The greatest fighter jet of all time?

Imperial War Museums
Imperial War Museums
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Published 2024-07-17
The F-15 first flew in 1972, and fifty years later, the US Air Force is still flying F-15 Eagles in Europe. An upgraded model – the F-15EX Eagle II – is due to begin deploying in the next few months, potentially extending the lifespan of the F-15 until the 2050s, 90 years after the first F-15 took to the skies. Despite operating in every major conflict of the last forty years and scoring more than 100 kills, an F-15 has never been downed by enemy action. So what makes the F-15 Eagle so formidable? And are we justified in suggesting that the F-15 is the greatest fighter jet of all time?

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CREDITS
F-15 Primecuts, by Travis Burcham, via DVIDS-
Mig-25 Foxbat by Leonid Faerberg (transport-photo.com) GFDL 1.2 www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html via Wikimedia Commons
Mig-25 Foxbat Dmitriy Pichugin (GFDL 1.2 www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html or GFDL 1.2 www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html), via Wikimedia Commons
James McDonnell, SDASM Archives, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
F-15 Baz, Davidi Vardi Pikiwiki Israel, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Operation Litani VIII / IDF Spokesperson's Unit
Alan Lebeda (GFDL 1.2 www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html or GFDL 1.2 www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html), via Wikimedia Commons
National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A F-15 fighter jet piloted by then-Maj. Wilbert 'Doug' Pearson Jr. flies an ASM-135 anti-satellite missile on Sept. 13, 1985: Paul E. Reynolds/U.S. Air Force photo
Paul E. Reynolds, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Anti-satellite missile artwork: catalog.archives.gov/id/6361954, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Technicians with Explorer 1, Public domain, via Jet Propulsion Laboratory
F-15s of the Israeli Air Force, Public domain, via IDF Spokesperson's Unit
All Comments (21)
  • @micksmithson6724
    "The new engines can produce 29,000lbs of thrust, 5000 tonnes more than the F-15E's engines". Yeah that seems like an error ;)
  • @everythingman987
    It is often stated that the F-15 was a reaction to the MiG-25. This is only partially true. The FX program that birthed the F-15 was already under development before the US learned of the Foxbat’s existence. Some program requirements were changed after the US learned of the Foxbat, and many design changes to the McDonnell FX concept were made that resulted in the F-15, but the FX program was not the US’s “response” to the MiG-25.
  • @SanDiegoHarry1
    let's be honest... the EX is to the MudHen what the Rhino is to the F/A-18. It's a whole new weapon's system disguised as an update.
  • @scotw148
    I love these Imperial War Museum videos, thank you for making them.
  • @richardhendroff3035
    Hattie Hearn, thank you so much for your enthralling, passionate and well researched story of the F 15! It's thanks to you that the story of our technical achievements and history is passed on successfully in the most fitting environment of the museum and its artefacts. Thank you again from Perth Western Australia :)
  • @steveward53
    Had the homour and pleasure of a session in the Eagle Driver simulator when it was at Lakenheath thanks to a good friend who was in the 492nd "Bolars" , thanks again "Bulldog" ... 👍
  • @dert693
    Great vid! Thanks for the info.
  • @lastguy8613
    To become a space ace he'd have to shoot down five satellites i believe..
  • @davydatwood3158
    As a Canadian, patriotism requires me to argue that the greatest fighter jet of all time was the CF-105 Arrow - but I'll concede the F-15 is the greatest fighter jet to actually enter production. :)
  • @crypto_que
    Imagine bluffing your way to getting totally outclassed in an Aerial Dogfight 😂.
  • @billevans7936
    Could be the large presence in the European theatre ...just maybe
  • @user-pk9qh2cx1u
    You said the new engines produces 5000 TONS more thrust. Some engines!