F15's can fly with one wing??

[Mental Trousers]

I know the wing loading of an F15 is low but this is insane. wtf??

[Lias]

Thats some crazy shit

[limbimtimwim]

I remember seeing footage of an American fighter that lost most of its wing, maybe that one, flying. The computers just... compensated. I imagine the software designers considered complete loss of control over all the surfaces on a particular wing (SAM exploding nearby or electro/mechanical failure). But loosing a whole wing...!

Understandable that those pilots are smiling.

[James Deuce]

F15's get a big chunk of their lift budget from the fuselage, and remember that every F15 except the E model has a positive thrust to weight ratio.

[Maha]

Maverick ! when i said ''take my wing'' i didn't mean take my wing you arshole...........

[Mental Trousers]

F15's get a big chunk of their lift budget from the fuselage, and remember that every F15 except the E model has a positive thrust to weight ratio.

Yeah but still, to see one actually keep flying without 1 of it's wings just seems wrong.

[James Deuce]

Yeah but still, to see one actually keep flying without 1 of it's wings just seems wrong.

Lifting body technology has been around since the '30s. The test mules for the Shuttle programme, like the one the 6 Million Dollar Man crashed also generated data used in the development of the current generation fighter/bomber aircraft capable of carrying huge loads like the F15 & 18. The F15's wings are for generating longitudinal roll 1st, carrying stuff 2nd, and lift 3rd. There was (don't think it is still in service) a flight of F15C's that were used as an ASAT (anti satellite) platform and climbed vertically standing on their tail to 60,000ft to begin the launch process. All the lift is coming from the thrust provided by those big after burning engines, while the flight surfaces are used for directional control.

If an F16's triple redundant flight control computer stops working you're outta there, because you can't fly the aircraft without it's input. I imagine the F15 has a similar amount of digital correction to it's flight attitude.

Thunderbird 2 is probably the best example of the advantages of a lifting body design. Thunderbird 2's "wings" are just there to hold the ailerons and flaps.

[limbimtimwim]

Thunderbird 2 is probably the best example of the advantages of a lifting body design. Thunderbird 2's "wings" are just there to hold the ailerons and flaps.

Jim, mate, Thunderbird 2 isn't real..

But these are!

Take note of the 'lifting body' a-10 in the 3rd picture.

[limbimtimwim]

And this is real too. Just to make it bike related. Oh my, look at the time.

[James Deuce]

Jim, mate, Thunderbird 2 isn't real..

Whaaaaaat? But I can hear International Rescue talking to and from Thunderbird 5, through that filling I got when I was 7.

Nooooooo, they're real, real I tell you!

[paturoa]

says 2 jets survive, looks like only one in the pics

[Scouse]

As a Pilot myself I would have to say that the F15 on the ground would have sufferd that damage during a ground handling incedent there is no way that anyone could successfully land a plane with one wing missing even with computer aided fly by wire it would just spirail down uncontrolaby to the ground the only way the Pilot could save himself in that situation is to pull the ejector handle

[Scouse]

Jim, mate, Thunderbird 2 isn't real..

But these are!

Take note of the 'lifting body' a-10 in the 3rd picture.

One word Photoshop

[James Deuce]

As a Pilot myself I would have to say that the F15 on the ground would have sufferd that damage during a ground handling incedent there is no way that anyone could successfully land a plane with one wing missing even with computer aided fly by wire it would just spirail down uncontrolaby to the ground the only way the Pilot could save himself in that situation is to pull the ejector handle

That incident is verified and documented. They're actually Israeli aircraft and the other aircraft invovled was an A4 (Skyhawk) and the pilot ejected from the A4.

[Macktheknife]

As a Pilot myself I would have to say that the F15 on the ground would have sufferd that damage during a ground handling incedent there is no way that anyone could successfully land a plane with one wing missing it would just spirail down uncontrolaby to the ground the only way the Pilot could save himself in that situation is to pull the ejector handle

Sorry mate in this case you are wrong, I have read the pilots statement following the crash investigation, he knew the wing was damaged from the impact but as the wing is not visible from the pilots seat he had no idea how bad it was until after he had landed. At which time he said if he had known he would have ejected because, 'everyone knows that a plane can't fly on one wing.'
That is one lucky SOB.