Turning performance of SEA fighters

Easy question but no easy answers.

Turn performance is going to depend on gross weight, configuration, and
density altitude. It all boils down to drag and engine performance...so
clean configurations, low fuel weights, and low density altitudes are
required to get max performance.

Unfortunately, we seldom had these when turn performance counted...we were
usually heavy and relatively high...so much of this is just an academic
discussion.

As Ed pointed out, corner is the most g for the min speed. I might add that
there is no "one" corner speed. Corner varies with the three variables I
mentioned above. Most of our energy maneuverability (EM) diagrams were
based on optimistic conditions (relatively clean and 1/2 internal fuel).
From these, here are some generalizations.

1. Corner velocities varied from the high 300s to the high 400s (indicated
airspeed...we didn't think in terms of TAS or mach, again as Ed said)...and
this varied with aircraft type, weight, and altitude.

2. Max g in the F-4 was 8.5...but you had to be running practically on fumes
to be able to get there without over-g'ing the jet.

3. A slatted F-4 at about 420KIAS could hit a little over 20 degrees per
second in instantaneous turn rate...but could not sustain this. A relatively
clean F-4E(S) at 39000+ lbs and 5000' MSL could sustain about 7.5 g's...but
had to be at about 525KIAS to do this. Sustained g in the lower 400s dropped
off to around 6g for these conditions.

4. I haven't flown the F-8 but I would imagine its numbers would be similar
but attained a slightly slower speeds.

5. An interesting comparison is the F-104G. Under similar conditions, the
Zipper had a lesser instantaneous g capability...about 15 dps (lower placard
g limit) but a higher sustained capability (around 10-12dps, depending on
which EM diagram you want to believe). Corner for the 104 was about 420KIAS
under 10,000'MSL and best 0 Ps was at about 500KIAS or so.

These numbers and observations come from personal experience in the jets and
moldy old EM diagrams!

Andy Bush


"Wolfhenson" wrote in message
om...
I have recently red that instantenious rate of turn of Vietnam vintage
supersonic
fighters is less than 15 deg/sec. What are the excat figures for F-4,
F-105 and
F-8? Please include speed and altitude.


Nemanja Vukicevic
student of aircreft engineering