Här finns en skön jämförelse med en känd bombtruck, F-105 Thunderchief. The Thud!
Även om det kanske inte är 100 att jämföra så här så ger det en fingervisning om F35an...kul läsning beroende på ståndpunkt.
F-35A versus F-105D? Already done!
F-35A --- F-105D
Role: Interdictor = Interdictor
Unit Price: $400 Million < $2.2 Million ($15 Million, with Inflation)
Cost/Fight Hour: $51143 < $1040 ($8331, with Inflation)
Crew: 1 = 1
Size(LxWxH): 51.4x35x14.2ft > 69.7x35x20.2ft
Wing Area: 460ft2 > 385ft2
Empty Weight: 29300lbs < 28000lbs (30380lbs w/ Internal Fuel Pod)
Fueled Weight: 47800lbs < 35900lbs (38200lbs w/ Internal Fuel Pod)
Combat Weight: 49540lbs < 35637lbs
Internal Fuel: 18500lbs > 7900lbs (10200lbs w/ Internal Fuel Pod)
Payload: 13000lbs < 14000lbs
Max. Loadout: 13600lbs < 18900lbs
Max. T/O Weight: 50000lbs < 54000lbs
Weight w/ Max. Stores: 61400lbs < 57100lbs
Wing Loading, Empty Weight: 63.69lb/ft2 > 72.72lb/ft2
Wing Loading, Fueled Weight: 103.91lb/ft2 < 93.24lb/ft2/99.22lb/ft2
Wing Loading, Combat Weight: 107.5lb/ft2 < 92.56lb/ft2
Wing Loading, Max T/O Weight: 108.69lb/ft2 > 140.25lb/ft2
T/W Ratio, Empty Weight: 1.19 > 0.87
T/W Ratio, Fueled Weight: 0.73 > 0.68/0.64
T/W Ratio, Combat Weight: 0.7 = 0.68
T/W Ratio, Max T/O Weight: 0.7 > 0.45
Fuel Fraction: 38% > 22% (36% w/ Internal Fuel Pod)
Combat Radius: 850 miles < 780 miles (1000 miles w/ Internal Fuel Pod)
Ferry Range: N/A < 2200 miles
Ceiling: 50000ft < 52000ft
Minimum Speed: 207mph = 204mph
Cruise Speed: Mach 1.1 > 560mph
Top Speed: Mach 1.6 < Mach 2.1
Climb Rate: 45000ft/min = 32000ft/min
Initial Turn Rate: 30 degrees/sec > 20 degrees/sec
Continuous Turn Rate: 20 degrees/sec > 10 degrees/sec
Max. G-Load: +9/-3 > ~+7/-2
Sensors: AN/APG-81 AESA Radar, IRST, RWR = NASARR R-14A Nav/Attack Radar
Scan Range (F-35A): < 150 miles @ 35 degrees (15 miles @ 45 degrees for IRST)
Scan Range (F-105D): ~30 miles @ 30 degrees
Look Down: Yes > No
Shoot Down: Yes > No
Propulsion (F-35A): < 1× P&W F135 Low-Bypass Turbofan w/28000lbs Military Thrust, 35000lbs/AB
Propulsion (F-105D): 1x P&W J75-P-19W Turboject w/14300lbs Military Thrust, 24500lbs/AB
Thrust Vectoring: No = No
Average Mission Fuel Consumption: 21.76lbs/mile < 10.12lbs/mile (10.2lbs/mile w/ Internal Fuel Pod)
Weapon Stations (F-35A): 1x GAU-22 Equalizer 25mm cannon w/180rds, 1x Internal Bay w/4000lb Capacity, 2x Auxillary Bay w/400lb Capacity, 2x Underwing Hardpoint w/3000lb Capacity, 2x Underwing Hardpoint w/1000lb Capacity, 2x Underwing Hardpoint w/400lb Capacity
Weapon Stations (F-105D): < 1x M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon w/1028rds, 1x Internal Bay w/8000lb Capacity, 1x Centeline Hardpoint w/3500lb Capacity, 2x Underwing Hardpoint w/2500lb Capacity, 2x Underwing Hardpoint w/1000lb Capacity, 2x Underwing Hardpoint w/200lb Capacity
ECMs: Chaff/Flares (30/30rds), ASPJ > None
FBW: Yes > No
RCS: ~7ft3 > 20ft3
Tailhook: No < Yes
Catapult Hitch: No = No
Drag Chute: No < Yes
AAR: Yes = Yes
Other (F-35A): < Polyuerothane Clamshell Canopy, HOTAS, Zero-Zero Ejection Seat, Contoured Seat, LCD 3-screen MFD, Oxygen Generator, HMD, VCI, Laser Altimeter, LRF, Electric Servo Controls
Other (F-105D): Clamshell Canopy, HUD, Radar Altimeter, Cloverleaf Thrust Nozzle/Airbrake, Hydraulic Controls
Performance Results...
F-35A wins: 21
F-105D wins: 19
Draws: 8
Best-Performing Bomber: F-35A Lightning II
Overall Capability Evaluation...
Cost: F-105D
Size: F-35A
Weight: F-105D
Horizontal Manueverability: F-35A
Vertical Manueverability: F-35A
High-Altitude Manueverability: F-105D
External Stores: F-105D
Guns: F-105D
Turnaround Time: F-105D
Scramble Rate: F-35A
Comms: F-35A
Protection: F-105D
Ergonomics: Draw
Speed: F-105D
Range: F-105D
Endurance: F-105D
ECMs: F-35A
Sensors: F-35A
Stealth: F-35A
Fuel Economy: F-105D
Overall Capability Results...
F-35A wins: 8
F-105D wins: 11
Draws: 1
Most Capable Bomber: F-105D Thunderchief
In short, the F-35A only just barely broke out of a draw with it's spiritual predecessor (progress!), but fared badly against it in a comparison based on results rather than processes (D'OH!).
Here's a few more fun observations...
- The J75 was notoriously fuel-hungry --- yet the F-105D it powered is less "thirsty" than the F-35A. Yet, despite the fact that the 70% more powerful F135 has over 100% more fuel consumption, we're told by the F-35 lobby that this new engine is very economical for it's power output!
- The F-105D is woefully underpowered, and yet it's also much faster than the F-35; that's what clean aerodynamics will do for you.
- The F-35A's t/w ratio is also not significantly greater than that of the F-105D.
- Another example of the F-35A's disastrously inefficiency is that despite carrying nearly twice the fuel (equal in weight to a complete F-16C), it's range is only 8% better than that of an F-105D --- an aircraft notorious for for having "short legs".
- The worst flaws in the F-105's design were a lack of armor and self-dealing fuel cells, poor maneuverability, and hydraulic controls that failed instantly and totally when hydraulic pressure was lost. The F-35 does nothing to address these problems; it has no armor, lacks self-sealing fuel cells, doesn't maneuver much better, and instead of having controls that fail when hydraulics are lost, they will fail if power is lost --- because it has no manual back-up controls. Aircraft that *did* have manual back-up controls can more easily to reach areas where it's safe to bail-out, which was a major factor in pilot survival during the Vietnam War.
- The F-105D was known as the "Lead Sled", in part because of it's high weight for it's size; the smaller F-35A weighs more.
- The F-35A's fuel fraction is widely hailed as an engineering triumph; it's only 2% greater than that of an F-105D carrying an extra fuel tank inside it's bomb bay. Let me remind you that the F-105D was designed and developed in the late 1950s.