F-15K41

Steve Pace

Aviation History Writer
Joined
6 January 2013
Messages
2,266
Reaction score
169
The premier F-15K41 Slam Eagle for the ROKAF made its first flight on 19 April 2010.
 

Attachments

  • F-15K first flight 08041.jpg
    F-15K first flight 08041.jpg
    610.9 KB · Views: 285
That is the 41st F-15K, the first unit in the second production block (or Tranche if you are European). In production planning, is was called "K41" just as the first F/A-18F had "F1" on the tail.

There is no formal designation of "F-15K41".
 
Yes, look at the engine nozzles - we're back to no turkey feathers ;)
 
Considering how much of an improvement over the original PW-100 the new F100-PW-229 is, why are the metal "turkey feathers" still removed regularly?
 
... and esp. WHY did Korea change their engine-choice from the F110 to the F100 in the second batch ??

Deino
 
Trident said:
Yes, look at the engine nozzles - we're back to no turkey feathers ;)

Turkey feathers can be removed from others as well. The B-1B had them removed from it's F101s.
 
Deino said:
... and esp. WHY did Korea change their engine-choice from the F110 to the F100 in the second batch ??

Deino

They weren't happy with the GE engines... not sure if it was a performance (thrust/fuel consumption) or maintenance/reliability issue.
 
sferrin said:
Trident said:
Yes, look at the engine nozzles - we're back to no turkey feathers ;)

Turkey feathers can be removed from others as well. The B-1B had them removed from it's F101s.

And to make the confusion utterly unfathomable, Israel opted to put turkey feathers onto the F100s in its F-15Is. I don't think there's any particular rhyme or reason to it, frankly ???
 
Trident said:
sferrin said:
Trident said:
Yes, look at the engine nozzles - we're back to no turkey feathers ;)

Turkey feathers can be removed from others as well. The B-1B had them removed from it's F101s.

And to make the confusion utterly unfathomable, Israel opted to put turkey feathers onto the F100s in its F-15Is. I don't think there's any particular rhyme or reason to it, frankly ???

Weight and maintenance. The turkey feathers are there for drag reduction but at least on the F-15 and B-1 they apparently don't make enough difference to be worth the hassle. They still keep them on F-16s.
 
sferrin said:
Weight and maintenance. The turkey feathers are there for drag reduction but at least on the F-15 and B-1 they apparently don't make enough difference to be worth the hassle. They still keep them on F-16s.

I realize that, but apparently the case is not at all clear cut on the F-15 (Israel vs. South Korea's second batch, both F100 powered).
 
Trident said:
sferrin said:
Weight and maintenance. The turkey feathers are there for drag reduction but at least on the F-15 and B-1 they apparently don't make enough difference to be worth the hassle. They still keep them on F-16s.

I realize that, but apparently the case is not at all clear cut on the F-15 (Israel vs. South Korea's second batch, both F100 powered).

The USAF seems to think it's clear cut. They pulled 'em off all their F-15s and their B-1Bs. They even took them off the F-15 ACTIVE. The Japanese and the Saudis did as well. I'd be more interested to know why Israel kept them on. (I wouldn't count SK yet as they haven't received any of the second batch yet. edit: now that I look at the first post in this thread, the South Koreans appear to have removed the turkey feathers from their F100s as well.)
 
I can remember seeing F-15s without the Turkey Feathers back in 1982 at the Quonsett Airshow. The pilot said that they lost a few knots off top speed but also lost some weight.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom