The Greatest Fighter Jet of All Time.

[Gnomey]

not to combat I don't think...

I am saying the F-86 Sabre because I think it is cool and it had a proven success rate against enemy fighters.

[syscom3]

I thought almost all of Israels kills in the 80's and 90's were from the F16.

I could be wrong.

[FLYBOYJ]

F-15 almost lost - close but no cigar!

"Accordingly, the F-15 was designed with broad-chord wings supplemented with additional lift from the upper surface of the wide fuselage. This feature showed its value several years later in the Middle East, when an Israeli F-15 lost its right wing in combat and was still able to return to its base for a normal landing."

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by syscom3

I thought almost all of Israels kills in the 80's and 90's were from the F16.

I could be wrong.

IAF F-16s only had a small number of kills, check out this site....

http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/cat_index_22.shtml

[Glider]

Has to be the F15.

[lesofprimus]

The F-15, followed rather closely by the F-86....

[FLYBOYJ]

The F-15 scored my favorite kill story....

"One F-15E scored an aerial kill by dropping a laser-guided bomb on an airborne Iraqi helicopter."

Feb. 15, 1991. In one of the most unusual air-to-air victories ever, Capt. Tim Bennett and Capt. Dan Bakke of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., shoot down an Iraqi helicopter (probably an Mi-24 Hind) with a GBU-10 2,000-pound Laser-Guided Bomb dropped from their F-15E.


Here's a short article on the F-15's combat history....

F-15 in combat:

Israel :

The first IDF/AF action with Eagles took place on 27 June 1979, since that day the F-15's of the Israeli Air Force scored 17 air to air victories.

Saudi Arabia:

On 5 June 1984, Eagles of No 6 Squadron were involved in an air battle with Iranian piloted F-4 Phantoms witch were threatening Saudi oil fields. Two of the intruders were shot down by AIM-7 Sparrows. This was the first time (and the only) that McDonnell Douglas fighters fought each other. One RSAF F-15 shot down a pair of Iraqi Dassault Mirage F-1's during Desert Storm.

Desert Storm 17 January - 28 February 1991:

The USAF had five F-15C and two F-15E squadrons when the (air) war against Iraq began. Although the F-15E was still not fully combat-ready, 48 F-15Es flew in the Gulf War. F-15Es joined other Coalition aircraft in searching for and attacking Iraqi "Scud" missile launchers. These Scud hunt missions were largely unsuccessful, but the F-15Es attacked many other Iraqi targets of opportunity. The F-15C's scored 32 aerial kills, of a total of 41 victories. Twenty-four of these kills were achieved with the Sparrow missile, eight by AIM-9 sidewinders. One F-15E scored an aerial kill by dropping a laser-guided bomb on an airborne Iraqi helicopter. No F-15C/D Eagle fighters were lost during Desert Shield / Storm, two F-15E Strike Eagles were lost in action.

Provide Comfort 1 March 1991 - 1 January 1997

Northern/Southern watch: 1 January 1997 - 1 May 2003:

F-15C's of the USAF shot down three Iraqi Su-22's with the AIM-9 and one Pilatus PC-9 trainer.

On 14 April 1994 there was a tragic 'Friendly Fire' incident over Northern Iraq, when a pair of F-15C's shot down two UH-60 Black hawks, killing 26 American and United Nations personnel.

Deliberate Force: Aug.- Sept. 1994:

F-15C were in combat air patrols, and never shot down a Serbian aircraft (all F-16 kills) The F-15E was in air to ground actions.

Allied Force: 24 March - 10 June 1999:

On the first day of Allied Force 24 March 1999, F-15C's killed four Serbian MiG-29's with AIM-120 AMRAAM's. One pilot Major J.Kwhang from the 493rd FS shot-down two aircraft.

Enduring Freedom 7 October 2001 - :

F-15E 89-0487 shot-down a Mi-24 Hind helicopter in Afghanistan.

Iraqi Freedom 20 March 2003 - April 2003:

USAF F-15C/D's from Al Jaber AB, Kuwait and F-15C/D from Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia flew together with F-15E Strike Eagles combat-missions in Iraq. One F-15E (88-1694/SJ) of 333rd FS, 4th FW from Seymour Johnson AFB, NC was shot-down near Tikrit in Iraq on 6 April 2003, the pilots were Killed in Action.

This article has been written by Rob Vogelaar.

[evangilder]

Great stuff, Joe!

[Gnomey]

Interesting stuff FBJ.

[plan_D]

Actually, as much as I love the Lightning. Off the basis of "greatest" being a literal term it has to be the F-15 'Eagle' nothing else has been able to defeat this marvel of an aircraft in a fight and it's combat record is truely perfect.

The funny thing is, the first aircraft the F-15 shot down was a F-4!

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by plan_D

The funny thing is, the first aircraft the F-15 shot down was a F-4!

That's almost as funny as dropping a 2000 bomb on a helicopter!

[Gnomey]

[plan_D]

Talk about company rivallry.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by plan_D

Talk about company rivallry.

I say we have an F-16, F-22, F-35 "Free for all."

[Gnomey]

That would be interesting. I would put my money on the F-22 though.