"José Herculano" wrote in message
...
What do you think, would the airframe be a write-off?

Hard to tell....

Would the USAF do this or just eject as the safer, although more
expensive
option?

Really depends on the type of aircraft. That flat belly on the Tornado
makes
it a natural for a safe belly landing with minimum fuel onboard. Don't
believe anyone would try that on an F-16, the bird would almost certainly
roll over.

____________
José Herculano

Presumably the pilot has to come in flapless, fast and as shallow as
possible.

You wouldn't want much angle of attack on it. ISTR reading that the space
shuttle can't do a belly landing for that reason; i.e. the nose slapping
down would kill the crew.

- Michael