- Yes
- No
Description:Here is the first Italian Eurofighter, the Eurofighter Typhoon DA3. The development of the Eurofighter started in 1983 in the ambit of the New European Fighter Program, a program that involved Italy, Germany, the UK, Spain, and France. But after some years, France left the project to make the Dassault Rafale. After the definitive existence of France,some years later, the first technological demonstrator, the Bae Eap, flew in Britain in August 1986. The companies involved in the project were Bae Sistems (Britain), Airbus (Germany), Alenia Aereonautica,Now Leonardo (Italy), and ITP Aereo (Spain). The first prototypes were DA (development aircraft), and the first one of seven, the German DA1, flew for the first time on March 27, 1994, followed by the British DA2 on April 6, april of the same year.This one, the DA3, flew for the first time on June 4, 1995. Compared to the other two prototypes (DA1, DA2), it was equipped with the final Eurofighter engines, the EJ200, which provided this aircraft with better max speed and statistics in general, while the first two prototypes were equipped with the RB 199-122. In total, 7 prototypes were made: the DA1 and DA5 (Germans), DA2 and DA4 (British), DA3 and DA7 (Italians), and DA6 (Spanish). The first contract was signed on January 30, 1998, for a total of 148 Trance 1 aircraft (55 for the UK, 44 for Germany, 29 for Italy, and 20 for Spain), and serial production of the first version, the Trance 1, started in 2000. In 2004, 236 started production of the second version, the Trance 2. In 2009, started the production of 112, the third version, the Trance 3 and In the future, we will probably start production of the fourth version, Trance 4. Today, there are three variants of the Eurofighter (Tranche 1, Tranche 2, and Tranche 3), and after the four countries that developed and operated the aircraft (the UK,Italy, Germany, and Spain), others bought it (Austria, Arabia, Saudi Arabia,Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar). Talking specifically about this prototype,the DA3, it was made in 1995 and flew on June 4 of the same year. The biggest difference between this prototype and the previous two were the two EJ200 (the definitive engine of the Eurofighter) instead of the Rollo-Roice RB199-122. This prototype was crucial for the development of the aircraft and the engines. It was recovered in 2013 and restored. Today, it is in a museum in the city of Torino. For the armaments,this aircraft was fitted with Aim 9L and Aim 120 AMRAAM.
Why It should be in the game: considering that Aim120 Will come in the not very far future and probably 4.5 Will be added,this aircraft Is a good start for Italy in the Eurofighter series.Despite It Is not able to Carry Bombs or CAS weapons It Will surely be a excellent fighter.
Spefications
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Crew: 1
Length: 15.96 m
Wingspan: 10.95 m
Height: 5.28 m
Empty weight: 11,000 kg
Gross weight: 16,000 kg
Max takeoff weight: 23,500 kg
Fuel capacity: 4,996 kg
Powerplant: 2x Eurojet EJ 200 with a total of 60 kn of thrust (Normal) and 90 kn of thrust (with afterburner)
Max speed: 2490 km/h
Range: 2,900 km
Weapons:
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Air to air missiles: Aim 9L, Aim 9LI, Aim 9L/I1, Aim 120 AMRAAM A,B
Pilons: 13
Fuel tanks
Sources:
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https://aircraft.leonardo.com/it/products/eurofighter-typhoon
https://www.eurofighter.com/the-aircraft
https://contentzone.eurocontrol.int/aircraftperformance/details.aspx?ICAO=EUFI&
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurofighter_Typhoon
https://gavs-torino.com/2018/07/04/eurofighter-da3/
https://theaviationist.com/2021/01/19/eurofighter-typhoon-a-test-pilots-tale/
Pictures:
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A video about DA3 and Eurofighter History:
https://youtu.be/Hifiusiw2x8