F-15E load advice

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hey guys.

I bought the Hasegawa Weapons Set D the other day to use on my 1:48 Revell F-15E when it’s complete and was wondering what weapons load out of this set would look best?
It comes with 6- GBU-12’s, 2- GBU-16’s, 2- AGM-123’s, 2- GBU-24’s, 2- GBU-10’s and a few others. I am planning on using the aircraft decals that came with the F-15E kit so it will be a 391st Fighter Squadron "Bold Tigers aircraft and I wanted to depict a bomb load typical for this aircraft in Iraq.
The instructions for the Hasegawa weapons set doesn’t list the F-15E as a carrier of the GBU-24, is that true?
What load would you do from this weapons set?

Thanks

Mike

2

The GBU-24 IS carried on Strike Eagles for certain types of missions. You’re basically talking about a 2000 lbs. warhead of either the ‘standard’ Mark 84or ‘penetrating’ BLU-109 type with one of the Paveway III kits attached.

3

Thanks Jamie.

Now I have to figure out what load of these babies I want to put on it.

Mike

4

Hey mike;
if you want to model an OIF bird like the ones I’ve seen flying about Iraq they carried 4 GBU-12’s and 4 AMRAAM’s with the centerline fuel tank

5

Thanks Dennis, I appreciate the help.
I don’t have any AMRAAM’s though. [:(]

Mike

6

Dennis,

That’s kind of a light load isn’t it?

Mike

7

You need to look closer Dennis. The F-15 cannot fly with a centerline fuel tank according to a F-15E crewchief I talked to. [:D]

Mike

8

Mike you got a good point there, even though I’m not around any F-15E’s but most of the pics of F-15E’s that I have seen dont have the centerline fuel tank. This dont mean that they dont have them on there. But who knows.

9

Bryan,

Here is what he told me in regards to this:

“F-15Es do not use a centerline fuel tank – first off, there is an interference drag issue created with the airflow around the pods, and second there is an aircraft stability issue such that the airplane flies more smooth without a centerline tank. In fact, I have never personally seen an F-15E flying with a centerline bag in my experience with the jet since '99. Given the distances required for all post-Desert Storm operations over Iraq, 90% of the time F-15Es are flying with two bags on the wing stations. That other 10% of the time, they’re flying with AGM-130s under one wing and a single bag under the opposite wing.”

Mike

10

Mike,
That jibes with everything I’ve seen…never have seen a dark gray with a centerline tank or anything else for that matter.

Kind of interesting though considering that your signature pic shows a mudhen WITH a centerline fuel tank. And whats up with the intakes? looks like they’re configured for high AOA (full down deflection).

11

I never noticed that until now. [:0]
Apparently the artist who drew that didn’t do his homework.
I am going to get a different signature pic now as this is unacceptable. [:D][;)]

Mike

12

Dang Mike,
Didn’t mean to make ya change your signature pic. But I must say that the new signature pic is much better.[:D]

Salbando

13

Thank You my friend. Any F-15E picture is a good picture to me. [;)]

I noticed that your screen name is the same as a former famous Oakland A’s shortstop. Is that coincidental?

Mike

14

Don’t mean to sound like a know-it-all, but when I was at Seymour Johnson (93-96), they flew with a bag on the centerline almost all the time. I can provide pictures to illustrate this if needed. Perhaps it’s a recent change of policy to not carry a tank on that station? Maybe it interferes with the seperation of some of the newer ordnance?

15

That’s interesting Doug. Thanks.
Let me ask the people that arm them over at the F-15E forum and see what I can find out.

Mike

16

Now you’ve really got my curiosity up , Mike. I just took a look at my portfolio and the C models I photographed over the Persian Gulf in '95 are carying 3 bags of gas, 4 Sparrows, 2 'winders and 2 AMRAAMs. If they’re not carrying centerline tanks anymore, it must be a recent development. Let me know if you find out why.

17

Doug,

Those were F-15C’s you saw at Seymour Johnson and not F-15E’s correct?
One F-15E tech on the F-15 forum told me that the reason they don’t use the centerline tank is because of the CFT’s (conformal fuel tanks).
Here is what he said:

I hope this answers your question.

Mike

18

Mike,
Didn’t realize the the Oakland A’s had a guy using the same nickname. Salbando is just what everyone in the squadron calls me. It’s a lot easier to pronounce than Salvatore. Actually, they call me quite a few things from time to time.[;)]
BTW…I did have an uncle that played for the California Angels, but I think his name was Joe Does that count.

19

That wasn’t a nickname, it was his real name. [(-D]
He was the team captain for the famous '72 A’s.

Mike

20

Doug,

Here is another post from the other forum that might better answer the centerline fuel tank question:

Mike