Time to climb records

[hernaman86]

Just wondering what is now the fastest, i think the streak eagle owned it for a while but just wondering if any of the new jets would claim this easily without extensive modifications, if we was talking from breaks off to 50,000ft, what would win today, i have seen the raptor and eurofighter fly and to me, the eurofighter looks like it can get off the ground much quicker although the rafael looks very fast too! Would also love to know how a EE lightning would fair against the new crop, i know the yanks had to heavily modify a F15 to beat it so would be interesting to see what people thought (maybe a zoom climb is not relevant with the new jets)

[paddyboy]

I am an old Luddite, so would always back a 'straight out of the box, unmodified' EE Lightning

[Tiger 1]

I`m with you on that one Paddy... and it would probably still give anything out there a run for it`s money...two Rolls-Royce Avons in a vertical climb... the memories...time machine anyone

Best rgds

T1

[jem60]

'Time to height is not an easy thing to plan for a record attempt. The fastest way is NOT achieved in a vertical climb. The vertical climb is not sustainable all the way up. In 2005, I was at Thunder City, Cape Town, where one of their Lightnings broke the South African 'Time to Height' record. It is achieved by having a trade off between speed and climb angle, and requires a lot of preparation regarding fuel load, best climb rate, best speed, ambient temperature etc.,.Way beyond my mathematical capabilities. It's not merely a question of full throttle and a vertical climb, even in a 'Frightning'. Agree with Patrick re aircraft type.

[LM47]

Interesting clip here..look at that altimeter!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqat65bmD_A

[Timmo]

I could be wrong, but I'm sure I saw somewhere that a modified SU-27 holds a few time to climb titles. There seems to be many different categories in the time to climb arena so I'm unsure which one is the most relevant.
I think it would be impossible for any of the current front line fighters could break the outright record without major modification. The Streak Eagle and the SU-27 that were used in the record attempts were stripped everything, including paint to save vital kilos. The vast array of systems and sensors on the latest generation fighters would pose a massive weight penalty.
The great old EE Lightning against the latest crop is always an interesting comparison, although I think it would probably be outclassed now. In terms of aerodynamics, aircraft materials and engine performance, technology has come on considerably. For example, the Lightning empty weight is 3 tons greater than an empty Eurofighter. The RR Avon 301 is rated at 16,000lbs thrust in reheat and has a power to weight ratio of 5.7:1, whereas the Eurojet EJ200 is rated at 20,250lbs thrust in reheat, and has a power to weight ratio of 9.2:1. For time to climb comparisons, these two factors alone would have a massive influence.

[nickowen]

The initial climb rate of the F.6 remained classified for many years after the aircraft left service. This T.5 video confirms what we all suspected at the time - 60,000 fpm plus.

[iainpeden]

Binbrook Air Show 1982 - a beautiful clear day.
11 Lightnings took off, each rotating through 90 degrees into the vertical and up until you couldn't see them, followed by a 43 squadron FG.1 Phantom, followed by an F-15A (possibly C).

Visually the Eagle was the slowest.

[baz1]

don't forget the Mig-25 Foxbat ceiling height 90,ft Mac 2.83 with 3.2 possible. check it out

[Ghastly Whisper]

and the daddy of them all SR-71

[baz1]

yes too true just read about Foxbat vs sr71

[hernaman86]

so when the Americans boast about the f15's climb rate, its actually not that great because a combat ready f15 wouldn't get near a combat ready lightning or phantom, let alone the new generation Not really heard much on the f22 and its official climb rate, like i said, to me a eurofighter looks much quicker of the ground and climbs quicker, unless when i have seen them at riat the f22 is not really trying that hard (take nothing away from it, its a awesome aircraft

[Dazza37]

so when the Americans boast about the f15's climb rate, its actually not that great because a combat ready f15 wouldn't get near a combat ready lightning or phantom...

You only need to look at the combat weights/TWR to realise that a F-15C in fighting trim would/will comfortably thrash a similarly configured Lightning F.6 and F-4E in climb performance...

-Dazza

[Sparts99]

Didn't the Russians make some outrageous claim for the PAK-50?

[Sparts99]

I think the reputation for the F-4 being good in the vertical stems from it's poor turning performance against its contemporaries so pilots tried to fight in the vertical. I saw an RAF F4J climb spectacularly at an airshow once but it started the climb from a pull up off a very fast low run, borderline illegal I'd have said. When Lightnings went vertical at displays they were actually at about 70 degrees not 90, from the ground it looked vertical though.

[H.A.Bucken]

Having just had a quick Google around, it seems the E-266 variant of the Foxbat has the 'absolute altitude' record for a jet powered craft- way up yon, but I've not yet seen how long it took.
Roger

[baz1]

the YE-266M holds the record at 37850M/ 123523ft but not found climb rate yet

[baz1]

the YE-266M holds the record at 37850M/ 123523ft but not found climb rate yet

on the 31st Aug 19977 Climb Rate of 40,950 ft/min

[jem60]

I understand that climb rate, but is that it's average for the whole climb to height?, or just sustainable for the first minute? But the original question was 'which aircraft holds the climb to height record,' not the rate of climb record, which would obviously vary with altitude etc., So the answer needs to be in minutes and seconds, not r of c.

[baz1]

I understand that climb rate, but is that it's average for the whole climb to height?, or just sustainable for the first minute? But the original question was 'which aircraft holds the climb to height record,' not the rate of climb record, which would obviously vary with altitude etc., So the answer needs to be in minutes and seconds, not r of c.

5th oct 1967 speed over 500km Circuit 1,856 mph
Aug 31st 1977 Absolute Altitude 123,523 Ft
Time to climb Altitude 30,000 Mtrs 3min 10 sec