Supermarine Scimitar

The Supermarine Scimitar was a British, carrier-borne strike fighter, which was in service with the Royal Navy during the Cold War. It was the largest, heaviest, and most powerful single-seat jet fighter to serve with the Fleet Air Arm and it was complementary to the two-seat de Havilland Sea Vixen fighter aircraft. Aside from the Royal Navy's land airbase, the Scimitar operated from the HMS Ark Royal, HMS Hermes, and HMS Centaur aircraft carrier. Although it was a large aircraft, it was very maneuverable, capable of flying at 1,190 km per hour. Another advantage it had over similar naval plane of the time was its long range capacity, as it could fly 2,291 km (1,424 miles) without refueling.

The prototype of the Supermarine Scimitar, the N113 (Type 544), was taken aloft for the first time on January 19, 1956. It was flown by test pilot Mike Lithgow, taking off from Boscombe Down airbase, England. It was followed by two more prototypes. The carrier flight deck trials were flown with the first prototype, the N113, in April 1956, from HMS Ark Royal, with further deck trials carried out in January 1957, using the third prototype, the WW134. The N113 prototype would pass all the flight tests and it would be introduced into service with the Royal Navy on July 27, 1957, as the Scimitar F1, which was the first production variant. A total of 76 Scimitars were produced by Supermarine/Vickers-Armstrong at South Marston.

Technical Description

The Supermarine Scimitar was a single-seat, twin-engine jet monoplane, which was of all-metal construction. The fuselage was semi-monocoque. It was fitted with broad swept wing mounted on middle of fuselage. To withstand the high loads on the structure, high tensile steel was used for the main wing spars and for areas of major stress in the wing and tail. Titanium was employed in lower stress areas where heat resistance was required. Its wing outer panels could be folded up for carrier stowage convenience. The aircraft was fitted with flaps on wing trailing edge and on belly of fuselage for better flight control and handling. It was powered by two Rolls-Royce Avon 202 turbojet engines, each delivering 11,250 pounds of thrust. The engines air intakes were located on the sides of fuselage.

Specifications

Type: carrier-based strike fighter aircraft

Length: 16.84 m (55 feet, 3 inches)

Wing Span: 11.33 m (37 feet, 32 inches)

Wing Area: 45.1 m2 (485 square feet)

Height: 5.28 m (17 feet, 4 inches)

Power Plant: two 11,250-lb, Rolls-Royce Avon 202 turbojet engines

Maximum Speed: 1,190 km/h (740 mph)

Range: 2,291 km (1,424 miles)

Service Ceiling: 14,000 m (46,000 feet)

Rate of Climb: 34.30 m/s

Crew: one

Armament: four 30-mm ADEN cannons; four 454-kg (1,000-lb) bombs; or four AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground missiles; AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

Above, the Scimitar F1 variant being towed on a land air base.

The Scimitar on a land tarmac, with its wings folded up.

The British naval combat aircraft during take-off. Notice the flaps on wing trailing edge and on fuselage belly.

The Scimitar belly during a pass over.

Above, the Scimitar on carrier flight deck, with wings folded up.

Sukhoi Su-17

The Sukhoi Su-17, Fitter-C, was a supersonic, swing-wing fighter-bomber which was used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Developed from the Su-7 Fitter-A fighter, it was a reliable and stable aircraft that was equipped with one Lyulka AL-21F-3 jet engine, which was powerful and fuel-efficient. Sukhoi manufactured it in large numbers, with a total of 2,855 aircraft being produced until 1990, almost half of them in the export version, the Su-22. This fighter-bomber featured an additional sensor boom fitted on the starboard side of nose. Like most of the Soviet combat aircraft of the Cold War era, the aircraft jet engine air intake was located in the nose. It was the first variable-sweep wing aircraft made by the Soviet Union.

Using the Su-7B variant, the State-run firm Sukhoi had produced a small number of pre-production, variable-geometry wing model, which was a ground-attack aircraft that would be designated the Su-7IG. Thus, this ground-attack version became the prototype of the Sukhoi Su-17, which first flew on August 2, 1966. However, it would undergo four years of flight tests before finally being introduced into service with the Soviet Air Force on July 27, 1970. 'Fitter-C' was the NATO classified designation. It was used in combat during the First Chechen War in the mid 1990s to attack strike targets on land, such as enemy troops or command posts, with laser-guided bombs.

