The Soko G-4 Super Galeb (English: Super Seagull) is a single-engine, advanced jet trainer and light ground-attack aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Technical Institute and manufactured by SOKO of Yugoslavia.
Development[]
The G-4 Super Galeb was developed as a replacement for the G-2 Galeb, which had been the most commonly used jet trainer aircraft of the Yugoslav Air Force up until 1985. The first of two prototypes was completed by early 1978. Following completion of the initial testing phase, the first flight was achieved on 17 July 1978 and the first of six pre-production aircraft on 17 December 1980. These and the first prototype were designated G-4 PPP, and had fixed tailplanes with inset elevators and no anhedral. Production examples (and the second prototype) were designated G-4 and featured an all-moving anhedral tailplane and comprehensive avionics improvements. The G-4 first flew in 1983 and has been ordered in large numbers for the Yugoslav Air Force. The G-4 features a low wing monoplane design with slightly tapered wings. The aircraft is 12.25m long and 4.3m high, with a wingspan of 9.88m. It weighs 3,250 kg when empty and can carry 1,882 kg of fuel. The aircraft is fitted with a short nose cone, rounded fuselage, conventional empennage, semicircular air intakes, vertical tailfins, rudder, ailerons, horizontal stabilisers and fuel tanks at the square tips. The G-4 its performance is considerably improved by the introduction of a more powerful version of the Rolls-Royce Viper 632-46 turbojet. The cockpit is fitted with two ejection seats with the rear seat slightly elevated to render all round clear visibility.
.jpg){kind=link}
Specifications[]
General characteristics[]
- Crew: 2
- Length: 12.25 m (40 ft 2 in)
- Wingspan: 9.88 m (32 ft 5 in)
- Height: 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 19.5 m2 (210 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio: 5.01
- Empty weight: 3,250 kg (7,165 lb)
- Gross weight: 4,760 kg (10,494 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,330 kg (13,955 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 1,882 kg (maximum internal and external fuel)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Viper 632-46 , 17.8 kN (4,000 lbf) thrust
Performance[]
- Maximum speed: 920 km/h (572 mph; 497 kn) clean @ 6,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Cruising speed: 550 km/h (342 mph; 297 kn) @ 6,000m
- Stall speed: 180 km/h (112 mph; 97 kn) dirty
- Never exceed speed: 921 km/h (572 mph; 497 kn) 0.9M @ 11,000m
- Range: 1,900 km (1,181 mi; 1,026 nmi) Internal fuel
- Combat range: 1,300 km (808 mi; 702 nmi) with cannon pack and four BL755 cluster bombs (combat radius 485 km)
- Ferry range: 2,500 km (1,553 mi; 1,350 nmi) maximum internal and external fuel
- Service ceiling: 12,850 m (42,159 ft) Service ceiling (Altitude at which maximum climb rate reduces to 100 ft/min)
- g limits: -4.2 to +8
- Rate of climb: 31 m/s (6,100 ft/min)
- Time to altitude: 6 minutes to 8,000m
Armament[]
- 1x GSh-23L 23 mm cannon in ventral gun pod.
- 2x Inner pylons 350 kg (770 lb)capacity.
- 2x Outer pylons 250 kg (550 lb) capacity.
- 1x Centreline pylon 400 kg (880 lb) capacity (G-4M).
- 2x Wingtip missile rails (G-4M).