Swing Wing F-35

Jesse220 · November 23, 2020, 02:35:07 PM

I'm thinking of an F-35 Lightning variant with a swing-wing capabilities like the F-14 Tomcat fighter. Not just that, it still will have Vtol capabilities. What do you say?

sandiego89 · November 23, 2020, 02:54:44 PM

Doable, but in the real world- it would bring weight (and cost) penalties that the STOVL F-35B is already struggling with, and the wing glove would likely introduce problems with stealth.

If doing this for increased top speed, not sure it would help much with the fat and short fuselage. Might actually help with the lower end speeds. A STOL F-35 might actually be more useful for some land based users than a STOVL variant.

kerick · November 23, 2020, 03:37:09 PM

I say go for it! Why not? We violate all kinds of rules in whiff world!

jcf · November 23, 2020, 05:05:30 PM

1) The F-35B isn't VTOL (Vertical Take-Off Landing) it's STOVL (Short Take-Off Vertical Landing).

2) There's nowhere to put a wingsweep mechanism and retain the lift-fan as you'd have to move
the wing forward. Mounting a variable sweep wing in the same place as the current wing is a non-
starter.

McColm · November 24, 2020, 12:04:42 AM

The Yak-141/41 would be a better platform for your conversion or if not a
F-22 combo.

Dizzyfugu · November 24, 2020, 12:38:21 AM

The F-22 has already been VG-fied, I even think that it had been posted here some time ago:

McColm · November 24, 2020, 04:05:14 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on November 24, 2020, 12:38:21 AM
The F-22 has already been VG-fied, I even think that it had been posted here some time ago:

It just needs the lifting fan/engine from the F-35B and you have the V/STOL

PR19_Kit · November 24, 2020, 05:12:53 AM

Quote from: McColm on November 24, 2020, 04:05:14 AM

It just needs the lifting fan/engine from the F-35B and you have the V/STOL

But where are you going to put it? There's no room between the cockpit and the wing carry-through structure, and the intake ducts run either side of that anyway. The only way would be to lengthen the fuselage and that would add loots of weight.

Quite apart from the weight of the monster gearbox/clutch that you'd need to adapt the two F-119's output to connect to the fan.

McColm · November 24, 2020, 06:14:05 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on November 24, 2020, 05:12:53 AM
Quote from: McColm on November 24, 2020, 04:05:14 AM

It just needs the lifting fan/engine from the F-35B and you have the V/STOL

But where are you going to put it? There's no room between the cockpit and the wing carry-through structure, and the intake ducts run either side of that anyway. The only way would be to lengthen the fuselage and that would add loots of weight.
You are forgetting this is Whiffland and anything is possible, it's not the real world.

Quite apart from the weight of the monster gearbox/clutch that you'd need to adapt the two F-119's output to connect to the fan.

PR19_Kit · November 24, 2020, 07:14:19 AM

I'm not forgetting it, but as Scottie says 'You canna change the laws of Physics Cap'n. '

kerick · November 24, 2020, 08:22:37 AM

Take a lesson from the SU-22 series and put the swing hinge half way out on the wing.

Jesse220 · November 24, 2020, 01:45:01 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on November 24, 2020, 05:12:53 AM
Quote from: McColm on November 24, 2020, 04:05:14 AM

It just needs the lifting fan/engine from the F-35B and you have the V/STOL

But where are you going to put it? There's no room between the cockpit and the wing carry-through structure, and the intake ducts run either side of that anyway. The only way would be to lengthen the fuselage and that would add loots of weight.

Quite apart from the weight of the monster gearbox/clutch that you'd need to adapt the two F-119's output to connect to the fan.

Add am F-35 Engine, and Vtol capabilities, and where good.