Technical Characteristics

The Sukhoi Su-17 was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane. The cylindrical fuselage was of moncoque type and all-metal construction. It was fitted with variable-sweep, mid-wing. The root of wing, or main panel, was a cantilever type wing and it did not move (it was fixed). Therefore, only wing outer panel could be swept back. This wing sweep was manually controlled and had three positions: full forward, with a 28-degree sweep; an intermediate position swept at 45 degrees; and a full back position, with a 62-degree sweep for top-speed flights. It had retractable landing gear, with the main wheels folding up into root of wing after take-off. The cockpit canopy was of the bubble type, giving the pilot an excellent all-around view.

Specifications

Type: fighter-bomber

Length: 19 m (62 feet, 5 inches)

Wing Span: 13.68 m (44 feet, 11 inches) full forward at 28 degrees.

Wing Area: 38.5 m2 (414 square feet)

Height: 5.12 m (16 feet, 10 inches)

Power Plant: one 24,700-lb, Lyulka AL-21F-3 turbojet engine.

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.13 (1,400 km/h) at low level; Mach 1.3 (1,850 km/h) at high altitude.

Combat Range: 1,150 km (710 miles)

Service Ceiling: 14,200 m (46,600 feet)

Rate of Climb: 230 m/s (meter per second)

Crew: one

Armament: two 30-mm Nudelman-Rikhter automatic cannons; R-60 or R-73 air-to-air missiles; laser-guided and electro-optical bombs plus rockets.

The Su-22, which was the export version of the Su-17, in service with an Eastern European country.

The Su-17M version in Soviet service.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, 'Farmer', was a single-seat, fighter-bomber used by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It was Russia's first supersonic fighter aircraft and it was as advanced as the American counterparts. Having a sleek profile and swept wing, it was very maneuverable and a formidable opponent in a dogfight. The MiG-19 had a similar layout to the North American F-100 Super Sabre and the French Dassault Super Mystere aircraft. It was widely exported to Arab countries and Eastern European nations. Developed from the MiG-17, about 2,150 MiG-19 fighter-bombers were built in the Soviet Union.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau confirmed its place in the front ranks of world aircraft design with its MiG-19 model. Although the North American F-100 Super Sabre, first flown in 1953, is traditionally regarded as the first fighter capable of supersonic speed at sustained level flight, the MiG-19, which performed its maiden flight in 1954, was as fast and versatile. It was excellent in dogfight and to carry out ground-attack missions. The MiG-19 was introduced into service with the Soviet Air Force in June 1955. It would see combat action in the Vietnam War as the Shenyang J-6, which was the Chinese-made version of the aircraft.

Technical Description

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 was a single-seat, twin-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It was fitted with cantilever, swept mid-wing, with anhedral angle. The wing leading edge swept back at 55 degrees and it had fences on top to reduce induced drag. This highly swept wing design was conceived so that the aircraft was able to attain supersonic speeds. The cockpit had relatively cluttered forward visibility due to the large gunsight. The MiG-19 featured an all-moving tailplane, which had the same angle of sweep as the wing. The ejection seat could not be used safely at low speeds. The aircraft was powered by two Tumansky RD-9BM afterburning turbojet engines, each being able to deliver 7,346 pounds of thrust. The engine air intake was located in the nose of aircraft.

Specifications (MiG-19SF)

Type: fighter-bomber

Length: 12.60 m (41 feet, 4 inches)

Wing Span: 9.20 m (30 feet, 2 inches)

Wing Area: 25 m2 (269 square feet)

Height: 3.88 m (12 feet, 9 inches)

Power Plant: two 7,346-lb, Tumansky RD-9BM turbojet engines, with afterburners.

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.35 (1,452 km/h)

Range: 2,200 km (1,367 miles)

Service Ceiling: 17,500 m (57,400 feet)

Crew: one

Armament: two 30-mm NR-30 cannons; pod rockets; two 250-kg bombs.

Above, a MiG-19 of the Pakistani Air Force.

The MiG-19 during take-off in the 1960s.

The MiG-19S version in flight, armed with air-to-air missiles.

