Most figures do not include the fusealage contributed lift factor into the wing loading...There is a drag penalty associated with this lift, that is overcome by a high T:W ratio...So while the fusealage wing configuration on the SU-27 would errode some of the F-15's wing loading advantage, the higher thrust to weight ratio of the Eagle would negate that...A stripped down version of the SU-27 did break alot of the F-15's Streak Eagles records, but from everything I have read, the F-15C is a superior air combat system....Superior avionics, sitational awareness, and agility.
The USN does use the F-14 to mimic the SU-27 in DACT, variable geometry notwithstanding I hear the SU-27 and F-14 have similiar agility characterisitics. I know this is a F-15/Flanker thread, but the F-14 and SU-27 have comparable strengths and weaknesses against the F-15 from what I have been told...
Edited by - chadrewsky on Mar 25 2004 4:19 PM
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