Turning performance of SEA fighters

John Carrier wrote:

snip

Generally, the sustained turn rate was around 14-15 degrees/second for
the F-4 hard-wing and about 12.5-13.5 for the F-105.

Don't know where you got these numbers, but sustained for the F-4 was under
10 degrees/sec at combat altitudes and weights (we typically used 15K, 4+4,
no tanks, and 60% fuel) and was found at around 450 KIAS.

For reasons known only to the services, the USN standard for 'combat' weight is
with 60% fuel, while the USAF uses 50%.

The F-8 could do
just under 11 degrees/sec @ 400 in similar conditions (better wing, less
wing loading, not much less T/W). ... roughly a 1 degree/sec advantage. Of
course the Mig-21 (the adversary we trained for) was a couple better than
that. Still looking at under 15 degree/sec sustained.

snip

I've got one source which gives 14 deg./sec. sustained for the F-15A, 16 deg.
instantaneous. The same source claims it can sustain 7.3g at 400 kts/15kft;
it's unclear if that's KTAS or KCAS, but I'm guessing the latter. It credits
the F-5E with slightly over 11 deg. sec. sustained -- IIRC corner for it is
around 375 or so. ISTR seeing the F-16A credited with ca. 16 deg./sec.
sustained. BTW, John, I've read that the (hard-wing) F-4 could generally beat
the F-8 at low/medium altitude (once the pilots learned to use its energy
advantage), but at high altitudes the F-8's lower drag (induced, parasitic
and/or wave) gave it the advantage. What's your take?

Guy