F-22 Raptor by junge1
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
The Lockheed Martin F-22 'Raptor' is a single-seat, twin-engine, fifth-generation supersonic super-maneuverable fighter aircraft. Lockheed Martin claims that the Raptor's combination of stealth, speed, agility, precision and situational awareness, combined with air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities makes it the best overall fighter in the world today.
Because of American federal law the F-22 cannot be exported. Because of that, the per unit cost is somewhere around $200 million/each and production has stopped with 187 aircraft completed.
Power plant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 Pitch Thrust, vectoring turbofans
Thrust: 35,000 +lb with afterburner each
Max Speed: Mach 2.25
Supercruise: Mach 1.82
Service Ceiling: >65,000-ft (19,812m) (Source: Wikipedia)
In a simulated fight with five F-15s, for decades considered the premier fighter, all five F-15s were shot down by one F-22. All five F-15 pilots stated that 'they never saw it coming'.
This talk about the superiority of the F-22 and its capabilities sound impressive but mean little to a layman like myself. But what impressed me, because I saw it, is the capability of the vectored thrust.
At a demonstration at Luke AFB a couple of years ago a F-22 in full afterburner (it sounds somewhat like a Rolls Royce Griffin engine with an underlying growl to it) started a vertical climb and then stopped. It was standing still in a vertical attitude and did not move, then it began to continue the climb without first having to go level. It accelerated during the climb because the thrust/weight ratio is in favor of thrust.
Another time it climbed again while in afterburner, stopped again and then slowly descended, in a vertical attitude. Then it leveled, essentially standing still and began to slowly rotate around its own axis and descended slowly similar to a dry leaf falling off a tree. That impressed me with no end. In 2012 at the Reno Air Races a F-22 did a slow and low fly-by with its bomb/missile bay open. All arms are carried internally.
This picture was taken at Luke AFB on 14 March 2014,
Sig...

Comments (27)
Excellent !!
Wow. And I mean wow. The picture is so super cool and those demonstration maneuvers you chronicled are absolutely amazing!
impressive jet fighter and capture. thanks for sharing it
What a superb image of this wonder plane and the info is really awe inspiring.
What an awesome shot!!
I love that you caught the Thunderbird in the background! Great POV on this. They are amazing to watch fly aren't they. A cross between 'Firefox' and a paper plane!
AWESOME,,, remind me of my F-111 Days,, LOL
magnificent
Fabulous capture of this wonderful looking plane, well done..
This just looks mean and nasty! Great capture and narrative
Excellent shot, also like the Thunderbird caught in the background....
Mean machine! Great shot
Wonderful shot! It looks so menacing from this angle.
beautifully captured
Beautiful plane, thank you for the info and the story!
Looks like a SF fighter, especially with that green light
Superb capture my friend. God bless.
Wonderful capture and info Sig.
Very Impressive!!
A joy to behold. I do not understand why we needed the F35 when we had the F22. I also love the Thunderbird in the background. I sure wish I could get out to those Luke AFB events, but I am on the far east side and it is a bit far for me.
Wonderful cool plane!!!!!!
@UVDan. it was a little easier for you to go to Open Houses when the events were held at Willie. Willie and Luke used to alternate with the Open House events! I think the last time i was at Willie was in 1988, and the Blue Angels performed in F-18s.
I like the geometry of this. Nice!
Spectacular shot of the business end!!.... I recall seeing some vids of an F-16 test airframe fitted with a thrust vectoring nozzle some while back.... very very impressive manoeuvrability!
Shining shot.
A super shot of a VERY fine aircraft... But, small point (though very small and not taking away anything mate), Red Flag last year, Luftwaffe Typhoons 'shot down' several Raptors.. BUT, only once they'd closed to be able to dogfight.. Nice shot here, like the F-16 in the background there.. Rob
A very unique POV Sig and a view that most of would never see. Also some fantastic information too!