Author Topic: RTB damage (Read 691 times)

MrCoffee · « **on:** July 15, 2003, 04:07:53 PM »

Two Navy TOP GUN F/A-18s collide during a midair dogfight. They both made it back to base. durability and ruggedness of the F-18 is simply amazing.

pugg666 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:12:50 PM »

funkedup · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:16:42 PM »

I bet they whined about the collision model.

Frogm4n · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:17:42 PM »

thats nuts. im guessing as long as they dont have engine failure those things can take alot of punishment.

rc51 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:19:02 PM »

Dam rammers:p

MrCoffee · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:35:34 PM »

In the first picture, that f-18 landing is spilling something. Is that fuel or hydrolic fluid? Must be hydrolic fluid because fuel is in center fusalage tanks.

He has no left side aileron and flap because its not lowered but right side is (just a bit though).

Frogm4n · « **Reply #6 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:41:02 PM »

if it was leaking fuel i would hope it was all dumped by then.

midnight Target · « **Reply #7 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:43:40 PM »

"Hello this is OnStar"

"We have a message here that your airbag has deployed".

mietla · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2003, 04:48:51 PM »

Access denied.

The owner of this file has exceeded their daily usage limit.

MrCoffee · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2003, 05:24:50 PM »

moved to nachos site

funkedup · « **Reply #10 on:** July 15, 2003, 05:58:53 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by MrCoffee
In the first picture, that f-18 landing is spilling something. Is that fuel or hydrolic fluid? Must be hydrolic fluid because fuel is in center fusalage tanks.

He has no left side aileron and flap because its not lowered but right side is (just a bit though).

F/A-18 does have wing fuel tanks.
Skydrol is kind of a reddish/purple color so I think that is indeed fuel coming out of the wing.

gofaster · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2003, 09:54:47 AM »

Kudos to the student for nailing the instructor's six at close-quarters fighting. If it had been a live-fire exercise, there wouldn't have been a collision because the target would be McDonnell-Douglas-Boeing parts (gotta love the nose cannon in the F-18).

RTR · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2003, 10:19:00 AM »

It is indeed fuel leaking from the damaged wing. The F18 has whats called a "wet wing". Each wing will hold about 1000lbs of fuel. There are 4 internal fuselage tanks (5 if you count the Vent tank at the rear) Also the vertical stabs are fuel vent tanks as well, and may hold a few gallons of fuel.
As for Skydrol, the F18's I worked on never used skydrol (its pretty nasty stuff). MIL-5606 is pretty standard.

My experience with them is that they are pretty remarkable birds.
I have seen this type of damage before caused by the same circumstances and both aircraft made it home that time too.
Ask any F18 driver and he will tell you that this aircraft will get him home.

Great Aircraft..I kinda miss being around them.

cheers,
RTR

pugg666 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2003, 10:24:19 AM »

Anyone remember that Isreali F-15 that lost a wing and the pilot was still able to make it home?

searching for the site now.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2003, 10:32:27 AM »

Yeah, those are pretty cool, I had posted them in this thread some time ago but the pics have since been removed.