FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Even if not done "100% correct" a landing gear leg made from steel would be pretty hard to "snap".
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Even if not done "100% correct" a landing gear leg made from steel would be pretty hard to "snap".
That is the implication of incorrect heat treatment, too hard and it snaps, too soft and it bends. I dont see it happening either. I have seen massive steel structures fail, but dont see how it could be a factor here/
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Additionally you're looking at other portions of the gear that have additional hardened surfaces, the piston/ cylinder of an oleo strut has a layer of chome plating thus compounding the strength of the landing gear leg. Where I have seen failures is at the axle and many times cracks are detectable before total failure occurs.
Considering the wing area of the Spit compared to that of the 109, it's amazing the 109 could even come close to turning as tight...I know there are other factors involved, but it seems to me this one factor would give the spit a huge advantage in turning radius...
Gents,
I have seen a gear snap on a F-15D used by the school house. It's the only one I've heard of and it happened at KJAX during a student sortie. The Eagle has no max landing weight either so it was especially surprising.
Shiza happens.
Cheers,
Biff
I have seen a gear snap on a F-15D used by the school house. It's the only one I've heard of and it happened at KJAX during a student sortie. The Eagle has no max landing weight either so it was especially surprising.
Shiza happens.
Cheers,
Biff
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Ouch! What part of the gear snapped?
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Wow! The only fighter landing gear I've ever seen built was for the F-117A. That thing was pretty beefy and I would think the F-15 would have a much more robust leg. That student must have really planted that bird!!!
Landing and AC on a carrier is a very special situation. Sailing into the wind on a smooth sea with a headwind and an experienced pilot is a great situation. On a pitching sea with little wind and a novice pilot it is quite different situation. Drop a plane on a deck at high speed and the structure will fail, make repeated hard landings and eventually something will fail, make repeated normal landings and then parts will start to wear out or have to be replaced. The front suspension on a motorcycle will eventually have to be replaced through wear and tear, a normal crash may mean re rolling of the tubes but a head on crash will snap the forks, snapping the forks is not a sign of incorrect heat treatment or any other fault, the wheels fame and usually the engine are smashed in the same event, I see it as the same in a hard landing which look sometimes are nothing more than crashes.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Every carrier landing is a controlled crash! 
Flyboy,
IIRC the F-117 used the gear from an Eagle, the flight controls from the Viper and some other off the shelf (OTS) equipment to keep the costs down. The F-15A-D has pretty strong gear, but that plane in particular was from the school house (lots of "abrupt" landings no doubt). The F15E has even stronger gear, brakes and wheels (it's quite a bit heavier) due to its carrying of heavy ordinance.
Cheers,
Biff
IIRC the F-117 used the gear from an Eagle, the flight controls from the Viper and some other off the shelf (OTS) equipment to keep the costs down. The F-15A-D has pretty strong gear, but that plane in particular was from the school house (lots of "abrupt" landings no doubt). The F15E has even stronger gear, brakes and wheels (it's quite a bit heavier) due to its carrying of heavy ordinance.
Cheers,
Biff