Dassault Super Mystère

The Dassault Super Mystère was a single-seat, jet fighter-bomber in service with the French Air Force during the Cold War. It was a very reliable and maneuverable aircraft, whose configuration and shape resembled the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19. It was the first French aircraft that could fly at sustained supersonic speeds flying level (parallel to the ground). Despite its relatively small size, it could carry a wide range of weaponry, having a maximum bomb-load of 2,750 kg. Thus, it was a very versatile combat aircraft and inexpensive and easy to maintain, with a low gasoline consumption rate. A total of 180 fighter-bombers were built by Dassault.

The prototype of the Super Mystère (B.1) performed its maiden flight on March 2, 1955, at Melun-Villaroche. It was flown by test pilot Paul Boudier. The next day, Paul Boudier broke Mach 1, flying at low level. It was the first aircraft in Western Europe to be capable of sustained level flight above Mach 1. Being a further development of the Mystère IV fighter-bomber, this prototype was powered by one Rolls-Royce Avon RA 7 turbojet engine. However, this power plant would later be upgraded to a SNECMA Atar 101G machine. The Super Mystère was introduced into service in 1957 and it would be phased out in 1977 after a twenty-year long career. It was exported to Israel and Honduras. It saw combat action in the Algerian War of Independence (used by the French Air Force), the Six Day War and in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, carrying out ground-attack missions.

Technical Description

The Dassault Super Mystere was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane of all-metal construction. It was fitted with cantilever, swept wing, which was mounted low on the fuselage. The outer portion of wing leading edge had a fixed slat that curved down in a slight arch. The tail assembly horizontal plane was swept at the same angle of wing sweep (at 45°) and it was mounted on lower portion of vertical fin. The engine had only one air intake and it was located in the nose of fuselage. The aircraft was equipped with a tricycle landing gear.

Specifications

Type: fighter-bomber

Length: 14.13 m (46 feet, 4 inches)

Wing Span: 10.51 m (34 feet, 6 inches)

Wing Area: 32 m2 (340 square feet)

Height: 4.6 m (15 feet, 1 inch)

Power Plant: one 9,900-lb-thrust, SNECMA Atar 101G-2 turbojet engine, with afterburner.

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.12 (1,195 km/h = 743 mph)

Combat Radius: 870 km (540 miles)

Range: 1,740 km (1,081 miles)

Service Ceiling: 17,000 m (56,000 feet)

Rate of Climb: 89 m/s

Crew: 1

Armament: two 30-mm DEFA-552 cannons; two Rafael Shafrir air-to-air missiles; two AS-30 air-to-ground missiles or 2,750-kg of bombs.

Above, the Supere Mystere parked on the tarmac of a French airbase in the 1970s. Notice its front profile, with its air intake in nose, is almost identical to the MiG-19 aircraft.

The belly of the prototype B.1 during a pass over at low altitude.

The varied types of weapons it could carry was impressive; from air-to-air missiles to smart bombs.

The Super Mystere in flight in the early 1960s

Super Mystere in Algeria (video)

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak

The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was a jet fighter-bomber used by the US Air Force during the Cold War. Also in service with the German and Italian Air Force, it was the mainstay of NATO fighter strength in the 1950s and 1960s, and it was the postwar Luftwaffe's first jet fighter aircraft. It was developed from the F-84 Thunderjet, whose straight wing was replaced by swept wings. Although it was a heavy, subsonic warplane, it was a versatile and reliable aircraft, which served the United States and Germany for over a decade. In the US Air Force, it would be phased out in 1964 and replaced by the North American F-100 Super Sabre.

The prototype of the F-84F, the XF-96A, flew for the first time on June 3, 1950. The trial period was long, with many engine problems to be solved. After four long years of flight tests, it was finally introduced into service on May 12, 1954, as the F-84F. Republic would built more than 3,000 Thunderstreaks, most of them being deployed in Europe, Japan, and South Korea. The aircraft introduced a new standard of precision as a fighter-bomber, but it never became an excellent dogfighter, since it was a heavy aircraft. It was fit to carry nuclear bombs. In a war against the Soviet Union, its mission would have taken it deep into Eastern Europe territory, or even Russia.

