Daft technical question; could a Typhoon be equipped with...

[hidetheelephants]

...ferry tanks to let it do UK-Wideawake or Wideawake-MPA without tanking? Wiki says the internal fuel capacity is 4.5t giving a range of 1800nm. The munitions capacity is 7.5t; obviously all the pylons won't be equipped to take fuel tanks, but the carrying capacity is there to stretch the range to the required 4000nm. If not the full distance, a flight could be equipped to do AAR like the Buccaneers used to do? I remember reading an account of the first Typhoon flight out to MPA and it wasn't a trivial exercise or a quick one.

[davepoth]

Wikipedia seems to be wrong - the internet in general gives the ferry range with drop tanks as 2100nm.

[Hooli]

What's wideawake MPA?

[ninja-lewis]

Hooli said:

What's wideawake MPA?

Wideawake - the airfield at RAF Ascension on Ascension Island. So called after the local birds. More or less the halfway point between the UK and the Falklands.

MPA - RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falklands.

[Hooli]

Ahh ta.

[PaulG40]

No.

[Methuselah]

Would conformal tanks be better than drop, (no reduction in available pylons) ?

[hidetheelephants]

Methuselah said:

Would conformal tanks be better than drop, (no reduction in available pylons) ?

I don't know about better, but they would leave the wing pylons free; the Spitfire had a variety of conformal slipper tanks available in the war, the largest at 130 gallons doubling the fuel capacity, although it created a lot of drag and I don't think it was stressed for combat. Wikipedia speculates about conformal tanks but like most optional things of that nature the MoD won't break out the cheque book unless someone declares war.

[PaulG40]

More likely the IAF (Indian Air Force) will go with this option as opposed to us. Don't know how much it would affect the flight manoeuvring window of the aircraft though, typhoon's pretty agile with a full payload onboard as it is.

[Kudos]

Are you a member of a south American country's intelligence service?

[hidetheelephants]

Kudos said:

Are you a member of a south American country's intelligence service?

There's no fooling you wily gringos; I joined PH 4 years ago with the specific intent of asking a stupid question about the Typhoon in 2011. Haha! Leopoldo will be avenged!

[bristolracer]

davepoth said:

Wikipedia seems to be wrong

Really? Wikipedia the font of all knowledge has errors?

[davepoth]

bristolracer said:

Really? Wikipedia the font of all knowledge has errors?

I nearly fell off my chair too. Why doesn't someone fix these mistakes?

[RizzoTheRat]

It's not just about fuel range. Dunno about Typhoon, but back when they did the Blackbuck raids they reckoned Tornado would run out of engine oil before it got to the Falklands.

[Simpo Two]

And I recall a debate about aircraft carriers on PH a few months ago where the anti-carrier proponent was saying 'We don't need carriers any more, they can just fly there'.

[Apache]

RizzoTheRat said:

It's not just about fuel range. Dunno about Typhoon, but back when they did the Blackbuck raids they reckoned Tornado would run out of engine oil before it got to the Falklands.

[PaulG40]

Technically the Tornado's oil system is self sealed, but we all know it isn't. 9hours has always been banded about as a time limit for running I think I recall. For just simple trail flying, nice striaght and level, medium speed and altitude, they don't use that much and are filled fill to spill plus 2litres.

[Apache]

self sealed? what does that mean? it can't be a fully pressurised system like your car coolant because it vents...a lot.
I remember topping the gearboxes up though, full + 2. I also remember one coming back with a gearbox problem which resulted in brake fire

[PaulG40]

Apache said:

self sealed? what does that mean? it can't be a fully pressurised system like your car coolant because it vents...a lot.
I remember topping the gearboxes up though, full + 2. I also remember one coming back with a gearbox problem which resulted in brake fire

It's a breather, not a vent. Just like a car engine is supposed to have a sealed oil system, it gets burned through use, seals not sealing, heat cycles, reheat.

[Tango13]

RizzoTheRat said:

It's not just about fuel range. Dunno about Typhoon, but back when they did the Blackbuck raids they reckoned Tornado would run out of engine oil before it got to the Falklands.

The Tornado wasn't seriously considered for the Black Buck raids, it had only been in service for a couple of weeks. The Buccaneer however was considered for the raids but was discounted for the exact reasons you mention, lack of engine oil.