Slater Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Any external differences between this variant and earlier F-15 models (D, E)? Supposedly the "SA" features two additional wing stations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 From Boeing; "Improvements on the F-15SA include fly-by-wire flight controls, a digital electronic warfare suite, Lockheed Martin AN/AAS-42 infra-red search and track system and Raytheon APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The forward and aft cockpits are equipped for the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System enabling the crew to aim sensors and weapons through their helmet visors. The aircraft has two additional wing stations for increased weapons payload capacity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cooper Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I'm not that good at F-15s, but... - Outboard underwing pylons (a feature originally developed already for F-15A) are never fitted; - Afterburner cans for F110-GE-129C engines are entirely different in comparison to USAF's F-15Es - only other 'major' difference appears to be the form of fairings covering EW-systems at the rear end of pylons carrying horizontal stabilators: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 hi, Saudi Arabia has "classic" F-15C/Ds, F-15S (modernized with GE engines) and F-15SA on order. take care everybody, the question was for the NEW "SA" version (F-15SA), not the one with GE enginemodernized F-15S as shown in the photo above! As far as I know, none were delivered yet! BUT, in the future, all surviving S models (one was apparently lost off the coast of Jemen this weekend ) should be upgraded to SA standard. maybe with the additional wing stations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) The only image I've seen so far for an F-15SA is this one: http://www.aviationnews.eu/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/F-15SA-12-1002.jpg The lumps and bumps resemble those on the Singaporean F-15SG version, so you could use photos of them as reference. I'd say that a good starting point would be an F-15SG kit, Hasegawa do one in 1/72. No idea about 1/48 or 1/32 however. TwoBobs did do decal sheets for Saudi F-15's in 1/72 and I think in 1/48, but it was for the F-15S and they may not be readily available. Hope that helps, Mike. Edited March 30, 2015 by MikeR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobski Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 The image above is an F-15S, which is different to the F-15SA. As exdraken says, the F-15SA hasn't been delivered yet. It will have the previously unused outboard wing pylons reactivated and I believe it will still have the GE engines. The picture to which Mike has linked is the only one I have seen of an F-15SA, so my advice would be to wait for some more before trying to build one as that photo might not show all of the necessary changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted March 30, 2015 Author Share Posted March 30, 2015 This was the original Saudi request. The engines still appear to be GE versions: http://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/saudi_arabia_10-43_0_0.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoenL Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 More pics here: https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=106903266@N05&q=f-15sa https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=86876950@N06&q=f-15sa https://www.flickr.com/photos/124811824@N06/14058792097 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeVi Tophatter Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Any external differences between this variant and earlier F-15 models (D, E)? Supposedly the "SA" features two additional wing stations. If 1/72 scale, I'd use the Hasegawa F-15SG 'Singapore Air Force' kit (suggested above), as from a modelling perspective, it has everything you need in the box apart from the outboard wing pylons and suitable decals. The outboard wing pylons can be easily scratch-built out of plasticard (an F-15C carrying AGM-88 HARM on these pylons), the decals could be custom printed if doing the colourful, snazzy 'retro' prototype markings (as they are black, in KoenL's link above). You could also wait a few months until Hasegawa inevitably releases an F-15SA kit with suitable decals and injection moulded outboard wing pylons... If 1/48 scale I'd use the Hasegawa F-15E 'Tiger Meet 2005' kit, as it includes the outboard wing pylons (tooled from the beginning). You will need to get a set of GE F110 nozzles (Aires?), scratch build the triangular antennas below the rear cockpit, the awful looking 'shotgun' ECM tail booms and use slightly larger fairings on the tops of the tails, as well as tackling the decals... Custom print black decals or use 1/72 USAF national insignia, numbers and letters. You could also use the Academy F-15K 'Slam Eagle' kit but will need to scratch-build the scratch build the triangular antennas below the rear cockpit, the 'shotgun' ECM tail booms, the outboard wing pylons and use slightly larger fairings on the tops of the tails... Happy building!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeR Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Just to add a bit more, here's a link to those TwoBobs sheets I mentioned: 1/72 and 1/48. If the Saudi's do indeed upgrade their F-15S fleet to SA standard you could knock up a suitable serial number from what's provided. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungo1974 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) Externally they are similar to the Singaporean F-15SG. Inside is anyones guess, AESA radar of course. The whole forward fuselage and wings are being built by the Saudi's under licence so you can expect a unique cockpit setup (i found some cockpit assembly line images on a Saudi website but they did show much to what/how the glass cockpit would look. Early test examples seem to show some heavy reinforcement straps to under wing area. Image Copyright Jim Mumaw I've yet to see/find any really clear images of the 'new' stn1/9 outer wing pylons....i'm sure somebody will get them sooner or later. Image via Wayne Guthrie Edited March 30, 2015 by mungo1974 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The James Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I've yet to see/find any really clear images of the 'new' stn1/9 outer wing pylons....i'm sure somebody will get them sooner or later. Isn't that what we're looking at here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungo1974 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) Yes but i'd like to find close up/detail shots. Edited March 30, 2015 by mungo1974 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The James Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Ah, gotcha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeVi Tophatter Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Isn't that what we're looking at here: Did see them in the other links above and though this setup is a bit crazy, potentially 10 AIM-120C's loaded up in one go... Reminds me of the F/A-18's 'dual launcher' setup. All that re-enforcement work on the wings and vertical tails looks odd too but it has been said that these areas are 'all new'... Anyway, seeing as all these new generation Strike Eagles basically glean technology off the F-15SE Silent Eagle, the cockpit of the new F-15SA could look very similar to these working concepts by Elbit: Rear 1 Rear 2 Some guy sitting in the simulator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 outward pylons in 1/48 are included in Tamiya F-15 kits... I do not know how accuate they are compared to the SA ones! from memory the resemble thee ones here quite well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeVi Tophatter Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 ...The outboard wing pylons can be easily scratch-built out of plasticard (an F-15C carrying AGM-88 HARM on these pylons)... ...If 1/48 scale I'd use the Hasegawa F-15E 'Tiger Meet 2005' kit, as it includes the outboard wing pylons (tooled from the beginning)... Post #9... outward pylons in 1/48 are included in Tamiya F-15 kits... I do not know how accuate they are compared to the SA ones! from memory the resemble thee ones here quite well! A moment of convergent thinking amigo!!! The Hasegawa 1/48 outer wing pylons are the same as the ones in the image above, why they are included, who knows as they were not used operationally by the 'masses'. The outer wing pylons on the F-15SG are quite different to the ones above, would love to see a ground shot of how the dual missile launchers are fitted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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