Technical Description

The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak was a single-seat, single-engine subsonic monoplane. Its fuselage was of all-metal construction. It was fitted with swept mid-wing, whose leading edge was swept sharply back at 38.5 degree. The wing had also a pronounced anhedral, a downward angle from the wing root. The tail assembly was of conventional type, with swept back tailplane, which was mounted on the large vertical fin. The aircraft was powered by one Wright J65-W-3 Sapphire turbojet engine, which was rated at 7,225 pounds of thrust. The engine air intake was in nose of aircraft. However, in the RF-84F reconnaissance variant, it was mounted in root of wing.

Specifications

Type: fighter-bomber aircraft

Length: 13.23 m (43 feet, 5 inches)

Wing Span: 10.24 m (33 feet, 7 inches)

Wing Area: 30.19 m2 (325 square feet)

Height: 4.38 m (14 feet, 4 inches)

Power Plant: one 7,225-lb, Wright J65-W-3 Sapphire turbojet engine.

Maximum Speed: 1,118 km/h (695 mph)

Combat Range: 1,304 km (810 miles), with drop tanks.

Service Ceiling: 14,020 m (46,000 feet)

Armament: six 12.7-mm (.50-cal) M-2 Browning machine guns; 2,722-kg (6,000-lb) of bombs/rockets.

The RF-84F reconnaissance variant flying over Arizona in 1957.

Three Thunderstreak in flight from an Italian Air Force squadron.

The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak in service with the German Luftwaffe.

F-4 Phantom II

The Mc Donnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was a carrier-borne fighter-bomber used by the US Navy during the Vietnam War. There were also land-based versions operated by the US Air Force and Marine Corps. The prototype, the YF4H1, performed its first flight on May 27, 1958, with Robert C. Little being the test pilot. Three years later, in 1961, it entered service with the US Navy as the F-4H1, which would be re-designated F-4A in 1962. It would eventually be replaced by the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in the late 1970s as the main carrier-based fighter.

The Mc Donnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II had originally been designed and developed as an interceptor to meet the US Navy's need for an effective warplane that could protect the carrier battle group against enemy air raids. However, most of the combat sorties it flew in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world were ground-attack missions against enemy ground troops and air defense radar installations as there was a 'Wild Weasel' version (F-4C) of the aircraft. Several NATO European nations and Iran also acquired this famous combat aircraft.

Not only did the F-4 Phantom II break a high altitude flight record, with 30,218 m, but it would also become the fastest aircraft in Southeast Asia. It took part, along with the F-105 Thunderchief, in the first US air strikes against North Vietnam in Operation Rolling Thunder. The US Navy A-4 Skyhawk also participated in the bombing campaign. The F-4C Wild Weasel variant was equipped with the AN/APR-26 SAM-launch warning system; it would keep carrying out combat missions in Vietnam until the Richard Administration withdrew all its forces from the Southeast Asia theater.

Technical Characteristics

The F-4 Phantom II was a two-seat, jet twin-engine aircraft. It featured low wing, with a mixture of delta and swept wing design. The tip was cropped and slightly raised at an angle from the rest of wing. The whole tailplane, which was tilted downwards at 23 degrees, moved and functioned as elevator. The engines were set low in the fuselage an the air intakes were on the sides. The fuselage was made of titanium and other metals.

Variants: F-4A, F-4B, F-4C, F-4D, F-4E, and F-4G.

Specifications (F-4B)

Type: interceptor/fighter-bomber

Length: 17.75 m (58 ft, 3 in)

Wingspan: 11.71 m (38 ft, 5 in)

Wing Area: 49.24 square meters (530 sq. ft)

Height: 4.95 m (16 ft, 3 in)

Power Plant: two General Electric J79-8A turbojet engines with afterburners.

Maxium Speed: 2,390 km/h (1,482 mph)

Combat Range: 1,450 km (900 miles)

Radar: AN/APQ-100

Armament: 4 AIM-9 Sidewinder or 4 AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles; 3,500 kg of bombs.

Below, the F-4 Phantom II in service with the Royal Air Force

Two US Navy F-4B versions in flight over the Pacific.

Below, the F-4E of the US Marine Corps.

North American F-100 Super Sabre

The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a fighter-bomber used by the US Air Force during the Cold War period. It was the first supersonic combat aircraft in aviation history. It was the result of a need of an airplane that could fly faster than the speed of sound but on a daily basis, with a reliable jet engine, to replace the F-86 which had been used in the Korean War. It was also the first airplane to be powered by the renowned Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojet engine.

