Article

2006-03-28 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

The Most User Friendly Fighter Bomber Ever Built

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Posted by Steve 2006-03-28 09:17|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 The Russians need to build an economy, not an air force. They still have the wrong people in charge.

Posted by wxjames 2006-03-28 11:23|| 2006-03-28 11:23|| Front Page Top

#2 The cockpit for the two man crew not only allows for tandem (side-by-side) seating, but is spacious enough for the pilots to stand up and, standing behind their seats, stretch a bit. There is also a toilet and cooking facilities back there as well. The cockpit itself is protected with 17mm lightweight armor. The canopy does not open..

which means the Ruskies can't use the kitchen sink as a in a fight. engineers, can't trust 'em!

Posted by RD 2006-03-28 12:00|| 2006-03-28 12:00|| Front Page Top

#3 The Russ are learning to build 'em purdy

Posted by 6 2006-03-28 12:19|| 2006-03-28 12:19|| Front Page Top

#4 good looking plane.

Posted by Gleaper Jort3500 2006-03-28 12:28|| 2006-03-28 12:28|| Front Page Top

#5 The Russians need to build an economy, not an air force.

It seems sometimes they try to do both at the same time: a few years ago a local airshow I attend was scheduled to host a Russian demo team flying Su-27's (I believe). At the last minute the the show's sponser dropped the Russians, announcing in a very angry letter how they will never again even attempt to host a Russian team. Apparently the Russians were trying to ~~extort~~negotiate more and more money from the sponser as the date got closer.

Posted by Xbalanke 2006-03-28 12:50|| 2006-03-28 12:50|| Front Page Top

#6 F-111 is 73 feet, 6 inches (22.0 meters) lond with a wingspan of 63 feet (19 meters) full forward; 31 feet, 11 1/2 inches (11.9 meters) full aft.

The Su-34 does have an aardvark look to it.

Posted by Xbalanke 2006-03-28 12:52|| 2006-03-28 12:52|| Front Page Top

#7 Wonder if the plane will someday be featured on a very special episode of Pimp Your Ride.

Posted by Mike 2006-03-28 13:07|| 2006-03-28 13:07|| Front Page Top

#8 Probably the same thing we'd come up with if we wanted to make a modern-day mediuum bomber like the 'vark. IIRC the Aussies still fly the F-111s. Great aircraft.

Posted by OldSpook 2006-03-28 13:09|| 2006-03-28 13:09|| Front Page Top

#9 " . . . and can carry up to eight tons of weapons."

That doesn't sound like much for a plane that big. Here's what www.fas.org has for the F-111 (a similar-sized plane):

"Up to four nuclear bombs on four pivoting wing pylons, and two in internal weapons bay. Wing pylons carry total external load of 25,000 pounds (11,250 kilograms) of bombs, rockets, missiles, or fuel tanks."

Posted by Tibor 2006-03-28 14:52|| http://incompetenttibor.blogspot.com]">[http://incompetenttibor.blogspot.com] 2006-03-28 14:52|| Front Page Top

#10 Real fighters don't need toilets or cooktops, that is more for long endurance flights ( Like a P-3 maybe), but bombers could, this whole airplane is a compromise and if you could lose that widow's hump, it might just be a pretty airplane, but IMHO, it's Fugly. Side by side seating is bomber stuff, also (think Intruders or BUFFS). I think anything the US has could wax it in a dogfight.

Posted by USN, ret. 2006-03-28 14:53|| 2006-03-28 14:53|| Front Page Top

#11 Real fighters don't need toilets or cooktops, that is more for long endurance flights ( Like a P-3 maybe), but bombers could, this whole airplane is a compromise and if you could lose that widow's hump, it might just be a pretty airplane, but IMHO, it's Fugly. Side by side seating is bomber stuff, also (think Intruders or BUFFS). I think anything the US has could wax it in a dogfight.

Well if you try to perform some violent maneuvers like high G turns or loopings in a plane equipped with toilets you are going to understand the full meaning of "being in deep shit"

Posted by JFM">JFM 2006-03-28 16:48|| 2006-03-28 16:48|| Front Page Top

#12 It's not a fighter USN. Think 15E. But you're right, it's a pretty target.

Posted by 6 2006-03-28 16:49|| 2006-03-28 16:49|| Front Page Top

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