Chinas J-20

[SectorNine50]

And yes, the J-20 doesn't look right. But neither does the F-35 imho.

I agree, I don't like the F-35 much either.

[33Vortex]

I've always liked the looks of Sukhoi designs, but I must say the new Sukhoi stealth fighter looks absolutely stunning! 

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Agreed, but I wonder if they can maintain the high-standard level of manufacturing throughout their production. Perhaps with the help of China and India?

[nrshida]

The main reason they didn't use more titanium was cost-saving. They did use titanium in areas where the heat loading was greatest, like on the leading edges of the wing, and aluminum in cooler areas.

It seems they'd rather sell the titanium to the imperialist-capitalist western pigs so we could make SR-71's from it. 

I'm sorry to differ with you PR3D4TOR, but that's incorrect. The problems were primarily with their inability to weld the components due to failing to exclude sufficient oxygen from the welding process which causes failures in the heat effected zone. Lockheed also experienced many problems working with Titanium alloys but were able to overcome them eventually. Only around 10% of the MiG-25 structure was made from Aluminium alloys.

The former Soviet Union actually had an abundant supply of Titanium (unlike the U.S.) and no internal economy as you understand the term. Further they didn't know they were selling it to you fellows who set up false companies in semi-neutral countries to secure the supply for your SR-71.

[BaDkaRmA158Th]

I'm sorry to differ with you PR3D4TOR, but that's incorrect. The problems were primarily with their inability to weld the components due to failing to exclude sufficient oxygen from the welding process which causes failures in the heat effected zone. Lockheed also experienced many problems working with Titanium alloys but were able to overcome them eventually. Only around 10% of the MiG-25 structure was made from Aluminium alloys.

The former Soviet Union actually had an abundant supply of Titanium (unlike the U.S.) and no internal economy as you understand the term. Further they didn't know they were selling it to you fellows who set up false companies in semi-neutral countries to secure the supply for your SR-71.

Of course they didnt, they also dont know were using up the worlds oil supply while sitting on ours. Its a litle thing we americans like to call "bleeding the commie pig"

So far so good! hahahahah,nono..here, here's some paper with ink for your raw resources, yeees.

[W7LPNRICK]

The main reason they didn't use more titanium was cost-saving. They did use titanium in areas where the heat loading was greatest, like on the leading edges of the wing, and aluminum in cooler areas.

The Sukhoi T-4 was a prototype for a Mach 3 medium range bomber that was largely made from titanium, but as always it was too expensive for the Soviets.

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It seems they'd rather sell the titanium to the imperialist-capitalist western pigs so we could make SR-71's from it. 




I've always liked the looks of Sukhoi designs, but I must say the new Sukhoi stealth fighter looks absolutely stunning! 

(Image removed from quote.)

USA XB-70 look-a-like... the top photo.

[TwinBoom]

was hoping to see clint eastwood climb out of the cockpit plane reminds me of the movie firefox

[Rich52]

Mig-25s are awesome pieces of machinery.

Actually they turned out to be crude machines only good for picture taking and speed records. Even their speed records had to be done without weapons cause the airframe couldnt take the stresses. The maintenance of the MIG-25 was difficult and engine/airframe issues restricted Soviet pilots to Mach 2.5 or under unless they got permission to go faster.

Then they spend all those rubles to build the thing and we decided not to make a High Alt supersonice bomber and instead started flying B-52s and B-1s on the deck where the MIG-25s were helpless due to their crap radar. It was a cruel blow to the commie aircraft industry that had actually made a remarkable, tho useless, aircraft with limited resources.

[PR3D4TOR]

Speed records are usually done with specially prepared prototype aircraft. The F-15's many records (some taken from the MiG-25) were done with a stripped down experimental prototype called the Streak Eagle. They even stripped the paint of it. It is now in the National Museum of the USAF.

The MiG-25 is limited to about 5 minutes at mach 2.84, 20 minutes at Mach 2.6 and can fly a whole mission at mach 2.4 (though it will be a short one). When flying at Mach 2.84 the canopy heats up to about 70C so the space suit like pressure suits the pilots wear are vital. The MiG-25P and MiG-25BM carries their R-40 and Kh-58 missiles externally and can hit Mach 2.83 while doing so thanks to the surplus thrust provided by the Tumansky's at that speed. The weapons have a special coating to make them withstand frictional heating.

The MiG-25 was redesigned into the MiG-31 to counter NATO's switch from high-altitude to low-altitude penetration.

The MiG-25 wasn't the super-fighter the west thought it was, but it was a pretty darn good interceptor. It was also the only aircraft in the Iraqi air force that managed to shoot down a coalition jet.

"17 January 1991. On the first night of the war, two F/A-18's from the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt were flying outside of Baghdad when two Iraqi MiG-25s engaged them. In the beyond-visual-range (BVR) kill, one of the Iraqi MiGs piloted by Zuhair Dawood, fired an R-40 missile. The missile impacted Scott Speicher's jet head on when he was travelling Mach 0.92. The impact sent him spiraling downwards and most people believe he died on the impact of the missile.

Two IRAF MiG-25s fired missiles at a group of F-15Cs escorting a bombing run in Iraq (which were evaded by the F-15s). The F-15Cs give chase, but were forced to give up when the MiGs outran them. A total of 10 missiles were fired at the MiGs."

"5 January 1999. A group of four Iraqi MiG-25s crossed the no-fly zones and sparked a dogfight with two patrolling F-15Cs and two patrolling F-14s. A total of six missiles were fired at the MiGs, none of which hit them. The MiGs then bugged out using their superior speed."

So the age-old fighter pilot's motto "speed is life" seems to ring true even in today's world of advanced sensors and weapons.