The F-100 Super Sabre performed its maiden flight on May 25, 1953, as the YF-100 prototype. It was flown by test pilot George Welch, in California. That day, it broke the sound barrier on its first flight. It was the first turbojet-powered aircraft to do so. Its first version, the F-100A, entered service with the US Air Force on September 29, 1954, with the 479th Day Fighter Wing of the Tactical Air Command. A total of 2,294 Super Sabres were built, with the F-100D being the most massively produced. 339 F-100Fs 'Wild Weasel' were also made, extensively being used in Vietnam; this latter variant was a specialized two-seat warplane, whose mission was to suppress enemy air defenses, destroying SAM sites.

The North American F-100 Super Sabre first saw combat action on June 8, 1964, when it took part in a retaliatory strike against anti-aircraft artillery sites in Laos. From then on, it would play a main roll in the US Air Force ground-attack missions both in South and North Vietnam, taking part in Operation Rolling Thunder. The F-100F version flew its last combat sortie in Southeast Asia in July 1971.

Below, the F-100C in flight in 1961, banking left.

Technical Characteristics

The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a single-seat, single-engine monoplane. It was fitted with low, swept-wing. Its tailplane and vertical fin also had a 'swept-back' configuration. The cockpit had one-piece, clamshell canopy. The landing gear twin nose wheels folded backwards after take-off, while the main wheels retracted inwards. It was powered by one Pratt & Whitney J57-P-7 turbojet engine, whose air intake was in the nose of aircraft. The fuel was contained in the long all-metal fuselage.

It was the first aeroplane whose fuselage was made of heat-resisting titanium. The thin wing had a 45-degree sweep. It had automatic leading edge slats and a mid-span lateral control surfaces. The aircraft longitudinal control was achieved by the movement of the whole one-piece horizontal tail. Other features of the F-100 included a hydraulically-operated speed brake, which was located underneath the fuselage, and a drag-chute to shorten runway roll. Avionics consisted of one AN/AJB-1B low altitude bombing system and one AN/APR-26 rearward radar warning.

Specifications

Type: fighter-bomber

Length: 14.36 m (47 ft)

Wingspan: 11.82 m (39 ft)

Wing Area: 35.77 square meters (385 sq. ft)

Height: 4.94 m (15 ft)

Maximum Speed: 1,437 km/h (Mach 1.4)

Range: 2,494 km (1546 miles)

Armament: four M-39E 20mm cannons, with 3,402 kg of bombs.

Below, the F-100D drawing.

The F-100A version in flight in 1957.

 

McDonnell F-101 Voodoo

The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was an American supersonic fighter-bomber. It was used by the US Air Force in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It was the second combat aircraft to break the sound barrier on its first flight, which took place on September 29, 1954. It entered service in May 1957 and it would be phased out in 1972. It could be armed with two MB-1 Genie nuclear rockets or an Mk-28 nuclear bomb.

The McDonnell Air Corporation built a total of 808 F-101 Voodoos. The most massively produced version was the F-101B, with 480 aircraft. Other variants included the F-101A, F-101C, and RF-101A and RF-101C. The latter ones were a reconnaissance aircraft, which were fitted with up to six photographic cameras. The combat versions, on the other hand, were equipped with the Hughes MA-7 fire control radar, which was used for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat situations.

Below, you can see the belly of the Voodoo as it flies over. This picture was taken in 1959.

The only version of the Voodoo to see combat action in Vietnam was the RF-101C. It did an outstanding job of spying on the enemy, using its aerial cameras. It flew more than 37,000 daylight sorties, exceeding the Mach 1.8 speed. Although it was a very fast aircraft, with the MiG combat planes having a hard time to intercept it, it had suffered 50 losses to Soviet-made North Vietnamese SAMs (surface-to-air missiles) by the end of 1968. Most of these losses took place when the RF-101C flew reconnaissance missions in the skies over North Vietnam.

Technical Characteristics

The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft, which was fitted with swept wings and an all-metal fuselage. The wings featured large split flaps, which gave the plane good handling at low air speed. Their leading edges had 'fences', which reduced the induced drag by limiting the outward flow of air over the upper surface of wing. The Voodoo held most of its fuel in the fuselage, in nine internal tanks, running down the spine of the aircraft, from the cockpit to the fin.

