Century Series

Most brightful era of America, one of the typical symbol is the jet fighters called "Century Series". They were yearning for me,at my childhood. Metalic shined silver body and brightly painted air force mark and "U.S.A.F"logo, intensively appeared the prestige of world chanpion, United States.
But it was not mean that all the Century Series fighters are succeeded. In nineteen‐fifties, by the reason of technology evolution (like nuclear, computer, weapon system, many kind of missile) strategy were commonplaced easily. So many expected object ceased when the prototypes had completed. I do not feel that F-111 and F-117 as "Century Series", but darely included in this page.

F-100 F-101 F-102 F-103 F-104 F-105 F-106 F-107 F-108 F-109 F-111 F-117

North American F-100 Super Sabre

The heir of the name "Sabre" as MiG killer in Korean war, 1st super-sonic jet fighter, F-100 exceed mach 1 at its first flight. Speedy disposed impatiently. But, hi-speed roll caused control impossibility, many accident occured. Of cource improvement enforced in haste. When the problems settled, all-weather mach-2 class fighters made F-100 as a antique plane. Then F-100 used as attacker, ninety percent of F-100 were made for tactical attackers. Characteristic are flat air-intake and dried bonito like body, thin and sharp wings. F-100 used Vietnam war, till Fishbed came.

Span:11.8m Length:14.3m Height:4.92m Weight max15.8t Engine P-W J57P21A 7200kg1 Cf3.6kl Vmax M=1.3 Zc=15,500m RC 4,900m/min Range:1300nm Lto':1,370m Armament:20mm4 (F-100D) 1st Flight 1953/5/25

McDonell F-101 VooDoo

Powered by double big engine, little wing enabled over sonic speed easily, armed guns and Gene or Fulcon AAM. F-101 was not suitable for dog-fight as heavy body and small wing. Its long range merit made F-101 as reconnaissance. 327 recon type RF-101 producted. Many RF-101 flied and shooted down in the sky of Vietnam war.

Span:12.1m Length:20.55m Height:5.49m Weight max22.2t Engine P-W J57P55 5,900kg(A/B 7,670kg)*2 Cf:8.8kl Vmax M=1.85 Zc=16,700m RC 4,270m/min Range:2,500nm Armament:none(RF-101C) 1st Flight 1954/3/29

Convair F-102 Delta Dagger

At early planning stage of F-102, maximum speed expected mach 2 by optimistic view. But it was not easy to over mach 1 for prototype plane at the actual flight. Mortal mistake on the wind tunnel test, disclosed at that days. Of cource, Convair corporation staff turned pale. Fortunately, these days NASA engineer developed "Area Rule", smooth sectional area cotinuation declease air resistance dramatically. So F-102 attached swellings by the tail exhaust pipe. Then F-102 could fly over mach 1 speed. In these days, dog-fight potentials made light, but electric controlled defense system and network had valued. For jet pilots, F-102 maybe an uninteresting AAM launcher.

Span:11.62m Length:20.81m Height:6.45m Weight max14.5t Engine P-W J57P23 5,900kg(A/B 7,250)1 Cf:--kl Vmax M=1.2 Vc=M=0.9 Zc=16,400m RC 4,000m/min Range:1000nm Armament:Falcon AAM6 70mm FFAR(MightyMouse)*24 (F-102A) 1st Flight 1953/10/24

Republic F-103 Thunder Warrier

This is not a cruise missile but Republic F-103. It was up-too-date jet fighter. Pilot needed to watcth periscope to see forward. Only little skylights attached for see upward, or to soften closed and tight feeling. Material of body mainly used by titanium. Powered by turbo-ram-jet engine for over mach 3 speed in high altitude.
By the reason of too reckless speck, exploration cost raised awfully. And the comparison SAM with F-103, SAM estimated better cost performance than F-103. So this project cancelled at mockup stage, August 1957.
Intercepter require assigned by F-102, rather conventional airplane than F-103, as planned from the beginning.

