Tornado F3 maximum speed?
 

I'm a Vigilant driver with a VGS. One of my students is doing very well; he's very keen on flying and wants to go on to fast jets. He particularly likes the Tornado F3.

Yesterday we were discussing straight and level flight, and how the Vigilant's speed would change with power. He asked me what speed an F3 would reach if you started off at say 250kts straight and level, opened up to full power and maintained S/L? He also asked how long it would take to reach its maximum? I said I didn't know, but knew where I could ask the questions!

Assuming the answers aren't classified, can any kind soul give me the information so that I can pass it on?

John

John,

At high altitude, similar to a Vigilant, about an hour to 251 knots! Only kidding!

On the deck, say 1000' amsl, acceleration in full reheat from 250 kts to Vne of 750kts would take less than 30 secs. The aircraft would still be accelerating and would not brick wall until approaching 900 kts. The acceleration is impressive but when the burners are pulled out the decelleration is even fiercer.

At high altitude the jet accelerates relatively slowly from 250kts indicated until the intake ramps start to work at about 1.2 mach but then, if clean, will accelerate nicely until the fuel runs out or mach 2+ is reached.

The crews main consideration in these circumstances, beyond getting the shot, is how fast the fuel disappears over the side.

Hope that helps,

Ghost:ok:

Some years ago, before I knew any better, I saw 850IAS at sea level (yes, the ground was below sea level) and the jet was still accelerating. We went past an F18, which was in full blower and doing his best, with about 100 kts of overtake. It was a pretty sight. At high level I've seen Mach 2, but the fuel gauge was saying ''go home''.

Of course you have to try and get the pesky things out of the HAS to do all of that fancy stuff and away from the engineers. Now that gentlemen is the trick!:ok:

Tornado F3 maximum speed
 

Wow. It's just a little quicker than a Vigilant then!

Very many thanks to those who replied. My student will be highly impressed. Now all I need to work out is how to get a ride in an F3 myself to verify these numbers <g>.

Thanks again.

John

I was always told that the F3 was just about the faster low level interceptor there was.

How does the F15E compare? I believe its optomised for somewhat higher altitude - pure fighter - alts but what would actually be the outcome in a 1000ft amsl race?

What would be the outcome if you threw a B1-B into the ring? Surely those four big engines and even bigger tanks would win any race..?

Cheers

WWW

Being a devout fan of the F4 and Lightning, I'd also love to know how they would have compared. (Cue lots of WIWOL stories, hopefully. . .)

John

F4 - at least FG1 or FGR2 wouldn't have a chance in the low level speed contest. I got transonic once chasing 4 Jaguars, but nowhere near 700KIAS......

WWW,

Even with PW-229s (29,550 LB thrust in AB), an F-15E is not going to get close to the acceleration figures of the F.3 mentioned above.

At LL the Strike Eagle is limited to a dash speed just above the MACH because of avionics cooling considerations for its LANTIRN pods, so I don't think it really gets close.

I'd have thought that the old F-111 may have been able to give the Fin a run for its money, though!

Cheers

Steve

F-111
 

The F-111 is quoted at Mach 1.2 at Sea Level, so I dare say they'd have a good run. Think the Pig would out-do it for noise but! :p

The B-1 is quoted as High Subsonic to Mach 1 at low level - funny, you'd think with two donks under each wing, she'd give anything a run for it's money. :confused:

How would the Russian counterparts stand up to our American and British friends? The latest Sukhoi's are pretty awesome from what I have heard. :)

Cheers,

Souls.

Beags,

You weren't trying! I saw 825 indicated in an FGR2. In the back of my mind I remembered something about the release to service and when we slowed down and took the beast home we found out, from a senior QWI chappie, that the limit in our config was 750. Ooops. However, the gingers looked her over and found nothing untoward and she was back on the line next day. Happy days.

The Lightning was cleared 650kts clean, 620kts with the probe.

Bet that 620 kts limit was useful for that extra overtake needed for tanking !!!

maxburner - was that at '250 feet' though? I certainly saw a lot more then 800 kts on the digital groundspeed thing at medium level.

If you managed to get 825+ out of it at low level, you can't have had many tanks, 'winders or anything else on, I guess. But "Respec' " if you did!

And yes, 825 was waaaaaaaaaay over any clearance limit!

Beagle glad to hear that all it takes to gain your 'respec' is push the throttles forward and ignore any release to service.

BTW saw M1.3 at 100' on the Vark and 1000kts ground speed a bit higher up, all legal

Probably only some peacetime pansy limit put on the old jet anyway. Most were so $hagged and bent that such speeds defied the laws of physics with those draggy Spey intakes:ugh:

But yes, well done, you stuck to the rules. Which are made for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men:E

Of course TSR2 would have whipped the ugly old Polymorphic Pig's ar$e if it had been allowed to:ok:!!

Couldn't the Hunter do 720 Kts IAS at low level? I thought the F3 was the fastest though - M2.3? Great for a high-level interceptor etc.

F3......M2.3.......high level interceptor... You've made my day. I needed a good laugh. :p ;)

p.s. I think the Hunter was 720mph/620Kts

Ghostflyer

"On the deck, say 1000' amsl, acceleration in full reheat from 250 kts to Vne of 750kts would take less than 30 secs"

Really?

So if you were doing 250KIAS and at the moment I passed abeam you at 480KIAS you had just reached full blower, 30 seconds later you would be ahead of me? (your average speed over the 30secs being 500KIAS). B8gger me!

Any thoughts anyone?

Bollux
 

The F14A was capable of 250-550 (clean jet) in 30 seconds at 1000'. The B was slower accelerating initially. Both aircraft produce significantly more thrust, (esp the B) and have a wingsweep computer that is way clevererererer than the average F3 driver. ;) (It's called banter, dry your eyes)
If the F3 can do those figures quoted above I'll be very, very, very (very) surprised. Very surprised.
Standing by to not be very suprised.