F-16i question?

[HGE]

Is it my imagination or does the canopy have different tinting between the front and rear sections?

The Sufa pictures I'm looking at seem to show this. Is it just a Sufa thing?

Thanks, Henry

[hatchet]

One of the reasons for the different tint is, that the forward part of the canopy is thicker than the rear part. If you find a close-up sideview of the canopy, you can clearly see a step between the two parts.

[Wolf_el_Real]

That tint allow protection against radiation hazzard in high threat environments saturated of defenses.

Regards

[HGE]

Thanks for the information guys! :blink:

Henry

[habu2]

That tint allow protection against radiation hazzard in high threat environments saturated of defenses.

Maybe in an EA-6B..... not in a Viper.

[Dave Williams]

Maybe in an EA-6B..... not in a Viper.

And I think in the Prowler it's to protect the crew from the EA-6B's own emitters, not external radars.

[Wolf_el_Real]

The viper must confront the land based and air radar emisions so it's protect the crew from that too.

The tint has litle quantities of gold.

Regards

pd: btw The Sufa and another misionized vipers maker deep attack missions and penetrations in defense-saturated target environment.

[jmel]

The viper must confront the land based and air radar emisions so it's protect the crew from that too.

The tint has litle quantities of gold.

Regards

pd: btw The Sufa and another misionized vipers maker deep attack missions and penetrations in defense-saturated target environment.

Eeeehh, I don't think so. The USAF Vipers are gradually going back to a clear canopy now.

Jake

[jmel]

that the forward part of the canopy is thicker than the rear part. If you find a close-up sideview of the canopy, you can clearly see a step between the two parts.

:)

Very cool! I didn't realize that. I suppose the back doesn't have the same risk of damage due to bird strike, etc.

Jake

[f14peter]

I recall reading (Here I believe) about how the two sections were often replaced without too much concern in matching the tints.

In fact, you can even spot Vipers with a mismatch between the two greys on the canopy rails and corresponding fuselage sides because of switching canopies.

Check out this pic from aeronautics.ru . . . the tinting matches fairly well (Although the rear piece on SW356 looks grey tinted instead of gold tinted), but look how far off the paint is.

[habu2]

One of the reasons for the different tint is, that the forward part of the canopy is thicker than the rear part. If you find a close-up sideview of the canopy, you can clearly see a step between the two parts.

I think the thickness difference results on a step on the inner surface, not outer:

dang, why do I never see the portapotties in the background until *after* I take the pic???

[hatchet]

I think the thickness difference results on a step on the inner surface, not outer

I've seen a pic of a D where the step's clearly visible. Of course, I can't find the bloody thing right now.

[Dave Williams]

Looking at the photos in the Isradecals book, in some photos it's clear that the forward canopy is tinted, while the aft one is almost clear.

If this bit about protecting the crew from radars is correct, does that mean they don't care about the backseater? Is he a lower rank or something?

[SCOUT712]

That tint allow protection against radiation hazzard in high threat environments saturated of defenses.

Regards

To my knowledge, the tint with the gold in the canopy is there to reduce the radar-cross-section of an aircraft.

And i think the reason ti go back to the regular canopy is, because it is too much maintainance required to keep them scratch free, I know the german TYPHOON cockpits are even sent back to EADS, when the have scratches, so the maintainance guys have to take a lot of extra care ( therefore extra time -> more maintainance costs ) while working with the cockpit.

The F-16 has such a small RCS that the tinted canopy is not worth the extra costs compared with the little extra outcome.

SCOUT

[SebastianP]

I remember reading somewhere that there was a new canopy coating that achieved the same effect, only with a very light bluish tint rather than the pronounced gold tint, and that this is part of the reason why "clear" canopies are returning. I think the original question for the thread I got that from was why the Hornet/Super Hornet didn't have gold canopies, while the Viper and Raptor did. Since it appears that new-production Raptors still have the gold tint, I'm guessing that the blueish coat is cheaper and more durable, but less effective than the gold one.

SP

[A.Cagri Acikgoz]

I am not an expert about F-16s but as I know, this tint is a special coating called "indium tin oxide" . Because of the sharp edges of the headrest section of ACESS seat, they were using this coating to reduce radar cross section of the aircraft, and I think F-117s have the same thing too...