlier RAAF days considered a Fighter Bomber and as such they trained in both disciplines. Apparently max effort climbs from ground level with a light internal fuel load, a few 2 AIM9s/Sparrows/or whatever was the fit and cannon were quite a ride I don't remember for certain but exceeding Mach 1 in a very steep climb at some mind numbing ROC seemed to be the gist of it. Certainly one of Australia finest gave one of your finest a nasty surprise at Red Flag a few years ago when he splashed an F16 with a missile shot...I think the F16 pilots reaction was along the lines of..."It's got WHAT...but it's a Bomber" Unfortunately that F111 driver lost his life maintaining the edge required of you guys.

I have flown a couple of Fighter Sims (the real ones not FS2000) and this ex Bush pilot/now airline takes his hat off to all you fellas...and sometimes wishes he'd pushed harder at the RAAF recruiter when he was 19

And to all the RAAF / RAF / USAF guys who may find themselves in harms way soon all my very best wishes....the politics may suck but that's not your worry!

Chuck.

[L J R]

F111C & F111F M1.2 on the deck [by the book] BUT...... i'll say no more.

The skin temp issue is more pertinent at altitude at which they want to accelerate smoothly as you pass M 2.2

Vaark DEFINATELY faster than Tonka in all respects. [wiff or wifout underslung stuff]

[Studly]

How Fast!!!

What a load of old faided memories we have.
The F3 is rarely seen airborne and may be on it's day out of the shed the fastest. (It can climb to the moon as a pig writer states!)
The F111 not bad, but 1.2 all day?
The B1 high trans-sonic only.
Eurofighter with downrated in service engines ..
So where are we?
Have a look in Janes outright records you'll all be surprised!

[Steve Davies]

Light Grey Eagle

The F-15C can do M1.2 on the deck whilst clean. That ain't all that bad for a medium altitude design