| Dr. Nick Stage phd., sarge_46077(@)yahoo.com, 26.05.2008 This aircraft, an "actively-deployed-prototype"
was wrongly-called, by N.A.T.O., in 1964-through-1967,
the "MIG-23" and the "FLIPPER", and was flown to
MACH 2.94, before the Soviet-built Tumansky-266-305 exploded, killing the pilot and destroying this plane.
This tragedy occured on December 15th, 1966.
After this, any Soviet Mig or Soviet Sukhoi aircraft had
"red-line" limits on speed, engine duration, structural
integrity,turning-capability and altitude-sustainablity.
Even the new SU-37 "Super-Flanker", also called
"the Terminator-B" can only go at Mach-3.4--only in a dive.
The new U.S. F-22 fighter-jet, and the new U.S. F-15K ,
would be able the "kill" the SU-37 by a theoritical
air-combat "kill-ratio" of 22-to-1.
These same Tumansky jet engines were used, after some
modifications, in the twin-engined Soviet MIG-25 "Foxbat" interceptor.
MIG-25 pilots could use these same engines, later
called the Tumansky R-15G-2 engine,
lacked advanced analog-control, so the Mig-25 was limited
to no more than 375 miles--in radius, and the aircraft
was "red-lined" at Mach 2.8-to-3.0.
Above this speed, the R-15 engines went into ramjet-mode,
but after 5-to-8 minutes, these engines were totally
wrecked, and to be entirely replaced.
This information came from Captain Viktor Belenko,
on his defection from Vladivostol and landing
in Japan, and surrendering his Mig-25, early
September of 1976.
Just as Captain Belenko's Mig-25 was "touching down",
the aircraft completely ran out of fuel--guaranteeing
one heck of a VERY HARD landing.
The MIG-25's "sink-rate" was as bad a the U.S. Space
Shuttle which has only a ONE CHANCE-only landing
approach.
To return to YE-152A:
For the late 1960's or even the early 1970's, this
aircraft would have been a "sky-killing" jet, especially
in the INTERCEPTOR role, but like the MIG-25, the
G-loads of 4 or 5 G's, would have enough to have
had this otherwise good aircraft to structural failure.
The Soviets did this best they could with the crude
building techniques, like using heavy steel, and very
heavy nickel-plated stainless steel engines.
Keep em' flying--smilin' Ivan!! |
