Fastest Jet at Low Level?
Join Date: May 2000
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I have chased-down and overtaken B-1B's and F-111s (the marque that the Australians fly) in a clean F3 equipped with Lau-7a / stub pylons and a single 9-L acqui. All protagonists were in full blower and had been for several minutes. I wouldn't like to guess what the results would have been from a standing start as we did have the advantage of a high-to-low conversion, whereas the muds had started low and stayed low. Regarding the issue of stamina . . . on all occasions I was bingo / RTB very soon afterwards but I'm sure both the Bone and the Pig could have carried on at that speed for some time. . .if they hadn't been shot! Regarding stores and fit - irrelevent. For real, I would have jettisoned as required to chase down and kill something as valuable as a B1-B or a Blackjack. With regard to max IAS, I must confess that I never looked at the speed whilst in the vinegar strokes of these engagements - poor airmanship and a lack of capacity, I guess! However, if I had ever exceeded the release to service, I would have been disappointed with anything less than 870 kts, where there be dragons, VIB and REV captions. I have heard several independent stories of 911 kts which would support the (admittedley dubious) story that the F3 HUD won't read faster than 911 because the software designer drove a Porsche. All such stories tend to emanate from junior pilots sent to Warton to collect brand new jets (that weren't even fitted with pylons) during the aircraft's introduction to service. One such pilot (who now flies 747s for BA) told how he'd been carpetted because the jet he'd thrashed on the way home had had the grey paint on its wing and fin leading edges stripped back to the yellow primer.
One last morsel - don't forget other aircraft types. I remember once trying to chase down a small ball of fuzz in the Noth Sea ACMI and on this occasion, I did look at the HUD. I was doing M1.3 at about 4000feet, in a steady descent. The small ball of fuzz, which turned out to be an F-15E, managed to hold me off until the Eastern boundary of the range. However, we would have had him, I tell you! Fastest jet in the world at low level?
Absolutely, undeniably the Tornado FMk3.
One last morsel - don't forget other aircraft types. I remember once trying to chase down a small ball of fuzz in the Noth Sea ACMI and on this occasion, I did look at the HUD. I was doing M1.3 at about 4000feet, in a steady descent. The small ball of fuzz, which turned out to be an F-15E, managed to hold me off until the Eastern boundary of the range. However, we would have had him, I tell you! Fastest jet in the world at low level?
Absolutely, undeniably the Tornado FMk3.
Join Date: Aug 2001
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Same, same. I did look at the IAS - 875ish and a good kill! Whilst we can only do it once a trip if there ain't a friendly 10 or Trimotor around, the F3 is most definitely one of, if not the, slipperiest around.
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Good work Flick knife mates; ramp from med level in full blower and then claim your the fastest low level machine....one word for you chaps and it rhymes with 'frolics' (and since when exactly was 4000' low level??? ).
Studly, I cant be ar$ed getting a copy of Janes out so can you just put us out of our misery
Until then, I reaffirm the mighty F-111 as the fastest low 'not having cheated and ramped from the charlie block' level machine!!
Studly, I cant be ar$ed getting a copy of Janes out so can you just put us out of our misery
Until then, I reaffirm the mighty F-111 as the fastest low 'not having cheated and ramped from the charlie block' level machine!!
Join Date: Nov 2002
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Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation:
The MiG 25 (Foxbat-B), Max level speed with missiles: Mach 3.2
F-15 Eagle Max level speed: Mach 2.5
Which one would go faster at low level?
I know which one would break down first!
The MiG 25 (Foxbat-B), Max level speed with missiles: Mach 3.2
F-15 Eagle Max level speed: Mach 2.5
Which one would go faster at low level?
I know which one would break down first!
Fastest jet at low level - what about the Viper?
I flew the F16C (Block 30) with GE F110 engine. That was about 29k of thrust on a 26k machine. It was cleared to over 800 and M2. The highest IAS I saw was 730kts at 13k over the Gulf of Mexico, running from an AIM7. It was starting to get noisy but there was still plenty of acceleration despite the c/l tank and wingtip missiles.
Most fun? That was letting an F14A take me ballistic (remember Goose in Top Gun, well they taught them that bs) and getting a missile solution on the way up, and a tracking guns solution on the way down...
Oh, perhaps the run to Harp Lake, Canada, at about 600 KIAS was as much fun.
Halcyon Days...
Most fun? That was letting an F14A take me ballistic (remember Goose in Top Gun, well they taught them that bs) and getting a missile solution on the way up, and a tracking guns solution on the way down...
Oh, perhaps the run to Harp Lake, Canada, at about 600 KIAS was as much fun.
Halcyon Days...
Join Date: Oct 2000
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lets re phrase it then:
The fastest low level level aircraft.
Rotate, gear up flaps up wings back remain at 250' or lower or thereabouts...
and run.....
If the terrain requires a higher pressure altitude; eg: high planes of Nth America then you will get M1.4 [a function of temp for those interested in Supersonic aerody] . This will get 800-900 KTAS {& G/S}. But I thought the scenario was LEVEL at SEA LEVEL. [or slightly above it]
Unfortunately, sometimes we have to adhere to some peacetime rules while evading.
The fastest low level level aircraft.
Rotate, gear up flaps up wings back remain at 250' or lower or thereabouts...
and run.....
If the terrain requires a higher pressure altitude; eg: high planes of Nth America then you will get M1.4 [a function of temp for those interested in Supersonic aerody] . This will get 800-900 KTAS {& G/S}. But I thought the scenario was LEVEL at SEA LEVEL. [or slightly above it]
Unfortunately, sometimes we have to adhere to some peacetime rules while evading.
Join Date: Dec 1997
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I believe that civvy F104 was flown by Darrell Greenamayer (sp?) and holds the world low-level speed record at just over 1000 mph, say 870kts or about M1.3. It was, of course, specially prepared for the flight, though I don't doubt that a standard F104 could make 750 easily enough. Wonder what an F3 with the same TLC would make??