Despite its supersonic speed and long range capacity, the F-101 Voodoo had a dangerous tendency to pitch-up, which was a longitudinal instability that increased the angle of attack even further than acceptable. Thus, it was one of the hardest to fly aircraft in the history of the US Air Force. However, once the pilot got the hang of it, the Voodoo was a great performer at high speed.

Specifications (F-101A)

Type: tactical fighter-bomber

Longth: 20.54 m (67 ft, 5 in)

Wingspan: 12.09 m (39 ft, 8 in)

Wing Area: 34.19 square meters (368 sq. ft)

Height: 5.48 m (18 ft)

Power Plant: two Pratt & Whitney J57-P-13 turbojet engines, with afterburner.

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.9 or 1,982 km/h (1,232 mph).

Range: 3,040 km (1890 miles).

Ceiling: 15,850 m of altitude (52,000 ft).

Crew: 1

Armament: four 20mm cannons; 3,100-kg of bombs, or two MB-1 Genie tactical nuclear rockets.

Below, the McDonnell F-101 Voodoo parked on the tarmac of a US Air Force base in 1959.

The F-101B version frontal view. Photo taken around 1960.

The F-101C variant in flight. Notice the wide split flaps of its wings.

F-105 Thunderchief

The F-105 Thunderchief was a fighter-bomber in service with the US Air Force during the Cold War years. It was designed, developed and built by Republic Aviation. Its prototype, the YF-105A, performed its maiden flight on October 22, 1955, being introduced on May 27, 1958. It first saw combat action in 1964, in Southeast Asia, during the Vietnam War. It was known as the 'Thud' by the American pilots.

The F-105B was the first version that went into mass production. The main feature of this aircraft was its all-weather bombing system. It was the Weapons System 606A, which included the AN/APN-105 Doppler all-weather navigation system, the General Electric FC5 flight control system, the MA-8 fire control system, and the Bendix central air data computer.

Below, the F-105B in 1959.

  

However, the most important variant would be the F-105D, which had an enlarged nose to make room for the new bombing navigation system; the AN/ASG-19 radar. 650 F-105D aircraft were made from a total of 845 Thunderchiefs. The F-105F version would also be built; it was a two-seat trainer. Meanwhile the EF-105F Wild Weasel was a specialized version designed to suppress enemy air defenses.

Having overcome many technical problems, which caused a series of crashes, the Republic F-105D Thunderchief would become the main fighter-bomber during the first years of the Vietnam War. In the ground-attack role, it was more effective than the F-100 Super Sabre, due to its bomb-load capacity. It carried out air raids not only in South Vietnam but also in Laos and North Vietnam, taking part in Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968). However, this aircraft suffered heavy losses due to North Vietnamese Army's SAMs.

Technical Characteristics

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief was a single-seat, single-engine, jet aircraft. It was able to fly at supersonic speeds at very low altitude; this was its main capability. It had a swept, mid-wing configuration. Its tailplane was also a swept back design. Fuselage was all-metal and cylindrical, with the engine air intakes set up on the sides. It had additional fuel tanks, which extended its ferry range to almost 3,000 km.

Specifications

Type: fighter-bomber

Length: 20 m (64 ft, 3 in)

Wingspan: 10.65 m (34 ft, 11 in)

Wing Area: 35.76 square meters (385 sq. ft)

Height: 6 m (19 ft, 8 in)

Power Plant: one Pratt & Whitney J75-P-19W axial turbojet engine, delivering almost 118 kilonewtons of thrust with afterburner.

Maximum Speed: Mach 2.1 (2,230 km/h - 1,385 mph) at 11,000 m of altude; Mach 1.2 at low level.

Combat Range: 1,500 km.

Ceiling: 15,800 m.

Armament: one 20mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon; bomb-load 6,700 kg (eight 340-kg bombs).

Below, two Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers in flight in the skies over Vietnam, in late 1964.

Drawing of the F-105D version

Below, the F-105D variant in 1963.

Sukhoi Su-35

The Sukhoi Su-35, known as Flanker-E, is a Russian all-weather fighter aircraft. It is based on the Soviet Su-27 Flanker, which was developed furing the Cold War. When this fighter was upgraded into the Su-27M in 1987, it would be called Su-35 from 1995. The difference between the two jet aircraft is that Su-35 has more powerful engines, which gives it twice the payload capacity of its predecessor. The Flanker-E has also more advanced avionics and more hard-points to carry more missiles and bombs.

