Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: SampleMan

I can think of a couple of other early jets before the F-4 that found use in both Navy and Air Force colors. The Douglas A3D/B-66 came about because of the Navy's desire for a nuclear strike jet aircraft. They put on a little show of force during the 1956 Oklahoma City airshow when a couple of them launched from somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, I think, and did a sweep over Will Rogers airport. The AF used the B-66 mostly in recon mode, I believe.

The FJ spinoff of the North American F-86 was one of the first really good Navy jet fighters and served both Navy and Marine wings.

Then there was the F-111 which MacNamara tried to force down the Navy's throat. I have heard that if it was parked on the flight deck in the standard tail-outboard position, it was likely to fall off into the water. But they served the AF for years in various tactical roles.

Vought's F8U was certainly one of the best air superiority fighters of its day on land or sea, but the great F8U-3 follow-on lost out to the F-4 when the Navy opted for two engines/two seats. Then it gave birth to the A-7 ground support fighter for the AF (short little ugly feller).


41 posted on 04/28/2005 4:52:41 PM PDT by 19th LA Inf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies ]


To: 19th LA Inf
Actually the F-86 was a spin off of the Navy's FJ-1. Then the Navy came back with the swept wing FJ-4.

The USAF also very successfully used the Spad (Skyraider), and as you pointed out the A-7. The A-7 was incorporated only into the Air National Guard elements to appease the US Army, which kept pointing out that the USAF was abandoning close air support.
43 posted on 04/28/2005 4:59:18 PM PDT by SampleMan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies ]

To: 19th LA Inf

Are the French still using the F-8 ?


86 posted on 04/28/2005 8:11:14 PM PDT by investigateworld ( God bless Poland for giving the world JP II & a Protestant bump for his Sainthood!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson