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By: - 21st February 2019 at 18:11 Permalink
A helicopter could be lethal against another helicopter.
By: - 21st February 2019 at 23:02 Permalink
If we only stay in the narrow confines of the subsonic visual range aerial combat, then yes, absolutely, it would be possible to design a turboprop fighter with performance good enough to hang with modern jets. Several attempts at turboprop fighters were made in the '50s, for example XF-84 and Lockheed XFV. Performance they had was equivalent to 1st generation jet fighters like Sabre etc.
We do know that well-flown subsonic jets like A-4, Gnat, MiG-17, Super Etendard were and are credible challengers for modern fighters in a close-in maneuvering fight. So no reason a turboprop fighter developed with modern technology wouldn't have power loading, acceleration, turning performance etc. required to acquit itself well in WVR regime.
However, operationally, such a fighter would make no sense at all. Dash speed and acceleration provided by afterburner is way too valuable to give up. Even though modern fighters no longer strive for Mach 2.5 or above speeds, nobody is planning to give up supersonic capability in fighter aircraft. Coincidentally this is why nobody bought Harrier as land-based air superiority fighter.
Not to mention obvious challenge of making propellors stealthy.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 08:12 Permalink
The thing is that Propeller fighter may no longer able to dictate the engagement compared to the fast jet. The gap becomes bigger with missile armament.
The faster jet aircraft have leisure of forcing the fight to the prop aircraft and can disengage/escape as soon as situation get tricky without the prop aircraft able to properly match.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 08:46 Permalink
Paralay suggested this in another thread 2015.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 09:06 Permalink
Paralay suggested this in another thread 2015.
Is that even for air-to air combat ?
looks to me more like those Stavatti COIN's
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 09:11 Permalink
Is that even for air-to air combat ?
looks to me more like those Stavatti COIN's
Prop plane could be also able to fight in aerial combat...albeit better suited for COIN operations.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 09:12 Permalink
Prop plane could be also able to fight in aerial combat...albeit better suited for COIN operations.
See my point above regarding who dictate the engagement.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 09:57 Permalink
Paralay suggested this in another thread 2015.
That looks similar to British Aerospace SABA from the eighties:
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It was meant as COIN aircraft with special attention given to shooting down helicopters. SABA used unducted fan though. Regular turbofan was also considered.
Some Polish Scorpion proposals were also turboprops.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 11:08 Permalink
That looks similar to British Aerospace SABA from the eighties:
[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"3.jpg","data-attachmentid":3852451}[/ATTACH]It was meant as COIN aircraft with special attention given to shooting down helicopters. SABA used unducted fan though. Regular turbofan was also considered.
Some Polish Scorpion proposals were also turboprops.
Pusher props are still very promissing for that kinda plane.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 14:14 Permalink
In my opinion, the best option of the "direct aviation support" apparatus would be a high-speed helicopter or convertiplane. The maximum speed of 500 - 700 km / h and vertical takeoff and landing. Then plane a horizontal takeoff and landing, propeller, will be interesting only as a training aircraft.
My favorite layout of a fighter from the future for the Second World War :)
[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"paralay_project.jpg","data-attachmentid":3852488}[/ATTACH]
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 15:14 Permalink - Edited 22nd February 2019 at 15:15
In my opinion, the best option of the "direct aviation support" apparatus would be a high-speed helicopter or convertiplane. The maximum speed of 500 - 700 km / h and vertical takeoff and landing. Then plane a horizontal takeoff and landing, propeller, will be interesting only as a training aircraft.My favorite layout of a fighter from the future for the Second World War :)
[ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tparalay_project.jpg Views:\t0 Size:\t144.1 KB ID:\t3852488","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"3852488","data-size":"full","title":"paralay_project.jpg"}[/ATTACH]
If you ducted those props...could it be like a "cold jet"...but still supersonic ?
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 18:44 Permalink
Surely the jet-engined aircraft would just stay high and come out of the sun.
By: - 22nd February 2019 at 19:25 Permalink
Surely the jet-engined aircraft would just stay high and come out of the sun.
What if the pilot uses sun glasses ?
By: - 23rd February 2019 at 10:26 Permalink
What if the pilot uses sun glasses ?
Won't help much when looking directly at the sun.
By: - 23rd February 2019 at 13:12 Permalink - Edited 23rd February 2019 at 13:14
Won't help much when looking directly at the sun.
Many aeroplanes are fitted with a radio. Radio messages can be used to warn about enemies... from a radar operator etc ? For instance..: "Red Leader, Bogies at 2 o'clock high !"
By: - 23rd February 2019 at 19:21 Permalink
Surely the jet-engined aircraft would just stay high and come out of the sun.
Much aerial warfare happens at night time surely? Most of Israel's airstrikes against Syria are carried out at night I believe.
By: - 24th February 2019 at 01:55 Permalink
That looks similar to British Aerospace SABA from the eighties:
[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"3.jpg","data-attachmentid":3852451}[/ATTACH]It was meant as COIN aircraft with special attention given to shooting down helicopters. SABA used unducted fan though. Regular turbofan was also considered.
Some Polish Scorpion proposals were also turboprops.
She look beautiful
By: - 24th February 2019 at 12:39 Permalink
Many aeroplanes are fitted with a radio. Radio messages can be used to warn about enemies... from a radar operator etc ? For instance..: "Red Leader, Bogies at 2 o'clock high !"
Won't help during the intensity of a WVR battle.
By: - 24th February 2019 at 12:42 Permalink
Much aerial warfare happens at night time surely? Most of Israel's airstrikes against Syria are carried out at night I believe.
The jet-engined plane will always have the advantage at the merge. And of course the prop-engined plane relies on the jet-engined plane to actually be bothered stopping to fight them WVR. It may just take them out BVR with height and range advantage or simply fly over them and bomb their bases and C4I infrastructure and then fly back over them.
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By: topspeed - 21st February 2019 at 16:57
I mean for the enemy !
Any ideas ?