Best 50s/60s fighter?

[davparlr]

The A-4 was tough little bird, but was not designed for the fighter job. While it was used at top gun and played an effective roll, it was most likely with the upgraded engines not available in the 50s. Those engines made it a hot rod (used by the Blue Angels).

[nosredna]

I like the mig the best myself. Its a cool plane all around

[Matt308]

Originally Posted by davparlr

The A-4 was tough little bird, but was not designed for the fighter job. While it was used at top gun and played an effective roll, it was most likely with the upgraded engines not available in the 50s. Those engines made it a hot rod (used by the Blue Angels).

Davparlr, you have info on that? Didn't realize they were not original equipment.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by nosredna

I like the mig the best myself. Its a cool plane all around

You do know there were more than one type of Mig right? So which one are you talking about

[davparlr]

Originally Posted by Matt308

Davparlr, you have info on that? Didn't realize they were not original equipment.

The A-4 went through many engine upgrades. The earlier C model had 7,700 lbs thrust. The A4F and E were used as aggressors. The A4E had a thrust of 8,400 but some were upgraded to the bigger A4F engine. The A4F had a thrust of 9,300 lbs. The A4M was a big jump with engine thrust of 11,200 lbs but I saw no references for its use as an aggressor. The Blue Angels flew A4Fs upgraded with the A4M engine. This was indeed a hot rod.

[str8jax]

The looks of the mig 17 are to say the least cool! But i would pick the f86 out of that group. The mig to sabre kill ratio speaks loudly to the sabres prowess. The topic of the 6 .50s to cannons doesnt matter much going fighter to fighter. The mig had I believe one 37mm and 2 27mm cannons (correct me if im wrong)

[FLYBOYJ]

the F-86s in Korea used incendary rounds. Although not packing a punch like a cannon round, they did a great job of burning when they hit home...

[zebraa51]

as far as the props goes the P-51 was still the Best, But inn The 50`s the best Jet Hands Down was the North American Aviation F-86 was the Best The F-100 we`ll it was faster and the F-102,F-104, F-105 & F-106`s were all faster than the F-86 But they Never never achived the Overall Success Like the F-86 Enjoyed........ The F-100 Came Close oweing Because of the The United States Thunderbirds which made the F-100 a Legend inn the minds and hearts of millions during the late 50`s and thru. 60`s and even into the early 70`s

[Matt308]

Originally Posted by davparlr

The A-4 went through many engine upgrades. The earlier C model had 7,700 lbs thrust. The A4F and E were used as aggressors. The A4E had a thrust of 8,400 but some were upgraded to the bigger A4F engine. The A4F had a thrust of 9,300 lbs. The A4M was a big jump with engine thrust of 11,200 lbs but I saw no references for its use as an aggressor. The Blue Angels flew A4Fs upgraded with the A4M engine. This was indeed a hot rod.

Wow! Guess I never paid attention. I had known that the engine had been slowly uprated, but never looked close enough to realize the thrust to weight ratio was way up there when clean. No wonder they were used as aggressors.

[Jackson]

Maiden flight 25 May 1953

Source: Knaack[1]

The first operational aircraft in United States Air Force inventory capable of exceeding the speed of sound in level flight.
On 29 October 1953, the first YF-100A prototype set a world speed record of 755.149 mph (656.207 knots, 1,215.295 km/h) at low altitude.
On 20 August 1955, an F-100C set the first supersonic world speed record of 822.135 mph (714.416 knots, 1,232.098 km/h).
On 4 September 1955, an F-100C won the Bendix Trophy, covering 2,235 miles (2,020 nm, 3,745 km) at an average speed of 610.726 mph (530.706 knots, 982.868 km/h).
On 26 December 1956, two F-100Ds became the first-ever aircraft to successfully perform buddy refueling.
On 13 May 1957, three F-100Cs set a new world distance record for single-engine aircraft by covering the 6,710 mile (5,835 nm, 10,805 km) distance from London to Los Angeles in 14 hours and 4 minutes. The flight was accomplished using inflight refueling.
On 7 August 1959, two F-100Fs became the first-ever jet fighters to fly over the North Pole.
USAF Colonel George E. "Bud" Day, Medal of Honor recipient (for actions in the Vietnam War) and USA's most highly decorated soldier since General Douglas MacArthur, flew F-100s.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds operated the F-100C from 1956 until 1964. After briefly converting to the F-105 Thunderchief, the team flew F-100Ds from July 1964 until November 1968, before converting to the F-4E Phantom II.
On 04 April 1965 an F-100 Supersabre piloted by USAF Capt. Donald Kilgus shot down one of the first enemy jets of the Vietnam War,a Mig-17, using cannon fire.

[Jackson]

BAC Lightning Site - Tech Data.

The Lightning was the only British designed and built fighter capable of speeds in excess of Mach 2 to serve with the Royal Air Force. It evolved at a time when Britain led the way in aviation and it suffered at the hands of the government in the same way as did the industry which had created it. There is no doubt that the Lightning will go down in the history books as another classic British fighter. This site is a tribute to the Lightning, to those who served on the Lightning squadrons and to the enthusiasts who have kept airframes either running or in airworthy condition.

Maiden flight 1957-04-04

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 55 ft 3 in (16.84 m)
Wingspan: 34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
Height: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m)
Wing area: 474.5 ft² (44.1 m²)
Empty weight: 28,040 lb (12,720 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 41,700 lb (18,900 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Avon 301R afterburning turbojets
Dry thrust: 13,220 lbf (58.86 kN) each
Thrust with afterburner: 16,360 lbf (72.77 kN) each
Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 2.27 (1,500 mph, 2,415 km/h) at altitude
Range: 800 mi (1,300 km) combat
Ferry range: 1,560 mi (1,360 nm, 2,500 km)
Service ceiling: >60,000 ft (18,000 m) officially
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (260 m/s)
Wing loading: 87.9 lb/ft² (429 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.63


Fun to watch ar the air show too

Crikey= straight up off the deck

[renrich]

According to the book, "80 Knots to Mach2" the A4 got the J52-P-408 engine with 11,200 pounds of thrust in April of 1970. The author, Richard Linnekin in a F8U-2N came on an A4 north of Pautuxent one afternoon. To quote him," he was there, so I made a run on him." Over the next ten minutes he tried everything, vertical maneuvers, high and low yo yos, rolling scissors( he said never try any kind of scissors with this guy) and every gunnery pass he could think of, and every time he got in gun range the A4's nose was pointing at him with the 20 mms. he could not even claim a decent Sidewinder shot. I know several people who flew the A4 operationally and they did say the cockpit was awful small.

[Jackson]

I know a guy that loved it..

and he had flown everything

(Pax is not far from me and I do a lot of Navy contractors, I love hanging out at the 'Crows Nest' adjacent to the front gate, just to look at all the stuff on the walls)

More fun

Patuxent River Naval Air Museum

fun2

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by Jackson

(Pax is not far from me and I do a lot of Navy contractors, I love hanging out at the 'Crows Nest' adjacent to the front gate, just to look at all the stuff on the walls)

BEEN THERE!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Jackson

(Pax is not far from me and I do a lot of Navy contractors,
More fun

I hope those contractors were women...