McDonnell Douglas Eagle F.1

McDonnell Douglas Eagle F.1

Hasegawa, 1/72

Following the transfer of a unit of Phantoms to Port Stanley airfield at the end of the Falklands War, the RAF felt that there was a shortfall in their capability to defend UK airspace pending the delivery of the Tornado ADV. Several options were explored by the MOD as a solution to this problem, and the purchase or lease of another squadron of Phantoms from the US was the favoured option and that would have been that but for some opportunistic marketing by McDonnell Douglas. Not long after the transfer of Phantoms to the Falklands in 1983, a top-secret report was leaked to the press. This report detailed the many problems that the Tornado ADV’s Foxhunter radar was having and warned that a fully operational Tornado interceptor could be as long as 5 years from entering service. Not only that, it warned that the initial aircraft delivered would probably contain concrete ballast in the radome! This caused uproar both in the press and the House of Commons. McDonnell Douglas enlisted the help of the US Government and pounced. The USAF, the Pentagon and even President Reagan expressed off-the-record and not-so-off-the-record concerns about the RAF’s ability to defend their strategically vital assets in the UK (SR-71s, Tankers, A-10s, F-111s, and most importantly Cruise Missiles). They pointed out not just the tremendous problems of the Tornado F.2, but also made great play on the fact that the RAF still had 2 squadrons of obsolete Lightnings in front line service. A real political storm was brewing and Mrs. Thatchers Conservative government found itself under real pressure to resolve the situation and soon. Here McDonnell Douglas stepped in. Having tried and failed twice in the past to get the RAF to purchase the F-15, they most graciously offered to lease the RAF 4 squadrons of 2 seat Eagles till the RAF could take delivery of their Tornados. The RAF saw this for what it was – a Trojan horse designed to lead to the cancellation of the Tornado ADV and a purchase of Eagles. However under tremendous pressure from the Press, the Commons and the US, a contract was signed for the lease of 80 F-15Ds, drawn from current USAF squadrons and attrition replacements held in storage, pilot training to take place in the US. Not long after delivery the RAF removed the US style boom receptacles and replaced them with bolt-on refuelling probes as used on the Tornado GR1

In September 1984, 74 squadron reformed at RAF Binbrook, followed in the next 18 months by the conversion of 5, 11 and 111 squadrons, all based at a refurbished and upgraded RAF Binbrook. Already regarded as the best fighter in the world, in the hands of former Lightning pilots – always the elite of the RAF – the Binbrook wing, even while understrength soon gained a reputation as the best amongst NATO fighter squadrons. The pilots also, naturally, raved about the aircraft and as the Tornado F.2 began to be delivered to 226 OCU in 1985 it soon became clear that even if it had a working radar (which it didn’t) the Tornado F.2 was completely outclassed by the Eagle. The RAF began to lean towards a purchase of the Eagle and cancellation of the Tornado. Two things provided a stumbling block. First the price of the much more expensive Eagle. Second the fact that the 165 Tornado ADVs significantly reduced the price of the Tornado IDS the RAF was in the process of purchasing. The Germans had already made noises about pulling out of the program if the price of the aircraft went up, which in turn would further drive up the cost of each Tornado IDS….

It was now that Mrs. Thatcher showed that her reputation as the Iron Lady was well deserved. In secret and behind closed doors (and using every ounce of her "special relationship with Ronald Reagan) she forced a deal between the USAF, the RAF McDonnell Douglas and BAe. The RAF would cancel the tornado ADV and purchase the 80 Eagles they already had at a bargain basement price, plus another 85 built to British spec with an option for 40 more single seaters to replace the Phantoms of RAF Germany. These would be bought at just above cost and be delivered from 1990. In return BAe would develop a Wild Weasel Tornado for the USAF (using Tornado F2s already delivered or under consruction as develpoment aircraft) which would use advances in microprocessor technology to combine the roles of lethal SEAD and ECM currently performed by 2 wings of F-4Gs and one wing with the EF-111. The 150 aircraft would equip 2 USAF wings, providing significant cost savings and to keep the USAF sweet, they were promised another wing of F-15s to keep aircraft numbers constant (later changed to F-16s, then cancelled altogether following the end of the cold war). The Wild Weasel aircraft were projected for delivery from 1990.

The RAFs new build Eagles would feature uprated engines, Martin Baker ejection seats, a back seat specifically designed for a Navigator (as opposed to the F-15D whose back seat was designed for an instructor) RAF standard radios etc and were to be equipped with the highly promising Blue Vixen radar then under development for the Sea Harrier and designed from the outset with the use of AMRAAM in mind. The Blue Vixen was to be enhanced and given more power for use in the 2 seat Eagle. Originally scheduled for service entry in 1990, the inevitable delays in the program led to the first delivery not taking place till 1992. The RAF sent 3 squadrons of Eagles to the Gulf War which were allowed by the USAF "over the border" into Iraq (unlike for example French Mirage 2000s which were kept out due to "incompatibility". In reality the USAF was trying to keep all the air to air action for itself). An aircraft from 74 Squadron scored the RAFs only kill of the war with a shootdown of an Iraqi Mig-23 on February 2nd with an AIM-9 Sidewinder.

Variants

Eagle F.1 (F-15D) – Initial aircraft delivered to the RAF from the USAF

Eagle F.1a – Aircraft upgraded by the RAF from 1986 to include British ejection seats, radios and a rear cockpit reconfigured for use by a specialist navigator.

Eagle F.1b – F.1a’s upgraded with Blue Vixen radar (but without uprated engines)

Eagle F.2 (F-15K) – New build aircraft for the RAF including Blue Vixen and uprated engines.

Eagle F.3 (F-15M) – Single seat Eagle with Blue Vixen scheduled for use in RAF Germany, cancelled following the end of the Cold War.

Page created November 19, 2002