Fighter Performance: F-4 vs MiG-21

[+Gepard 11,356]

The conclusion of dissimilar flight training with the German MiGs was that at low altitude the Fulcrum simply cannot stick with the best American models in high stress turns (Block 30 and 50/52 Viper or Eagle), and Vipers were much quicker on the deck without afterburners.

 

I would be carefull with such a conclusion. The german MiG-29G was the version with the worst flight capabilities of the MiG-29. A lot of very important systems of the MiG were simply switched of (Laser for instance) and the thrust of the engines was reduced by 10 percent. It is a big difference wheter you has 81kN per engine afterburner trust or only 72kN.

[MigBuster 2,884]

 

Like you say though it isn't really indicative of actual manoeuvre performance, from what I've gathered there is a turn chart used to determine best corner speed and turn rates of various fighter types which is far more associative. On one of these charts aircraft like Phantoms are well below the turn capabilities by airspeed of modern fighters like Fulcrums and Eagles.

 

You probably mean an EM chart

[vanir 0]

I would be carefull with such a conclusion. The german MiG-29G was the version with the worst flight capabilities of the MiG-29. A lot of very important systems of the MiG were simply switched of (Laser for instance) and the thrust of the engines was reduced by 10 percent. It is a big difference wheter you has 81kN per engine afterburner trust or only 72kN.

 

The laser rangefinder isn't integral to schlem operation of the Archers (uses the uncaged seekers) but I haven't read that it was switched off. At any rate it's backed up by radar flashing to range targets, the laser is only used within a few km and whenever it's not operating, is refracted or is out of range the radar pulses instead. It's just that laser ranging is more precise at close range but the functionality of the EOS isn't really affected if the laser is out of action.

 

After speaking with a mechanical fitter who worked on Fulcrums with the Romanian air force I learned describing the Luftwaffe's RD-33/141 modification as a "derating" is a little bit deceptive. It was actually a complete rebuild of the hot area section to German engineering standards, which the standard engine simply doesn't stand up to as delivered. The standard engine is unreliable, has a short lifespan and really should only be using the afterburner as a limited emergency system during wartime. That afterburner is where the Fulcrum gets all its power from (dry the engines are average F404 class), but it does it violently with combustion in both the core and bypass ducting. TBO is less than 800hrs with conservative afterburner use. Breakdowns are common, frequent engine replacement is mandatory, crashes on one engine is almost unavoidable (most Romanian accidents are from this). The engines have plagued the Fulcrum exports, they were entirely designed for Soviet use by Frontal Aviation using the numbers versus quality doctrine, to match F-16 performance in western Europe as cheaply as possible and where possible to meet them 2 for 1 in any conflict. The Romanians and several other operators have retired their Fulcrums by the way, though keep their modified MiG-21s flying at far less expense and trouble. India wanted the uprated engine developments of the MiG-29K with improved reliability before it would even think about buying, they didn't want the higher output SMT but those features on the more reliable K version mostly with carrier gear deleted (reserving the possibility of carrier operation for a small batch of the order). The main reason for this is the engines.

 

The German kit replaces the entire hot section, although I don't have specific details from what I understand it involves different alloys, slight redesign and improved cooling. The derating was inherent but part throttle operation is unaffected whilst overall reliability is increased and TBO improved by 50% (the colliqual is that "the engines last three times longer" in operational service). Full afterburner thrust is restricted but otherwise the engines remain F404 class dry and are still extremely powerful in afterburner. According to the Romanian you hardly notice it but pilot confidence in the aircraft is much improved. At the end of the day he described it as an improvement of the Soviet delivered 9-12, not a devolution. The Poles went ahead and had the German modifications made to all their existing Fulcrums when they took delivery of the ex-German ones and I believe MAPO has now offered a similar hot section kit for export Fulcrum operators.

 

This is mostly heresay with a little speculation though since I don't have any engineering qualification and ultimately don't really know. A lot of Asia-Pacific air forces use Russian spec Fulcrums though and the common complaint is the engines.