The F-4K and M max IAS was, from memory, 750 kts at sea level but increased up to 810 at 11 000 ft (not sure why). Went along nicely at 750 KIAS at low level even with 2 tanks.

I will need to dig out the books but IIRC the F3 Vne was originally 800 KCAS (no tanks). Would be interested to know the dive angle for some of the higher speeds reached that are quoted above because when we did the clearance to 800 KCAS with 2 Skyflash and 4 AIM9s it was not that easy to get there.

My 870 was in K022+ at straight and level, at low level and with 2 large orange carrots hanging out the back - no dive required and the Skyflash fins weren't buzzing either!

LJ

That would be "Gun" singular Leon.;)

OAP

I can't compete with LJ but did once have a go at the 810 kts at 11,000 ft in an A-fit FG1 (no tanks). I got it slightly wrong and ended up with 825 kts at 15,000. It was interesting to say the least, mainly because I hadn't given any thought to how I was going to slow down. I decided to try a gentle reduction to min burner for starters. Good decision, because even that produced a deceleration akin to taking a cable! Didn't try it again...

The F-111 was good for M1.2, about 810 on the deck.


At height for engine airtest, we would try to achieve M2.3 before the "BANG" of a compressor stall.

Maximum allowable airspeed for these aircraft:

F-4C, D, E = 750 KIAS
F-14A = 780 KIAS
F-15C = 800 KIAS

Unfortunately I can't find my data for the MiG-23 but I believe it was above 800 KIAS as was the F-111 IIRC.

Normal bird strike requirement for the canopy on most aircraft about 450 KIAS for a 4 lb. bird. I always kept that little item in mind during high speed low level flight.

BBadanov you got there as I was posting.

BBadanov

Have heard of higher speeds being achieved post-AUP engine upgrade and in clean G-models, and of high 800s achieved at Red Flag.

An unnamed Nav has told me of a particular occasion where a piece of the wingbox fairing was missing and paint had peeled off the leading edge of the fin after a particular post mx flight test off the Sunshine Coast in the late 90s.

He also said the main speed limfac was windscreen temp?

Yes, windscreens were an issue. I remember a guy coming back with the central screen blacked out whilst he was going v fast IAS in the North Sea ACMI. He said he came home somewhat gingerly after that!

LJ

I can't imagine that an Eagle would be a very comfortable beast at 800KIAS at low level - Buckaroo comes to mind! :eek:

As LJ states, the F3 HUD stops at 999kts...the TV tabs don't! The Irish sea was littered with fresh F3 paint after we'd picked them up and given them a quick "shake down".


A 'buddy of mine' was chasing down another 'buddy' on a "Day Tactics" sortie... guess which one was me! Anyway, it started at 30K and someone dived for the deck, passing 3000' yelps of "SPEED" were coming from some ones back seat. The HUD was in M and reading 1.8+ a quick flick to IAS revealed total horror (No we weren't vertical).


The ASRAAM seemed OK but the RAIDS pod was :mad:

All you non hacking oxygen suckers...how about hovering...or flying backwards?

Guess we'll figure out who the Harrier lads are...

On a light note... Anyone done 1000mph?
 

I once did a tail slide in a Hawk. Does that count as flying backwards?
I've done a stall turn as well.
I can't say I really planned to do either.
Never been 1000mph. Can't actually remember my fastest IAS in a Jag. Somewhere in the low 600s maybe? But I do know that in Oman when the F3s had their weeny tanks on they were limited to 0.9M and our tactic was to outrun them (0.95M limit for us!).
You have to take what you can get sometimes.
BV

You can't go backwards very fast in a Harrier :sad:

http://www.ukserials.com/pdflosses/m...0628_xw769.pdf

Bob V...you get a pass for the tail slide...was the seat pan missing after the ride? Hope you salvaged the skivvies?

On a light note... Anyone done 1000mph?
 