Span:10.92m Length:24.89m Height:5.59m Weight max40t Engine Xj-67-W-1 turbo_ramjet 15,000lbs/18,800lbs Cf:kl Vmax M=3+ Vc=M=2.2/75,000ft Combat Radius:400nm Armament:Falcon AAM6 FFAR(MightyMouse)36 (F-103 as expected)

Lockheed F-104 Star Fighter

Ambitious was the design and sales skill of F-104. sharp blade like wing attached body, bribes for politician. Beautiful shape of F-104 was reminded high potential jet fighter. Shock corn was a symbol of over Mach 2 speed. The couple of no extra flesh body and excellent engine marks many records that still remarkable level in today. F-104 is mainly used for outside of U.S. NATO and Japan, India, etc. The reason why U.S.A.F. mentioned was poor rader ( under 50 km ), poor arms ( two AAM when sub tank attached ), short operation range. These weak points maybe not so problem for closed erea when grand rader system conected. In Germany, F104 used Lo altitude attacker, so many accident occured. Then F-104 called "Widow maker". In Japan, F-104 used as intercepter, it was best way to use F-104, I think.

Span:6.68m Length:16.69m Height:4.11m Weight 6.5t max12.2t Engine GE J79GE11A 4.540kg(A/B 7,180kg) Vmax M=2.2 Vc=M=0.97 Zc:18,300m RC:18,900m/min Combat Radius:200-400nm Range:700-1750nm Lto 915-1,220m Armament:20mm Vulcan1 Sidewinder2-4 1st Flight 1954/02/07

Republic F-105 Thunder Chief

The name "Thundercheif" could translate to Japanese as "Kaminari-oyaji", means "hot tempered employer (or father)". When the Korean war, F-84 fighter-attacker activity was very effective. Then light to middle weight bomber ceased, replaced heavy pay loadable jet fighters. F-105 can attach over 5 ton bombs, easily corresponded with heavy bomber of World War 2nd. F-105 had long bomb compartment, its length was nearly 1/3 of body. Remarkable shape was "Coke bottle line" body and knife like shaped main wing and built-inned air intake. In Vietnam war, the first sacrificed planes were full-armed F-105 by MiG-17. It is not means that F-105 as a poor fighter. But MiGs aimed these attackers attached heavy bombs. So additional product of F-105 planned, but not realized. F-105 pilots were braves. The weather of Vietnam was very cloudy, in the rain season. So they must fly under clouds. In these airspace, they met rainful bullets of anti-aircraft guns, SAM. Many F-105 ceased with pilots.

Span:10.64m Length:19.59m Height:6.00m Weight 12,7t max21.95t Engine P-W JP19W 7,800kg(A/B 12,030kg)1 Cf:--kl Vmax M=2.25 Vc=0.85-0.9 Zc:15.240m Rc:10,440m/min Combat Radius:400-800nm Range:1,700nm Lto':800m Lid':760m 20mm Vulcan1 Armament:Sidewinder*4 1st Flight 1955/10/22

Convair F-106 Delta Dart

F-106 was Advanced F-102. Same object, same shape, same factory. More simply shaped body, advanced weapon system, high-level networked airplane. So the job of its pilot is to bring genie for appointed airspace. Pilot maybe a AAM booster controler, no dog-fight was mentioned. Then F-106 could be effective only inner U.S. Mainland where could maintain such a network systems. Genie was not guided missile. So it have a nuclear warhead. 3,150 nuclear heads made. I think that it was lucky for world that F-106 had no time to met real battle.

Span:11.62m Length:21.56m Height:6.16m Weight max15.9t Engine P-W J75P17 7,160kbg(A/B 11,000kg)1 Cf:--kl Vmax M=2 Zc=21,300m RC --m/min Range:1,800nm Combat Radius:450nm Lto':1260m Lld':1,850m Armament:Genie 1, Falcon* 2 to 4 (F-106A)1st Flight 1956/12/26

North American F-107

Back-on air intake could be a reason of engine stole easily. So if some planner draw such a intake, in now, it will be spoiled at a moment view. It spoiled rear view, too. F-107 was shaped from F-100 for new tactics-fighter, so it needed to have a bomb compartment in the abdomen of the body. It maybe a reason why the air intake position determinded, I think. Competitor F-105 could brought much more bombs than F-107. Sharply shaped nose could not include big rader. Bad sight prevented to use for another purpose. Then unique F-107 ceased from the sky.

