Jeff Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Dear all, I just found from airliners.net few pics with Mig-31 that armed with 4xR-33, 2xR-40 missiles: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia---Ai...7309256ed84352b http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia---Ai...7309256ed84352b http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia---Ai...7309256ed84352b I thought the Mig-31 can only carries 3 x R-33 if it arms 2xR-40. Any thoughts on this? Is it just for demonstration purpose only? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CF104 Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Great pictures! Why would the Mig-31 be limited to only 3 R-33's if carrying 2 R-40's? The 2 R-40's are mounted on the wing pylon and don't interfere with the belly mounted R-33's. Cheers, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Great pictures!Why would the Mig-31 be limited to only 3 R-33's if carrying 2 R-40's? The 2 R-40's are mounted on the wing pylon and don't interfere with the belly mounted R-33's. Cheers, John It can only carry 3xR-33..an additional pod taken up the space of 1xR-33 is required for guiding the R-40s Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CF104 Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 It can only carry 3xR-33..an additional pod taken up the space of 1xR-33 is required for guiding the R-40s This sounds odd. One would think that the required electronics would have been adopted from the Mig-25 and therefore not need an external pod. I also did an extensive web search and every picture I've come up with that shows the R-40 with R-33's shows a complete compliment of 4 R-33's. There's also no mention of the R-33's being limited to 3 when the R-40 is carried. Do you have a picture of a Mig-31 with the pod when armed with R-33's and R-40's? Cheers, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 From Yefim Gordon's 'MiG-25 Foxbat MiG-31 Foxhound' - published by Aerofax...... "Alternative weapons fits are :- three R-33 missiles in fuselage bays and two R-40TD (R-40T) missiles on underwing pylons (the fourth R-33 is replaced by an APP-46TD control system pod for the R-40s)" Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andre Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 It can only carry 3xR-33 The MiG-31 can physically *carry* four in combination with the two R-40s, but without the APP-46 pod it can't guide the latter. Still, it makes a good photo op. Cheers, Andre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raymond Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 anyone got pics of the pod? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 anyone got pics of the pod? I translated 'APP-64TD' into Cyrillic, then used that in a Google search....... It came up with a couple of finds - one of which is :- http://forum.sukhoi.ru/showthread.php?t=2651&page=8 Check out posts #179 & 180. HTH Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raymond Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 (edited) i got 404s and no pics :) ill try yandex and rambler - since no mig-31 books have pics ** going form the link the mig-31 only used the R-40TD - which wouldent need a pod to function ( being optical). seems to be that the pod is optional for doing radio corrections for the R-40TD or is a possible for the R-40R? Edited August 26, 2010 by Raymond Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCRaven Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 That pod is probably some kind of oneway datalink and can cooperate with both IR and semiactive version of R-40 (better intercept trajectory). But because MiG-31 carries R-33 missiles, R-40R is not needed and only IR version is used Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raymond Posted August 26, 2010 Share Posted August 26, 2010 (edited) Im pretty sure this pod is a myth; only mentioned by a single source that ive found, and all the operational mig-31 pics with r-40s have 4 R-33s as well I guess what bugs me is the R-40 was considered in the design from the beginning - why would they not include the necessicary electronics internally (as on early mig-27s), instead sacrificing a missile slot for an external pod, dossnt seem very soviet to me :o stronger evidence lies with the fact that the R-40 is a lock on before launch weapon, and dossnt utalise a datalink, making a pod uneccessary the aircrafts IRST provides initial information (as on the earlier mig-25); its hard to imagine the later developed missile/aircraft having a more backwards capacity that its predecessors! B) with the lack of photos, references, or reason - im putting it down to a yeffim error :D Edited August 26, 2010 by Raymond Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kfmut Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 (edited) http://scalemodels.ru/modules/forum/viewto...532.html#185532 If in short, APP-46 was used on aircrafts produced till 15 production batch(changes were incorporated in 1982 or 1983), early built a/cs were upgraded to carry r-40s without pod, and that thing wasn't used for guidance, it's some kind of launch preparing device. I'm not sure, but I think it was somehow used for cooling r-40t guidance head... Edited August 27, 2010 by kfmut Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Raymond Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 :o !! awesome Kfmut!, theres the elusive bugger! in order to be for cooling, wouldent their need to be interal piping to the pylon from that r-33 pylon? definatly sounds plausible - the pod dossnt look particularly sophistcated! :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parche Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 Interesting discussion, interested for more info since I will wander into a Lindberg 1/48 MiG-31 at some point. Cheers, Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kfmut Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 another shot of same "blue 26" a/c http://forums.airforce.ru/showpost.php?p=6...mp;postcount=93 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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