Thunderceptor! (big file)

[dodgy-alan 1,587]

The Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor was based around the design of the F-84F Thunderstreak but incorporated a battery of rockets in the tail mounted above and below the main jet pipe. It's most radical feature was the Inverse taper and chord of the main wing which also had variable incidence. This resulted in the main undercarriage having an unusual configuration as well.

The first prototype made its first flight on 9 May 1949, breaking the speed of sound in December 1951. It was later modified with a small radome for gunnery ranging (although not the "full" radome of the second prototype). The second prototype included a full radome and chin-mounted intake, but was otherwise similar. With both the jet and rockets running, the aircraft could reach Mach 1.71. Both prototypes completed 192 test flights over the course of five years.

The second prototype, 46-681, had an engine failure during takeoff from Edwards AFB in the summer of 1951. Republic test pilot Carl Bellinger escaped from the aircraft just as the tail melted off only 90 seconds into the flight. By the time fire apparatus arrived, driving seven miles across the dry lake bed, the tail section had been reduced to ashes. 46-681 was then fitted with a "V" (or "butterfly") tail, and was flight-tested with this configuration. It was later used at Edwards AFB as a crash-crew training simulator, then scrapped.

As an interceptor the Thunderceptor was soon eclipsed by designs from other companies, but like the Thunderceptor none of these would go into production. The United States Air Force decided to wait the short time needed to introduce newer and much more capable designs created as a part of the 1954 interceptor project. The Thunderceptor, like the other interceptor designs of the era, had extremely short flight times on the order of 25 minutes, making them almost useless for protecting an area as large as the United States. The 1954 designs outperformed the XF-91 in speed, range, and loiter time, as well as including the radar and fire-control systems needed for night and all-weather operation. The era of the dedicated day fighter-type interceptor was over.

These models are all freeware and are offered as separate items. They are well detailed and have nice VCs as well, the builders have also modeled the separate cockpit layouts for the rocket equipped versions and the njet only powered one, rather than use a generic one size fits all. Well worth finding if you fancy something a bit different.  They are a blast to fly with good handling flight characteristics.  https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/fslib.php?searchid=69687513

Thanks for viewing

[mutley 4,498]

Cracking post Al! It would have definitely been 56K modem unfriendly 

[dolf8857 640]

You looks dangerous in this one Al'   Very nice post!