szbd
Junior Member
Even f15e always carry drop tanks.
China Flanker Thread II
- Thread starter sumdud
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Flankers are larger, heavier, and can carry more fuel internally.
and "Burn lots of Fuel",,, everything intended to be a long range fighter NEEDS drop tanks, and don't forget, the Russians and friends have very limited "Tanking Capability", so you've not only got to get there, "deliver the package",,, you need a ride home!
Flankers have large internal fuel for that reason,,, they BURN lots of JP,,, and any suggestion that they can supercruise, will involve LOTS MORE fuel... so yes, Flankers can and do carry external fuel, no doubt they are "plumbed" with several "wet" hard points.
szbd
Junior Member
Well, flankers are larger, heavier but have LESS fuel than F15E. Su35 has more fuel but her range is similar with Su27, guess due to the engine efficiency.
szbd
Junior Member
But I only saw su34 carry drop tank
True, and they have lots of range, but in a combat situation, when you push the power levers UP, all that fuel goes out the burner cans like leaking out of a sieve. When you are on a "long ranger" you kick in the burners and climb straight to altitude, then you "throttle back" to high subsonic, theres a place where the Flanker is very happy, plenty of wing, plenty of dry thrust, its going to be tanked to the top, and weapons will be limited to a couple of AAMs on the rail, maybe another couple on the wing, "easy peasy"!
On those long range fly arounds, there are usually two birds, and they will meet up with tankers and top up... if there were 12 airplanes, in a real combat scenario, they will be wearing 600 gal or so drops if they are going to have to reach out??
Internal fuel, as on the J-15, is always, always balanced with combat load-out, I'm not sure if the SU-35 can carry a full combat load of weapons and full tanks?? it probably will, but I'm betting it will be "over gross", and yes, I have operated over gross, as long as you have plenty of runway, and plenty of time to climb, its no big deal, you adjust your expectations to those of a man flying a "Heavy Airplane",,,, easy is the name of the game!
szbd
Junior Member
i just wanna know if j16 or su35 can carry drop tanks.... because for all flankers i only saw su37 carry one at middle
Really ?? I've never seen a Su-37 with a tank "one at middle" (You surely mean the center station between the engines ?) but I know several shots of Su-34 with tanks under their wings and also the tunnel.
As far as i know, the J-15 & -16 are not foreseen to use tanks.
Deino
szbd
Junior Member
sorry，should be su34
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