Flanker family conformal pod

...So, did anyone else have a "Time Tunnel" flashback while looking at those photos? ;D
 
Could it be the once proposed radar/AEW-modification for the carrier-version ? ??? ... it seems as the model has only a short sting.

Deino
 
well, carrier Flanker with no canards is something no-no
also, another detail - note flattened bottom of forward fuselage
 
Are you certain that this conformal pod isn't a part of the wind tunnel mounting (ie. to control rotation as it is brought forward?)
 
I think such a big mounting would modify the aerodynamic characteristics enough that it would make the results difficult to interpret.
So no, I think that pod WAS what was being tested.
 
flateric said:
well, carrier Flanker with no canards is something no-no
also, another detail - note flattened bottom of forward fuselage
Click to expand...


Uppps ... how could I've missed that (I'm getting old these days !)

... and what's about a tactical recce version ??

Deino ???
 
dunno
meanwhile, you can list through almost all possible F-15 CFT usage variants, including Silent Eagle's conformal weapon carriage, and probably 90% of them will fit for podded Flanker (well, assisted take-off, probably no :) )

what was said, EW/ECM and electronic surveillance versions were in the list for pod

and, pod shown is surely not the only variant studied
 
I'm surprised there weren't more ideas looked at doing that with the Tomcat. Just this one AFAIK.
 

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I don't think the bottom of the front fuselage is actually flattened, most likely an optical illusion caused by motion blur.
 
I'm guessing folding the forward landing gear into the CFT would be a bit of a pain in the ass.

sferrin said:
I'm surprised there weren't more ideas looked at doing that with the Tomcat. Just this one AFAIK.
Click to expand...

Probably carrier bring back issues. The F-16's CFT pair is 900 pounds and they don't have to carry anything. The F-14's would have to be structurally reinforced to carry Phoenixes and Sparrows in addition to being much larger. A shame because a CFT probably would have helped out a lot in the FAD missions. If the F-14 had received more land based export orders it might have popped up again as well.
 
The F-14 doesn't have a lot of room between it engines ducts, so i'm really not surprised

The only decent room is at the aft of the aircraft, which is not an ideal place to fit such device
 

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