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Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1121

First off, its a great shot of the Raptor I thought. Can anyone comment on the 2 lighter grey panels, one between the engines and the one on the left wing root? Or the yellow stuff around two panels aft of the cockpit?

Click for full size picture: http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/050812-F-2295B-147.jpg

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Active Member Joined: Mar 23, 2005 Posts: 209

I'd want to say that the yellow would be the IFR door??? As far as the other panels, I think those might be in the classified section. I've only been on one job for this aircraft and seems like security is quite an issue.

Active Member Joined: Mar 23, 2005 Posts: 209

Scratch the whole IFR deal. I had a long week. The IFR would be in the center of the aircraft. I think the yellow panel comes form the computer image that is shown.

Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1121

The reason I ask, is the center panel looks sorta like a speedbrake, ala Eagle. But I read that the Raptor used flight control surface deflection as an speedbrake, so I wasn't sure.

If you look at the full sized pic, the yellow is around what looks like another panel, I just had never seen that before.

Please do NOT post anything that is/may be classified info!

Could the yellow be the panel over the gun?

Last edited by agilefalcon16 on Sep 14, 2005 - 09:52 PM; edited 1 time in total

Well, according to my book that shows the anatomy of fighter aircraft (Including the F-22, so the info isn't classified), the 2 yellow panels behind the cockpit are ACFC cooling air exhaust ducts. The SES reservoirs are stored under the large panel between the engines (So it can't be an airbreak), but the engine bleed-air primary heat exchanger is located in the black part under the front section of that panel. Beneath the panel on the left wing root is the port hydraulic reservoir and accumulator.

Man I love my book. Very Happy

Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 Posts: 1121

Very cool, thanks for the info! I want that book! Smile

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 18, 2005 Posts: 55 Status: Offline

According to a book I have with detailed info on the YF-22, the spine panel is an airbrake. This book is now at least 8 years old.

To quote FAS (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/docs/f-22-emd-paper.htm):

"The F-22 has no dedicated speed brake surfaces, but uses the standard flight control surfaces for the speed brake function."

It puts the rudders at 30 degree out to act as speedbrake.

So I would suggest that either that panel is for something else, it is unused but remains in place, or it is an old picture.

catisfit wrote:

So I would suggest that either that panel is for something else, it is unused but remains in place, or it is an old picture.

Did you not see my previous post?

Guysmiley wrote:

Very cool, thanks for the info! I want that book!

I know this is off-topic, but if you are interested in purchasing the book, you can find it here: http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3267343950398&isbn=0760311242. This book is great if you are curious to find out what function a certain area on an aircraft (F-16, F-15, F-4, F/A-22, etc.) preforms.

Enthusiast Joined: Aug 18, 2005 Posts: 55 Status: Offline

agilefalcon16 wrote:

Did you not see my previous post?

Yes, I just thought some people would like to know that the panel was originally supposed to be an airbrake, regardless of its usage now.

Here's my guess (and I emphasize guess!)
The IFR receptacle is the pair of trapezium-shaped doors aft of the "ladder" markings - that's for sure.

The black panel on the centerline and another one at the left wing root are vents/openings, so they would be "hotspots" and receive "special treatment" (don't need to be more specific Wink

) which probably accounts for the lighter gray panels...

Note that the radome, intake lip, wings/stabs leading/trailing edges are also lighter gray than the camo, which suggests special treatment too.

The yellow patch could just be where maintenance was done and temp finish (primer?) applied over the fasteners.

Here's a good shot of the flight control surfaces in speedbrake mode
http://www.af.mil/media/photodb/photos/ ... 5B-210.jpg

I would submit that a different color of gray paint does not imply a special treatment. It might just be a way of reducing the edge's visual contrast with the background.

The grey panel on the left wing root is the door for the APU exhaust. I have seen it open when they are on the ground and while it is taxiing. The one in the middle I am not sure of.

Due to the high temp from the exhaust that door is most likely treated in some way to protect it from the heat. That is just my observations and some words that I have heard from different people when I was down at Nellis.

Roscoe wrote:

I would submit that a different color of gray paint does not imply a special treatment. It might just be a way of reducing the edge's visual contrast with the background.

That's probably true too, but in this case I think there is special treatment, as alluded to in this article about the F-22 design evolution:
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives ... 2a_98.html

Also recall seeing somewhere a manufacturing breakdown responsibility diagram showing who makes what on the airframe - all but the edges come from Seattle, Ft Worth and Marietta; that comes from Palmdale due to their particular expertise in a certain field...

PS: for all you F/A-22 aficionados, this article and the first part in the April 98 issue is a veritable goldmine of info about the developmental history of the Raptor

rub1con wrote:

The grey panel on the left wing root is the door for the APU exhaust. I have seen it open when they are on the ground and while it is taxiing. The one in the middle I am not sure of.

Due to the high temp from the exhaust that door is most likely treated in some way to protect it from the heat. That is just my observations and some words that I have heard from different people when I was down at Nellis.

Yes, well, the APU exhaust opening and the port hydraulic reservoir and accumulator are both located under/on the panel on the left wing root. But, the APU exaust comes strait out of the small black dimond shaped opening on the very front of the panel.(At least according to my book it does) But I agree with rub1con though, the panel directly following the APU exaust opening is probably made of a different material to protect it from the heat of the exaust.

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Forum: F-22A Raptor

Great F/A-22 shot from above, what are those panels?