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F-15SA unique features


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I have a major what-if in mind, so I am collecting information on F-15SA. What are the triangular structures under the canopy sides as seen here and any place to find these in a kit box or AM?

 

https://theaviationist.com/2017/02/01/up-close-and-personal-with-the-first-saudi-f-15sa-the-most-advanced-eagle-ever-built/

 

https://quwa.org/2017/01/26/saudi-arabia-formally-inducts-new-f-15sa-fighters/

 

Also, I see the GE engines too, but besides those, are there visible features unique to SAs that no other domestic or export model has? Or any other trivia that might be relevant to this topic? 

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Externally the aircraft looks to be very similar to the Singapore Air Force F-15SG, You could probably use a lot of reference available from the SGs to fill in some of the blanks. The GE Engines, the RWR recievers below the cockpit and similar items.

 

One thing that the SA has that the SG doesn't is the smaller wing pylon outboard of the large one. It is the first version to incorporate that operationally.

 

Cheers,

Hoops

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32 minutes ago, boom175 said:

I have read that those things under the canopy are missile warning sensors. I may be wrong but that's what I read.

 

DEWS antenna's.  Those are located on the tail booms as well.

 

 

Edited by BoeingDriver
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16 hours ago, Hoops said:

Externally the aircraft looks to be very similar to the Singapore Air Force F-15SG, You could probably use a lot of reference available from the SGs to fill in some of the blanks. The GE Engines, the RWR recievers below the cockpit and similar items.

 

One thing that the SA has that the SG doesn't is the smaller wing pylon outboard of the large one. It is the first version to incorporate that operationally.

 

Cheers,

Hoops

 

DEWS antenna's on the tail boom and underneath the canopy sill.  Tail boom shape as well as CMD's underneath the booms.  Future Eagles will also have a flat panel displays, but not yet in the SA.

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7 hours ago, Janissary said:

Thank you all, very useful info. Just what I needed. The additional pylons is super exciting, which I plan to incorporate into my whatif. 

 

Looking at the underneath photos also show that the upper BRU racks on the CFT's; the BRU rack fairing is different as well.  

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If I may add a little bit to the conversation.  The guy flying the F-15 in the photo is a good friend of mine.  I can tell by his dark gray helmet.  He was Boeing's chief F-15 pilot and flew every version of the Eagle before he retired a couple of years ago.  This is what he told me about the sensors below the cockpit.  He said and I quote "They are missile plum detectors.  They only work when the missile plum is present and gives a warning.  There is one on top of the fuselage and the bottom situated between the engines and the ones below the cockpit".  It is supposed to give 360 degree coverage (Boeing Driver is this the same as the DEWS you are referring to?).  He said the ones located on the cockpit sides made a lot of noise when they would get the jet up to around 500 knots.  As a side note he did the testing on the F-15I.  He said on one test it was loaded so heavily that he thought the tires would surely come off of the wheels when he made a turn while taxiing.  It was carrying what the Israelis wanted tested for a maximum load.  He also showed me a test photo of a Strike Eagle in flight where they mounted the drop tanks on each side on the conformal fuel pallets of an F-15E.  The Israeli's wanted to know if it would work and it did. It was kind of crazy looking.

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Well I am excited. With all of these changes can we now hope for an updated kit or conversion set soon? I thought it was only the Singapore Strike Eagles that had these updates. Now with more users that is a good sign right? I had heard that Wolfpack was working on an F-15SG update set but so far no go. I had planned on picking up the Hasegawa 1/72nd F-15SG version and trying to upscale the small parts to 1/48th but not sure if it is possible, especially the rear sensors.

Edited by skyhawk174
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3 hours ago, efd327 said:

If I may add a little bit to the conversation.  The guy flying the F-15 in the photo is a good friend of mine.  I can tell by his dark gray helmet.  He was Boeing's chief F-15 pilot and flew every version of the Eagle before he retired a couple of years ago.  This is what he told me about the sensors below the cockpit.  He said and I quote "They are missile plum detectors.  They only work when the missile plum is present and gives a warning.  There is one on top of the fuselage and the bottom situated between the engines and the ones below the cockpit".  It is supposed to give 360 degree coverage (Boeing Driver is this the same as the DEWS you are referring to?).  He said the ones located on the cockpit sides made a lot of noise when they would get the jet up to around 500 knots.  As a side note he did the testing on the F-15I.  He said on one test it was loaded so heavily that he thought the tires would surely come off of the wheels when he made a turn while taxiing.  It was carrying what the Israelis wanted tested for a maximum load.  He also showed me a test photo of a Strike Eagle in flight where they mounted the drop tanks on each side on the conformal fuel pallets of an F-15E.  The Israeli's wanted to know if it would work and it did. It was kind of crazy looking.

 

He's right about those tanks on the CFT's.  They did the test w/183 in STL.  There are pics out there somewhere.

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I am very curious and have been looking for the pics of the conventional fuel tanks attached to the CFTs (mentioned above). But cannot find any. Anyone with a pic or two of that? Basically, I am trying to figure out if specialized pylons were made for this, where on the CFT is the attachment point etc.

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7 hours ago, Janissary said:

I am very curious and have been looking for the pics of the conventional fuel tanks attached to the CFTs (mentioned above). But cannot find any. Anyone with a pic or two of that? Basically, I am trying to figure out if specialized pylons were made for this, where on the CFT is the attachment point etc.

Nothing special at all.  Attached to the lower center BRU-47 rack.  It looks absolutely NUTS!!

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