F-16 Reference
5th Gen Fighters
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TJSmitty
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 Posted: Jul 23, 2008 - 03:35 PM
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Active member
Joined: Aug 11, 2006
Posts: 209
Location: Southeast of Hartford, CT
Status: Offline
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Can the "turkey feathers" from the Thunderbird -220's be put on the -229?? ....mechanically speaking, anyway, I understand it would make the engine "non-conforming"....
I know it would require the segments to be swapped everytime the engine went back to the shop, but I can remember swapping feathers was fairly standard practice. (An awful lot of work goes into polishing turkey feathers)
The practice (for the Thunderbirds, at least) was started right around 1990, Lloyd "Pineapple" Maranaka (CC #1) polished the exhaust on the boss's jet and the rest, they say is history...
Smitty |
_________________
Tim Smith
Avionics '81 - '05
F-16 A/B/C/D
F-111D FB-111A
F-15A/B
F-22A
F-18E/F & G
Wedgetail
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 Posted: Sep 08, 2008 - 1:24 PM
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That_Engine_Guy
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Posted: Jul 23, 2008 - 05:48 PM
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Elite
Joined: Dec 14, 2005
Posts: 688
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TJSmitty wrote:
Can the "turkey feathers" from the Thunderbird -220's be put on the -229?? ....mechanically speaking, anyway, I understand it would make the engine "non-conforming"....
No, "turkey feathers" are not interchangeable from the PW-220 to the PW-229. (Not even close) 
The PW-229's nozzle is built to be more durable, and easier to work on. The forward and aft attachment points for the feathers are completely different, and as such, all attaching hardware/points are also different.
The forward end of the PW-220s feather has 2 nuts/bolts with 4 spacers/retainers in a slotted bracket attached to the nozzle support. Also there is a wide shoulder screw at the overlapping corner of each feather, adjoining all feathers together. The aft end has two nuts/bolts/spacers that attach to the divergent segment.
The forward end of the PW-229s feather uses 2 shafts w/bearings (much like a tie-rod end) that are attached to the nozzle support, the feather simply slides onto these shafts for easy removal/installation. (No nuts/bolts/spacers or shoulder screw; all hardware remains attached to the nozzle support.) The aft end uses a single nut/bolt to attach to the divergent segment.
So to put the PW-220 feather onto a PW-229 one would have to "down-change" the entire nozzle assembly. (From the nozzle support back) The PW-220's nozzle assembly would not last long at the increased power of the PW-229. I've never checked the flange bolt pattern, but I doubt it would even fit.
Other options would be to have special feathers made for the Thunderbird's PW-229s. Either ones made out of metal so they could be polished, or some type of coating/plating on the existing feathers to make them "metallic." 
 I doubt you'll see either. The cost involved to develop and manufacture a limited number of special PW-229 feathers would be astronomical. Then they would have to be tested and flight qualified for use, further adding to expense. The last thing you want is one of your chrome-plated feathers breaking up during an airshow and falling into a crowd, or into #4s as they fly in the diamond.
Keep 'em flyin' 
TEG |
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