Article

2017-04-19 -Short Attention Span Theater-

Here's Why The F-35 Once Lost To F-16s, And How It Made A Stunning Comeback

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Posted by gorb 2017-04-19 15:29|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 The F-35 still needs to pass its final test. Combat.

Posted by DarthVader 2017-04-19 15:52|| 2017-04-19 15:52|| Front Page Top

#2 During a dogfight, jets have to manage extreme amounts of kinetic energy... --Col. Boyd's Energy–maneuverability theory, yes. In WW2 the US pilots to dive, shoot n' disengage against the Zero ... or die.

The thing that bothers me is that the battlefield is not a dueling arena. Suppose your super-stealthy F-35 gets spotted by an enemy that wanders into the battlespace while you are trying to ace your opponent?

Posted by magpie 2017-04-19 16:29|| 2017-04-19 16:29|| Front Page Top

#3 "The next generation, the first lieutenants that have never flown an F-18 before, those are the pilots that are going to define what the F-35 is going to do,"

Yea, die! The first rule of air combat is to survive!

Really, go so slow in a turn, that makes them sitting ducks for any propeller war planes. The Japanese Zeros (Mitsubishi A6M) was almost unbeatable in WW2 until we finally got airplanes that can out-maneuver the Zeros. Point is the more maneuverable aircraft will almost always win, the F-35 "flying Turkey" ain't it.

Sorry Major Dan Flatley, I don't buy your explainion, it frankly smell of BS.

During a dogfight, jets have to manage extreme amounts of kinetic energy while making pinpoint turns and maneuvers.

Seriously, how does one manage kinetic energy other than throwing parts overboard? I'm thinking the guy does not understand mass as well as he think he does. Last time I checked, the laws of physics has yet to be overturned.

As exciting as dogfights are, it's been decades since a US jet engaged an enemy in a turning dogfight, and the F-35's design reflects that new reality.

Winning a dogfight is mostly being able to outturn your enemy. It's been a while since we were in any kind of dogfight. "New reality"? Anyone remember the F-111?

This article is IMO, a pathetic attempt to justify the F-35. I would have scrapped this designs after the first few prototypes. Copying the SR-71 look for the "cool" and "wow" factors does not make a decent fighter plane.

Posted by Seeking cure for ignorance 2017-04-19 17:04|| 2017-04-19 17:04|| Front Page Top

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