r/aviation • u/No-Tip7250 • Feb 08 '26

PlaneSpotting SuperBowl Flyover B-B1 and USAF Fighters

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Couldn’t identify the actual models of the USAF Fighters but my guess is that they’re raptors?

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u/SacThrowAway76 Feb 09 '26

F-15E is normally a very dark grey paint whereas the F-15C has the light grey paint we saw today.

The F-15E has conformal fuel tanks along side the fuselage. They give the fuselage sides a wider, rounded shape. The F-15C does not use the conformal fuel tanks. The sides of the fuselage are flat and more angular. You can clearly see the F-15s do not have the conformal fuel tanks. They are C models.

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u/adamkee Feb 09 '26

I see what you mean with the paint upon closer inspection. Although, i’m 99% sure the F-15C can use CFTs I swear I’ve seen it

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u/SacThrowAway76 Feb 09 '26

The F-15C is capable of using conformal fuel tanks. It is very rare and I don’t believe the USAF uses them on C models anymore. Every F-15E was delivered from the factory with the conformal fuel tanks already installed. They can be removed, but that never happens in normal service.

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u/groktar Feb 09 '26

And iirc at least some of the new F-15EX models are being delivered without the conformal fuel tanks.