Well Gee, if they’re looking at the AT-6, why not bring back the tried and true P-51 Mustang?
THAT was a kick-ass aircraft.
As much as I love the P51, if this involves a lower cost survivable ground attack aircraft there was none better than the A1E Skyraider.They did beyond excellent work in Korea and Nam and they have a big enough frame to carry any modern ordnance. Of course since few fighter jocks want to fly the Warthog, I doubt flying a re imagined Skyraider would be popular.
Good dog fighter, bad ground attack plane. Since it was water cooled, the radiator was the weak point for the Mustang.
Now, if they want to bring back a great ground attack plane, the P47 Thunderbolt would be the pick, IMHO>
“Well Gee, if they’re looking at the AT-6, why not bring back the tried and true P-51 Mustang?
THAT was a kick-ass aircraft.”
Or the P-47 for that matter.
The P-47 was a virtual tank that could have entire cylinders blown off of it’s engine and still return to base. there were even a few instances where P-47’s were shot down, hit trees, and impacted with such force that the wings, tail and engine would come off and the pilots would walk away with little to no injury.