A brief moment of panic followed by some heavy breathing. Luckily the Hawk reminded me on each such occasion that it'll let you get away with murder if you screw things up. Or your student does...
BV

F-8E SAC page 4: max speed S/L 651 knots; 35,000' 984 knots.
http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/F-8..._July_1967.pdf


F-15C SAC page 4: max speed 35,000' 1,309 knots; 45,000' 1,340 knots
with CFTs: max speed 35,000' 1,124 knots; 45,000' 1,102 knots
http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/F-1...ruary_1992.pdf


F-14A SAC page 4: max speed S/L 794 knots; 35,000' 1,170 knots.
http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/F-1...April_1977.pdf


F-14D SAC page 4: max speed S/L 740 knots; 35,000' 1,196 knots.
http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/F-1..._Declas%29.pdf

As well as doing 1000kts, the F3 will also happily (well, relatively happily) do 0 kts. I learned about this when I once let my "experienced" Nav have a go at poling a twin-sticker:

Nav: "Can I have a go at some aeros?"
Me: "Sure. You have...."
Nav: "I have. Ok, I'll just try a loop to start with....."
Me: "Ok, stick the burners in, wait for 300kts & pull to 4g, then transition to 19 units over the top"

Nav pulls weakly to about 3g

Me: "Pull a bit more mate...."
As we reach the vertical:
Me: "Keep pulling"
Nav then slackens the pull
Me: "PULL!"
Followed by click, click as Nav brings throttles out of burner!

Me: "F*@k"
Nav: "You have control"
Me: "I doubt it"

As the airspeed decayed below 50 kts in the HUD, somewhere from the deep recesses of my brain, I remember hearing the U/P drill of "Centralise & let the aircraft fall out of the U/P". So I did. My QFIs would have been proud.

Everything went very quiet as the jet stopped, deciding whether to hammerhead or fall on it's back.....

Me (silently): "Please don't spin"

After what seemed like an eternity, it tailslid, then oh-so-gently pitched forward in a lovely (& completely unintended) hammerhead/ Su-27 "Cobra"-stylee manoeuver.

Fuel came out of the intakes in big clouds of vapour. I was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen.

The CWP lit up like a Christmas tree as various systems tripped offline... SPILS.... CSAS.... Pressurisation (!!?)....

.... but the thing kept flying & the engines kept turning. As the airspeed increased, presently there were enough Bernoullis going over enough control surfaces that the Lift Pixies resumed normal service.

We went home after that :ouch:

Have heard of higher speeds being achieved post-AUP engine upgrade and in clean G-models, and of high 800s achieved at Red Flag.

An unnamed Nav has told me of a particular occasion where a piece of the wingbox fairing was missing and paint had peeled off the leading edge of the fin after a particular post mx flight test off the Sunshine Coast in the late 90s.

He also said the main speed limfac was windscreen temp?
http://www.pprune.org/images/statusi...er_offline.gif http://www.pprune.org/images/buttons/report.gif


F/A-18
Not sure, but possible. My time was with P3 and P103 engine. The G was I think P107, and AUP aircraft were P109. So probably better performance.


Yes windscreen temp was sometimes a limiter, but we did go through several windscreen mods too!
I have just been out boating today with a bunch of ex-111 (ex-Pig) mates, so sorry I couldn't consult them, but I do remember a rundown stopwatch triggered by skin temp - one of these guys remembers all the numbers - but it had something to do with 214 degrees (I think) and counted down from about 300 to 0 seconds (I think). Someone with more brain cells will remember !! Our young Oz UAV mate will remember the details...

Not much.

TF30-3/103 10,750 lb (18,500 lb)
TF30-107 12,500 lb (20,350 lb)
TF30-109 12,000 lb (20,840 lb)


Too bad they weren't fitted with the engines from the F-111F...
TF30-100 15,000 lb (25,100 lb)
TF30-111 17,895 lb (25,111 lb)

Leon, I gather that Bastard Bill tried to throw the book at the 'zoom merchant' to whom you refer, for exceeding the Release To Service limitations......

Until someone happened to mention the Lightning - and whether 'reheat rotations' were in the R to S. BB allegedly got the message and perhaps coincidentally the witch hunting stopped shortly afterwards, with a comment "Just don't do it again!".

All the above is anecdotal, I hasten to add.

ExAdvert, that reminds me of the time I saw rather more AoA than IAS in an F-4 after having gone vertical during aggressor training....I'd been looking over my shoulder and subconsciously pressing forward on the control column as we climbed , so that we went straight up rather than gently pitching over to the inverted as had been my intention! But the low speed recovery worked fine, no dramas at all...... The F-5 mate merely called "Are you coming down any time soon?"....