F-4 Phantoms Sought By Private Space Launch Company Starfighters International

so far i know there also operational F-4 in Japan and Turkey (yes also Iran off limits)
however would F-15 match better there need to launch small rocket ?
 
I think the F-4 interest is due to the former ROKAF ones becoming available last year.
 
I hope they are maintained better than the South African Lightinigs. Not pretty.
 
After RASCAL was cancelled, I worked a followed on program call LEOStar (LEO = Low Earth Orbit) to use an F-4 Phantom as the launch platform but configured with MIPCC. I was doing all of the preliminary architectural subsystem work including the MIPCC system and where to hold around 2500 lbs of water for MIPCC including the water delivery system. We did have some concepts of the new F-4 engine inlets configured for MIPCC, very interesting. The program was cancelled due to lack of interest primarily. We would have flown this out of Mojave.
 
Hydroman said:
After RASCAL was cancelled, I worked a followed on program call LEOStar (LEO = Low Earth Orbit) to use an F-4 Phantom as the launch platform but configured with MIPCC. I was doing all of the preliminary architectural subsystem work including the MIPCC system and where to hold around 2500 lbs of water for MIPCC including the water delivery system. We did have some concepts of the new F-4 engine inlets configured for MIPCC, very interesting. The program was cancelled due to lack of interest primarily. We would have flown this out of Mojave.
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Are there any websites which go into detail about this programme? I suppose this water was injected into the J-79s compressors to cool the compressed-air and increase mass-flow to increase thrust?
 
NMaude said:
Are there any websites which go into detail about this programme? I suppose this water was injected into the J-79s compressors to cool the compressed-air and increase mass-flow to increase thrust?
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Actually, the spray bars were in the inlet just forward of the fans and created enough of a condition to replicate sea-level at high altitude. The design of the spray bars was critical especially to maintain proper air flow and since they were also potential large FOD hazards. LEOStar was not around long enough to get good details, we were working this program out of Mojave.
 
We worked RASCAL out of Mojave as well, Scaled designed the aircraft which was referred to as the MPV (MIPCC Powered Vehicle).
 
I've seen a few F-4s show up for sale on various sites. Including one of the very first -B models!

IIRC you'd really want an F-4C or -D, the -E wing with the slats is draggier.

Strip all the weapons control wiring out of the wings, remove the pylons. Remove all the weapons-control wiring in general, while you're at it. Leave the radar in there, you're going to have to ballast that if you remove it, plus it'll help you avoid other aircraft while you're flying back down after the zoom-climb.

As to the water tank, I'd use one or more of the fuselage fuel tanks for water supply. 2500lbs of water is 300 gallons. I'm sure there's a 300gal tank in the fuselage to use. (if the tanks are rated by weight, 300 gallons of jet fuel is ~2000lbs)
 
Scott Kenny said:
I've seen a few F-4s show up for sale on various sites. Including one of the very first -B models!

IIRC you'd really want an F-4C or -D, the -E wing with the slats is draggier.

Strip all the weapons control wiring out of the wings, remove the pylons. Remove all the weapons-control wiring in general, while you're at it. Leave the radar in there, you're going to have to ballast that if you remove it, plus it'll help you avoid other aircraft while you're flying back down after the zoom-climb.

As to the water tank, I'd use one or more of the fuselage fuel tanks for water supply. 2500lbs of water is 300 gallons. I'm sure there's a 300gal tank in the fuselage to use. (if the tanks are rated by weight, 300 gallons of jet fuel is ~2000lbs)
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Actually, the water was internal to the aircraft and initial consumed fuel was in external tanks to begin the flight profile then the tanks were jettisoned, the aircraft used internal fuel along with the water for MIPCC to altitude release point then payload deployment, that was the proposed mission profile and plan.
 
Hydroman said:
Actually, the water was internal to the aircraft and initial consumed fuel was in external tanks to begin the flight profile then the tanks were jettisoned, the aircraft used internal fuel along with the water for MIPCC to altitude release point then payload deployment, that was the proposed mission profile and plan.
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Was not expecting that!

thanks for the details!
 
Hydroman said:
Actually, the water was internal to the aircraft and initial consumed fuel was in external tanks to begin the flight profile then the tanks were jettisoned
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Seems a rather odd recurring expense for a project that was meant to reduce launch costs. Drop tanks aren't cheap, which is why they are dropped so seldom.
 
Hydroman said:
After RASCAL was cancelled, I worked a followed on program call LEOStar (LEO = Low Earth Orbit) to use an F-4 Phantom as the launch platform but configured with MIPCC. I was doing all of the preliminary architectural subsystem work including the MIPCC system and where to hold around 2500 lbs of water for MIPCC including the water delivery system. We did have some concepts of the new F-4 engine inlets configured for MIPCC, very interesting. The program was cancelled due to lack of interest primarily. We would have flown this out of Mojave.
Click to expand...

Yes I wanted to post that ! The tech papers are available at the NTRS.
 

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