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Have the Tomcat and Hornet ever been put up against each other in a mock dogfight? If so, which one was the better machine?

Wasn't the Tomcat a platform for the Phoenix, which could take you out from a hundred plus mile standoff distance?

Wasn't the Tomcat a platform for the Phoenix, which could take you out from a hundred plus mile standoff distance?

In order to take down an aircraft from 100 miles off, you have to know where he is from 100 miles off. This means you have to have your radar putting out a lot of power (which has YOU being visible from a long distance). Also, with the trend towards more stealthy aircraft, you might not even be able to pick him up from a hundred miles away

I had what seemed like some very good articles on the history of the Phoenix. If I can dig them up I will link to this thread.

As I remember, for the Phoenix to get those max ranges, it was going ballistic for part of the flight. And I don’t think the Phoenix (at least the early ones) had a two stage motor ie; one that could re-ignited for control at the target area.

Now this would not matter if it was going after a Bear Badger or Backfire with the nuke warhead, but the missile was probably not going to cut a T-33 in half at that range as some of the footage would suggest.

Also as the missile got older the rocket motor became an issue also. Solid rocket engines can develop cracks in the propellant material. This condition creates unwanted expanded surface areas exposed to combustion, therefore causing a risk of the rocket detonating at launch or shortly thereafter.

Maybe some the guys that worked with the Phoenix can chime in.

W.