The Su-35 was introduced into service on February 20, 2014. Produced by Sukhoi Design Bureau, approximately 150 aircraft have been delivered to the Russian Air Force so far, as of 2023, most of them in the Su-35S variant, which has a new weapons control system. Its N035 Irbis-e passive electronically scanned array radar, with pulse Doppler tracker, empowers it to detect enemy targets beyond the horizon as it has a range of about 600 km. Its tailboom is fitted with a Phazotron NIIR defense radar. Meanwhile, its fuselage has an increase in titanium and aluminum alloys.

Specifications

Type: Multi-role fighter
Length: 21.9 m (71 ft, 10 inch)
Wingspan: 15.3 m (50 ft, 2 inch)
Wing Area: 62 square meters
Height: 5.9 m (19 ft, 4inch)
Power Plant: two Saturn AL-41F1S afterburning turbofan engines
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.25 at high altitudes; Mach 1.2 at low levels.
Ceiling: 18,000 m (59,000 ft)
Crew: 1.

Below, the Sukhoi Su-27M, now officially known as Su-35, on a Russian military base.

The Su-35, Flanker-E, taking off from the runway of airbase in the Ural region.

 

Sukhoi Su-34

The Sukhoi Su-34 'Fullback' is a Russian multi-role fighter aircraft. It was developed from the Su-27 Flanker, entering service in 2014. Compared to the original model, the Fullback had more powerful engines and more advanced avionic. It could also carry three times the bomb-load of the Su-27.

Its latest version is the Su-34M, which is able to carry the Kalibr supersonic cruise missile and FAB-500 laser guided bombs as it is fitted with new hard-points. This variant also has improved radar, sighting and communication systems. So far, about 160 Su-34 aircraft have been built and delivered to the Russian Air Force. It has already seen combat action in Syria and Ukraine.

Technical Characteristics

This Russian aircraft is a two-seat, twin-engine supersonic monoplane. It is fitted with cropped swept-back aircraft. For better maneuverability and flight stability, the Su-34 is fitted with canards, which are mid-mounted before the wings. The jet engines air intakes are located on belly of aircraft. The nose of this plane resembles a duck bill. The tail section is equipped with twin fins and rudders.

Specifications

Length: 23.34 m

Wingspan: 14.7 m

Wing Area: 62.04 square meters

Height: 6 m

Power Plant: two Saturn AL-31FM1 turbofan engines.

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.8 at high altitude

Combat Range: 1,100 km.

Bomb-load: 14,000-kg (missiles and bombs)

Below, front view of the Sukhoi Su-34

The Fullback carrying a Kalibre missile as it takes off.

 

Three Su-34M fighters on the tarmac of an air base near Saint Petersburg. Notice the 500-kg bomb they carry.

 

Su-34 in action (video)

 

Airco DH.4

The Airco DH.4 was a fighter-bomber employed by the British Royal Air Corps during the First World War. It was designed and produced by the Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) from England, performing its maiden flight in 1916. It entered service on April 6, 1917, with No 55 Squadron.

The Airco DH.4 received its baptism of fire on the same day it entered service, on an air raid to attack the German positions in Valenciennes, France. After the war, it would be massively produced in the United States, with more than 6,000 aircraft built as two main models would be developed from it; the DH.9 and the DH.9A, which were used in civil service for mail delivery.

Technical Characteristics

The Airco DH.4 was a single-engine, biplane, fitted with straight staggered wings. This means the lower wing was set backwards in relation to the upper one, so that the pilot had a good view of the ground. Like all World War I biplane, it was equipped with fixed landing gear. Variants: DH.4A, DH.4B, and DH.4M.

Armament

It was equipped with two, firing-forward, 7.7-mm Lewis machine guns, and one backward-firing 7.7-mm machine gun mounted in the rear cockpit. The bomb payload was 209 kg.

Specifications

Length: 9.35 m (30 ft, 8 in)

Wingspan: 12.92 m (42 ft, 5 in)

Wing Area: 40.32 sq. meter (434 sq. feet)

Height: 3 m (10 ft)

Power Plant: one Rolls Royce Eagle VIII, water-cooled, 12-cylinder engine, delivering 375 HP.

