Radome Delivered For The European-Designed Aircraft, Now A Museum Piece

Eurofighter has delivered to the Deutsche Museum Flugwerft Schleissheim, Germany, a "real" radome for Eurofighter prototype DA1.

|
Eurofighter Prototype DA1 In The Deutsche Museum Flugwerft 

The DA1, equipped with Turbo Union RB.199 engines, made its maiden flight from EADS' Manching test facility, Germany, on 27 March 1994 and was decommissioned on 21 December 2005.

Displayed since 2007 in the museum close to Munich, the Eurofighter prototype had been delivered by EADS without its original radome. The only solution for the Museum was to build a makeshift radome, similar to the original one. Now Eurofighter, with the help of NETMA, BAE Systems and EADS Manching, have donated to the museum a real radome that has now been installed on the DA1 to complete the aircraft's appearance.

Eurofighter Typhoon

Not just an aerodynamic cover for the radar antenna, the Eurofighter radome is another example of high technology on the aircraft. Made in reinforced fiberglass and weighing around 65 kilos, the radome is produced to a very tight standard with small levels of tolerances because its internal and external surfaces have to be perfectly symmetrical, coping with the complex requirements of the polarisation of the antenna. Every radome is produced in different stages, with parts manufactured in Italy and Spain, full assembly taking place in Germany and the UK, before being delivered to the final assembly lines in the four partner nations of the Eurofighter program.

FMI: www.eurofighter.com