Span:11.15m Length:18.45m Height:5.99m Weight max18.84t Engine P-W J57 turbojet A/B 10,657kg Cf:kl Vmax M=2 Range:1400nm Lto':m Armament:--( as expected)

North American F-108 Rapier

F-108 was planned an escort fighter for B-70, mach 3 class bomber. It is needed the ability of high speed cruise for long-range. Then the body was to be big, nearly 30 meters length. The shape of F-108 was smart, with co-delta wings, initially it had planned as three vertical wings. When F-108 cancelled, the figure changed steped delta wing and the upper part of side vertical wings cutted.

Span:17.50m Length:27.12m Height:6.32m Weight emoty 23.1t max 46.5t Engine GE J93-GE-3AR turbojet 9,500kg A/B 22.750kg2 Cf:kl Vmax M=3 (3,190km/h) Zc=24,500m RC-- m/min Range:1000nm to 2200nm Armament:AAM(Falcon)3 ( as expected )

Bell F-109

Bell F-109 planned as a VTOL supersonic fighter, both for Air forcce(D-188A) and NAVY(D-188). It destructed in early time. Defined are nearly F-101 measure, powered with same as F-5B engines (J-85), two for vertical only with no after burner. Two after burnered engines for each end of wing, Two for horizontal only. Total 8 engines means big initial cost and maintainance cost, low rate of operation. United States planned a lot of jet VTOL plane and poured a lot of money. But there had no VTOL fighter except licensed Harrier till the time JSF available.

Span:7.24m Length:18.9m Height:3.89m Weight max23,917lbs Engine GE J-85-GE-5 1,180kg8 (A/B 1,750kg6) Vmax M=2.3 Zc=m RC m/min Range:1200nm Combat Radius:600nm Armament:20mm cannon4 FFAR(MightyMouse)108 +1.8t bomb (as expected )

General Dynamics FB-111 Ardverg

FB-111 was the first turbo-fan powered, and variable swept wing jet fighter. It was planned for multi purpose fighter, both air force and naval type model preparated. It was caused of hard direction of a politician who came from automobile company. He thought that common platform and parts helps money. But too many order made fighter quite big and heavy. So aircraft career could not use such a heavy plane. As to the air force, this plane sometimes met accident caused engine stole. When problem cleared, F-111 changed FB-111, because fighting is not suitable for this plane. But to say payload and range, it is excellent bomber. "Multi purpose" changed "Single purpose", Except some EC and Recnaissance type.

Span:10.34-21.34m Length:22.4m Height:5.22m Weight: empty:22.27t max:54.09t Engine P-W TF30-P7 5,670kg (A/B 9,230kg)2 Vmax M=2.5/11,000m Zc=18,000m RC --m/min Range:--nm Combat Radius:2200nm Armament: AGM-69A6 or Nuclear Bomb*6 1st Flight 1967/07/30 (FB-111)

Lockheed F-117 Night Hawk

Even though "Stealth" F-117 have "F-"code, it is not a Fighter but a Attacker.

A test had held in a missile base. "Too late" whispered base officer. He only knew that this operation was a test of a new fighter. Several minutes after, the rader find a plane. It was F-5, supporter of F-117. "This base already attacked." A Engineer of Lockheed Skunk Works asserted with smile.
Skunk Works is a group of unusual engineers. They could realize extravagant subjets, even if unprecedented technology. Now-a-days, some airplane have "Stealth" ability, but it means "low visible by rader". Such a complete stealth ability could not get eny other plane, still now.

Span:11.8m Length:15m Height:5m Weight: empty;10t max;16-20t Engine GE F-404-GE-400 4,990kg2 Vmax:560kt/SL Zc=--m RC --m/min Range:270-400nm Combat Radius:--nm Armament:ASM2 1st Flight 1981/06 (F-117)

LAST UPDATED 2011/08/23