Maximum Speed: 230 km/h (143 mph)

Range: 700 km (435 miles)

Below, the Airco DH.4 in 1919 in Belgium, during peace time.

Below, the DH.4B, an air mail plane in the skies over the USA.

Dornier Do 335

The Dornier Do 335 'Pfeil' was a fast fighter-bomber aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during the last year of World War II. Designed by Prof. Claudius Dornier in 1942, it first flew as a prototype (Do 335-V1) on October 26, 1943. After several months of trials and nine prototypes, it entered service in early November 1944. Since Germany was already losing the war, with factories being bombed by the Allies, the Luftwaffe received only 40 aircraft.

Despite the stringent limit to mass production, the Dornier Do 335 did see combat action in January 1945, during Operation Bodenplatte, which was a Luftwaffe massive air raid against Allied aircraft designed to provide the German armored units with a protective umbrella during the Battle of the Bulge. In seven encounters with Allied fighters, three Pfeils (arrow) managed to shoot down four P-51 Mustangs and two Supermarine Spitfires, with one of the German fighters being damaged.

Below, the fastest piston-engine aircraft of WW2

Technical Description

The Do 335 had a unique design, which set it apart from the rest of WW2 aircraft. It was a two-engine monoplane but it had its power plants mounted in tandem, one in the nose and the other one in the tail. It was also the first plane in history to feature an ejection seat. Technically, it was a cantilever monoplane, with an all-metal fuselage.

It featured straight dihedral wings, which were mounted low on the fuselage and had a leading edge with a sweep of 13 degrees. It had a cruciform tail unit, with the conventional dorsal tail fin augmented by an extra ventral fin. The cantilever tailplane was also of stressed skin construction but the vertical fin had wooden leading edges. Landing gear was retractable and hydraulically actuated.

Specifications

Type: fighter-bomber; night/day fighter.

Length: 13.85 m

Wingspan: 13.80 m

Wing Area: 38.5 sq. meters

Height: 5 m

Power Plant: two Daimler-Benz DB-603E-1, 12-cylinder, inverted "V", liquid-cooled engines, delivering 1,800 HP each.

Maximum Speed: 763 km/h (474 mph).

Range: 1400 km

Armament: one, engine-mounted, 30mm MK-103 cannon; two 15mm cannons in fuselage grooves; two 250-kg bombs in internal bay and other two 250-kg bombs on two hard-points.

Below, A Do 335 V1, the first prototype on the tarmac of a Luftwaffe airbase.

Below, the Dornier Do 335 parked at a military airbase on the West after a dogfight with Allied fighters. You can see the enemy machine gun round holes in the back portion of fuselage.

The Pfeil Do-335A-0, the seventh prototype to be built.

Breda Ba.65 Aircraft

The Ba.65 was a fighter-bomber aircraft, which was manufactured by  the firm Breda and used by the Italian Air Force during World War II (Regia Aeronautica). As a prototype, it first flew in 1935. Although it was faster than its British counterpart, the Fairey Battle, it turned out to be a disappointing aircraft in real combat. It was rather awkward and heavy to perform well in the ground-attack role.

Being developed from the Breda 64, it was difficult to fly as it was not so maneuverable. As a result, it was ineffective during the North African Campaign. However, it rendered a good and acceptable service in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) as better planes had not been developed yet. With its variant, the Ba65bis, a total of 210 aircraft was built, about 50 of them in service with the Iraqi Air Force.

Technical characteristics

This light bomber was a low-winged monoplane, whose fuselage was entirely built in metal. It was fitted with a rectractable landing gear and a sliding cockpit canopy. Originally, it was powered by the 1030-HP Fiat A.80 CR41 radial engine, but most of them were equipped with the 900-HP Issota-Fraschini K.14. Although the latter was not so powerful, it was more reliable. The Ba.65 was a single-seat aircraft, but its variant, the Ba65bis, was a two-seat bomber.

Specifications

Wing span: 12.1 m (39 ft 8 in)

Length: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)

Height: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)

Wing area: 23.5 m²

Crew: one/two

Maximum speed: 430 km/h (270 miles/hour)

Weapons: two 12.7-mm Breda machine guns; two 7.7 Breda-SAFAT machine guns; six 80-kg bombs.

Below, the Breda Ba.65 flying over North Africa

Below, the prototype of the Ba.65 in the factory without the landing gear