count_to_10 wrote:Interesting, particularly given the F-18's noted difficulty getting it's nose into the air. I wonder if it would pay to make the main gear capable of moving backward while taxiing or parking, but forward for takeoff.
Evidently that is an unnecessary complication. The combined effects of inward deflected rudders, swept horizontal tails, and nose gear compression are enough to force the nose up. Of course, the NG compression is effective only for catapult takeoffs. What really hurts them is the forward CG location, since they never took full advantage of the aft CG capabilities of the fly by wire system. The E/F CG was moved back a bit, but is nowhere near the aft CG of the F-16.
Thanks to
spaz for posting the E/F development .pdf. Some very interesting content. Notice the inlets are simply enlarged A/B/C/D round-ish rather than the eventual E/F rectangular ones. Similarly, the LEX looks like an enlarged version of the original rather than the much larger production E/F version. Interesting also is the -414 engine is the same as the -412 planned for the Navy A-12 Dorito plus an afterburner.