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F-15e Strike Eagle Weapons loadout


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I have seen a lot of F-15 weapons load outs but have not seen in any of those configurations an aircraft carrying only the centreline fuel tank and carrying weapons under the wings. 

 

Tamiya's 1/32 Strike Eagle has one configuration I recall that has a centreline tank and weapons on all stations. 

 

My questions are 

  • Did the Strike Eagle ever carry the centreline fuel tank only?
  • Was it discontinued after a certain time or operation and the configuration of load out and weight of weapons and range mandated carrying two under wing tanks instead of one centreline?
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Anything is possible, but the operational Strike Eagle community rarely used the centerline tank due to stability issues.  Check here for different configurations used by the Mud Hen.  LINK

 

Regards,

Murph

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About the only time you will see a Strike Eagle carry the C/L tank is ferry configuration, and even then, rarely. The disturbed airflow from the LANTIRN system (and now Sniper/LANTIRN) causes the centerline tank to flutter, which in turn causes the pylon to weaken and eventually crack. That I know of, the C/L tank was never used regularly in combat, and not alone. The only instance I can think of it being needed is if they were carrying two GBU-28's on the wing pylons and needed the extra bag of gas. Having two GBU-28's IS an authorized load, and has been tested, but again, to my knowledge, has never been actively flown. 

 

Aaron 

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So if I intend to build an OIF F-15e with two GBU-31 JDAMs on under wing pylons and centreline tank, will this be a hypothetical or practical loadout? This is barring what @Murph has shared in a link.  

 

A similar kind of configuration is suggested by Tamiya in their 1/32 Strike Eagle. Good thing now with Tamiya USA website is that you can download all manuals. 

 

https://www.tamiyausa.com/pdf/manuals/60312ml.pdf

Edited by stalal
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1 hour ago, stalal said:

So if I intend to build an OIF F-15e with two GBU-31 JDAMs on under wing pylons and centreline tank, will this be a hypothetical or practical loadout? This is barring what @Murph has shared in a link.  

 

A similar kind of configuration is suggested by Tamiya in their 1/32 Strike Eagle. Good thing now with Tamiya USA website is that you can download all manuals. 

 

https://www.tamiyausa.com/pdf/manuals/60312ml.pdf

 

If you're not worried about "real life" & rivet counters, it's a legal carry.  We wouldn't carry in that config, but it is a legal config.  Your model, go for it.

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21 minutes ago, Finn said:

Why bother with tanks :rolleyes::

 

F-15E_drops_2,000-pound_munitions_Afghan

 

Jari

So you can carry that load more than 5 miles....

Just kidding. 

 

as for the OP...The Israelis would carry all three tanks to hit certain (un-named) targets. And they have longer, heavier centerline tanks to counter the flutter. 

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At the time of OIF, is it correct to say GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs was not deployed in service? As far as I have understood, it was not. 

 

9 hours ago, gb_madcat_sl said:

 

Yes I have. Thats what @Murph shared :) 

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33 minutes ago, Falcon053 said:

When I was at Bagram AB in '07 the 391st FS was there and a handful of there Eagles had just been upgraded to deploy the GBU-39, and they put them to good use.

 

So it means SDB GBU-39 wasnt deployed in Iraq in 2003 but later. 

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SDB's were not in production til 2005. The initial batch (this is coming from one of the 391st pilots Duane is talking about) were hard to deploy...they glided TOO well. You would release the bomb, but you would never know exactly when the bomb would hit...not so great in a Troops In Contact or moving target situation. After that deployment, SDB's were removed from service for a short while, until that problem was resolved. They are back in service now though. 

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No. They carry the same tanks as all other F-15's, and they are interchangeable between the wing and centerline stations. It is the centerline pylon itself that is longer/stronger than that mounted on the USAF F-15E. As with many things on IAF aircraft, the pylon was built locally. 

 

Aaron 

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2 hours ago, strikeeagle801 said:

No. They carry the same tanks as all other F-15's, and they are interchangeable between the wing and centerline stations. It is the centerline pylon itself that is longer/stronger than that mounted on the USAF F-15E. As with many things on IAF aircraft, the pylon was built locally. 

 

Aaron 

 

That station 5 pylon can only be but so long.  The aft end is just forward of the JFS exhaust and the front is just aft of the gun door.  The strength of the pylon is from the pylon mounts.  It should be the same size as a standard Sta 5 pylon.  Unless you're referring to the "stubby" leading edge of the pylon.

 

Edited by BoeingDriver
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5 minutes ago, strikeeagle801 said:

I'll have to look and see where I found this information. I was told the IAF pylon was indeed longer, but what you say is true...You only have so much space to work with. 

 

Aaron 

 

If anything, the IAF pylon is shorter just because the leading edge is a "stub".

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That may be true. It is tough to find good pictures and refs on the F-15I's. I DO know, somehow or other, the issue USAF F-15E's was having with flutter was resolved with the IAF birds, allowing them to regularly carry three tanks. I'm certainly not going to argue or try to correct a guy who, just by the title of his screen name, carries more cred on the F-15E than I EVER will. ;-) 

 

Aaron 

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1 hour ago, strikeeagle801 said:

That may be true. It is tough to find good pictures and refs on the F-15I's. I DO know, somehow or other, the issue USAF F-15E's was having with flutter was resolved with the IAF birds, allowing them to regularly carry three tanks. I'm certainly not going to argue or try to correct a guy who, just by the title of his screen name, carries more cred on the F-15E than I EVER will. ;-) 

 

Aaron 

 

You're good Aaron.  To answer the ops question...yes we do, but it's very rare.  Not likely in combat.

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I m building an OIF F-15e. So my intention is to make the weapons configuration used in real operations. Although I m not a rivet counter, but installing GBU-39 on an OIF F-15 for instance, would be chronologically and factually wrong.

Edited by stalal
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25 minutes ago, stalal said:

I m building an OIF F-15e. So my intention is to make the weapons configuration used in real operations. Although I m not a rivet counter, but installing GBU-39 on an OIF F-15 for instance, would be chronologically and factually wrong.

 

If that's the case, Strikes are famous for "bastard loads".  If it's a legal config, they will fly it.  This one has always been a personal favorite:

 

 

0019b.jpg

 

 

This pic is from 2001, but the load has recently been flown w/an AGM-130.

 

Edited by BoeingDriver
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