What Is A Fieri Intake?

[SinUnNombre]

Hey all. I did a CGI a while back of this idea, for no other reason than it looked cool. I wish I still had it, as it died with my last computer. But anyway, would there be any advantage beyond the obvious aesthetic one to put the Fieri(?) intakes from an F-105 onto a Draken? Maybe combined with a more powerful engine? Like I said, it's probably more looks than anything, but this is the land of Whiff, and everything can be made to work here!

Jon

[elmayerle]

Well, the Fieri inlets would provide a bit more flow area, allowing a bit more powerful engine and would allow a higher potential speed than the plain inlets the Draken currently has.  Granted, I've had the same idea and even bought a 1/144 F-105 to take the inlets from.  Combined with some of SAAB's unbuilt Draken variants (and the WAPJ article had lots of details), you've got some significant potential.  Fieri inlets, replace the Avon with  J79 or F404/414 (or punt and replace it with an RM12). and upgrade the avionics and weapons fit and you'd have a nice bird.

[SinUnNombre]

Thanks for the quick reply, Evan. Like I said in my first post, I only drew it up because it looked cool. But if it (combined with other mods, like you said) could upgrade the performance significantly, then its like a buy one get one free deal. Continuing the idea, what would it take to put the J79 into a Draken? Big cooling inlet at the base of the fin like on the Kfir? I like using the J79 since the timelines would match up well. And I could pirate the nozzle from the F-105 kit. Thanks again for helping me out. And it looks like I have a new project on my hands.

Jon

[elmayerle]

As I remember, fitting the J79 to the Draken airframe wasn't that big a deal. As I said, and perhaps someone here can scan the "what-if" page from the article, the WAPJ article on the Draken included a page of unbuilt versions and had a side-view of the J79-powered one.  You'd likely want a either a F-104 or Kfir tailpipe and aft end and a 1/144 F-105 for the inlets and splitterplates (you'd likely have to do a spot of tweaking to fit everything, but the basics are there).  ISTR that the nose was recontoured to improve over the nose visibility while installing a better and more capable radar.

Like I said, I've got the various bits to do one, just scattered all over at the moment.

[SinUnNombre]

I hate to go digging up old posts, especially ones I started, but I've been thinking of this again. Ysi_maniac stepped up with scans of the WAPJ articles featuring the J79 Draken. I bid on some kits on eBay, and I did a quick MS Paint-chop to see what the intakes looked like on the modified plane. Here it is:



I've got some time- consuming work to do on the panel lines to make it more presentable. And when I finish with that I'll bathe it in Viggen-style splinter camo. Also, I'm going to step up to 1/48 for this build, just so I've got more room to work with and detail if I want. Thanks for looking.

Jon

Edit: I just remembered. Evan, what kind of mods can I do to the avionics/weapons fit of this beast to bring it up to the same standard as the other mods? What about some canopy mods to improve all-around visibility?

[elmayerle]

Well, for an avionics fit upgrade, again take a look at some of the upgrades featured in that article.  ISTR that some with radar upgrades had a larger, less tapered nose.  Consider using a lot of Gripen bits and shapes for an improved radar fit and possibly an IRST or more fit (perhaps a development inspired by the multi-function optical system - IRST and laser radar - on the MiG-29 and Su-27).  As for weaponry upgrades, later model missiles are obvious areas for upgrades and I can see replacing the Falcons with more modern missiles and including the ability to handle at least SARH missiles (like the Skyflash the Jaktviggen used) if not fully ARH ones (like AMRAAM and Meteor).  For short range, I could see ASRAAM or IRIS-T replacing the Falcons.

[SinUnNombre]

Thanks again for all your help, Evan. Like I said earlier(I think...) if my eBay account desides to stop acting up, I'll pick up some kits and get to work bashing.

Jon

[elmayerle]

Works for me.  If all the ones I've seen hadn't been a bit on the pricey side, I'd have bought one of the old Lindberg 1/48 Drakens to use in adding that wing configuration to a F-105 in 1/72.  Still I like the approach you're taking here.

If you want to really go radical, start with the J79-powered version and then to a rebuild, to supplement the Gripens, by upgrading the radar and avionics fit and replacing the J79 with a RM12.  ISTR remember seeing proposals, or provisional illustrations, from the evolution of the Gripen that showed a re-engined Draken with an underslung, F-16 style, inlet.

Oh, for the canopy, consider using something like that from the F-2A, but mounted at an angle so the top curve fairs into the spine, to improve visilbity from the cockpit.  You certain can't step up to the 30mm gun of the Jaktviggen, but consider adopting the 27mm Mauser used by Tornado and Typhoon.

[Daryl J.]

?


TIA,
Daryl J.

[SinUnNombre]

Fieri intakes are angled forward. The intakes on the F-105 are probably the most memorable.

Jon

[Jeffry Fontaine]

The best known example of a Fieri type of intake is on the F-105 Thunderchief.  

[Daryl J.]

Thanks.


Daryl J.

[Mossie]

The X-35 had Fieri style intakes.  Evan seems to be particular fan of Fieri intakes, these pics seem to testify to that!



Later variants of the Avro Arrow may have had Fieri inlets too:

[elmayerle]

The original Vickers Type 571 which provided part of the basis fro what became the TSR-2 also had Fieri inlets.  And, yes, for some designs I happen to like them from both functional and aesthetic aspects.

[Mossie]

Evan, what are the advantages/disadvantages of Fieri inlets?