F-15 Training Debacle

[JLittle44]

This pilot has big brass ones...


A simulated dogfight training took place between two F-15D's and four A-4N Skyhawks over the skies of the Negev , Israel ... "At some point I collided with one of the Skyhawks, at first I didn't realize it. I felt a big strike, and I thought we passed through the jet stream of one of the other aircraft. Before I could react, I saw the big fireball created by the explosion of the Skyhawk. The radio started to deliver calls saying that the Skyhawk pilot has ejected, and I understood that the fireball was the Skyhawk that exploded, and the pilot was ejected automatically. There was a tremendous fuel stream going out of my wing, and I understood it was badly damaged. The aircraft flew without control in a strange spiral. I reconnected the electric control to the control surfaces, and slowly gained control of the aircraft until I was straight and level again. It was clear to me that I had to eject. When I gained control I said: "Hey, wait, don't eject yet!" No warning light was on and the navigation computer worked as usual; (I just needed a warning light in my panel to indicate that I missed a wing...)," My instructor pilot ordered me to eject.

The wing is a fuel tank, and the fuel indicator showed 0.000 so I assumed that the jet stream sucked all the fuel out of the other tanks. However, I remembered that the valves operate only in one direction, so that I might have enough fuel to get to the nearest airfield and land. I worked like a machine, I wasn't scared and didn't worry. All I knew was as long as the sucker flies, I'm gonna stay inside. I started to decrease the airspeed, but at that point one wing was not enough. So I went into a spin down and to the right. A second before I decided to eject, I pushed the throttle and lit the afterburner. I gained speed and thus got control of the aircraft again. Next thing I did was lower the arresting hook. A few seconds later I touched the runway at 260 knots, about twice the recommended speed, and called the tower to erect the emergency recovery net. The hook was torn away from the fuselage because of the high speed, but I managed to stop 10 meters before the net. I turned back to shake the hand of my instructor, who had urged me to eject, and then I saw it for the first time - no wing!"

[inletsurf]

Physically impossible. i've got to call bullshit on this one.

[ObieWan2bWet]

Was this recent? I saw a show about the F-15's ability to fly extremely damaged quite some time ago, and there WAS an Israeli pilot who did that, this sounds like the same one... Inlet if it is the same one. I saw the show, it was real.

[aue-mike]

It's real -- the magic of fly by wire. Same thing with the X-29, which couldn't be flown without it due to its inherent instability.

[SPEARIT]

This would have to have been an Israeli built A/C as all the F-15's here are used by the Air Force and do not have tail hooks. Only Navy and Marine A/C have tail hooks for carrier landings and in the old days on SATS runways.

[Bayou]

F-15's have tail hooks in the USA...I was in the Air Force for 7 years. All USAF fighters have them in the event of a barrier landing engagement on the runway...which is only used in case of a pretty serious emergency, but not all that uncommon. So the Navy boys aren't the only ones who use tail hooks...

[chuam]

This is a true story. The joys of fly by wire...........

[Christof]

The F16 wouldnt fly without computers either... Aerodynamically very unstable.... Pretty cool stuff.. I guess you can get an apple crate to fly if you have the proper thrust to weight ratio and a stabilizing computer...

Christof

[Cliffsharker]

Hey Steve,

You weren't the only one of this opinion. Actually you are in very good company. Notice the History Channel logo on each photo.

http://www.uss-bennington.org/phz-nowing-f15.html

"The IAF (Israeli Air Force) contacted McDonnell Douglas and asked for information about possibility to land an F-15 with one wing. MD replied that this is aerodynamically impossible, as confirmed by computer simulations... Then they received the photo.... After two months the same F-15 got a new wing and returned to action. Special thanks to Tsahi Ben Ami. "

[inletsurf]

I'll take your guys word for it. I didn't know that it had aired on the history channel.

[HawkDriver]

no chance. plus the story is way off.

[Cliffsharker]

I noticed that you are a navy pilot from your profile.

What version do you have?

I found another hopefully credible link: Its called: The Israeli Airforce - The Official Website

http://www.iaf.org.il/Templates/Airc...ntPageNumber=3 CLICK ON :IN ACTION

[fernandezh]

Credible. I once saw a bear riding a bike at a circus. If that was possible, then a F-15 flying with one wing is too.

[bartender13]

I have now worked the F-15 for 13+ years and have 19 years in the Air Force. I am currently stationed at Tyndall AFB, Panama City Florida. This was a true story from an Israli Air Force Jet. I saw this when I was at my first duty assignment almost 20 years ago. Also the F-15 is not a fly by wire, the F-16 is. and Yes the F-15 does have a tail hook. you can go to www.af.mil and look at fact sheets on any AF item i.e. bombs, rockets, missiles, Aircraft.