YA-7F

[Old Viper Tester]

I see that TheRealMrEd is working on a "Super SLUF" over in the WIP section:

 

 

Maybe the pics below will provide some additional information/inspiration. The YA-7F was an attempt to create a faster close air support platform to supplement or replace the A-10. The old TF41 turbofan was replaced with a P&W F100 engine, the fuselage lengthened, the vertical tail enlarged, a leading edge root extension (LERX) added, and the horizontal tails "flipped" to create anhedral vs the original A-7's dihedral. In the end, the proposal was rejected in favor of using F-16s for fast response and soldiering on with the A-10 for heavy lifting and loitering.

 

Here is USAF s/n 71-0344 showing the un-shrouded F100 exhaust. Note the orange wiring and strain gauges along the nozzle fairings at the 12,3,6,and 9 positions.

 

The orange wiring and components in the avionics bays are also test instrumentation.

 

Nose on showing the horizontal tail anhedral.

 

'039 and '344 with shrouded exhaust.

 

 

USAF s/n 70-1039 used for high-AOA testing with spin recovery chute assembly surrounding the engine exhaust.

 

 

Spin chute load distribution straps running the length of the aft fuselage.

 

Spin chute attachment assembly at the top of the exhaust shroud. The cable connecting the the chute running around the left side and into the compartment below the shroud housing the spin chute itself.

 

Thanks for looking,

Sven

[exdraken]

Great photos...

Never thought about that A-7 design!

What would be the benefit of the shroud?.

Hoe did it perform with the new engine? And would it have used the Afterburner operationally?

Thanks!

[Andrew]

Hi Keith,

 

Thanks for yet more fascinating images. I find this a very attractive plane (it strikes the right balance between Corsair and Crusader and that lovely tall fin!) and I would like to have seen the project proceed for purely aesthetic reasons.

 

Andrew.

[Old Viper Tester]

18 hours ago, exdraken said:

What would be the benefit of the shroud?.

Hoe did it perform with the new engine? And would it have used the Afterburner operationally?

The bare exhaust nozzle arrangement resulted in negative pressure on the 'turkey feathers' and would result in the same conditions as on the early F-15s, where the fairing pieces would break off. Hence the removal of the panels on the F-15. LTV chose to shroud the nozzle just as they had with the original A-7. Unfortunately, in order to provide enough clearance for the F100 nozzle, the shroud is not as elegant/aerodynamic as the original TF41 shroud. I expect it created a significant amount of drag.

 

I also expect LTV required use of the afterburner to meet their proposal specs. Certainly if they wanted any supersonic capability, if only for a dash, use of the AB would have been necessary. The YA-7F did achieve supersonic conditions, but I don't know the conditions. Interesting that LTV originally looked into putting an afterburner on the A-7D TF41 turbofan. If nothing else, a new unique engine would have been a tough logistics sale over using an F100.

 

Sven

[TheRealMrEd]

Nice pics, Sven!

 

I'll set up a link pointing here from my "Stretched Sluff" W.I.P.

 

Ed

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks for posting these Sven, a rare subject indeed. I've never seen photos of the unshrouded exhaust before - it looks very menacing.

[F-32]

Very nice indeed

[Screech]

Do you have any more pictures of this aircraft(s)?  These are by far the best detail pictures I have ever seen of the Super SLUF anywhere!

 

And thanks for posting them too!

[Old Viper Tester]

10 hours ago, Screech said:

Do you have any more pictures of this aircraft(s)? 

Sorry, pretty sure those were all I have.

 

Sven